I saw a biker knocked down last night...

Down Commercial Rd last night on my way home from work, there's a bike about 15ft in front of me and we're in the bus lane passing the traffic when this big jag suddenly goes to chuck a left into a side road.

SMACK!

Aprilia goes flying onto the footpath, rider gets flung in the air like a ragdoll, bounces off the road once, and then into the curb which flung him round facing the way we'd just come from.

I had to slam on Roger's anchors to avoid hitting the Jag.

The Jag driver pulls into the side road and stops (I was pleased that at least it was a decent enough person to stop considering the amount of hit'n'runs we've heard so much about lately). I pull over to the side of the road and get off the bike, by which time loads of bystanders have run over to see to the rider and about 5 or six of them are calling for emerency services.

Rider seemed ok as he was responding to the cyclist who came over to help. Cyclist made sure he didn't move and asked him the important questions. Firetruck, ambulance and then police arrive on the scene.
Firemen cordon off the area, Rider's eventually stuck on a board and loaded into the ambulance and the police take statements (I'm half expecting a ticket through the post for admitting being in the bus lane).

The whole thing could've been so much worse tho... the aprilia being flung onto the footpath could've hit a pedestrian but luckily didn't...

It wasn't me that got knocked off but I was quite shaken up. Shakey hands and everything. Bizarre. Downed rider had only been wearing a leather jacket , office trousers and shoes (and gloves). Christ I bet he hurts today...

I hope he had no serious injuries and I hope not to see anything like that again. It hits home how vulnerable we are.

On the upside, I got to talk to lots of firemen who seemed to take a liking to my bike.

Originally Posted by Ping

It wasn't me that got knocked off but I was quite shaken up. Shakey hands and everything. Bizarre. Downed rider had only been wearing a leather jacket , office trousers and shoes (and gloves). Christ I bet he hurts today...

I got T-boned in similar clothing and didnt hurt that much. Admittedly i had the anchors on for a second or two so wasnt going really fast.

Glad all was ok and that the driver wasnt an ****. You could have chased and got his number if had have driven off...

Originally Posted by Ping

I'm half expecting a ticket through the post for admitting being in the bus lane.

It is really stupid that in London bikes are not allowed to use bus lanes.
In the Bristol/Bath area all bus lanes I know of allow bikes.

ok so its sounds like you were filtering in the bus lane? was it a peak hour bus lane where you're allowed to use the lane after 7pm etc?

Did the Jag indicate and not see him, or did he just turn without indicating and checking?

I'm so cautious of using or filtering in bus lanes near side roads these days, after a couple of close calls. I once got a ticket from using a bus lane, so I dont bother using them now unless I know theres no cameras, and side roads.

Originally Posted by AlanSv

ok so its sounds like you were filtering in the bus lane? was it a peak hour bus lane where you're allowed to use the lane after 7pm etc?

Did the Jag indicate and not see him, or did he just turn without indicating and checking?

I'm so cautious of using or filtering in bus lanes near side roads these days, after a couple of close calls. I once got a ticket from using a bus lane, so I dont bother using them now unless I know theres no cameras, and side roads.

We were in the bus lane before 7pm and it's a stretch that we're not allowed to use. This is the stupid thing as just up the road a bit it turns into a bus lane that bikes ARE allowed to use.

The Jag flicked the indicator on and went, pretty much simultaneously. I didn't see whether they'd looked or not as I wasn't watching it until it jumped out of the line of traffic which was moving at around 15mph. The aprilia was accellerating and about level with it's rear end. Possibly in it's blind spot.

I was running over this in my mind last night. The issue of whether it IS safer to use the bus lanes or filter down the outside. The conclusion I came to is it doesn't matter which way you're filtering, someone can do a move like that irrespectively. If they don't think anything's coming, they'll go for it.

I'll stick to bus lanes for ease of use and just be careful at junctions and crossings as normal.

The secret is to ride as though you're completely invisible. Think about it, if you were indeed absolutely invisible wouldn't you ride just that little bit different? One of the reasons I'm convinced that hi-vis gear sub-consciously makes the rider think they're safer than they are.


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Originally Posted by Ping

We were in the bus lane before 7pm and it's a stretch that we're not allowed to use. This is the stupid thing as just up the road a bit it turns into a bus lane that bikes ARE allowed to use.

The Jag flicked the indicator on and went, pretty much simultaneously. I didn't see whether they'd looked or not as I wasn't watching it until it jumped out of the line of traffic which was moving at around 15mph. The aprilia was accellerating and about level with it's rear end. Possibly in it's blind spot.

I was running over this in my mind last night. The issue of whether it IS safer to use the bus lanes or filter down the outside. The conclusion I came to is it doesn't matter which way you're filtering, someone can do a move like that irrespectively. If they don't think anything's coming, they'll go for it.

I'll stick to bus lanes for ease of use and just be careful at junctions and crossings as normal.

Use your head. If you are in a bus lane that you are not meant to be in and you get knocked off like that guy you saw....you have not got a leg to stand on....you are in a part of the road you should not legally be in and that will be the Jag drivers argument

Preferable to being catapulted into oncoming traffic and taking worse injuries.

Edit: Besides, if SOME of that bus lane is bike friendly, ALL of it should be. He WOULD have a leg to stand on if it had happened further up the road and that's ridiculous.

Originally Posted by TC3

Use your head. If you are in a bus lane that you are not meant to be in and you get knocked off like that guy you saw....you have not got a leg to stand on....you are in a part of the road you should not legally be in and that will be the Jag drivers argument

wrong. wrong. wrong. and did I say youre wrong? :P

for starters whether you are legally in the bus lane or not does not reduce the onus on the car driver to check his mirrors.

After all bus lanes are used by cyclists, taxis and buses. And the guy could have hit any one of them. Everyone who uses the A13 at that time cant miss the fact buses, taxis and cyclists are using that lane nearly constantly. Any road manoeuver by any road user should only be done when its safe to do so, basic highway code. Whether scooter rider is in the lane illegally is irrelevant as said before what if it had been a bus/cyclist/taxi?

Im presuming it was near the Mcdonalds as I saw ambulance and plod there when I rode past last night.

Though I have to say riding that road daily I do ride expecting cars to do that when I am legally in the bus lanes [late working hours are fab ]. It doesnt help that a lot of the side roads are usually hidden from view and cars coming out of them use the bus lane/traffic lane line as their streets stop line

Originally Posted by TC3

Use your head. If you are in a bus lane that you are not meant to be in and you get knocked off like that guy you saw....you have not got a leg to stand on....you are in a part of the road you should not legally be in and that will be the Jag drivers argument

They have every leg to stand on. All road users have a duty to ensure that the way is clear before they start any maneuver.