Cyclist v Motorist that's actually worth watching

Retrogamer

You cycle too close to cars on the left and when a motorist opens the door and hits you, they try and blame you for cycling too close.

When you cycle a good distance away from the doors to make sure you can't be hit by them, then motorists driving on the road moan you're taking up too much space.

custardy

and fair play to the taxi driver. only his reactions prevented a fatality there

Strider590

custardy wrote: »

and if only I could message the driver in the opening video.
This is why cyclists 'take up so much room'

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/watch-the-moment-a-cyclist-falls-into-the-path-of-a-black-cab-after-swerving-to-avoid-an-opened-car-door-10438167.html

You can, post a link to it in the comments section for all of these videos on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77Qs1bdJaCU

prowla

But the opening car door risk isn't relevant in the case of the original video, as the cyclist was passed where there were no parked cars.

Retrogamer

prowla wrote: »

But the opening car door risk isn't relevant in the case of the original video, as the cyclist was passed where there were no parked cars.

No parked cars for probably about 3-5 seconds worth of cycling time,
The cyclist had just passed a bunch of parked cars and was approaching some more.

It's safer to hold the same line than swerve to the left for a small moment then have to swerve back out to the right and potentially under the wheels of the 405.

If you had a similar scenario on your cycling proficiency test you'd be told to keep your position static.

custardy

prowla wrote: »

But the opening car door risk isn't relevant in the case of the original video, as the cyclist was passed where there were no parked cars.

Thats a short gap.
so you pull left. You now have a short distance before you will meet a parked car and have to pull out again.
So you have seen the driver in the video. Will he be making a rational judgement on speed and space for the cyclist pulling back out?
If it was you,would you risk pulling in for that short distance with a junction & wider road just ahead? As you saw,the bike made it to the junction before the car had moved on.

prowla

The cyclist could have pulled in to the gap to let the car past.
There was one car behind, not a parade of them.
It would have cost them nothing to do it.
Instead they got their 5 minutes of fame.

RichardD1970

The driver could have waited to pass the cyclist safely.
There was one bike, not a parade of them.
It would have cost them nothing to do it.
Instead he got his face planted in the path.

custardy

prowla wrote: »

The cyclist could have pulled in to the gap to let the car past.
There was one car behind, not a parade of them.
It would have cost them nothing to do it.
Instead they got their 5 minutes of fame.

RichardD1970 wrote: »

The driver could have waited to pass the cyclist safely.
There was one bike, not a parade of them.
It would have cost them nothing to do it.
Instead he got his face planted in the path.

Yes Prowla. The cyclist should obviously get out of the cars way?
I mean it was far more important that the car got past to sit at the junction longer.
What would it have cost the car to wait and pass at the wider road/junction?

Norman_Castle

prowla wrote: »

The cyclist could have pulled in to the gap to let the car past.
There was one car behind, not a parade of them.
It would have cost them nothing to do it.
Instead they got their 5 minutes of fame.

At the cyclists speed the gap was available for a maximum of 3 seconds. Its likely they would have had to slow to allow the car to complete its overtake. As a motorist would you move across into a gap available for such a limited time?. If Mr Pratfall had waited behind he would have driven at a reduced speed, 15mph vs 30mph? for seven seconds before being able to overtake safely and courteously.
The driver had no interest in the cyclists safety and took this opportunity to demonstrate his contempt.
He got his well deserved infamy through his own stupidity.