I pulled out on a cyclist
Discussion
Yesterday, on the way home from work, I pulled out of a T junction infront of a cyclist coming from my right.
I pulled up to the junction, looked right, car coming, looked left, car coming. Looked right again, clear, looked left again, clear, looked right, clear, or so I thought. Pulled out and a cyclist appeared from nowhere. He wasn't particularly riding fast, I just did not see him. Scary.
He didn't hit me, but shouted at me. I put my hand up by way of apology and hung my head in shame, as though I'd just been given a b
king by a teacher. I drove on whith the sight of cyclist making gestures in my rear view mirror. fk, I thought. Sorry mate, genuine error on my part. But no need to go mental. I'm not perfect, as I'm sure, neither are you.
Anyway, to the cyclist - Sorry!
There, that's better.
As you were.
I pulled up to the junction, looked right, car coming, looked left, car coming. Looked right again, clear, looked left again, clear, looked right, clear, or so I thought. Pulled out and a cyclist appeared from nowhere. He wasn't particularly riding fast, I just did not see him. Scary.
He didn't hit me, but shouted at me. I put my hand up by way of apology and hung my head in shame, as though I'd just been given a b
king by a teacher. I drove on whith the sight of cyclist making gestures in my rear view mirror. fk, I thought. Sorry mate, genuine error on my part. But no need to go mental. I'm not perfect, as I'm sure, neither are you. Anyway, to the cyclist - Sorry!
There, that's better.
As you were.
If it makes you feel any better, I did the same a couple of weeks ago. Two riders riding along one after the other, first cyclist turns left into the junction I was in, pulled out expecting cyclist number 2 to follow suit but he carried on dead straight!
He had to brake and avoid although it wasn't particularly close and was generous in not hurling abuse at me, but still. Assumption is the mother of all fk ups!
As a fellow cyclist: Sorry
He had to brake and avoid although it wasn't particularly close and was generous in not hurling abuse at me, but still. Assumption is the mother of all f
k ups!As a fellow cyclist: Sorry
Mr Whippy said:
They are easy to miss with all these DRL's on cars these days grabbing your immediate attention... 
It was just one of those days yesterday I think.
s
t me up though as I normally make a point of looking for them as they're quite common round here, yet I still didn't see him. He even had a hi vis vest on and reflective strips on his bike.
Maybe a trip to specsavers is needed:
I've posted this before and I'll post it again, because it's bloody useful:
http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyc...
Unfortunately there's only so much you can do. You're a human being and therefore fundamentally imperfect at spotting stuff.
Another problem with humans is we tend to get aggressive in a shock-inducing situation - even more so if a) we've just been made aware of our own mortality (which the cyclist just has been), b)someone else is shouting at us*, even if they feel justified at doing so due to a). You can see how that degenerates.
Trying to remain calm and break that cycle, even if you weren't at fault, is the best you can do really. Just try and remember that a scared person will do stupid things (like fly off the handle at you), and getting angry at them for doing so is the worst thing you can do. Argue about who was in the wrong once everybody's had a nice cup of tea.
*I believe that 'mirror circuits' is the thing you should be googling here - something to do with us instinctively copying the emotional state of people near us. Anyone willing to add stuff on this?
http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyc...
Unfortunately there's only so much you can do. You're a human being and therefore fundamentally imperfect at spotting stuff.
Another problem with humans is we tend to get aggressive in a shock-inducing situation - even more so if a) we've just been made aware of our own mortality (which the cyclist just has been), b)someone else is shouting at us*, even if they feel justified at doing so due to a). You can see how that degenerates.
Trying to remain calm and break that cycle, even if you weren't at fault, is the best you can do really. Just try and remember that a scared person will do stupid things (like fly off the handle at you), and getting angry at them for doing so is the worst thing you can do. Argue about who was in the wrong once everybody's had a nice cup of tea.
*I believe that 'mirror circuits' is the thing you should be googling here - something to do with us instinctively copying the emotional state of people near us. Anyone willing to add stuff on this?
Edited by paranoid airbag on Wednesday 19th June 16:27
OP it happens... your far superior than the average driver (you looked for start)
Cyclists don't stand a chance...
Dad used to drive buses in Northfleet for what was then Kentish Bus, when they had Bright yellow and lurid green snot 'n' custard paint jobs.
Twice he was t-boned at junctions whilst driving double deckers painted like this
Both claimed they didn't see it... if the average idiot driver can't see a bus what chance do the squishy road users have.
Cyclists don't stand a chance...
Dad used to drive buses in Northfleet for what was then Kentish Bus, when they had Bright yellow and lurid green snot 'n' custard paint jobs.
Twice he was t-boned at junctions whilst driving double deckers painted like this
Both claimed they didn't see it... if the average idiot driver can't see a bus what chance do the squishy road users have.
Edited by real4star on Wednesday 19th June 16:34
paranoid airbag said:
I've posted this before and I'll post it again, because it's bloody useful:
http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyc...
Unfortunately there's only so much you can do. You're a human being and therefore fundamentally imperfect at spotting stuff.
Another problem with humans is we tend to get aggressive in a shock-inducing situation - even more so if a) we've just been made aware of our own mortality (which the cyclist just has been), b)someone else is shouting at us*, even if they feel justified at doing so due to a). You can see how that degenerates.
Trying to remain calm and break that cycle, even if you weren't at fault, is the best you can do really. Just try and remember that a scared person will do stupid things (like fly off the handle at you), and getting angry at them for doing so is the worst thing you can do. Argue about who was in the wrong once everybody's had a nice cup of tea.
*I believe that 'mirror circuits' is the thing you should be googling here - something to do with us instinctively copying the emotional state of people near us. Anyone willing to add stuff on this?
The fight/flight response coupled in with a good helping of stupid.http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyc...
Unfortunately there's only so much you can do. You're a human being and therefore fundamentally imperfect at spotting stuff.
Another problem with humans is we tend to get aggressive in a shock-inducing situation - even more so if a) we've just been made aware of our own mortality (which the cyclist just has been), b)someone else is shouting at us*, even if they feel justified at doing so due to a). You can see how that degenerates.
Trying to remain calm and break that cycle, even if you weren't at fault, is the best you can do really. Just try and remember that a scared person will do stupid things (like fly off the handle at you), and getting angry at them for doing so is the worst thing you can do. Argue about who was in the wrong once everybody's had a nice cup of tea.
*I believe that 'mirror circuits' is the thing you should be googling here - something to do with us instinctively copying the emotional state of people near us. Anyone willing to add stuff on this?
Edited by paranoid airbag on Wednesday 19th June 16:27
paranoid airbag said:
I've posted this before and I'll post it again, because it's bloody useful:
http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyc...
Since you've already posted the useful one, I'll add this: http://theoatmeal.com/blog/car_needshttp://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyc...
Mr Will said:
Since you've already posted the useful one, I'll add this: http://theoatmeal.com/blog/car_needs
I LOL'dambuletz said:
heat of the moment. everyone goes mental to begin with. Some people have the capacity to realize that they're going ape mad and forgive a person as mistakes happen. some unfortunately don't.
It can be a bit scary on the bike - and I think the wild gesticulating is 9 times out of 10 the result of a surge of adrenaline which can last a couple of minutes. Its the ones who keep it up once it has subsided who are aholes! Well done, Mike (and Wookie as it happens) for stepping up and apologising, rather than hiding behind the plethora of exucses some use. Well done, sirs.
I did something similar a few months back and was frankly mortified. In my case a motorbike was coming from the left. I just couldn't figure out how I'd missed him. There was a corner 30ft down the road and a very wide tree just past the exit of the carpark I was turning out from. I can only hope that the first time I looked he was just round the corner and the next look I have he was behind the tree. Found it difficult to get off my mind for a couple of days.
Yes, can only advise every PH'er to exercise EXTREME CAUTION when pulling out of any side street on to a main road.
One of my sons was hit by a careless driver, whilst riding his motorbike at 30mph with his headlamp on. He was extremely lucky he didn't have his left leg amputated below the knee, but nevertheless it is scarred for life and held together with rods and screws.
Please be careful out there.....
One of my sons was hit by a careless driver, whilst riding his motorbike at 30mph with his headlamp on. He was extremely lucky he didn't have his left leg amputated below the knee, but nevertheless it is scarred for life and held together with rods and screws.
Please be careful out there.....
Vocal Minority said:
ambuletz said:
heat of the moment. everyone goes mental to begin with. Some people have the capacity to realize that they're going ape mad and forgive a person as mistakes happen. some unfortunately don't.
It can be a bit scary on the bike - and I think the wild gesticulating is 9 times out of 10 the result of a surge of adrenaline which can last a couple of minutes. Its the ones who keep it up once it has subsided who are aholes! Well done, Mike (and Wookie as it happens) for stepping up and apologising, rather than hiding behind the plethora of exucses some use. Well done, sirs.
h overtook and left no room for me to move around potholes & drains. she was still within the lines of the middle of the road. there was no reason for her to overtake me so close as the road ahead of us was perfectly clear and she was in a Ka.I was furious, yelled my arse off at her, fueled with adrenaline I wanted to catch up to her and give her a piece of my mind so was pedalling hard to catch up. I think she knew I was annoyed as she took off going over the limit from the looks of things. After 1 mile I had lost her and was already near home so didn't bother. Was fine once I got in and sat down and couldn't care less.
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