2008-07-02 - Rider Down, Cyclists beware

I was tempted not to write this as I see "rider down" far too often, but decided that people need reminding.

8:00am this morning on New Kings Road sw6, youngish guy with wild red hair on old road bike got taken out by an inattentive driver stuck in traffic.

The cyclist was traveling in the cycle lane ahead of me and passing queued traffic when a driver decided not to wait any longer and just turned left into the street he was beside.
I did not see the collission but arrived a few seconds later to see cyclist blood pissing from face orifices and arms and as he reminded me of a forum mate I stopped to help out. (I would have stopped anyway)

Looked at and spoke to the guy, told him to sit and wait and called ambulance, gave him my water bottle so he could wash himself off a bit.
I called the ambulance as he had head wounds but he was "lucky" not to have been more seriously injured. To my utter amazement a man from a van had stopped also and offered to be witness, dropped his business card into the guys back pack.

After a few long minutes talking to the ambulance service the driver asked me if it was absolutely neccesary to involve ambulance (Cyclist was by now checking himself out for broken bits) as he would take cyclist to Charing cross hosp himself (I could see the insurance premiums going up in the drivers eyes) so I told this to the operator, she cancelled ambulance but thankfully the old bill pulled up right at that moment with sirens and lights ablaze, so I bid them all farewell and let the guy keep my blood spattered water bottle.

The Moral Of This Story Is.

Even when you have a cycle lane, be extra vigilant around intersections ESPECIALLY if you are undertaking queing vehicles. look into cars, watch their front wheels for movement, look into their mirrors and pay attention. We are not often visible to others.

I think this guy will be ok and is very lucky if he gets away with a concussion some bark off and a bit of claret loss, but for fuck sake be carefull.

Same thing happened to me.
There's not much you can do when drivers suddenly turn left without indicating and without looking.
I nearly made it round the van but he just caught my rear wheel.
At the moment I seem to be having "near misses" almost every journey and I am being careful!

Being in the right doesn't give you a force field. Most people are idiots, most people have driving licences. You do the math....s

i ran in to a cab once in the same situation
and i shouted at the driver really badly

Brian I've met you and I can't imagine you shouting at anyone badly or otherwise.
Glad you survived.

god show for stopping mini. hope the guy is ok.

This 'move' will happen to everyone if they ride long enough.
There's not a lot you can do other than try to turn as much as you can with the car (while braking) to scrub speed. If the car is turning left into you, you also turn left. With luck you will skim the bonnet and collect their insurance money for a new bike.

Good call Hippy, this is good advice for the unawares.
Congrats on your epic adventure.

Had to do that ^^ tonight for a van turning south down Queens Gate at speed. no indicate.
driver didnt stop, and the car following skimmed me trying to drive round and turn left.
Pedestrian waiting to cross saw it all, I looked at her, she looked right through me?! ha!

London hates bikes.

This 'move' will happen to everyone if they ride long enough.
There's not a lot you can do other than try to turn as much as you can with the car (while braking) to scrub speed. If the car is turning left into you, you also turn left. With luck you will skim the bonnet and collect their insurance money for a new bike.

in this case it sometimes helps to lean on the roof and bang hard with your fist

the roads do seem particularly dangerous at the moment, had irate car drivers beeping at the last two journeys
it's the hot weather ! must be

London hates bikes.

I'd like to see that on a T-Shirt

+1 good work for stopping mini. i keep seeing more accidents like this, but tis inevitable as the number of cyclists multiply.

ride safe

On the cover of the Metro this morning it mentions a woman cyclist being stabbed to death last night, although there is no further mention of it inside or elsewhere on the web.

Anyone heard anymore on this one?

http://news.google.co.uk/news?hl=en&um=1&tab=wn&q=cyclist+stabbed&btnG=Search+News

ahh, great journalism prevails at the Metro once again. So it was the woman who was stabbed earlier in the week in peckham who was on the bike.

Ta.

unfortunately has happened to me twice, the second time was a car coming toward my direction and turning right crossing my path, the reason this happened is be cause the driver in the lane next to me slowed and flashed the oncoming driver through... I remember picking my self up a little bit giddy from the adrenalin and marching over to the car... to be greeted by a man towering 6ft by 6ft who's first words were "I'm a member of the armed forces..." in an psychotic calm manner not breaking eye contact ...I said " ...squeak ok.." and sat down and waited for the police.
So look out for drivers who are being courteous to other drivers at junctions..as one is assuming the other driver has checked its ok (in my experience) :S
ride safe people

Thought I might as well stick this in here. Its something I posted on another bike forum at the time it happened.

Illustrated account of me getting hit by a car.

Luckily the only damage was ripped jeans, - thanks to the fact cars dont accelerate too much over 2 metres! :D

the trafic and I all moving really slowly as it was congested, then this nutter stationary car decides to lunge foward full throttle, totally unexpectidly.

Everyone there thought it was really strange, it totally looked as if he was purposefully charging at me.

Spent the rest of the afternoon waiting around at the policestation (after they insisted I come in on the phone) to make a report, which turned out totally fruitless as the plates were fake. (wrote down very carefully)

hehe :) then what? i want to see part two!

What a great account :)

What an ass ay!

^ ha - thats amazing

wild red hair? It wasn't aidan (turd furgurson) was it?

Altho he don't have no road bike, and if it was him I imagine the car would now be on fire and the driver have a D-lock in his face.

Please tell me that was sent to the insurance company : D

London hates bikes.

racist