Was I on the wrong? (Knocking cyclist off bike)

[PapayaMarmalade]

I was driving in London this week, and paused to wait for a gap before I turned right off a single lane two way 20mph road.

As I turned, a lime bike came whizzing down the centre of the road from behind me on my right hand side - I didn’t see them and knocked them off. They were probably on the central dotted line or maybe slightly over on the wrong side of the road. They got up and sped off before I even had my wits together to pull over and check if they were okay.

It shook me up and I realise I should have rechecked my right hand mirror again before turning - I just wasn’t anticipating a cyclist overtaking me on my right hand side.

Whilst I should have been more careful to recheck my mirror, was I legally in the wrong?

Diagram attached hopefully

Serves the cyclist right although a lot of them havent a fking clue about the highway code

I think you need to report the accident to the police within 24 hours.

You can double triple check your mirrors and still sometimes get caught out by bikes coming up fast on your inside/outside lane unexpectedly. Nobody was hurt so try and put it out of your mind.

The previous replies cover my thoughts.

Did you report it? You don't want the police turning up at your door for failing to report an accident.

Read section 182/183 of the Highway Code

If this was an insurance claim, you would be found liable.

You MUST check it is clear and safe before proceeding with any manoeuvre. Including checking for dicks on Lime Bikes.

Poor roadcraft from him, but liability would be with you.

So you’re saying that out of all the different types of road users, only motorists have a responsibility to act lawfully and safely ?

You should have checked your mirror again, but you know that.

Cyclist was stupidly in the wrong, but it doesn’t surprise me at all that it was a Lime bike. They can be hired by anybody, with no road sense whatsoever. They’re frequently to be found ridden at top speed through zebra crossings and pelican crossings, while pedestrians are on them and lights are red. They’re an absolute menace and it’s only a matter of time before some idiot on one kills a child or elderly person by riding into them at top speed. Sounds like this particular idiot was incredibly lucky, but you should watch out for them in future.

No, everyone has some responsibility for their actions. However, there is a specific responsibility on the operators of heavy, fast moving machinery to act in a way that doesn't endanger others.

As a pedestrian, if I make a mistake I risk being killed.
If a driver makes a mistake, it's still me at risk of being killed.

Under the new version of the Highway Code, which came in about 4 years ago, introduced the concept of hierarchy of users and has a rule that grade the vulnerability of road users from pedestrians and disabled road users (most vulnerable) up to HGV road users (least vulnerable). The less vulnerable road user has a duty to take more care to protect more vulnerable road users. There is a small sentence that was introduced after the consultation stating that all road users have a duty to take responsibility for their own safety when using the public highway.

You should have checked your mirrors before moving off OP, however, even though the cyclist was riding recklessly. Good job they were able to speed off. A salutary warning.

No, I'm saying that they're the killers on the road.

See the post from @MachineBee above mine.

'I just wasn't anticipating'. There you are then.

I'm not saying they weren't in the wrong, but the responsibility was yours.

You can’t see your blind spot by looking over your shoulder either. It’s literally a blind spot.

As both a cyclist and a car user in central/inner London, it is absolutely like the Wild West. And then some! The rules appear to be….there are no rules.

I’ve been knocked off my bike by black cabs cutting in front of me (while I’m cycling near to the pavement) to stop for a sudden pickup. I ended up splatted on the rear windscreen like a dead fly. When driving I’ve been undertaken by another car who decided to mount the pavement to undertake me (at which point they found out I wasn’t moving because it was gridlocked in front of me) and I’ve had both cars and cyclists heading straight at me as they come the wrong way down a one way street. It’s utter madness.

All you can do is stay alert at all times and never ever assume that other road users will follow the Highway Code / rules of the road / commonsense. Basically, expect the unexpected. It makes driving or cycling or even being a pedestrian (in some areas) quite stressful. But there seems to be no attempt to police these behaviours in London and until that changes, it will continue to be a free-for-all much/most of the time.

Exactly this.

Technically yes you were in the wrong, but they were stupid (and very very lucky not to have been badly injured).

It sounds like nothing serious happened fortunately and so it’s just an additional reminder to check multiple times before moving.

I wasn’t anticipating the person who wrote off my car by driving into the back of me when I was stopped at lights - doesn’t mean I should or could have done anything to prevent it.

Are you watching Adultery? This could lead to a whole lot more ....
😂

If you were indicating then it’s their fault.

This almost happened to me once, but I checked my mirrors just in time. It gave me such a fright though.

You have to always check your mirrors every time you turn. I don't think I even do it consciously it's such a habit now.

Lime bikers are generally a nuisance bit you were in the wrong by making a turn when it wasn’t safe to do so. The cyclist doing something stupid doesn’t negate you being so oblivious that you knocked them off their bike.

On the face of it the cyclist should have anticipated you turning right (you were stopped appropriately and signalling) and dealt with the situation accordingly. The fact s/he rode off suggests they were unhurt and appreciated they were in the wrong.
However in the 'olden days' we were taught that before turning/changing direction that we should 'mirror, signal, mirror, manoeuvre' to check that it was clear and safe, regardless of who is in the right. A cyclists is so much more vulnerable than a driver.

Highway code 2022 states
No Cutting Across: Motorists must not cut across cyclists going straight ahead when turning into or out of a junction, changing direction, or changing lanes. Drivers must wait for a safe gap and not turn if it would cause the cyclist to stop or swerve.

Hierarchy of Responsibility (Rule H1): Road users who can cause the greatest harm (such as large vehicles, cars, and vans) bear the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger they pose to vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians

I've had a car over take me while I was waiting and indicating to turn right once on a single lane A road. It wasn't safe for me to turn because of oncoming traffic so they had a near head on collision. Some people are extremely dim. In my case unfit to drive due to lost capacity. I think we all need dash cams.

Try not leave enough room for them to get up the side, when you are turning right or left. If you were indicating and were obviously turning the cyclist was pushing their luck. Was it a battery bike if it was going really fast? But yes you will feel guilty and they could have been badly hurt so who is in the right or wrong is immaterial really. If you were checking your mirrors I'm surprised you didn't see the cyclist coming before they got alongside, but sometimes they weave through the traffic.

Isn't that literally what looking over your shoulder is for - for checking your blind spot i.e. the spot that mirrors don't show?

183 and 183 are on left turns.

Rule 181 of the Highway Code covers turning right. It outlines how to safely position your vehicle and negotiate oncoming traffic when making a right-hand turn at a junction.

Rule 181: Turning Right

• Use mirrors and signal: Check your mirrors and signal your intention to turn right well in advance.
• Position your vehicle: Move into the appropriate lane or position your vehicle to the left of the center line (or in the designated right-turn lane).
• Wait for a safe gap: Wait for a safe gap in oncoming traffic before executing the turn.
• Do not cut the corner: Avoid cutting the corner when entering the side road.
• Watch for other road users: Look out for cyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians crossing the road you are turning into.
• Manage oncoming right-turners: When you and an oncoming vehicle both want to turn right, you should generally pass behind each other (rear-to-rear), as this gives you a clearer view of oncoming traffic. If forced to pass front-to-front, take extreme care as your view of oncoming traffic will be blocked.

Would you like to explore Rules 184 to 190 regarding roundabouts, or would you prefer a summary of the pedestrian priority updates (Rule H2) at junctions?