Who’s to blame

I witnessed the following incident yesterday as I was driving into town
and It made me think that any one of the three people involved could
have avoided it from happening.

I was on the main road and approaching a T-junction on my right. A van
nosed out a few feet into the path of a cyclist who was riding close to
the kerb/give way lines. The cyclist swerved to avoid the van (and
nearly came off in doing so) and into the path of a car behind who was
about to overtake the cyclist. The car braked hard and no harm was done.

Firstly, the van should not have pulled into the path of the cyclist.
I’m sure everyone would agree.

Secondly, had the cyclist been further away from the kerb/give way lines
he would not have needed to swerve to avoid the van.

Thirdly, had the car driver not been trying to overtake the cyclist
while passing through the junction, he would not have had to brake
sharply to avoid collision with the cyclist.

So each person involved could have avoided the incident happening. More
importantly the cyclist could have avoided this by riding further away
from the kerb and being in a good line of sight for the van driver as
well as stopping the car behind from trying to overtake in an unsafe place.

What this incident seems to suggest is that most drivers don’t really
give too much thought to the what-ifs where cyclists are concerned or
have any sort of plan-B if things start to go wrong.

"Simon Weissel" wrote in message
...

I witnessed the following incident yesterday

No you didn't.

Isn't it amazing just how many times a cyclist v motorist blamefest in this
newsgroup is followed literally hours later by a cyclist claiming to have
seen the very same kind of incident with his very own eyes? And it just so
happens that IF the motorist hadn't done what he did, and IF the cyclist had
been in the middle of the road "commanding" traffic, it would never have
happened!

Spooky!

On 21/03/2013 15:08, Mentalguy2k8 wrote:

"Simon Weissel" wrote in message
...

I witnessed the following incident yesterday

No you didn't.

Isn't it amazing just how many times a cyclist v motorist blamefest in
this newsgroup is followed literally hours later by a cyclist claiming
to have seen the very same kind of incident with his very own eyes? And
it just so happens that IF the motorist hadn't done what he did, and IF
the cyclist had been in the middle of the road "commanding" traffic, it
would never have happened!

Spooky!

Isn’t it funny indeed that when I witness something which affirms much
of what I say, that those who refuse to accept it, deny it ever happened.

Very spooky indeed.

"Simon Weissel" wrote in message
...
On 21/03/2013 15:08, Mentalguy2k8 wrote:

"Simon Weissel" wrote in message
...

I witnessed the following incident yesterday

No you didn't.

Isn't it amazing just how many times a cyclist v motorist blamefest in
this newsgroup is followed literally hours later by a cyclist claiming
to have seen the very same kind of incident with his very own eyes? And
it just so happens that IF the motorist hadn't done what he did, and IF
the cyclist had been in the middle of the road "commanding" traffic, it
would never have happened!

Spooky!

Isn’t it funny indeed that when I witness something which affirms much of
what I say, that those who refuse to accept it, deny it ever happened.

Lying is never funny.

On 21/03/2013 15:28, Mentalguy2k8 wrote:

"Simon Weissel" wrote in message
...
On 21/03/2013 15:08, Mentalguy2k8 wrote:

"Simon Weissel" wrote in message
...

I witnessed the following incident yesterday

No you didn't.

Isn't it amazing just how many times a cyclist v motorist blamefest in
this newsgroup is followed literally hours later by a cyclist claiming
to have seen the very same kind of incident with his very own eyes? And
it just so happens that IF the motorist hadn't done what he did, and IF
the cyclist had been in the middle of the road "commanding" traffic, it
would never have happened!

Spooky!

Isn’t it funny indeed that when I witness something which affirms much
of what I say, that those who refuse to accept it, deny it ever happened.

Lying is never funny.

What is worse than lying is accusing others of lying. You are completely
guilty there sonny.

On 21/03/2013 15:31, Simon Weissel wrote:


What is worse than lying is accusing others of lying. You are completely
guilty there sonny.

I have a great idea.

Every time we read something which does not sit comfortably with us we
say the other person is lying...

The only problem with doing that is that it will make us look very stupid.

On 21/03/2013 15:36, Simon Weissel wrote:
On 21/03/2013 15:31, Simon Weissel wrote:


What is worse than lying is accusing others of lying. You are completely
guilty there sonny.

I have a great idea.

Every time we read something which does not sit comfortably with us we
say the other person is lying...

The only problem with doing that is that it will make us look very stupid.

I just thought, that’s what JNugent does every time he reads something
which does not fit in with his twisted view of the world. He claims the
other person is lying or that they made it up.

Funny that innit? ...

Perhaps they are a threesome ;-)

"Simon Weissel" wrote in message
...
On 21/03/2013 15:31, Simon Weissel wrote:


What is worse than lying is accusing others of lying. You are completely
guilty there sonny.

I have a great idea.

Impossible.

"Justin Lewis" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:08:49 -0000, "Mentalguy2k8"
wrote:


"Simon Weissel" wrote in message
...

I witnessed the following incident yesterday

No you didn't.
Yes he did.

Prove it.

On 21/03/2013 15:05, Simon Weissel wrote:
I witnessed the following incident yesterday as I was driving into town
and It made me think that any one of the three people involved could
have avoided it from happening.

I was on the main road and approaching a T-junction on my right. A van
nosed out a few feet into the path of a cyclist who was riding close to
the kerb/give way lines. The cyclist swerved to avoid the van (and
nearly came off in doing so) and into the path of a car behind who was
about to overtake the cyclist. The car braked hard and no harm was done.

Firstly, the van should not have pulled into the path of the cyclist.
I’m sure everyone would agree.

Secondly, had the cyclist been further away from the kerb/give way lines
he would not have needed to swerve to avoid the van.

Thirdly, had the car driver not been trying to overtake the cyclist
while passing through the junction, he would not have had to brake
sharply to avoid collision with the cyclist.

Fourthly, the cyclists shouldn't have been there at all. An adult riding
a child's toy is plainly ridiculous.

So each person involved could have avoided the incident happening. More
importantly the cyclist could have avoided this by riding further away
from the kerb and being in a good line of sight for the van driver as
well as stopping the car behind from trying to overtake in an unsafe place.

What this incident seems to suggest is that most drivers don’t really
give too much thought to the what-ifs where cyclists are concerned or
have any sort of plan-B if things start to go wrong.

Cyclists are second rate road users & driver ignore them as a rule.
--
Dave - Cyclists VORC
Bicycles are for Children. Like masturbation, something you should grow
out of.
There is something seriously sick and stunted about grown men who want
to ride a bike."