Collision this morning

macp

Well just got to the office feeling slightly freaked out.I have been commuting to work on my bike for a month now and was witness to my first collision today which some might argue I was the catalyst for.
Approximately 80% of my ride to work is on busy country lanes and I am on a narrow section of my journey.I am riding my usual 2 foot from the kerb and there are a number of cars behind me waiting to pass as there is a lot of traffic coming the other way.
A gap opens up and the cars behind begin to pass until a BM 5 series appears coming towards us.Unfortunately the last car behind me decides to pull out and pass me.There is a screech of brakes a blaring of horns and a shattering of plastic as bits of wing mirror fly into my path.

I know its a minor incident but as I say it has freaked me out and put an element of doubt into my head as to whether I should be taking my life into my hands by cycling to work.Perhaps I could have been more alert to the impending collision and moved over but I dont think that would have made any difference ?

Anyway just wanted to get that off my chest please feel free to comment

el_presidente

If someone does an unsafe overtake because they are impatient and a crap driver it's not your fault. Possibly you could have stopped and offered to be a witness but with the possibility of an irate BMW drive then discretion may well have been the better part of valour.

Keep riding well out from the kerb on narrow lanes as this is much safer, as you force cars to do a proper overtake rather than squeeze past.

macp

el_presidente wrote:

If someone does an unsafe overtake because they are impatient and a crap driver it's not your fault. Possibly you could have stopped and offered to be a witness but with the possibility of an irate BMW drive then discretion may well have been the better part of valour.

Keep riding well out from the kerb on narrow lanes as this is much safer, as you force cars to do a proper overtake rather than squeeze past.

Thankyou
I was perfectly willing to stop but both parties were motoring and didnt stop.I think maybe I should MTFU and ride further out than my normal 2ft on narrow sections.I am always surprised where cars pass me as their are at least a couple of blind bends where drivers have passed me :shock: !!

desweller

Yup it's down to the overtaking driver to exercise good judgment, not you. As el_presidente says, keeping out of the gutter will give yourself room to manoeuvre in these situations. They don't happen very often, fortunately!

DaveHudson

I wouldn't let it worry you too much. You had every right to be riding there and you were riding in a manner that secured your safety by not allowing cars to squeeze through (going by your post anyway)

I have started riding defensively on my commute, If I know an area is going to be too narrow for the following cars to pass safely (bollards in the road, narrow road sections) I'll position myself in a way that they have no chance of trying to get through.

I kinda agree that it may have been nice to stop and check no-body was hurt, but what is done is done.

tarquin_foxglove

I agree with riding defensively in the middle of the lane (primary) but also do it courteously.

ie when you can see it is safe to pass, move back to secondary & a friendly wave/thank you to the car as it passes you safely.

I wouldn't recommend waving drivers through, in case something goes wrong. Also even though you do everything right, don't assume the drivers will.

macp

DaveHudson wrote:

I wouldn't let it worry you too much. You had every right to be riding there and you were riding in a manner that secured your safety by not allowing cars to squeeze through (going by your post anyway)

I have started riding defensively on my commute, If I know an area is going to be too narrow for the following cars to pass safely (bollards in the road, narrow road sections) I'll position myself in a way that they have no chance of trying to get through.

I kinda agree that it may have been nice to stop and check no-body was hurt, but what is done is done.

As I say Dave they were both moving at some speed and the car which ultimately caused the collision disappeared into the distance at a rapid pace and the BM didnt stop either.I see the BMW most mornings on my commute though and I will try to have a word and make sure all ok.

DaveHudson

Ah I retract my comment, Bit hard for you to ask if they didn't stop. You could have taken chase

ex-pat scot

Their responsibility.

Keep a good 3 foot out at least.
You have as much right as them to be on the road.

You are not "holding up traffic"; you ARE traffic.

rolf_f

Sounds like just a collision of wing mirrors. The drivers weren't bothered enough to even stop so you shouldn't be worrying about it. If you'd been nearer the kerb, it might not have happened that way but it could have been you being collected by the wing mirror of the car behind you.

Effectively, your riding position helped to prevent you from becoming a statistic. What traffic behind you and coming towards you get up to as a result of that is only their concern!

macp

DaveHudson wrote:

Ah I retract my comment, Bit hard for you to ask if they didn't stop. You could have taken chase

I will get em next time Dave still getting my fitness up at the moment as im getting blown off by everyone except grannies and thats only because I havent met one yet.

This morning has taught me that I think this will be a statutory purchase for me http://www.bike-eye.com/

iPete

Read this, you'll feel better..

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12710655

macp

iPete wrote:

Read this, you'll feel better..

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12710655

Cheers Pete

I suppose another positive has come out of this in that I have been suffering with shiny bike syndrome and Im that close to coughing 5,6,700 quid for a new machine.Not doing that now its frustrating but Im going to wait for something to come up 2nd hand.

Cafewanda

Morning macp. Unfortunate incident this morning but I wouldn't let that put you off getting a machine! Don't be so hasty

woodford2barbican

macp wrote:

Well just got to the office feeling slightly freaked out.I have been commuting to work on my bike for a month now and was witness to my first collision today which some might argue I was the catalyst for.
Approximately 80% of my ride to work is on busy country lanes and I am on a narrow section of my journey.I am riding my usual 2 foot from the kerb and there are a number of cars behind me waiting to pass as there is a lot of traffic coming the other way.
A gap opens up and the cars behind begin to pass until a BM 5 series appears coming towards us.Unfortunately the last car behind me decides to pull out and pass me.There is a screech of brakes a blaring of horns and a shattering of plastic as bits of wing mirror fly into my path.

I know its a minor incident but as I say it has freaked me out and put an element of doubt into my head as to whether I should be taking my life into my hands by cycling to work.Perhaps I could have been more alert to the impending collision and moved over but I dont think that would have made any difference ?

Anyway just wanted to get that off my chest please feel free to comment

This has happened to me before - it is the driver's fault who over took you. Does not matter where you were cycling in the lane, he / she was basically an idiot and misjudged the situation.

I did not stop, just rode on giggling to myself

macp

Thanks all

Feeling a great deal more positive than I did this morning.Now where did I put those brochures

BentMikey

All I want to know is where is the video? Here's one I had quite a while ago. No broken mirror, but the mirrors did glancingly touch, and the oncoming car kerbed their tyres slightly. I was shaken too - much sympathy for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_nsvXWCnds

Did you get the registration no. of the offending car? I bet that BMW driver would be really chuffed with you if you did.

You can reassure yourself with the fact that an average regular UK cyclist will likely live two years longer than the norm.

supersonic

I often will pull in when safe to do so and let them pass. For a few seconds of my time the risk to me is greatly reduced. Even if it is their fault.

BentMikey

supersonic wrote:

I often will pull in when safe to do so and let them pass. For a few seconds of my time the risk to me is greatly reduced. Even if it is their fault.

It's good manners so well done! It's a great way to change driver perception too - many will flash hazards and be really appreciative when they see you making an effort on their behalf. Besides which, we're obliged to pull over and let faster traffic through as per the highway code.

mudcovered

supersonic wrote:

I often will pull in when safe to do so and let them pass. For a few seconds of my time the risk to me is greatly reduced. Even if it is their fault.

I do that as well. Confuses the hell out of some drivers but most do appreciate it.

Mike

unixnerd

Non car owners amongst you might be surprised to learn that replacing a modern wing mirror can cost 400 quid, and not just on BMWs! I had one ripped off my winter car by a Jaguar driver on a narrow B road near Skye. He was a local and knew the road but still managed to almost push me off it and kill the mirror. I turned and after a few 100 yards found him licking his wounds in a layby. I told him it'd cost about 25 quid to find a used mirror on ebay (it's an older BMW) and managed to get some cash out of him, to his credit.

Not all BMW drivers are cyclist hating morons by the way. I own a few older ones (despite only driving once or twice a week!) and run a website for them. They're reliable, surprisingly cheap to run (unless you visit main dealers a lot) and easy to work on. Don't like the look of the modern ones though.

I might have to commute on a busy A road for bit soon. If I do I plant get one of those orange things that stick out a foot from the side of the bike and mount a flashing red light on it.

To the original poster, don't let it put you off. :-)

fnegroni

Had the usual encounter with an idiot driver tonight on my commute back home.
It is a bend which should be approached at a speed not higher than 40mph, when clear.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=wokingh ... 6,,0,15.59

People approaching the right hand bend tend to cut the corner and the drivers approaching it as a left hand bend end up sqeezing anything between them and the trees into the gutter as a result.

On top of that, drivers will generally ignore the fact it is a blind bend and try and overtake me even when it is obviously dangerous.

Had to stop one of those idiots from becoming a statistic tonight: driver approaching the bend on the opposite lane, preparing to overtake me on the bend.

fortunately I saw a car coming the other way, which incidentally was cutting the corner as most idiot drivers do, and put my arm out fully extended, and looked at the driver behind me to alert them. They *just* managed to pull back in right behind me with inches to spare.

I obviously shook my head and the driver overtook safely afterwards.

For the sake of a few seconds they risked their own, mine and the other idiot driver's life.

macp

BentMikey wrote:

All I want to know is where is the video? Here's one I had quite a while ago. No broken mirror, but the mirrors did glancingly touch, and the oncoming car kerbed their tyres slightly. I was shaken too - much sympathy for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_nsvXWCnds

Did you get the registration no. of the offending car? I bet that BMW driver would be really chuffed with you if you did.

You can reassure yourself with the fact that an average regular UK cyclist will likely live two years longer than the norm.

Sadly no video and I didnt get the number of the idiot vauxhall astra driver. I wish I had.
Thanks for the sympathy and glad you were unscathed from your episode.

Thanks again to everyone for the support and advice. Off the back of that I went and bit the bullet this afternoon and ordered myself a new Specialized Secteur.

unixnerd

Thanks again to everyone for the support and advice. Off the back of that I went and bit the bullet this afternoon and ordered myself a new Specialized Secteur.

That's the spirit! Don't let the buggers grind you down :-)

Nearly bought one of those myself when they came out last year.

macp

unixnerd wrote:

Thanks again to everyone for the support and advice. Off the back of that I went and bit the bullet this afternoon and ordered myself a new Specialized Secteur.

That's the spirit! Don't let the buggers grind you down :-)

Nearly bought one of those myself when they came out last year.

Cheers man

I thought the Secteur was a good compromise between the Allez and the Tricross. I paid £470 so in my opinion ts a bit of a bargain too.

thistle_

mudcovered wrote:

supersonic wrote:

I often will pull in when safe to do so and let them pass. For a few seconds of my time the risk to me is greatly reduced. Even if it is their fault.

I do that as well. Confuses the hell out of some drivers but most do appreciate it.

I only do that if I'm going slow and will be holding someone up for a long time on a road where they cannot overtake.
If I know there's space for them to overtake safely and that they can see ahead, but they choose to just follow I assume they just want to admire the view :roll:

thistle_

macp wrote:

Anyway just wanted to get that off my chest please feel free to comment

It wasn't your fault in the slightest so don't worry about it like everyone else has said. It sounds like the last car doesn't know how wide his car is (or needs to go to Specsavers).

If if makes you feel any better, you could go to your local cop shop and say you were a witness to a collision and leave them your details.
One of the drivers might report it to try and extract some money from the other to pay for the wingmirror, whiplash and psychological trauma....then again maybe you'll want to stay out of all that

No_Ta_Doctor

macp wrote:

That's the spirit! Don't let the buggers mow you down :-)

Corrected that for you :-)[/quote]