Something happened on my way home...

Topics relating to Advanced Driving in cars
gannet
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 10:23 am

Something happened on my way home...

Postby gannet » Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:46 pm

Hello,

Some of you will already be aware, but for those who aren't I cycle for a good proportion of my commute to work through the outskirts of London. On Friday evening as I was approaching Croydon while riding along the main road with a road off to the left approaching, a Van came along this road to turn right across my path. He slowed, not quite stopped and then continued across - right across my path :shock: Halfway across and see me (I am by now heavily braking and almost stopped). So, nasty accident avoided we all went on our ways.

So I get to thinking what could I have done differently so he could have seen me earlier - or indeed why didn't he see me? Cue the footage from my camera, which I use for those just in case moments and am most definitely NOT a youtube vigilante and have never posted any of my footage. Anyway, reviewing the footage and I see something which at the time thought nothing of and deemed a perfectly acceptable manoeuvre...

Roll back a few seconds through the footage and prior to the junction another car overtakes me and then turns left into the road the van turns out of. In isolation the overtake and the subsequent turn left show no problem - ie I have no issue with the space they gave me or the timing, I don't have to alter my speed at all.

Take a closer look however and the timing is such that his position completely hides me from the view of the van approaching the turn, and I presume his scan to the right - he sees a car approaching but turning and indicating left, but not me :(

So a plea from a cyclist and a learning point which I will factor into my driving - if approaching a turn to the left off a main road and if also considering an overtake of a cyclist or slower moving vehicle - please hang back for the extra few seconds to enhance their visibility to those coming out of the side road.

I can if people would like to see it, post the footage...

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angus
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Location: Colchester - Oldest Town, oldest roads

Re: Something happened on my way home...

Postby angus » Sun Nov 08, 2015 1:03 pm

Would/should the van driver not have seen you over the car? Justification perhaps for a small white flashing light on your helmet?

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akirk
Posts: 1659
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2015 6:58 pm
Location: Bristol

Re: Something happened on my way home...

Postby akirk » Sun Nov 08, 2015 1:42 pm

Interesting incident and analysis, and I suspect an accurate understanding... I suspect that having seen the car and dealt with it, having recognised that the car was no longer a threat, the van driver probably felt all was clear, sometimes drivers can only prioritise n hazard at a time... While your suggestion for car drivers is very valid, it is also an illustration of why cyclists need defensive riding... Even though you had 'priority' and shouldn't have had to adapt would it perhaps have been a good use of your driving skills to have anticipated even more that the van might not stop, and therefore not needed such heavy braking...?

Alasdair

gannet
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 10:23 am

Re: Something happened on my way home...

Postby gannet » Sun Nov 08, 2015 2:17 pm

angus wrote:Would/should the van driver not have seen you over the car? Justification perhaps for a small white flashing light on your helmet?

hadn't thought of that, I've avoided helmet lights so far because of the weight. I might revisit...

gannet
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 10:23 am

Re: Something happened on my way home...

Postby gannet » Sun Nov 08, 2015 2:21 pm

akirk wrote:Interesting incident and analysis, and I suspect an accurate understanding... I suspect that having seen the car and dealt with it, having recognised that the car was no longer a threat, the van driver probably felt all was clear, sometimes drivers can only prioritise n hazard at a time... While your suggestion for car drivers is very valid, it is also an illustration of why cyclists need defensive riding... Even though you had 'priority' and shouldn't have had to adapt would it perhaps have been a good use of your driving skills to have anticipated even more that the van might not stop, and therefore not needed such heavy braking...?

Alasdair

Difficult to know how much more defensive I could have been, I had already started to slow in anticipation, and already moved over to the primary position, in hindsight this movement was AFTER the overtaking car had passed, but still on the main road - which probably actually made it worse for the van to see me - hiding myself further by prolonging the time I was hidden.

Rick448
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Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2015 8:48 pm
Location: Hessle

Re: Something happened on my way home...

Postby Rick448 » Sun Nov 08, 2015 2:28 pm

gannet wrote:
angus wrote:Would/should the van driver not have seen you over the car? Justification perhaps for a small white flashing light on your helmet?

hadn't thought of that, I've avoided helmet lights so far because of the weight. I might revisit...


I bought these.


Sport Direct Mega Mini Twin LED's Silicone Light Set Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004749ISK/ ... pwbFP80FQA

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akirk
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Location: Bristol

Re: Something happened on my way home...

Postby akirk » Sun Nov 08, 2015 2:29 pm

It was your comment that you were heavily braking... Not sure you could have done more...
Alasdair

Keithrm
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Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2015 2:01 pm
Location: Northumberland

Re: Something happened on my way home...

Postby Keithrm » Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:47 pm

The tales I could tell... Honestly, until motorists take on board the fact that the cyclist has exactly the same rights to be on the road as any other user this sort of thing will happen time and again. The "they don't pay road tax" argument has been thrown at me many times but it should be "live and let live" with the emphasis on the live bit. Present company accepted, the standard of care given to cyclist is deplorable by the motoring community in general, there are some shockingly bad cyclists but many more bad motorists. There I have said it... :twisted:

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jcochrane
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Location: Surrey-Kent borders and wherever good driving roads are.

Re: Something happened on my way home...

Postby jcochrane » Sun Nov 08, 2015 10:36 pm

Exactly the same thing happened to me a good number of years ago whilst I was in a car. Unfortunately the emerging car did make contact with my car resulting in some damage. Fortunately the damage was slight as I was already doing an emergency stop.

The lesson I learnt was that if the car in front blocks my vision of a waiting or potentially waiting car in the mouth of the junction then I hang back (so that I can stop before the junction) until the car in front clears the junction and my view of the junction mouth is re established.

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akirk
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Location: Bristol

Re: Something happened on my way home...

Postby akirk » Mon Nov 09, 2015 8:25 am

Keithrm wrote:The tales I could tell... Honestly, until motorists take on board the fact that the cyclist has exactly the same rights to be on the road as any other user this sort of thing will happen time and again. The "they don't pay road tax" argument has been thrown at me many times but it should be "live and let live" with the emphasis on the live bit. Present company accepted, the standard of care given to cyclist is deplorable by the motoring community in general, there are some shockingly bad cyclists but many more bad motorists. There I have said it... :twisted:


There is truth in this - however I would love to start from a point of view that acknowledges that there is huge overlap - many cyclists are drivers and vice versa - it is ultimately irrelevant which one might be (or whether pedestrian / rider / etc.) - there is the same need to show courtesy on the road... The problem is that opinions are formed from a very individual perspective, so for me, I am very courteous to cyclists but see some horrendous cycling both out here in the country and in the city - so should I form the opinion that cyclists are dangerous? Of course not, it is simply one perspective - but ultimately we need to coexist...

Alasdair


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