SMIDSY, my fault!

[PeteXXX]

Yesterday, whilst out on the bike, I was waiting at a side road junction for a safe space to get onto a more major one with the intention of heading onto a bike path sort of opposite (not a signed route, as such).
I saw my gap in the traffic, hit the pedals and rode left and then right towards my turn.
Next thing I saw, as I was half way across the lane, was a car bonnet about a foot away, turning in towards me and braking hard! The driver had been behind me at the junction, and then, assuming, I suppose, that I was continuing on the main road, had (safely) gone to pass me.

My first thought was.. WTF! TW*T!

My second thought was.. JEEZ, that was close.

My third and thoughtful thought, eventually, as the adrenaline slowed, was.. that it was my fault! I nearly got myself left hooked!!

To the car driver, thank you for your good reactions and I accept your abuse!

 

[Drago]

You ok Pete? Where in the town did it happen?

 

[KnackeredBike]

Doesn't sound like it was your fault to me. When overtaking it would be the driver's responsibility not to cross anyone's path, especially if that person is moving legitimately across their lane.

There are plenty of reasons to move out as a cyclist, potholes, puddles, turning, etc. It shouldn't be too difficult for a driver to anticipate. You have to be a bit rubbish to try and overtake immediately after a junction IMO.

Happens all the time to me, there is an unpleasant road layout where you have priority through a chicane and immediately have to move to the right into right turn hatchings to get onto a NCR. Lost track of the number of number of near misses from drivers behind and oncoming because they assume you will move back left (even when indicating right) after the chicane.

Most importantly forget the rights and wrongs I hope you are okay!

 

[PeteXXX]

You ok Pete? Where in the town did it happen?

Kingsthorpe. Yep, I'm ok thanks.

 

[Drago]

Aye, the traffic is like a scene from Ben Hur that side of town.

 

[PeteXXX]

Doesn't sound like it was your fault to me. When overtaking it would be the driver's responsibility not to cross anyone's path, especially if that person is moving legitimately across their lane.

There are plenty of reasons to move out as a cyclist, potholes, puddles, turning, etc. It shouldn't be too difficult for a driver to anticipate. You have to be a bit rubbish to try and overtake immediately after a junction IMO.

Happens all the time to me, there is an unpleasant road layout where you have priority through a chicane and immediately have to move to the right into right turn hatchings to get onto a NCR. Lost track of the number of number of near misses from drivers behind and oncoming because they assume you will move back left (even when indicating right) after the chicane.

Most importantly forget the rights and wrongs I hope you are okay!

I was in the wrong! The car driver wasn't. Luckily he was a good one and hit the brakes.
I know what you mean about dodgy junctions, but this wasn't one, just a normal left turn.

 

[GlenBen]

Bit of a grey area as to fault. Just pull right out of the junction, cross the lane and take the right of the lane straight away?

 

[steveindenmark]

If you were there and accept responsibility. Thats fine. Another lesson learnt.

 

[velovoice]

Isn't there a rule in the Highway Code to the effect that one road user should not attempt to overtake another (transport mode irrelevant) in a junction, unless each has its own lane and stays within it?

Glad you're okay!

 

[Dave 123]

Bloody cyclists!

 

[Globalti]

In moments of doubt I will sometimes establish eye contact with another road user and point out my intentions, whether driving or cycling.

But I wouldn't beat myself up about it... a good, mindful driver should have anticipated that you might be turning right and certainly shouldn't have overtaken you until they saw you were on a straight trajectory with room to pass safely.

 

[mjr]

Isn't there a rule in the Highway Code to the effect that one road user should not attempt to overtake another (transport mode irrelevant) in a junction, unless each has its own lane and stays within it?

Yes. That was my first thought. Maybe the cyclist could reduce the risk, but the motorist shouldn't overtake there anyway. The number of motorists overtaking through junctions, zebra and pelican crossings and across double white lines seems to be increasing.

http://highwaycode.info/rule/167

 

[spen666]

Doesn't sound like it was your fault to me. ....

Sometimes, just sometimes, it is possible for a cyclist to be in the wrong.

Your expert crash analysis only exposes your complete bias.

The cyclist in the incident- who was present, unlike you, has admitted he was in the wrong.

Why try to defend the cyclist when he has admitted he was wrong.


you sound like the mother of one of my clients who used to insist little Darren had done no wrong and been fitted up by the police, even when Darren was caught climbing out of a burgled house with a TV under his arm and incidentally Darren also admitted it.

 

[mjr]

Sometimes, just sometimes, it is possible for a cyclist to be in the wrong.

Your expert crash analysis only exposes your complete bias.

The cyclist in the incident- who was present, unlike you, has admitted he was in the wrong.

Why try to defend the cyclist when he has admitted he was wrong.

Because the cyclist seems to be wrong about the motorist overtaking safely and the motorist was also in the wrong by overtaking through a junction. I don't quite understand the situation so I'll trust the cyclist that they did something wrong, but it doesn't seem like only they were at fault.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Why try to defend the cyclist when he has admitted he was wrong.

When the cyclist's own account was that they were hit, from behind, when they had moved out to turn right? Perhaps it was just me that was taught that if you hit someone from behind, it's your fault.