Most common ‘no fault’ commuting crash
Discussion
I see this (or a very near miss) about once a month on my commute round S and Central London...I say ‘no fault’ as it’s only a few years’ experience that stops me being tempted into doing the same!
-slow moving traffic in both directions, bikes and scooters filtering down the middle
- gap opens up in oncoming traffic
- Simultaneously, awkward large van 1 or 2 ahead that blocks view to a small road on left allows someone out to turn right.....whilst L plate scooter takes lack of oncoming traffic as opportunity to overtake said van at speed
- crash
Saw it again in Clapham tonight, rider lucky not to go under car and may have broken his leg...tldr is I think to remember that a filter is an overtake, and to never overtake at a junction
-slow moving traffic in both directions, bikes and scooters filtering down the middle
- gap opens up in oncoming traffic
- Simultaneously, awkward large van 1 or 2 ahead that blocks view to a small road on left allows someone out to turn right.....whilst L plate scooter takes lack of oncoming traffic as opportunity to overtake said van at speed
- crash
Saw it again in Clapham tonight, rider lucky not to go under car and may have broken his leg...tldr is I think to remember that a filter is an overtake, and to never overtake at a junction
Similar situation i had to this was:
1) traffic lights at the end of the road with pedestrian crossing. lights on red
2) traffic queuing about 200m back from the lights
3) obv nothing at all in the other lane coming towards me. started filtering past at 20mph ish (thankfully wasn't gassing it to leapfrog the whole queue!)
4) pedestrian steps out in front of a van about half way down the queue. van blocking my view.
5) pedestrian looking left not right so didn't see me and i didn't see them until very the last split second.
6) BANG. pedestrian nasty broken leg and other injuries. bike with smashed front end though still rideable.
result: no fault. NCB withheld for 2 yrs pending civil action, which never came. had to tell insurance companies for 5 yrs. had to pay to fix the bike myself
lessons.
1) traffic lights at the end of the road with pedestrian crossing. lights on red
2) traffic queuing about 200m back from the lights
3) obv nothing at all in the other lane coming towards me. started filtering past at 20mph ish (thankfully wasn't gassing it to leapfrog the whole queue!)
4) pedestrian steps out in front of a van about half way down the queue. van blocking my view.
5) pedestrian looking left not right so didn't see me and i didn't see them until very the last split second.
6) BANG. pedestrian nasty broken leg and other injuries. bike with smashed front end though still rideable.
result: no fault. NCB withheld for 2 yrs pending civil action, which never came. had to tell insurance companies for 5 yrs. had to pay to fix the bike myself
lessons.
- be wary of pedestrians walking out and not bothering to look right because they're not expecting to have a vehicle travelling the "wrong" way down that empty lane.
- when filtering give a decent gap to the vehicles in the left lane. don't hug them too close so to give yourself some wiggle room
Edited by PTF on Thursday 9th January 09:41
PTF - this all the time in London, add into the mix the fact that the pedestrians are generally looking at their phones with a big set of noise cancelling headphones on. I'm always very wary around buses, vans etc. as you can't see through them. If I use the opposing lane to filter up stationary traffic it's generally where I can down the middle of it to give me a plan B.
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