Hit by a car...

Hey I'm just looking for a bit of advice. I got hit by a car earlier today, I'm just a bit bruised and bike is a little bent but could have been worse.

I'm just trying to work out who is to fault and am not quite sure so hoped someone might be able to help me out.

Ok so this is what happened. I was going down the inside of a line of traffic that was stopped at the traffic lights, the lights turned green and the car I was cycling past turned sharply to its left causing me to hit the front of it just about where the wing mirror is.

Now he says he had his indicator on, but I didn't notice it on as I got up from the ground and he also claims that he was already in the turn as I came past him eg. that wasn't able to stop and thats why I hit him instead of admiting that he turned quickly onto me.

The diagram below shows the circumstances of the crash, and the photo shows where I hit him.

I feel that the photo confirms that he turned into me quickly because as you can see I hit the front of the car.

What I want to know is does that put him at fault as he should have checked his mirrors before turning or am I at fault for cycling on the inside?

Thanks

fault in left hand turn accident - Google Search

that's not good luke, hope your ok, it's clearly the dirvers fault as he didn't check his mirror as you had been filtering down for a while, and everyone knows its mirror, signal maneuver
heal up quick

Thanks for that hippy, though it keeps turning up American sites which is a bit annoying

Seb thats what I was thinking, but do people know this for definate before I go to the police/start the insurance ball rolling.

could try phoning someone like the CTC or LCC?

they may be able to comment/advise if you are not a member...

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread4213.html

oh and get well soon :-)

A cycle lane is a still a lane.

If the driver intends to turn left where there is a cycle lane for him to cross, he needs to make sure there isn't any "traffic" in that lane.

This is probably the most common accident for cyclists. People can't be arsed to check mirrors properly anymore. Totally the drivers fault.

Don't worry, just always have your eyes pealed for these situations. Probably the most nasty way to hit a car - just like hitting a wall instead of going over the bonnet or anything.

Remember always look further ahead and be prepared for someone to pull out at any moment and react to that.

Looks to me as if you were in their 'blind spot'

his fault,especially as the impact is on the front of the car.

Wouldn't it be argued that you were undertaking a car that was indicating?
Was there a bike lane?

Looks to me as if you were in their 'blind spot'

I might be inclined to aggree if it hadn't been in a queue of traffic on a straight road, surely when he looked in his mirrors before taking the the turn he would have seen me coming?

no there wasn't a bike lane, but the cars were stationary and I am not sure if he was indicating or not.

Ha! Mirrors are in place so birds can apply their makeup and blokes can get that annoying nose hair.. not for looking in whilst driving!

so you where going down the tright road, and he turned on from the T-junction or you where both going down the stright road and he was turning onto the road at the T-junction?

we were both going down the straight road (from the bottom of the picture to the top) and he turned left quickly as I was on the inside of him.

I might be inclined to aggree if it hadn't been in a queue of traffic on a straight road, surely when he looked in his mirrors before taking the the turn he would have seen me coming?

What makes you think he was looking in his mirrors ? even if he glanced you could have been in his blind spot - over time you learn to drift to the centre of the road whenever there is any possibility or a car turning in front of you like that - if you do get caught - you can go round with the car leaning on the roof and banging for them to slow down

burn all cars!

Thats one of the annoying things, I don't cycle on the left it just happened that this time I was. And I have no reason to assume he was looking in his mirrors at all I was just trying to work out whether legally it was him at fault for not looking before or as he made the turn?

it's best to assumed he might not see you than to assumed that he should see you, the latter is a risky move to take.

legally, it's his fault for not checking his mirror before turning.

beside that, the incident is something you can avoid thought, despite it being the driver's fault.

thanks and in the future I definately wont be assuming anything

do you have brakes?

yes

Just put that down to experience and ride with the new knowledge of how to avoid such incident in the future.

do people think its worth pursuing their insurance company for bike repairs?