Cyclist hit my car... what to do?

neilmcl

To give you an example of why the cyclist was extremely lucky to walk away and why I'd agree that the final closing speed couldn't have been that great. I had a head-on with a car when I was a kid doing a paper-round, going downhill too, probably doing around 15-20mph. My bike hits the car head-on and I went over smashed the windscreen with my head (no helmet in those days) and contiued over the top. I smashed my skull but amazingly no long term damage, apparently I even tried to walk onto the ambulance. I was in ICU for about a week then made a quick recovery.

My bike, didn't fair so well the front wheel was pushed so far back it was now the rear wheel.

rdr

Looks like a single track road, without enough room to safely pass a cyclist coming the other way. Every one should have been going at a speed so that they could stop in the distance they could see was clear -- the cyclist failed to do this. If I was riding down this road I would propably been on the outside of the bend so I could see further.
If I was running this event I would have wanted some traffic control on this road to prevent this type of conflict. Hold the cars until you've mad a break in the line of bikes and then let them up, much safer and less annoying for all concerned.

MyLastFiver

rdr wrote: »

Every one should have been going at a speed so that they could stop in the distance they could see was clear -- the cyclist failed to do this.

We only have the OP's word for this.

If I was running this event I would have wanted some traffic control on this road to prevent this type of conflict.

Agree with the sentiment but impossible in practice. The police would never, in my experience, sanction an event in which untrained volunteer marshals were required to perform traffic control.

For this reason, sportive entry forms usually include something in the T&Cs about the entrant being responsible for his/her own road safety, as marshals are instructed not to wave cyclists through or to stop traffic.

Obukit

MyLastFiver wrote: »

We only have the OP's word for this.

I have no reason to make anything up though, even if I hadn't stopped the cyclist was on the wrong side of the road, overtaking three other cyclists who were riding abreast. Indeed, I was stopped before the impact precisely because I was going extra-slowly, because there were so many cyclists on the road.

To make it clear, I have no problem with cyclists, I cycle every day to work. I have a problem with anyone acting stupidly on the roads, whether that be some chavs racing some rubbish Clios and Saxos around a town centre, some muppet driving at 40mph in a 60mph limit, or in this case hundreds of cyclists treating a public road like their private race track.

Sgt_Pepper_2

Obukit wrote: »

I have no reason to make anything up though, even if I hadn't stopped the cyclist was on the wrong side of the road, overtaking three other cyclists who were riding abreast. Indeed, I was stopped before the impact precisely because I was going extra-slowly, because there were so many cyclists on the road.

So you saw that and still pulled out?

mikey72

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

So you saw that and still pulled out?

Pulled out of what?

Obukit

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

So you saw that and still pulled out?

I didn't pull out at all, it was a country road perhaps one and a half lanes wide, rounding a blind corner. I couldn't see that there were cyclists four abreast until I'd gotten half way around the corner.

mikey72

Makes you think bull bars should be compulsory.

diamond_dave

As both a (older)driver & (older) cyclist, I'm fed up of people trying to knock me off my bike. I never go up the inside of traffic, jump red lights and always try and signal my intentions, but car drivers just think it acceptable to overtake my on roundabouts,crossings, chicanes,etc., and giving me about 6" clearance. Or passing me when towing a trailer - but forget that it sticks out about a metre! I have tried wearing dayglow vests, but it just gives them something to aim at. On the other hand, I see stupid cyclists who completely ignore all the road rules sailing through red lights, racing up the inside of traffic, etc. So selfish. But people dont realise that if I get hit by a car (which has happened) I will come of worse.Too many cyclists die on our roads - please give us space when overtaking.

mikey72

The cyclists was overtaking, and hit the stationary car.