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When it comes to pedestrian strikes there's usually never enough time to do anything. Whatever happens, don't try to pull an emergency stop.
I had an accident earlier this year on Whitehall involving an pedestrian and a cyclist. A ped walked out on me on a green light for traffic, I pulled a massive emergency stop which left me dead still at 45 degrees in the road only for a second later to be struck by a cyclist. I initially thought that he had clipped my back wheel so I felt really guilty about my stopping technique, 2 days later a massive yellow/black/blue tyre mark bruise on my leg appeared that lasted for two months. This put him right on my rear wheel, he was drafting me. The crash trapped my leg between his front tyre and me top tube, couldn't walk properly for about 3 weeks. Oh and the ped fled the scene.
I learnt the hard way, try to avoid the best you can without swerving into other traffic, just don't stop, I'd rather take a ped strike on the shoulder than get run over again.
Antidotes-
Quite poor advice. Emergency stop is best used for moving hazards as you can't predict where they are going to move. Pedestrians tend to do the idiot dance of death, and then leap in the direction you have chosen to swerve. Swerve should be used for static hazards (potholes etc).
You should cycle at a speed where you can stop safely, ride far enough from the pavement/ parked cars so that you are visible to pedestrians and they can see you. Even then accidents do occur. Also beware that braking distance is increased in the rain.
However riding a bike without proper brakes, especially the front one which helps most with sudden braking raises your liability considerably.
If someone crashed into you, then you should have got their details.
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Really? So, if a kid runs out into the road you'd rather keep going than stop, just in case someone is drafting you?
dancing james
hats
just done kings cross to norbury in the absolute pissing rain. on a lopro with front spinergy revx and rear tubular track disc, brklz. was a lot of fun but at the same time just the complete opposite of fun. all of a sudden a tourist with an umbrella walked out into the road on new oxford street, and my face collided with the umbrella and got soaked. didnt even have time to dodge her properly :(