2010-12-07 - Rider Down, Marble Arch Roundabout (London)

I disagree: while there are a probably a large number of idiot RLJing pedestrian buzzing fixie-skidders on this here forum there are also a fair number of sensible folk who hold the primary position and reporting dangerous drivers to the police in VERY high regard. These folks are more than happy to advise on safe riding in given situations and there are many threads here discussing such topics.

Essentially:While I realise that we still share the road with idiots and it technicall could happen to us I think the 'easily' remark can be very well mitigated.

I'm a senior cycle instructor Benjam, I cycle using the National Standards 'Best Practice' model. I have three times been hit and knocked down from directly behind, twice whilst stationary, by vehicles that had started up and driven into me whilst being aware of my presence but 'thought I might have moved', one of them was a bus and one of them was a cab which swerved into the bus lane to avoid hitting a car which was clearly turning right and which he was speeding towards. We can make ourselves safer by using the assertive cycling techniques outlined in 'Cyclecraft' by John Franklin and championed in National Standard Cycling, but we are probably the cyclists doing the highest milage which will inevitably bring us into contact with the most inconsiderate, aggressive, worst drivers with but little understanding of the consequences of their own actions and seemingly no basic human empathy.