An apology from a motorist

[Mugshot]

No - 'this sort of thing' meaning 'failed to anticipate all hazards properly'.

Ta

 

[Scoosh]

I can't see this happening with a car travelling at 15mph.

Ah - but if you get smacked by

... he must have been travelling at some speed, perhaps 40mph or more.

... you would likely be in for a spin.

 

[ApologeticMotorist]

The cyclist hadn't yet reached the junction when I swerved into it, he was at the second car parked before the junction. I was travelling at around 15mph up the road then as I just reached the corner of the junction, the car pulled into my path so I braked until I was going maybe 3 or 4 mph but the other car turning right was still moving, it's just that he pulled into my path very suddenly and I knew we were going to collide head on. The junction is narrow, about 1.5 car lengths.

 

[Mugshot]

Ah - but if you get smacked by ... you would likely be in for a spin.

Hmmm, you have a generous and trusting nature @Scoosh

 

[Mugshot]

What position was the cyclist in in relation to the parked cars? How far out into the road were they?

 

[Milkfloat]

You lot don't know how hard I am having to work to not start a thread about an incident going up a hill yesterday where a crazy motorist stopped to apologise after some normal driving behavior. It was very confusing

 

[ApologeticMotorist]

The cyclist was travelling very close to the parked cars, he wasn't travelling in the middle otherwise I'd have waited behind him.

 

[vickster]

Are there parked cars on both sides? As above can you link to the Google street map view, as it's a bit confusing, especially regarding the width of the road and road layout

 

[glenn forger]

The cyclist was travelling very close to the parked cars, he wasn't travelling in the middle otherwise I'd have waited behind him.

I don't understand. Where was your car relative to the central lines when you overtook?

 

[Scoosh]

[QUOTE 4278495, member: 9609"]we need the google street view[/QUOTE]
TBH, I'm not sure spending much more time picking over the finer details of how many inches there might have been between one car and another or between the junction and the parked cars or whether one car was going at 17mph or 22mph is really going to add anything more to what has already been a scary experience for the OP, who has had the courage to come onto a cycling forum to apologize and has admitted to having learned form what our Members have posted as their 'take'/ cyclist's perspective on the incident.

Apology has been offered, lessons have been learned - is further dissection going to get anywhere positive ?

I'm aware, from a Mod perspective, where this could end ... which would be unfortunate as it has, in the main, been a very mature and positive response from CC Members.

 

[ApologeticMotorist]

I must admit I'm a little reluctant to post the google street view. The one that is available doesn't show how cars park there in the evening and its out of date because they've repainted the road markings and changed it to a 20mph zone so it's no longer accurate. There were no cars parked on the other side, anywhere along the length so the other driver had the full width of his lane to carry out his manouvre.

I was travelling over the cross hatch markings when over taking. In a few more feet when I was well past the cyclist and the junction, I would have closed the gap more between me and the row of parked cars but the other driver pulled in suddenly in a straight line. It really did happen very quickly.

 

[glenn forger]

The cyclist was travelling very close to the parked cars, he wasn't travelling in the middle otherwise I'd have waited behind him.

You noticed the rider was in a dangerous position and thought you'd go for an overtake anyway. Then your partner got annoyed because the rider was angry you'd nearly killed him cos you don't know how to drive properly. You sound a charming couple.

I was travelling over the cross hatch markings when over taking. .

Ah, in that case you left loads of room for the cyclist and the rider over-reacted.

 

[ApologeticMotorist]

I hadn't appreciated that the cyclist was in a dangerous position by cycling close to the cars, I observed him doing this before moving out to give him space and assumed he was doing this to allow cars to pass. Is it better to pass a cyclist only when they are not passing cars? That is a genuine question, and if the answer is yes then I will hang back in future.

My partner was trying to explain what happened the same as I was. We were both understanding of his anger and fear. My partner got angry when he called me a r*tard and as I have a disability, I think this cut quite close to the bone for him. But I realise the cyclist won't have known this so I'm taking the insult with a huge pile of salt.

 

[Brandane]

You noticed the rider was in a dangerous position and thought you'd go for an overtake anyway. Then your partner got annoyed because the rider was angry you'd nearly killed him cos you don't know how to drive properly. You sound a charming couple.



Ah, in that case you left loads of room for the cyclist and the rider over-reacted.

Give it a rest FFS.... The driver has been brave enough to admit her mistake and came on here specifically to apologise.
Replies like that and she will be wondering why she bothered and we will have another anti-cyclist out there in a car.

 

[Dec66]

My partner got angry when he called me a r*tard and as I have a disability, I think this cut quite close to the bone for him. But I realise the cyclist won't have known this so I'm taking the insult with a huge pile of salt.

And good for you for doing so.

My four year old has a disability which causes her to be labeled as such, so in the same position I do not think I'd have been quite so forgiving.