Cyclist vs Pug

custardy

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2013/aug/08/nottingham-police-cyclist-video

Also to be considered is that the vehicle that collided with you was the second vehicle following a hearse and limousine as part of a funeral cortege. Whilst you had the right of way in accordance with the Highway Code and Road Traffic Act a road user should be aware of traffic conditions around him/her. This would include any emergency vehicles at junctions that have an exemption in law regarding speed limits and traffic signs that whilst they still have to be prepared to stop at red lights for example, the drivers depend on the courtesy of other road users to allow precedence.

In the same manner, I would personally expect that if I were to see a hearse being driven with a coffin in the rear that there would be other vehicles following and I would allow the cortege to proceed by giving way even though I actually had the right of way. This is also something that the court would consider as mitigation were we to prosecute the driver in your case.

googler

With two private vehicles following three funeral cars, how does one determine the end of the 'funeral cortege'?

And when did funeral corteges 'rush' to a funeral?

http://www.co-operative.coop/funeralcare/arranging-a-funeral/your-guide-to-arranging-a-funeral/Travelling-in-a-funeral-cortege/

"Our funeral directors will endeavour to keep the cortege together at all times and to help this we can provide cortege markers and flags for the vehicles following the procession to alert passing motorists that they are in a funeral cortege."

Was the pug showing a 'cortege flag'?

custardy

TBH I have had this 'debate' on another forum
To me the cars were 'shifting' for a funeral cortege
one of the 'official' cars pullled a tight pinch point pass,rather than hold back
Given how often the cyclist looked back at the Pug
Im assuming they didnt think it was a funeral car
It also seems clear(to me) the driver had time to stop given the times and delay from horn to impact

dawny10

I've lost count how many times I've been overtaken as I'm signalling and moving to turn right. They'd never do it to a car.

It also leaves the problem that all dangerous overtakes produce, when the motorist has a choice between being on the wrong side of the road with a car coming towards them and coming back onto 'their' side of the road, even though it is occupied by a cyclist, they will always choose to hit the cyclist.

I haven't thought of a way to solve that one - cycling in the primary position unfortunately makes it all the more likely.

Norman_Castle

I've been to a few funerals. Its never given me the right to deliberately drive into other road users. Its not a very sedate funeral procession. The following cars were struggling to keep up.

GoldenShadow

What shocks me is how quick people are to be abusive. Regardless of what happened they didn't even ask if the cyclist was OK (or did I miss it?!).

custardy

GoldenShadow wrote: »

What shocks me is how quick people are to be abusive. Regardless of what happened they didn't even ask if the cyclist was OK (or did I miss it?!).

Nah,fairly typical

Norman_Castle

"stay there till we come back from the funeral". Charming people.

esuhl

That was atrocious driving. The driver had seen the hazard in front of him, sounded his horn, and then... after quite a delay... just drove into the cyclist. He should be arrested and charged with dangerous driving.

There's no excuse for the driver's behaviour at all. He's not safe to be on the roads.

hugheskevi

The first time I watched this, I thought the cyclist was moving right in the line to turn (which would have been fine, but it would make the incident simpler to explain). On watching it a number of times, I don't think the cyclist significantly changes his line after taking the centre of the lane to overtake the parked car.

Also worth noting that even if the cyclist wasn't turning right, his lane positioning is very sensible given the pinch-point he is riding through after overtaking the parked car.

So from the driver's perspective, he has clearly observed the cyclist proceeding in a straight-line (given he used his horn), then simply driven straight into the back of the cyclist.

Usually in car/cycle accidents you can see something that the cyclist could have done to avoid the collision (which isn't to say it is the cyclists fault, simply that with different positioning or decision making, the outcome may have been different) but in this case I can't think of anything the cyclist could have done differently with the benefit of hindsight and multiple camera replays.

I'd have thought that was dangerous driving, perhaps accepting a guilty plea to careless driving. Infuriating that someone caught slightly over the speed limit would face more serious consequences for their driving.