To not look both ways on a one way street

[itsmeitscathy]

Twice this week, TWICE, I've nearly been run over by rogue cyclists going the wrong way down one way streets. AIBU to think this is their fault, not mine if they hit me? Thankfully I did look, but surely they're the unreasonable ones?I'm not talking about country roads- I mean 3 lane city centre style...

I know, offred. I did say they can reverse to park but shouldn't reverse in general.

It's just that even in reverse while parking, you could get hurt. And obviously a driver parking should be looking out for you, but they won't be expecting you to step out into their path.

Yes, some people think reversing halfway down the street to a parking place is a parking manoeuvre though! Only allowed 1 car length.

The cars bug me more than the cyclists because the cyclists are risking their own lives, the car drivers are risking the lives of my kids.

Especially when they reverse at speed which is most dangerous of all. Driving the wrong way but facing the wrong way is so much safer.

Nomama - I was replying to OP Your post wasn't there when I started to type mine.

YABU to not look. Yes the cyclist shouldn't be doing it and if they hit you it would be their fault, but it would be you who ended up hurt. We can't stop people acting dangerously on the road but we can do everything we can to be safe. Just taking a minute to check for someone doing what they shouldn't might help someone else too.

I was riding up a one-way street yesterday (the right way) and some twat in a car decided to reverse down it at high speed.

Also there are quite a few contraflow cycle lanes around - the road is NOT one-way for cyclists, but it is for everyone else.

S'OK. I was just covering myself for being an idiot. The place I got hit really is for pedestrians. It has automatic bollards and everything. I think taxis can activate them too. The difference between pavement and road is different coloured paving.

I am still a bit embarrassed / defensive about it. It did feel like I had done something wrong and most people who ask (scar on elbow causes comments) think I was partly to blame. The judge didn't though. She was very harsh in her summing up of his behaviour.

Rogue cyclists aside, have you never seen a driver get confused and drive the wrong way down a one way street?

Best to look.

backforgood

S'OK. I was just covering myself for being an idiot. The place I got hit really is for pedestrians. It has automatic bollards and everything. I think taxis can activate them too. The difference between pavement and road is different coloured paving.

I am still a bit embarrassed / defensive about it. It did feel like I had done something wrong and most people who ask (scar on elbow causes comments) think I was partly to blame. The judge didn't though. She was very harsh in her summing up of his behaviour.

How did you get a payout in the small claims court if you were being sued? Did you put in a counterclaim?

How did you get a payout in the small claims court if you were being sued? Did you put in a counterclaim?

I had a twat of an ex BF who used to regularly drive a quarter of a mile down a one way street the wrong way on his way to work! It saved him about ten minutes in the car - he thought it acceptable because he was quick & it was early in the morning

I live at the bottom of a one way road on a hill. You can come down the hill but not go up it, you have to go up the next road over.
We regularly see idiots and chancers driving the wrong way up it.
Once we saw a car drive up it, and 30 seconds later reverse down it all the way to the bottom, nose to nose with a police car that happened to choose the perfect moment to come along!
Oh, how we laughed... We were not even subtle about it, stood there for ages pointing and laughing! The policeman gave us a look as he got out to speak to the driver...

Yes, I did. I would not have, despite the damage to my elbow.

But he sued me and the wording was quite aggressive. He also neglected to contact me first, setting out his claim. He just went to Small Claims Court. Initially he wanted £10K, you can only claim £1K in small claims. So his paperwork was all over the place. He had to amend and resubmit a couple of times, despite being told he was unlikely to achieve anything.

So, having received my summons, I wrote to him, told him why he was at fault, got a really shitty letter in reply. Added that to my claim for £1K, including loss of wages.

He got shouted at and I got paid.

Nomama, I can understand why he had a go initially. A broken elbow is going to be bloody painful and he thought he was in the right. What's mystifying is why you'd pursue court proceedings without researching your case!
There are quite a few pedestrian areas near me with national cycle routes that run through them. These should be better signed than the pathetic blue stickers on lamp posts, but cyclists still need to do sensible speeds and give way.
The shared use paths with separator lines-not sure of the legal issues with those. Again though, as the faster vehicle the cyclist has a greater duty of care IMO. Many pedestrians and other cyclists weave all over the place and you have to ride accordingly.

For the OP, it genuinely is best to look both ways always. I do this at traffic lights too just in case of jumpers. My road is off a one way street so it's second nature. Just today, turning into that street from a blind junction I was about 5s from taking out a cyclist going the wrong way :(

I had a lacerated elbow. He broke his ulna, 1 of the 2 bones in the lower arm. Needed a sling for about 3 weeks.

I think we all agree that pedestrians really should look both ways, but anyone travelling in the wrong direction will be at fault.

And I too hate those stupid little blue signs. Further up the road there is an area that has them on lamp posts - the council hangs their 'famous' hanging baskets over them!

I live down a one way street and can cycle both ways. Yes you should look because it may actually be YOU that doesn't realise it is a one way street. Would you actually take your DC a super long way around the block on a bike because of a one way? I bet not!

I don't understand your post nanny.

But yes, I would take my imaginary DC the long way round on their imaginary bikes rather than take them the wrong way up a one way road. Apart from anything else, it's rather dangerous?

Well of course YABU. It's one of the first rules of the Tufty Club... never underestimate the ability of road users to be fuckwits. Like Worra said you should look both ways before crossing anything. Of course they would be in the wrong but that doesn't mean you don't need to look! What about emergency vehicles or people that have made a mistake?

I'm so sad that IABU

I agree with the OP. I live on a one way street and regularly have to wait for or dodge cyclists coming up it the wrong way. One nearly ploughed into the three of us this morning as he span round the corner into the road. He was also wearing headphones so didn't hear my shout of alarm (or the one of rebuke which followed....).

There is also a a huge problem with cyclists on the pavement. What's all that about?!

Sorry my post wasn't clear. And I realise it came across rather rude, I really didn't mean to!! What I meant was that I live on a one way street (for cars) but cyclists are allowed to cycle both ways. So meant that people should look both ways just in case they don't realise it is two ways for cyclists.
Ignore my part about DCs because it is hard to explain over a message!