Dozens of cyclists driven over on purpose!

re · Post by re » 02 Mar 2011, 14:05

Sorry to hear that Ralph. Might be good to record the incident here: http://www.stop-smidsy.org.uk/ and have a look here: http://www.cyclistsdefencefund.org.uk/w ... en-a-crash

I'm not quite sure how this thread started out about the attempted multiple-murder of cyclists and turned into a discussing how menacing cyclists are (by someone who thinks he should be able to drive at whatever speed takes his fancy and by someone else who walked into a cycle lane and got shouted at

)

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 02 Mar 2011, 14:13

Ouchies, I came off my bike once, wasnt pleasant.
Compensation the dozey cows insurance.

snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 02 Mar 2011, 14:13

Crap policeman - obviously she could be done for careless or dangerous driving for causing an accident and injury to you. Don't let it go Ralph...... you are having to take time off work due to the incident aren't you? You have a Doctor's visit as proof. You have witnesses don't you?

I hope you damaged her car?

A good friend of mine was nearly killed whilst cycling with a friend up a long straight road uphill into the setting sun. A jeep driven by a woman (who claimed she was blinded by the sun) mowed into them and sent him 15 feet into the air and he landed on the road behind the jeep. Fortunately there was no following cars. He was in intensive care with a number of broken bones, but he healed quickly due to his high level of fitness.

The driver is being prosecuted for dangerous driving.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 02 Mar 2011, 14:33

Re
I merely said that some cyclists are menace.

Quite a few have absolutly no knowledge of the rules of the road, go as they please and believe that you will stop and let them pass.
Much like teenagers who walk out in front of traffic, knowing if it doesnt stop, they can sue, assuming they survive.

Cyclists are in fact worse than the "boy scooterers" in my experience.

ujoni08 · Post by **ujoni08** » 02 Mar 2011, 14:45

Sorry to hear that.

Many drivers under-estimate the speed of a modern light road bike. Also, the thought of slowing down till the cyclist passes the intersection, then turning left BEHIND them is too much to bear for some.

I can whistle VERY loudly, and use that instead of my bell sometimes when I think a driver is about to sideswipe me.

I fear these incidents will continue while we have the current infrastructure, which provides only for cars and pedestrians. I cycled in Holland some years ago, and it was amazing!

Jon

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 02 Mar 2011, 14:48

RalphW, I'm entirely in sympathy with you. I do hope there's no lasting injury to you.

RalphW wrote:I keep going. Car turns across me.

The above happens to me around once a week. Either they don't see me (rare) or they think they can overtake a bike, not considering a bike can go at a considerable speed.

Recently, I stuck my arm out to move over to avoid a huge puddle of water and a car was about 20 metres behind me. He caught up and actually pulled onto the other carriageway to overtake me and turn in front of me!

I've taken to cycling right in the middle of the lane at crucial points - this can be nervewracking but I indicate and don't take chances - as I have precisely the same right to be there as any other road user. Car drivers don't agree.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 02 Mar 2011, 14:59

Last night, on my way home, I stopped at some traffic lights, the road goes to single lane, for both directions, under a bridge.
A cyclist overtook the 20 or so cars waiting in this que, and then set off up hill at 4 or 5 mph.

I didnt mow him down, but I can certainly understand why someone would.

Its extremely annoying when car drivers try and overtake you to turn left, I suffered it a lot on my motorbike.
Its also extremely annoying to get stuck behind a cyclist who purposefully prevents you overtaking.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 02 Mar 2011, 15:00

Post by **clv101** » 02 Mar 2011, 15:02

DominicJ wrote:I merely said that some cyclists are menace.

Sure, that goes without saying.

Some members of any group are a menace, cyclists, pedestrians, drivers etc. The fundamental point is the as we face the triple issues of peak oil and climate change and debt, cycling is dramatically better than driving on all three axis. That truly remarkable win-win-win configuration overrides the fact that some cyclists are a menace and every right thinking person should be campaigning for and championing cycling as part of the solution rather than focusing on the cycling menace angle.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 02 Mar 2011, 15:29

Well said.

As always, when people say 'cycling is dangerous', I have to say...

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 02 Mar 2011, 15:30

Many motorists regard cyclists as a menace to threatened and anoyed at every oportunity.

That was the comment I responded to.
Many motorists regard cyclists as a menace, quiote frankly, because many cyclists are a menace!

ujoni08 · Post by **ujoni08** » 02 Mar 2011, 15:35

This is very worrying:

>I didnt mow him down, but I can certainly understand why someone would.

Jon

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 02 Mar 2011, 15:46

Thinking about it, I had a very similar incident about 2 years ago. On that ocassion I merely left large scratches down the side of the car.

The pain killers have kicked in, and I have managed to walk back and retrieve the bike.

I might get to work tomorrow after all, although the doctor warned I would be worse after a night's sleep.

I am in two minds about following this up. The driver did not intend to hurt me, although from her comments she is clearly unsympathetic towards cyclists, and that probably contributed to her decision to cut me up. A bit of 'awareness training' would do her good.

I do get frustrated when I stop at a red light, only to have three slower cyclists I have just overtaken, sail past me, so that I have to overtake them again, as traffic allows, a few seconds later.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 02 Mar 2011, 15:48

Why, its the exact behavior that led to Ralph being knocked off his bike.

The cyclist illegaly over took queing vehicles, parked past the stop line, and then proceeded to force said vehicles to travel at his slow speed, for several hundred metres, where I got off, many of the cars would struggle to overtake for a mile.

Its exactly the kind of thoughtless selfishness that causes people to snap for a few seconds.

Ludwig · Post by **Ludwig** » 02 Mar 2011, 16:03

RalphW wrote:
I am in two minds about following this up. The driver did not intend to hurt me, although from her comments she is clearly unsympathetic towards cyclists, and that probably contributed to her decision to cut me up. A bit of 'awareness training' would do her good.

I'd nail the b***h if I were you. She may not have meant to hurt you, but she clearly didn't care if she did. And then she just drove off... Given that you were clearly visible, she either thought she had the right of way, or she knew she didn't but cut you up anyway, or she was in her own fecking dreamworld. Whichever it was, she was firmly in the wrong and needs teaching a lesson.