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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

about stupid twatty cyclist I nearly ran over?

78 replies

BumpingFuglies · 28/03/2013 15:46

Dickhead on a bike on the path comes zooming round the corner and cycles across the pedestrian crossing. I screech to a halt, he starts swearing at me and throwing his arms around telling me I should look!

I'm not BU. You don't cycle, you get off and walk. Wanker.

OP posts:
Poppet48 · 28/03/2013 15:49

If you hit him it would definitely be your fault...

RatPants · 28/03/2013 15:52

Cyclists terrify me. Absolutely terrify me. They are so, so vulnerable compared to a car.

Sounds like he wasn't looking either, he probably just shouted because he was shaken. Everyone is safe, don't worry about it.

Original poster
BumpingFuglies · 28/03/2013 15:59

I know Poppet. I'm ranting because it scared me too I guess. Car contents flying around etc, thinking what could have happened. I didn't shout at him though Sad

OP posts:
Tailtwister · 28/03/2013 16:03

Although you would be at fault if you had hit him, I understand how frightening it must have been. Some cyclists seem to want it all ways, so be treated and respected the same as cars on the road, but to be able to break all the rules at the same time (running lights, cycling on pavements, running up the insides of cars and trucks etc). It gives those who do cycle responsibly a bad name.

TheBigJessie · 28/03/2013 16:06

Car contents flying around

On the plus side, make something good out of this experience, and fasten stuff down. It could save your life next time you have to stop suddenly.

thefirstmrsrochester · 28/03/2013 16:07

Why would OP have been at fault? If she approached the pedestrian crossing with care and the cyclist whizzed onto it from round the corner, what more could OP have done?
At a pedestrian crossing you expect to be l

greenfolder · 28/03/2013 16:08

well, i think he would have contributed and found to be percentage at fault if you had witnesses who saw him cycling fast onto the pedestrian crossing. i had a similar case where a person was backing out of a spot and a cyclist came at full pelt down the footpath and collided with him. it went all the way to court (civil case) but because there were witnesses, it was found in the car drivers favour. he had reversed out cautiously and if the person had been going at walking pace, the accident would never have happened.

thefirstmrsrochester · 28/03/2013 16:08
  • looking out for pedestrians?
Original poster
BumpingFuglies · 28/03/2013 16:09

Jessie do you put the seatbelt round your handbag? Confused

OP posts:
TheBigJessie · 28/03/2013 16:13

My handbag is on me, under the seatbelt, so is fastened down.

Look, I know you think I'm being unhelpful, and criticising you for the sake of it, but that's not my aim.

It's okay to be shaken up. But it could happen again, and be worse next time.

Original poster
BumpingFuglies · 28/03/2013 16:17

Never thought of it really like that Jessie

Tbh it was the stuff in my bag, boxes of gloves, pens and clipboard. No housebricks Smile

I take your point though

OP posts:
TheBigJessie · 28/03/2013 16:20

No-one thinks of it, until it happens, or someone else explains it to them with gruesome details!

Physics is a bitch!

Original poster
BumpingFuglies · 28/03/2013 21:51

Sorry Jessie just so mad at being raged at when Mister Two Wheels had a go at me

OP posts:
NumericalMum · 28/03/2013 21:56

I think with cyclists it works both ways. I was cycling along merrily once and someone turned right in front of me across traffic (which was stopped) and I couldn't see that someone was turning besides the cars. I hit the car and no damage was done other than some bits of my bike cracking on the handlebars etc. It really wasn't my fault he turned in front of me (it was a cycle lane and I was in a long line of other cyclists doing an event which was why there was traffic so he really should have been looking out for us anyway but that is a whole other point) but he got out and spent ages telling me how cyclists are evil and never stop at pedestrian crossings etc. I had done nothing wrong and had some damage done to my bicycle but he shouted at me. I was very shaken up.

DuelingFanjo · 28/03/2013 22:08

Blimey, you were approaching a crossing so fast that when you stopped the contents of your car were flying around?

maddening · 28/03/2013 22:09

Jessie has a point - I knew someone who broke their neck as they had a relatively slow crash but heavy items on the back shelf flew forward and hit his head breaking his neck - he survived luckily.

Also read about a toddler with a massive gash on his face when a sippy cup was flung around during a crash.

I am guilty of having loose stuff around also and my ds brings toys with him - a good sort out for me I think - thanks for reminding me :)

TheBigJessie · 28/03/2013 22:09

BumpingFuglies I can imagine. Being shouted at for something that's not your fault when you're shaken up...

Do have a think about fastening stuff down though.

Even the contents of the innocuous average handbag could cause serious injury if flung at someone at thirty-forty miles an hour!

timidviper · 28/03/2013 22:21

Today I slowed and stopped at a crossing to let 2 small boys (maybe about age 7ish) across, as did a driver coming the other way. When they were almost across a cyclist shot up the inside of the other car, didn't stop for the lights and missed the little boys by inches. He didn't stop, apologise or even acknowledge the near miss.

Cyclists like this give them all a bad name

Original poster
BumpingFuglies · 28/03/2013 22:56

Dueling about 25 in a 30 mph zone. Stopped suddenly.

OP posts:
zwischenzug · 29/03/2013 07:37

Both of you were at fault. Although he does sound like a twat whereas you just weren't driving defensively enough.

CombineBananaFister · 29/03/2013 08:15

YANBU- at a pedestrian crossing you are approaching with caution and looking for PEDESTRIANS not cyclists who should be on the road anyway. I say that as a non-driver who cycles everywhere, and stuff like this pisses me off immensely.

I bike to work 6am and for some reason because its early no-one seems to think the rules apply. Have had 4 accidents because of stupid shit like this (both from bikes and cars, especially bloody taxis who should know better) Angry

sorry for rant, phew feel better nowBlush

lustybusty · 29/03/2013 15:47

As I approach a pedestrian crossing, I tend to look 30-40m either side of the crossing, both sides, to see if anyone is approaching. If there are people about, I slow down and prepare to stop. If I don't, I carry on at the 25-30mph I would be doing anyway. On my way home from work, there is a side street, then about 20m down the road is a zebra crossing. The other day, as I was driving along this main road, I saw a cyclist on the side road, cycling on the road. As he reached the junction, he went up onto the pavement, along the pavement and across the zebra crossing. All without changing speed at all. I discovered on that occasion that both the horn and the abs work on my new car.... Some, not all, cyclists are nightmares. OP, I feel for you. At least the guy I barely missed only gave me the finger....!

hopefloats · 29/03/2013 15:53

OP, you 'screeched to a halt' approaching a pedestrian crossing? No wonder the bloke was shouting at you. It could have been a child. Slow down fgs.

Original poster
BumpingFuglies · 29/03/2013 20:00

hopefloats did you read that I was only doing 25mph in a 30 zone? The cyclist rounded a corner (I'm good but I can't see round corners) and shot out across the pedestrian crossing. Had I seen a pedestrian in the distance, I would have slowed to a gentle halt. As it was I had very little warning.

OP posts:
Original poster
BumpingFuglies · 29/03/2013 20:02

Thanks lusty

I am a very careful driver, but I cannot predict arseholes on bikes using a pedestrian crossing illegally and then ranting at me. Just wrong.

OP posts:
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