Witnessed a prang

secretsam

Whilst heading into work this morning, was following a hardtail MTB who jumped past me at the lights.

Dropping down the Gray's Inn Road, towards the bit with Condor on the right, we get hung up behind white van man. Guy on the MTB was about 1 length ahead of me, and the van signals left and starts to pull in. So we both swing right to overtake...and the van suddenly switches direction and starts to pull a U-turn.

MTB fella & I hit the anchors hard, I slither to a halt just in time, but he's not so lucky, swings right and hits the van side on, clonking it with shoulder, hip and bars, but luckily not head.

Cue: words :shock: . MTB fella seems OK, tells the (apologetic driver) to 'forget it' and trundles off (RLJ's next junction...).

The driver didn't look. That's bad, given there were 2 bikes up his chuff...but worse given that there was a bus up mine...FFS does anyone keep their eyes open in London?

Clever Pun

before he started his left then right U turn

were the vans rear windows blocked?

were you in his side mirrors or in primary up his chuff?

secretsam

1. Windows were clear and present
2. We were hanging out to his right, ready to overtake (there was a line of traffic ahead)
3. We were as visible as is possible
4. No it was in no way our fault!

:evil:

Clever Pun

yup sounds that way, least there was no damage to man nor beast of burden

victor ludorum

Rear windows or not, the sudden U-turn is a stupid manoeuvre.

Assuming you're on a road where such a thing is legal, pull in, wait, look, then when you're convinced its clear, make then turn.

Although this is not as bad as the minicab who raced from behind me the other day, cut me up right to left, then attempted to u-turn through me, all without indicating, while listening to his iPod...

biondino

SecretSam wrote:

FFS does anyone keep their eyes open in London?

Seriously - I have encountered a massively higher standard of driving on my commutes through central London than in any other place I've cycled in the UK. Obviously there'll be some tossers - and the more traffic, the more chance you'll come across them - but by and large most people who drive regularly in central London are pretty capable.

secretsam

victor ludorum wrote:

Rear windows or not, the sudden U-turn is a stupid manoeuvre.

Agreed

victor ludorum wrote:

Assuming you're on a road where such a thing is legal, pull in, wait, look, then when you're convinced its clear, make then turn.

No, not sure it was legal, but since when did that stop WVMs?!?!?!?!

victor ludorum wrote:

Although this is not as bad as the minicab who raced from behind me the other day, cut me up right to left, then attempted to u-turn through me, all without indicating, while listening to his iPod...

Ditto the taxi who kept pulling out into me from a side road. Even after I came to a halt in front of him. We ended up standing trading perspectives, IYKWIM :twisted:

chrisb177

You might have been in his blindspot but he still shouldn't have performed a u-turn, typical van driver (No Offense to anyone that is )

chuckcork

SecretSam wrote:

Whilst heading into work this morning, was following a hardtail MTB who jumped past me at the lights.

Dropping down the Gray's Inn Road, towards the bit with Condor on the right, we get hung up behind white van man. Guy on the MTB was about 1 length ahead of me, and the van signals left and starts to pull in. So we both swing right to overtake...and the van suddenly switches direction and starts to pull a U-turn.

quote]

I had a motorbike written off in a similar way. Waiting to pull out of a supermarket carpark, looking at the traffic coming from the right, and I'm wanting to go left, car indicates to turn in, fine, and the one behind seems to do the same, the suddenly goes right around. Problem was I started to move when I thought I could go, and then had to stop, so the woman driver behind me who saw me go and thought I wasn't there anymore drove straight into the back of me because she wasn't lokking ahead but to the right too. Shunted hard and bike took off across the road as I dropped the clutch while putting on huge throttle (out of control, basically) before dropping it 10 metres later. Just as well, I would have hit a wall on the other side of the road.

Never did get an apology, or even any assistance from her,not even change for a phone call, bleedin cow was more concerned that her insurance would go up. She was in a too much of a hurry to provide more than basic details.

Then moved house and took a holiday. Took months to get the legals sorted out. Cow.