Another interesting case (helmet warning)

Anonymous

http://www.birchallblackburn.co.uk/a-serious-warning-to-drivers-of-cars-to-take-extra-care-when-confronted-with-vulnerable-road-users/

bendertherobot

http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/another-case-on-contributory-negligence.html

Slightly better precis there with link to the judgement. It clarifies that this was a theoretical rather than actual centre line.

FWIW, my worst overtakes are oncoming cars on country lanes. Never ever slow down.

kurako

I don't really understand the part about 'her side' of the road. If it's a single track road no-one has their own side of the road. This is why they put passing places. Granted a cyclist would take up less room and be easier to pass than a car coming but slowing to '35mph' still implies the driver was going too fast for the conditions.

Snakebite the 2nd

"Slowed to 35 mph"

Doesn't that imply she was going faster than 35 to begin with?
On a single track road?

Now I wasn't there and cannot judge fairly because I don't have all the details, but I get the feeling that speed was a major factor.

Ian.B

Who said it's a single track road? The reports suggest it was wide enough for two cars to pass. But looking at Streetview, [35mph**] certainly looks too fast to be close passing an oncoming cyclist

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.112159,0.2082522,3a,75y,219.5h,90.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s632qggKhcH7XWUH4Ly13NQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
(sorry, don't know how to embed the picture)

** ETA: Actually it was 20mph according to the judgment:
"17.The Defendant's evidence is that she was driving along the road at about 35 mph before she came round the bend and saw the Claimant. Mr Joyner estimated a similar speed and I accept that evidence. I also accept that, when the Defendant first saw the Claimant, she slowed down to 20 mph, and that she was travelling at that speed when she passed her. The Claimant does not challenge the evidence as to speed."

kurako

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19723356#p19723356]Ian.B[/url] wrote:

Who said it's a single track road? The reports suggest it was wide enough for two cars to pass. But looking at Streetview, [35mph**] certainly looks too fast to be close passing an oncoming cyclist

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.112159,0.2082522,3a,75y,219.5h,90.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s632qggKhcH7XWUH4Ly13NQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
(sorry, don't know how to embed the picture)

** ETA: Actually it was 20mph according to the judgment:
"17.The Defendant's evidence is that she was driving along the road at about 35 mph before she came round the bend and saw the Claimant. Mr Joyner estimated a similar speed and I accept that evidence. I also accept that, when the Defendant first saw the Claimant, she slowed down to 20 mph, and that she was travelling at that speed when she passed her. The Claimant does not challenge the evidence as to speed."

Ah sorry I misunderstood the description on Cycling Silk's page about 'single carriageway lane'. People drive like nutters on those country roads though...

roger_merriman

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19723356#p19723356]Ian.B[/url] wrote:

Who said it's a single track road? The reports suggest it was wide enough for two cars to pass. But looking at Streetview, [35mph**] certainly looks too fast to be close passing an oncoming cyclist

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.112159,0.2082522,3a,75y,219.5h,90.68t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s632qggKhcH7XWUH4Ly13NQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
(sorry, don't know how to embed the picture)

** ETA: Actually it was 20mph according to the judgment:
"17.The Defendant's evidence is that she was driving along the road at about 35 mph before she came round the bend and saw the Claimant. Mr Joyner estimated a similar speed and I accept that evidence. I also accept that, when the Defendant first saw the Claimant, she slowed down to 20 mph, and that she was travelling at that speed when she passed her. The Claimant does not challenge the evidence as to speed."

Unfortunately its a fairly loose definition, single track lane. Broadwater Forest Lane is in most places sufficiently wide that two cars can pass but not so wide that it could have a painted central line.

I much prefer to drive/walk/ride on proper single track lanes ie you need to use passing places etc, than the wider lanes which has some awful driving on always, since people feel they can drive at much higher speeds etc.