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Horrible day today

wobbly

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
2,686
Garage
Had quite an unpleasant accident this morning.

Dropped a friend off in town, then carried on to pick up some 4x4 Response paperwork from a fellow member.

Driving in to town, its busy, roadworks, and a cycle lane on left. I'm a Police Class 1 driver (or was) and proceeded very cautiously.

Stopped at lights, there is a cycle box at the front of the lane, so this filled up with bikes (no issue with this).

Lights change, off we go. Unfortunately, cyclist in front shoots off but pulls across front of a fellow cyclist who is to my nearside, he brakes, causing following cyclist to try and pull round him into gap between him and me (maybe 2ft), she then loses balance and hits my nearside at about the pillar between front and rear door, then falls down, fortunately not under truck, but lands very heavily on road behind.

I stopped immediately, completely stopping traffic, always best option initially.

I was shocked to be honest, it sounded awful and looked worse in my mirror. I helped the cyclist, as did a parking attendant, and was as helpful as possible, but the cyclist was very anti-entirely blamed me for incident, they had some injuries so I offered a lift home or to work, but not wanted.

Came home very down about it, couldnt work out how I had knocked them off - several passers by were all saying it was my fault.

I then watched the incident as I have an onboard video camera - its been broken but I fixed it yesterday !

Showed me pulling off straight ahead and actually slightly to the right, then it shows a cone in the cycle lane !!! One cyclist is stopped by it, and 'my' cyclist pulls out to avoid the back of them, into the side of my truck. They clearly werent watching ahead and didnt brake, which was the sensible option.

What a god send the camera is. It proves that my only involvement was being there, and my driving wasnt contributory, if anything it shows the cyclist not concentrating.

Its doesnt make me feel any better because I still feel bad about the accident and someone getting hurt, but at least I no longer feel guilty !

Pete
 
Sorry to hear about that. But you would have to wonder where it would leave you if you didn't have the camera?!

I need to up the priority of getting one on my list.

Hopefully you're not down about it too long! It definitely sounds like there is nothing more you could have done.
 
Glad no one was seriously injured Pete - those in-car cameras are going to become more and more common place IMHO.

Need to get mine sorted out soon - I broke the mount! :doh:
 
I think the way everyone blames the motorist is a bit off, if the cone was in the cycle lane, and cyclists not watching where they are going its hardly your fault! I was whacked today by a French delivery van traveling at about 90kph down a single lane today, he smashed his mirror and mine bounced back, I had a ditch one side and Alan prost the other! He still blamed me ........I need a camera in my van........
Glad you are OK

Steve
 
Getting one tomorrow I ordered on Sun, it only has to be a godsend once!!

Andy
 
The problem is where there's a blame there's a claim. Compensation and all that. It's pathetic how the system works. Clad your ok and you had the proof you needed.
 
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I've never met a cop with a conscience , is that why you left the force perchance :shifty:
 
Glad everyone is ok.
Camera sounds a good idea!!

I've been hit by a car on the push bike before, pulled out from a junction on my right not looking and drove into me. Couldn't be more helpful and offered to pay for my bike (ended up through insurance) had the usual company's calling me to make a claim, was only bothered about the bike which got sorted.
 
I get thoroughly hacked off with cyclists who ride in a bubble and seem to think the laws of the road don't apply to them. The number of times I have nearly wiped one of them out is innumerable! And don't even get me started about cyclists behaviour when I used to drive an Atric. They seem to expec everyone else to look out for them rather than looking after themselves.

I'm very interested in the onboard camera thing. will start a separate thread about it. They are very common in Eastern Europe where Insurance fraud is very common (pedestrians throwing themselves on your bonnet at the lights and such like!)
 
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thats not so good mate. can i have the details of the camers you have set up.
I get pi$$$$$ off with cyclists used to drive either a hgv wrecker with a artic or coach on the back had cyclists and pedesrian try to go between wreacker and what ever was on the back. also had a cyclist going down the inside of the low loader with a triaxle coach on the back. they just dont think they should pay attention to other road users some even have head phones on hooping on/off kerbs. in the news last week cyclist drove into the back of a audi and then said it was the audis fault. i thought 99% if you drive into the back of somebody its because you are too close. I have another story but that is not going on a open forum!!! just say very funny.
stu
 
I get annoyed with cyclists and I cycle to work every day!!
 
Perfect example how it all could go terribly wrong and you to blame! Glad you got that camera!!!

Well done and going beyond call of duty taking care of the injured cyclist.

Hope you upload that video to youtube!
 
I too get peed off with cyclists' behavior, and I've ridden all my life.

Glad you're more upbeat about the situation Pete, I can imagine what a downer you must have been on until you ran the vid.

Tonight in a taxi, I saw one guy hit on a controlled crossing, he walked on a red with a phone in his ear. Not too hurt thankfully. Then 2 km on, quite close to home, a woman had been killed minutes before we got there. They were just loading her body into an ambulance bless her. She was crossing on green apparently.

It's not uncommon here, people in general don't pay enough attention. It's across the board, cyclists, pedestrians and car drivers, all just as careless.
 
This is the one I fitted:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1280P-Hd-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c35def701

Oddly, its been broke since July, and I finally sussed the problem (the sd card was knacked) on Sunday, so fixed it and fitted it back on Sunday night.

For £15.00 its an absolute bargain.

This is the 4th or 5th time Ive needed it - first was getting stopped for jumping a red light (showed them immediately on my laptop that they were mistaken, easy mistake to make, low winter sun etc etc, had an old boy step out in front of me, provided id for a lunatic drink driver, and the best one - got my money back for secure airport parking when they left it on an industrial estate!

Ive been proactive, reported it to the Police, notified insurance, downloaded video for safekeeping etc.

Video can prove what happened, but also what didnt - the witness, a parking attendant, is clearly visible looking in a different direction when the collision occurs, then turns and looks when he hears the noise, so he didnt actually see the accident, only the immediate aftermath. Will keep that one up my sleeve, as I know its heading to the insurers.

One small plus, just renewed my insurance, so have got 11 months before having to worry about insurance not being resolved (they count it as blameworthy until its resolved). Fingers crossed I got protected ncb, cant remember. Other small plus, no damage to truck.

Shayne - I'd like to think so, but reality is I was bored stiff. A better offer came along, never really looked back - I still do some training for them, but each time I do I see I made the right decision.

Pete
 
As an aside - during the video you can see how cautious I am with cyclists, not overtaking, leaving extra space from the cycle lane, slowing and moving away from pedestrians at crossing etc. I think this all made me feel aggrieved that I was immediately made out to be the bad guy.

Maybe I could sue for hurt feelings.....
 
It was said in jest Pete , Cheer up no point in crying over spilt milk and all that and in this case there was no milk spilt , stupid bugger made a mistake and fell off his bike thats all there is to it .
 
thankfully no one was significantly hurt, and your back is covered.
It's tempting to go to the media about the whole "anti 4x4 brigade" always denigrating the likes of us, even when we can PROVE we were in the right. Wry smile time I think.
 
good job you haven't got one of those nasty bull bar things fitted (or have you!?) I mean, that pretty much categorises you as an eater of small children in the eyes of the press!!
 
On that note Moggy i wish someone would start a campaign supporting louder exhausts . I had to borrow a standard exhaust for one of my bikes once and it was the most terrifying half hour 10 mile journey of my life , it seemed like every one i passed stepped off the pavement in front of me and every car at a junction looked at me then pulled out in front of me anyway ?
 
One small plus, just renewed my insurance, so have got 11 months before having to worry about insurance not being resolved (they count it as blameworthy until its resolved).

To my knowledge, if no action is taken within 6 months, most insurers will consider the matter closed. However, it seems like the person in question wishes to push the issue...I sincerely hope it comes back to bite them in the backside.
 
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