Nearly lost my new sunglasses

[SteveRuss]

I agree with others that just asserting your rights is not the best course Steve. There's a similar situation at sea with the International Collision Regulations where the lesser vessel often has the right of way but would be very foolish to try and assert that.

There's a jingle about Jolly Jack Tar used to illustrate that, it ends:

" He was right, dead right, as he sailed along,

but he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong"

Ultimately Steve, your right to stay alive and unharmed is far more important that your right of way.

I always give way and I don't feel that demeans me in any way. It merely shows that I am more mature and sensible than the person who may by their actions have forced that choice on me.

Also it's wise to see the other's position too. That driver, having parked on the opposite side of the road, would have to look around intently at one point in pulling out to make sure he was clear to cross into that opposite lane. During that point he could not have been looking in your direction to see your speed of approach.

As a long experienced driver myself, I know it's impossible to cover for every possible eventuality through every second during every manouvre on the roads. We only have one pair of eyes and being in a restricted vision tin box doesn't help. It follows that we are all dependent on others allowances for us at those points.
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Thanks flecc.

I don't feel I was exactly exerting my rights but merely riding normally up a steep hill. I wasn't trying to make a statement by carrying on my way.

I am still confused as to the general consensus here. Was it for me to pull to the side of a busy road and wait on the off chance that someone facing directly at me simply didn't see me in broad daylight? I actually think I handled it fairly well. I bumped off his side door. If the situation actually look more than suspicious maybe I would have taken to the pavement. Yeah, there was a chance he didn't bother looking forward but there's that same chance passing every junction at any time. I'd get nowhere if I simply stopped every time someone nudged out.

Again. If a car or lorry (this road is heavily used by articulated lorries) had half overtaken me if I had stopped/paused then maybe they would have had an accident involving me in a much more serious way. Where do you draw the line with being suspicious of parked traffic or traffic that is seemingly aware of their surroundings?

As a car driver, I would much rather other road users do what I expect them to do in a given circumstance. Pausing invites people to react differently. Dangerously even. I work on likelihood on the whole and did in this situation but I still don't see the logic in stopping in the middle of my path as I don't know what effect that may have on my rear end. Proceeding with caution is what I did and the situation ended up being virtually a non event. Being over cautious and under confident confuses other traffic and that's why I don't crash my cars or allow others to crash in to me.

The last cycling accident I had was when I was twenty odd years old and someone pulled out on me at a roundabout. It split my forehead open. That was twenty eight years ago so I must be doing something right.

Cheers for everyone's comments. Be careful out there.

 

[flecc]

I am still confused as to the general consensus here. Was it for me to pull to the side of a busy road and wait on the off chance that someone facing directly at me simply didn't see me in broad daylight?

No, I wouldn't expect you to stop Steve, but the moment that driver pulled that first bit out, there was an increased probability that he might complete that manouvre. At the first movement I would have slowed and been ready on the brakes. No-one is saying you were in the wrong since it was your right of way, but Im sure we are all saying self-preservation comes first and there was no need to come into contact.

Yeah there was a chance he didn't bother looking forward but there's that same chance passing every junction at any time.

I'm quite sure he will have looked when you were still quite distant, but with that manouvre his last looking will have been in the opposite direction. With the car at an angle the l/h mirror couldn't give him an adequate view of the opposite lane traffic, forcing him to look backwards before crossing into the opposite side.

Your approach speed probably caught him out, causing his mistake in those moments when he needed to look the other way.

I'd just shrug off his mistake. Yes it's irritating having to slow a little for the possibility of driver mistakes, but on our e-bikes it's so easy to regain a little speed it's hardly a hardship.
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[RobF]

Parking - and pulling away - facing the traffic is potentially lethal, which is why the Highway Code tells you not to do it.

The fact this driver caused a collision proves the point.

However, I would have expected him to pull out in front of me.

Having established there was a driver behind the wheel, I would have slowed or stopped.

I would do the same riding a bike or driving a car.

Yes, it's frustrating and you shouldn't have to do it, but a collision is to be avoided if at all possible.

Leaving aside possible injury, it's such a hassle sorting it out.

Seems to me a crash usually costs the innocent party, if it's not money it will be time dealing with the claim.

 

[SteveRuss]

Thanks again everyone. We're a good community of sensible people on here and it's a pleasure to discuss this stuff with you all..