Cycling accident on Abbeydale road last night 05/05/13

[Bargepole23 337]

No it wasnt.

The cyclist was clearly at least partly responsible and if id been driving the car id have given him nothing.

 

Responsible how? Responsible for being hit by a car door?

 

Entirely the fault of the person opening the door and not checking wing mirrors.

 

The same person who should have had the common decency to phone for a paramedic rather than bunging £40 and scarpering.

 

OP, contact the police and let them take it from there.

[SAAB_ 10]

Responsible how? Responsible for being hit by a car door?

 

Entirely the fault of the person opening the door and not checking wing mirrors.

 

 

And the cyclist for not anticipating that could happen and take preventative action.

I,E, slowing down well before they reach the car.

 

 

The same person who should have had the common decency to phone for a paramedic rather than bunging £40 and scarpering.

And the op took it, but now seems to want more.

Rather typical of today's society.

Never my fault.

Always someone else's.

Can i make any money from it?

 

OP, contact the police and let them take it from there.

 

Yes, but dont forget to tell them you took money from the driver before allowing him to leave.

By the way OP, did you even take the reg plate?

[chipspice 10]

And the cyclist for not anticipating that could happen and take preventative action.

I,E, slowing down well before they reach the car.

 

 

And the op took it, but now seems to want more.

Rather typical of today's society.

Never my fault.

Always someone else's.

Can i make any money from it?

 

 

 

Yes, but dont forget to tell them you took money from the driver before allowing him to leave.

By the way OP, did you even take the reg plate?

 

well I hope that you never have that happen to you. It happened to me and I was too shocked to do anything, let alone get a reg number. The person who hit me drove off without even an apology.

How can anyone predict that a driver will open his door without looking? Surely you are taught to check your mirrors when you are learning to drive initially?

[alchresearch 214]

And the cyclist for not anticipating that could happen and take preventative action.

I,E, slowing down well before they reach the car.

 

"reach the car"? What car? Why would the cyclist need to slow down when passing a stationary car?

 

The same accident would have happened if it were a bus, car or cycle. The only difference is the door would have been ripped off by a motor vehicle.

[SAAB_ 10]

"reach the car"? What car? Why would the cyclist need to slow down when passing a stationary car?

 

Common sense should tell them to. Just because a car is parked that does not mean its empty.

It they find this hard to understand then maybe they shouldn't be on the road at all.

 

---------- Post added 07-05-2013 at 14:14 ----------

 

well I hope that you never have that happen to you. It happened to me and I was too shocked to do anything, let alone get a reg number. The person who hit me drove off without even an apology.

How can anyone predict that a driver will open his door without looking? Surely you are taught to check your mirrors when you are learning to drive initially?

 

I was, and i do. However checking mirrors isnt always enough.

Some cars have blind spots, some cyclists go far too fast, and some cyclists dont follow the rules of the road and have unpredictable behaviour.

Perhaps the op is one of these?

Anyway, like i said at the start, the blame lies with them both.

[irenewilde 10]

No it wasnt.

The cyclist was clearly at least partly responsible and if id been driving the car id have given him nothing.

 

You and your anti-cycling mates are like flies round a cow pat on threads like this. Have you any idea how stupid you look?

[E-Man Groovin 27]

And the cyclist for not anticipating that could happen and take preventative action.

I,E, slowing down well before they reach the car.

 

Not sure you cycle, so maybe that's where the misunderstanding comes from.

 

Imagine you're cycling past a line of parked cars on your left, for example on Abbeydale Road where Millhouses Park is. The traffic is going past to your right at 40mph; enough to kill you if you're hit, so you stay pretty much to the left.

 

So while keeping your eyes open for harzards in front (pot holes, pedestrians, other cyclists) and to the side (passing cars), you try to check out the parked cars to your left to ensure there isn't a dozy driver within.

 

Anyone of them could contain a careless driver who opens his or her door without checking the mirror. Could be nasty.

 

You can't slow down "well before you reach the car" because the entire road is lined with cars.

 

Of course be aware that a careless driver who opens the door without checking behind runs the risk of themselves being hit by another vehicle, one a lot larger and more damage inflicting than a cycle. Bye bye door, hello expensive repair bill. Examples below

 

http://youtu.be/seYUI946Vjs

[alchresearch 214]

Common sense should tell them to. Just because a car is parked that does not mean its empty.

It they find this hard to understand then maybe they shouldn't be on the road at all.

 

But other vehicles don't drive past other stationary vehicles leaving room for a fully open car door "just in case". On most UK roads that would mean you'd be across the central line.

 

You're just trying to justify your hatred for cyclists and its not working.

[irenewilde 10]

I was, and i do. However checking mirrors isnt always enough.

Some cars have blind spots.

 

If there's a blind spot in your mirror, then you need to turn your head to double check. At least that's what an intelligent road user would do.

[MattTurner 10]

I've written about this on my blog before.

 

Did you know that in 2011, there were 501 injured, 92 seriously injured and 1 cyclist killed by car doors being opened in their path?

 

http://www.greatgasbeetle.com/cycling-in-the-door-zone-injury-statistics/

 

It is against the law to open a car door if it will endanger or injure someone. (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regulation/105/made)

 

105. No person shall open, or cause or permit to be opened, any door of a vehicle on a road so as to injure or endanger any person.

 

This is punishable by a fine of up to £1000 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/42 and http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/53/schedule/2)

Edited May 7, 2013 by MattTurner

[Squiggs 11]

when I cycle, I stay at the edge of the road to give cars as much space to get round me as possible, that doesn't mean that cars give me space. Some are good and give enough room, others just drive as close as possible.

 

That's why you need to be in at least the "secondary position"*, which is roughly along the same line as the nearside wheels of a car would take if there were no cyclist on the road.

 

As you observe, some drivers do not give you room. So you need to give yourself room - if you need to take evasive action you don't want to be doing that by your tyres and pedals hitting the kerb edge spilling you off possibly under the wheels of the offending vehicle.

 

*Slightly confusing name, as a "primary position" exists which is the centre of the lane, that is taken when you need to command the lane, for instance approaching a pinch point, in a lane heading straight ahead that is shared with left-turning traffic. Some misunderstand and think that "primary" means it is the main position - in urban traffic, secondary would be the position taken the majority of the time

Edited May 7, 2013 by Squiggs

[monkey69 10]

Not sure you cycle, so maybe that's where the misunderstanding comes from.

 

Imagine you're cycling past a line of parked cars on your left, for example on Abbeydale Road where Millhouses Park is. The traffic is going past to your right at 40mph; enough to kill you if you're hit, so you stay pretty much to the left.

 

So while keeping your eyes open for harzards in front (pot holes, pedestrians, other cyclists) and to the side (passing cars), you try to check out the parked cars to your left to ensure there isn't a dozy driver within.

 

Anyone of them could contain a careless driver who opens his or her door without checking the mirror. Could be nasty.

 

You can't slow down "well before you reach the car" because the entire road is lined with cars.

 

Of course be aware that a careless driver who opens the door without checking behind runs the risk of themselves being hit by another vehicle, one a lot larger and more damage inflicting than a cycle. Bye bye door, hello expensive repair bill. Examples below

 

http://youtu.be/seYUI946Vjs

 

 

Thats exactly what happened to me about three years ago the very spot. it was a woman who was also in a rush to get her child from the back doors. i was less than four meters away when she literally opened the door in front of me.

I even though i braked and started to swerve out(its a natural reaction) it was not enough. Bang straight into my left shoulder and arm. i was in agony for nearly a month.

there was only a scuff mark on her door, and she seemed more concerned with that. meanwhile i was sat down at the side of the road clutching my shoulder.

I admit that i should have called the police, it was a BIG mistake on my part that i let it go.