This happens FAR too often.

In the last 3 months I have seen this happen 3 times. It's also happened to me once...so that would be 4 times total -

I live just off Whiteladies road. It's a busy road. One of the most heavily used in Bristol. Every morning I wait at the same junction...trying to get on.

I inch my way out, to see around the trees and parked cars.
Once in a while you get a driver who gives way otherwise I'd be there forever.

Too bad not all drivers think the same.

Hopefully there'll be a break in the traffic. Eventually...
And then it happened.

I was hit by a cyclist.



He'd done some fair damage to both my front and rear drivers side doors. Not to mention the rear window. They'll need replacing.

I had planned on asking if he had insurance...

But I couldn't get a word in edgeways.

Cyclists don't have insurance anyway...

Looks like this is coming out of my pocket.

Before I start people should know this. I'm a cyclist. I'm also a motor biker and I drive a car. This isn't "having a go" at those who cycle. It's more trying to figure out what makes the rules different for them. Are they road users or pavement users? Personally, I see myself as a road user when I'm on a bicycle and there is a £60 fine for cycling on a pavement, so we'll go with CYCLISTS ARE ROAD USERS. If this is the case why does this type of accident happen so often? I think it comes down to what we look for when we're on the road. When we drive a car we're pretty much conditioned (through driving lessons and tests) to recognise things about other vehicles...such as brake lights. When I'm driving my car and I see brake lights, I apply my brakes. When I'm riding my motorbike and I see brake lights, I apply my brakes. When a cyclist sees brake lights they just seem to ignore them and skit down the side. There doesn't seem to be any comprehension as to why the brake lights on the car ahead of you have come on. Which is where the problem arises. When this happened to me the cyclist happened to be flying down the middle of the road (not the pavement side where drivers look for them...and we do look for them because hitting someone isn't something you go out with the intention of doing) and must've passed about four stationary cars, all with their brake lights on before he collided into the side of me...where I had been stationary for at least fifteen seconds. When I witnessed this a couple of days ago, I had my brakes on; the car in front had his brakes on and the car was clearly visible in the middle of our lane where it had been waiting for about ten seconds. A cyclist came at speed, passed my car on the pavement side (no helmet I might add...which a whole other issue) and then past the car in front before applying his brakes far to late, locking his wheels and sliding into the bonnet of the turning vehicle. He went over the bonnet and landed on the opposite side of the road in front of oncoming traffic. The accident could've got a lot worse at this point, but thankfully it didn't. Anyway, he then proceeded to get up and start screaming his head off at the (quite frankly, terrified) woman behind the wheel of the hit car. He was 'effing and blinding about women drivers and how cars are always pulling out on cyclists etc. I wanted to get out of the car and smack some sense into the guy. In his head she'd pulled out on him. If that was the case why wasn't there a four car pile up? If he'd opened his eyes he might realise that he had passed several cars with the brakes on. It eventually took some pedestrians who had seen the whole thing to talk the guy down. And then he hopped back on his bike, carried on down the road and probably into another car which had "pulled out" on him.

So who is at fault? In both these situations, I would place the fault firmly in the court of the cyclist. Going too fast when other vehicles are giving a clear warning of a need to slow down. Who is the one who gets punished? In both situation the cyclists were able to get back on their bikes and cycle off. No damage. The drivers, on the other hand, have to pay out to get their vehicles fixed. And two new doors and a window ain't cheap. And you are shaken. And you've just had someone try to make you feel small and guilty about doing nothing wrong.

I supposes what I'm arguing for is for cyclists to use a bit of common sense and read what is going on around them. If a car has brake lights on (the big red ones on the back) then it's a safe bet that its slowing for a reason, so look out.

End

And for those who want to know, yes, this is how my boards at work look...in fact it's probably a bit neater.