2010-02-04 - Rider Down/Fatality, Belsize Park (London)

I presume the Standard is a little factually vague. The Ham & High reported the collision as occurring on Thursday morning, not night.
RIP very sad.
BBC London is filming us (www.camdencyclists.org.uk) meeting tonight.
I'll hopefully make some pithy points.
My thoughts are with those close to the crash victim.

fuck fuck fuck

appalling news

please people ride wide and consider cycle training

Cycle training is free to adults in Camden:

http://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/content/transport-and-streets/cycling-and-pedestrians/cycle-training-in-camden.en;jsessionid=FB245D48EC4F03F766AFE9B87501E6B4

It is also free in many other boroughs, too. Google cycle training and [the name of your borough].

I urge everyone to cycle "the width of a car door and a little bit more" from parked vehicles.

RIP unnamed old boy cyclist

Bloody awful nightmare scenario. Thoughts are will those close to him. RIP

Leave space!

I was riding home past Maida Vale tube last night and always ride wide there due to car doors opening. I gave way to let a pedestrian cross at the crossing and moved right to avoid a car door opening. There were no cars along side me. I was being a nice cyclist. :o) The car behind me honked for about 5 sec solid at me. I stopped and turned to see what was going on. He made the wanker gesture at me (i don't even have a penis!) and started screaming. He then drove his car straight at me at the lights then slammed the breaks on about 1m from my rear wheel. Scared the crap out of me. He then followed me revving his engine behind me for two blocks... Too shaken up to get his reg no. and wish I'd just D locked his teeth in....

Anyway, my point is that riding wide gets me into situations like this. I've cycled since I was 11 in traffic, I'm now 33 and it's still the same crap. Where are we meant to go!?

Jo, you did nothing wrong (as you know), and the thing to bear in mind with unpleasant incidents like this is always that at least you got a reaction from the driver. There is obviously the additional aspect that men apparently get less of such intimidating behaviour than women (which, if true, is a really sad fact), but generally it is preferable to be seen and be a noticeable road user than to be 'invisible' and risk being overtaken closely or turned left on. You shouldn't get this sort of incident too often if you remember to communicate with drivers, e.g. looking back often (not furtively, but intently, so that they realise you're a person and not scared of them)--just taking the primary position is only half the bargain. You've probably taken cycle training so you know all this. Hope it doesn't happen again!

^this