Author Topic: The "have you been knocked off" poll (Read 199477 times)

T42 · « **Reply #225 on:** 19 February, 2020, 09:52:12 am »

On very windy days the binmen need to lay them flat after emptying.

GWS

Rowan · « **Reply #226 on:** 19 February, 2020, 10:03:41 am »

Never been knocked off by physical contact, however 2 years ago a logging lorry decided to overtake me coming into a blind bend, a car came the other way, presumably to avoid the car the artic came back onto its own side of the road leaving me a choice between those giant rear wheels or the hedge, I chose the hedge, thankfully by the time it took to bounce off the verge and and end up lying on the road the lorry was past and there was no one behind him to run me over. He didn't stop.

Have dismounted for lorries overtaking me ever since.

neither me nor the bike were injured.

ian · « **Reply #227 on:** 19 February, 2020, 10:29:22 am »

This is why I hate (and refuse to use) the local A22, it attracts a fair amount lorry traffic from the M25 into London, but it's narrow (and to be honest, unsuitable, but we don't care about that sort of thing). So they start a nice, wide overtake the moment there's no oncoming traffic, but the sightlines aren't great and half the time midway through they'll face oncoming traffic. Sometimes it'll give way and slow. Sometimes. Other times, you'll be at the side of an artic that has decided to abandon its overtake and pull back in.

As a bonus, southbound there are considerable sections without a pavement to escape to.

Rowan · « **Reply #228 on:** 19 February, 2020, 11:21:18 am »

Quote from: ian on 19 February, 2020, 10:29:22 am

This is why I hate (and refuse to use) the local A22, it attracts a fair amount lorry traffic from the M25 into London, but it's narrow (and to be honest, unsuitable, but we don't care about that sort of thing). So they start a nice, wide overtake the moment there's no oncoming traffic, but the sightlines aren't great and half the time midway through they'll face oncoming traffic. Sometimes it'll give way and slow. Sometimes. Other times, you'll be at the side of an artic that has decided to abandon its overtake and pull back in.

As a bonus, southbound there are considerable sections without a pavement to escape to.

Drivers overtaking coming into blind bends is a bug bear of mine, at some point one will either have a head on crash or more likely swerve into me to avoid the other vehicle, as the lorry did that I mention above.

I'm very lucky in that I have roads largely free of heavy traffic, haven't seen a lorry so far this week and I will be over the 100mile mark. But by the nature of this area logging trucks and grain wagons do also use these same roads, and they always seem to be in a big hurry.

The vast majority of drivers are very careful and when there is no conflict they know exactly how to overtake cyclists correctly, problems only seem to arise when they have to slow down, at which point they have the potential to take stupid risks, with me.

ian · « **Reply #229 on:** 19 February, 2020, 11:40:29 am »

By and large, most professional lorry drivers will put some effort into an overtake (on the other hand, any kind of skip, refuse, rubble lorry, all driven – as far as I can tell – by lunatics) but there's very often not enough road for the lorry to manage this before encountering either traffic ahead or oncoming traffic. This means the lorry has to abandon and fall back, push forward and hope oncoming traffic gives, or simply pull in.

It's mostly a case of poor anticipation, the need to overtake is strong (and generally pointless, I'd say 95% of the time I'd be overtaking the lorry further along, but go they must).

Anyway, I don't want to die, so I mostly avoid the road other than the section between me and the station which is unavoidable.

Asterix, the former Gaul. · « **Reply #230 on:** 20 May, 2020, 06:41:35 am »

Car crunches Carol Kirkwood

Walking wounded

zigzag · « **Reply #231 on:** 10 August, 2021, 02:41:35 pm »

beautiful ride in (finally) sunny weather today, until a driver knocked off my riding mate on a mini roundabout. driver jumps out all stressed and shaking, "look, come to my car, can you see how the sun is blinding!". yes, that's correct, but still not the reason/excuse to enter the roundabout when other road users approach from the right. as a professional hgv driver (not at work during the incident) he should know better how to proceed when he gets dazzled by the sun.

mate's got bruises and scrapes, the bespoke high end bike will need costly repairs. details exchanged and hopefully all will be sorted via insurance, but the driver was pushing to settle things privately. possibly because this collision would affect his future career as the hgv driver. we'll see.

handcyclist · « **Reply #232 on:** 18 December, 2021, 07:48:29 pm »

Thursday. SMIDSY from side turning. Bounced of the car bonnet, bike turned turtle and landed on saddle and bars. Bruised with swelling to ankle and forearm but no broken bones. Trashed helmet and e-bike controller, scratched frame.

F***wit driver didn't seem overly sorry. Police called, treated on scene by passing paramedics*. A kind other motorist left contact details as witness, another took pictures.

*quoted ambulance reponse time : up to 7hrs!

Paul · « **Reply #233 on:** 18 December, 2021, 09:44:36 pm »

Ouch. Get well soon.

Hope it works out well enough for you.

handcyclist · « **Reply #234 on:** 19 December, 2021, 04:20:43 pm »

Thanks Paul.

My partner phoned the other driver today for his insurance details, which of course he didn't have to hand.

He then said that I had ridden into him

. Yes, right, I went sideways into your bonnet mate ... thank heavens for the 3rd party witness. Slater & Gordon will be getting a call from me tomorrow ....

Browser · « **Reply #235 on:** 08 March, 2022, 11:40:55 pm »

Once, 34 years ago, on my way home from my first 'proper' job on y first ever new bike which I'd bought with wages from said job. Dusk, my lights on, approaching a side road on the left, driver comes up to give way line, slows but doesn't stop, I avoid to the right thinking he'd seen me, he hadn't and pulled out, spinning me round so I ended up on my left side under the front of his carwaiting for him to drive over me. Retired couple, he was shocked by it, I was mega-p155ed as it was my first ever new bike! He paid for all of the repairs without quibble.

diapsaon0 · « **Reply #236 on:** 05 May, 2022, 04:11:54 pm »

Just had a narrow escape riding back from the supermarket. Driver of van/minibus with the logo of a local school, Bridgwater College Academy. I've emailed the Headmistress with a formal complaint, part of which said:

"I was cycling a heavily laden bicycle (having been shopping at Sainsbury's) and was approaching the traffic lights at this junction which were red. In accordance with the Highway Code, I rode, in a clear, wide space, passing your vehicle on the right and stopping on the right at the Advanced Stop Line until the lights changed.

As the lights went to AMBER, your driver started blowing his horn continually to try to force me to move off. I waited until the lights changed to GREEN at which point, as I moved off, blowing his horn repeatedly, your driver pulled away on the inside as I was turning right into Wylds Road and then pulled straight across in front of me in order to turn right himself. "

Looking forward to a positive response - otherwise will be talking to Old Bill and local rag.

Must buy a camera!

Peter · « **Reply #237 on:** 04 June, 2022, 01:39:35 pm »

Any response?

sam · « **Reply #238 on:** 05 November, 2023, 06:53:16 am »

Haven't been knocked off.* However...

• Hit by a car as a pedestrian. First concussion.
• Motorist v motorist action which totalled my car but fortunately not me, the windshield having kindly stopped me from becoming a projectile. (I hadn't buckled up! And there my blame ends, as he was completely at fault.) I'd just put a new engine in: that hurt. Second concussion, into said windshield.
* On a dark desert highway/cool wind in my hair/met up with a pothole/didn't know it was there. Except this was Ohio, which has no deserts, unless you count the culturally barren counties. Third time lights out.

I'm frankly surprised to still be here, and given the cumulative effects of concussions, not entirely sanguine about what lies ahead.

I had to stop for the night

diapsaon0 · « **Reply #239 on:** 21 August, 2024, 08:15:59 am »

Recovering this morning after being knocked off my bike last night by a moped (?) rider going the wrong way down a one-way-street. Luckily no serious injuries - a few cuts and grazes, very painful neck and some concussion. Spent most of the night in A&E. Scan etc. I rode home after the incident, but have absolutely no memory of that. I think that the moped rider scarpered, but can't be sure. Bike is fairly ok, but the front wheel is binding and will need trueing. I hope I can get it to LBS later today.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #240 on:** 21 August, 2024, 09:46:18 am »

Quote from: diapsaon0 on 21 August, 2024, 08:15:59 am

Recovering this morning after being knocked off my bike last night by a moped (?) rider going the wrong way down a one-way-street. Luckily no serious injuries - a few cuts and grazes, very painful neck and some concussion. Spent most of the night in A&E. Scan etc. I rode home after the incident, but have absolutely no memory of that. I think that the moped rider scarpered, but can't be sure. Bike is fairly ok, but the front wheel is binding and will need trueing. I hope I can get it to LBS later today.

That's a bugger. Get LBS to double check frame.

diapsaon0 · « **Reply #241 on:** 21 August, 2024, 10:35:40 am »

I'm taking it in this morning and they'll check it over and true the wheel. First time knocked off and first concussion in 68 years!!

rogerzilla · « **Reply #242 on:** 21 August, 2024, 12:02:31 pm »

You could try claiming from the MIB if the moped rider didn't stop. I rather doubt he/she was insured.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #243 on:** 21 August, 2024, 12:08:22 pm »

And failure to stop or report a collision is probably considered more serious than simply knocking off a cyclist, so it might be worth checking for CCTV on that street. Plus riding the wrong way.

Heal well.

diapsaon0 · « **Reply #244 on:** 21 August, 2024, 01:23:21 pm »

Many thanks. Not worth the hassle of trying to make a claim. Kudos to Nick at SJSC, my LBS, who checked the bike over for me, trued the front wheel and put a few other things right for NO CHARGE!!

Poll

Roughly how many incident-free miles had you cycled before you were last "in collision" with a motor vehicle?

Author Topic: The "have you been knocked off" poll (Read 199477 times)

ian

ian

sam