Gaz down in Streatham
- Thread starter BentMikey
- Start date
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GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
Gaz
if it is any consolation I once had almost the exact same thing happen whilst riding a motorbike some years ago. (except I was in a filter lane not a bus lane) some BMF/AIM friends suggested a more defensive approach WOULD have avoided it, I countered that it only COULD have done so, as the only thing that would have avoided it was my having stayed in bed that morning.
As in your case the driver was looking for a bus, probably a double decker, and nothing else. Had you/I been driving a cab the damage to his car would have been considerable. In my case the large expensive italian motorcycle bounced, nay cartwheeled, off the car turning across me and hit/went through the drivers door area of the car waiting at the give way. It put the driver of that car in hospital alongside me, wrote itself off and did considerable damage to that car.
The insurers and police deemed all liability was with the twonk who tried to cross the filter lane without looking having been flashed by wvm.
50/50? in your dreams!
if it is any consolation I once had almost the exact same thing happen whilst riding a motorbike some years ago. (except I was in a filter lane not a bus lane) some BMF/AIM friends suggested a more defensive approach WOULD have avoided it, I countered that it only COULD have done so, as the only thing that would have avoided it was my having stayed in bed that morning.
As in your case the driver was looking for a bus, probably a double decker, and nothing else. Had you/I been driving a cab the damage to his car would have been considerable. In my case the large expensive italian motorcycle bounced, nay cartwheeled, off the car turning across me and hit/went through the drivers door area of the car waiting at the give way. It put the driver of that car in hospital alongside me, wrote itself off and did considerable damage to that car.
The insurers and police deemed all liability was with the twonk who tried to cross the filter lane without looking having been flashed by wvm.
50/50? in your dreams!
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
As i said before, people are entitled to there opinion, so lets not turn this into a slagging match.
I put in the video description last night, that on a better day i probably would have seen this coming. And i'll stand by that, i would have seen that gap develop and slowed down. But all it takes is for you to miss that gap because you are watching someone else, such as the white van indicating left at the start or the car looking to pull out of the side road, and you have been hit as i did. I wouldn't say i'm 50% at fault, as that would suggest i did something wrong on the road, which i don't feel like i did. I'll stand by what i said, i could have read the road better. but i will also point out that we are not all 100% perfect and missing this tiny detail will cause something like this to happen.
I've looked over my bike, and the only damage i can see is the front wheel. Quite badly buckled that it won't freely move at any point but thats due to my mudguards. I expect it will be a new wheel. I can't see any damage to the frame but thats probably due to some heavy cosmetic damage to my pedals.
As for after the incident. The driver was extremely shocked, he said nothing to me but thats partly down to him not speaking any english. At first i wasn't going to call the police, as i thought i could ride my bike home if i removed my mudguard. But when i found out he didn't speak english and i wasn't sure he would report this to the police station even though i said he should, i had to call the police.
The police turned up and everything was by the book after that. A witness (the car driver pulling out of the side road) who originally drove off but came back, gave his statement, and all 3 of our statements matched. And all the statements match the video.
I did request for an ambulance to come when i rang the police, due to the adrenaline at the time i had no pain but being in this situation before i know how quickly things can become painful. BUT the ambulance was going to take around 2 hours to come as all of them where already out on call and there where lots of jobs backed up. I asked the police officer just to cancel it as i didn't want to wait and i could tell by then that i didn't have any serious injuries.
Last night all that was painful was my forearm where it hit his engine block though his bonnet. But today my lower back is hurting quite a bit. I've tried to book an appointment with my doctor but everything is fully booked until monday, i will explained to them what happened and i will keep trying with them to see if someone has cancelled.
At present i don't want to go to hospital, as i know i'll be sitting there for 3hours + if it gets any worse i can go to the NHS walk in clinic near to me.
I put in the video description last night, that on a better day i probably would have seen this coming. And i'll stand by that, i would have seen that gap develop and slowed down. But all it takes is for you to miss that gap because you are watching someone else, such as the white van indicating left at the start or the car looking to pull out of the side road, and you have been hit as i did. I wouldn't say i'm 50% at fault, as that would suggest i did something wrong on the road, which i don't feel like i did. I'll stand by what i said, i could have read the road better. but i will also point out that we are not all 100% perfect and missing this tiny detail will cause something like this to happen.
I've looked over my bike, and the only damage i can see is the front wheel. Quite badly buckled that it won't freely move at any point but thats due to my mudguards. I expect it will be a new wheel. I can't see any damage to the frame but thats probably due to some heavy cosmetic damage to my pedals.
As for after the incident. The driver was extremely shocked, he said nothing to me but thats partly down to him not speaking any english. At first i wasn't going to call the police, as i thought i could ride my bike home if i removed my mudguard. But when i found out he didn't speak english and i wasn't sure he would report this to the police station even though i said he should, i had to call the police.
The police turned up and everything was by the book after that. A witness (the car driver pulling out of the side road) who originally drove off but came back, gave his statement, and all 3 of our statements matched. And all the statements match the video.
I did request for an ambulance to come when i rang the police, due to the adrenaline at the time i had no pain but being in this situation before i know how quickly things can become painful. BUT the ambulance was going to take around 2 hours to come as all of them where already out on call and there where lots of jobs backed up. I asked the police officer just to cancel it as i didn't want to wait and i could tell by then that i didn't have any serious injuries.
Last night all that was painful was my forearm where it hit his engine block though his bonnet. But today my lower back is hurting quite a bit. I've tried to book an appointment with my doctor but everything is fully booked until monday, i will explained to them what happened and i will keep trying with them to see if someone has cancelled.
At present i don't want to go to hospital, as i know i'll be sitting there for 3hours + if it gets any worse i can go to the NHS walk in clinic near to me.
Ravenbait
Someone's imaginary friend
- Location
- The Seventh Level of Hell
Just found this. Can't see the video at the moment, but glad you're okay. I'm not going to get involved in any pointless debate about who was at fault. What's improtant right now is that you're not seriously hurt.
But I just need to check... Your arm went through the bonnet? Are you made of adamantium, dude? What, did you put a massive dent in it or did it rip right through?
My brain is boggling.
Sam
But I just need to check... Your arm went through the bonnet? Are you made of adamantium, dude? What, did you put a massive dent in it or did it rip right through?
My brain is boggling.
Sam
[QUOTE 1270043"]
You had a post deleted, I don't like being labelled something when I am not.
[/quote]
LOL. Well, I suppose I was being one myself there so fair enough.
Gaz - good luck getting it all sorted. 2 hours for an ambulance?!? Damn good thing you weren't seriously hurt! Was the driver licensed, insured etc? Do you know if he was charged with anything, or does that get decided later?
You had a post deleted, I don't like being labelled something when I am not.
[/quote]
LOL. Well, I suppose I was being one myself there so fair enough.
Gaz - good luck getting it all sorted. 2 hours for an ambulance?!? Damn good thing you weren't seriously hurt! Was the driver licensed, insured etc? Do you know if he was charged with anything, or does that get decided later?
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
Bonnets are designed to have some flex, so if a pedestrian gets hit it absorbs some of the pressure and hopefully they get less injuries. But all my weight went on the bonnet and my arm made contact with the engine block underneath.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Well, having ridden with both of them, I think Lee is a good rider, but not at Gaz's standard. It's also really funny that Lee thinks he'd have spotted that - easy when watching afterwards on film isn't it!
The truth is that I feel Lee took a lot of risks when I rode with him, whilst Gaz is a conservative and careful rider. If Gaz didn't manage to avoid this one, in my mind there's a good chance that in the same situation Lee would have had a faster and more damaging crash.
Lee, I think that you're not only a hypocrite but you're behaving badly on this topic.
Origamist
Legendary Member
The mode of transport established and proceeding in the bus lane is moot (as long as it was allowed in the bus lane) as is the mode of transport that turns across the path of the bus (cycle, car, van, HGV etc). However, some cyclists take a harder line on their fellow cyclists, regardless of who is liable.
Victim blaming is comforting for us skilled, defensive, quick-witted Cycle Chat cyclists as it helps us to convince ourselves that we, in a similar situation, would have been able to avoid the collision. When we're on the bike we know we're vulnerable, but seeing another cyclist crash makes us feel even more vulnerable on the roads - so what do we do? We try to convince ourselves that in identical circumstances we would have been capable of exercising forethought, sound judgment and defensive riding skills - this results in diminished perceptions of vulnerability and we jump back on our bike...
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
That was my last commute of this year, but i expect i won't be getting on the bike for a while now anyway.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
You at work today Gaz? I would hope you took the day sick and are recovering at home.
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
Off now till the 4th of jan.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
p.s. which bike was it?
Sh4rkyBloke
Jaffa Cake monster
- Location
- Manchester, UK
[QUOTE 1270057"]
That's simply rubbish and I don't think I would have somehow. I've been in Gaz's situation many times and each time I've not so much slowed down but been aware and covered the brakes.
As for the second part of your post - humour me. How am I being a hypocrite and how am I behaving badly on this thread?
[/quote]
Even with covered brakes and slamming them on when he saw the car he'd have had no chance of avoiding it within the distance he has available.
That's simply rubbish and I don't think I would have somehow. I've been in Gaz's situation many times and each time I've not so much slowed down but been aware and covered the brakes.
As for the second part of your post - humour me. How am I being a hypocrite and how am I behaving badly on this thread?
[/quote]
Even with covered brakes and slamming them on when he saw the car he'd have had no chance of avoiding it within the distance he has available.
