A West Sussex man has posted footage online of the moment a motorist drove onto a roundabout oblivious to the fact there was already a cyclist on it, knocking the rider off their bike.
The incident happened at the Redkiln Way roundabout in Horsham and was shot on a dashcam belonging to Mike Dearsley, who said it showed why cycling infrastructure physically separating cyclists from motorists is needed.
Redkiln Way roundabout, Horsham – why segregated cycle infrastructure is needed pic.twitter.com/9l3WgecfJo
— Mike Dearsley (@mikedearsley) April 25, 2017
Last October, Mr Dearlsey tweeted that he had suffered a near-miss while riding his bike through the same roundabout.
Cycling #nearmiss on Redkiln roundabout Horsham. Motorist drove into my path unaware of my presence. Would hi-vis & flashing lights help?
— Mike Dearsley (@mikedearsley) October 4, 2016
Referring to the video Mr Dearsley posted yesterday, Mark Treasure of the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain, who lives locally, described the roundabout as a “big fast mess.”
@Docroddy @mikedearsley @magnatom There aren’t any lanes; it’s just a big fast mess. Horrible roundabout
— Mark Treasure (@AsEasyAsRiding) April 25, 2017
The footage also attracted the attention of traffic police in the West Midlands, who have been widely praised for their innovative close pass initiative that has since been picked up by other forces across the UK.
@mikedearsley Horrible driving,hope the victim is making a full recovery & the driver prosecuted ,cyclist doing everything right as usual #dontlookdontsee
— CMPG – Road Policing (@Trafficwmp) April 25, 2017
45 thoughts on “Video: Motorist drives into cyclist at roundabout- “Why segregated cycle infrastructure is needed””
SNAFU it seems.
SNAFU it seems.
Will probably end in thread with bikelikebike telling us all drivers have no biological ability to see cyclists or whatever the troll was last time.
Yorkshire wallet wrote:
I reckon it’ll be the “hug the kerb” defensive riding theory again and possibly dismounting the bike when crossing road junctions.
It looks to me like the driver was so oblivious that they didn’t even realise that they’d hit another road user.
Well – the motorist clearly
Well – the motorist clearly 100% at fault.
But I would also suggest that the cycliest could have been a bit more aware, spotted the bad driving, and moved out of the way. [Not saying it was their fault at all – but eating tarmac is a high price to pay for being in the right]
Must be Mad wrote:
Agree entirely, which is why I always try to make eye contact with drivers in such situations. If you don’t see them look at you then be prepared to stop. Has saved me numerous times.
Grahamd wrote:
I’m a fan of this, but I also always keep in mind the WestMidland police advice that it’s not eyes that run you over, so also have a look at the wheels to see what they’re doing, just to make sure.
If I’ve got someone on my wheel trying to squeeze through when there isn’t space, I find it’s generally (not always) useful to keep turning back and making as much eye contact/waving as possible. This almost always works when out riding with the lad. Still get called a wanker on occasion, but I’ll take that deal.
It’s almost as if by making eye contact, they suddenly realise you’re a fellow human being who they can’t just crush under their mighty wheels
Grahamd wrote:
I’ve experienced quite a few drivers look right at me, and then pull out right in front of me anyway. Some of them incredibly dangerously.
ChrisB200SX wrote:
Same here. Looking at them helps, but sometimes they’ll stare you right in the face and continue to drive at you on to the roundabout.
3mkru73 wrote:
Yes I don’t think that whole make eye contact thing works, alot of them will just prioritise their car moving over you because you are just a cyclist,in fact I’m convinced many look see you & pull out just because you are a cyclist and they are already thinking about not wanting to have to overtake you
Awavey wrote:
Same here. Looking at them helps, but sometimes they’ll stare you right in the face and continue to drive at you on to the roundabout.
— Grahamd Yes I don’t think that whole make eye contact thing works, alot of them will just prioritise their car moving over you because you are just a cyclist,in fact I’m convinced many look see you & pull out just because you are a cyclist and they are already thinking about not wanting to have to overtake you— Must be Mad
Nothing you can do will change a driver, but anything you can do to be better prepared should be done.
Awavey wrote:
I suspect with some motorists, making eye contact leads them to believe that you’ve seen them and that since you’re ‘only’ a cyclist then therefore you will give way to them…
Must be Mad wrote:
Bollocks to that. The exact same thing happened to me nearly 20 years ago and you can look all you like at people in the eye, if they don’t stop and you’re in the firing line, there is very little you can do about it.
What reaction should the acutely aware rider have to move out of the way? Go front or back? Jump onto the grass verge of the roundabout? If the car moves in at 10 km/h, it’ll cover the (max) 3m between the line and the rider in just over 1 sec. Doesn’t give much time to take evasive action!
Getting segregated cycle
Getting segregated cycle infrastructure right at roundabouts and crossings is a hard problem to solve.
And it looks like the driver would have been equally happy to have run into another car or motorcyclists.
Just look how long it takes until he stops, probably had to hide his mobile first.
cdamian wrote:
The light the driver is stopped at is the segregated cycle path. Round the outside, stopping and waiting (twice) at every entrance/exit, probably only to rejoin the road anyway. Thats why i dont generally bother unless it actually helps, but then i know drivers are like the one in the video so im prepared to stop if i can see they arnt. Sad situation.
cdamian wrote:
Not really, just ask the Dutch.
Suspect the driver didn’t look round the A-pillar. When I learnd to drive we were not trained how to look. Modern cars are even worse that the older ones as the a-pillar has got thicker and more steeply raked to make cars more crash proof, but I am not aware of any improvements in driver training in how to look for things.
As for how fast the driver stopped – I think its a bit harsh to judge them on this. We are taught not to stop on roundabouts, and not to get in the way. Something went bump and they didn’t know what it was, then they had to do something wierd (stop in a place that they are trained not to, and work out what went bump). Not looking properly is the crime here.
This doesn’t ‘prove’ that
This doesn’t ‘prove’ that separated cycling infrastructure is needed at all. It proves that the pillock driving the car needs to have his/her license revoked until they can prove comprehensively that they know how to drive. It’s not hard FFS, to look RIGHT when you enter a fucking roundabout. They would have hit a car, bus or truck exactly the same as they hit the cyclist – they clearly do not understand how to use roundabouts. On a TT last week I had two near misses on the same roundabout – one on the out leg by an imbecile who didn’t even look as he pulled out in front of me, the other by an old dear who looked about 90 literally stopping dead on the roundabout because she was a bit nervous about the truck approaching from the left (100 yards away)
People. Cannot. Drive. Properly.
Zebulebu wrote:
They wouldnt have hit a car, its just cyclists are the right size to hide behind the A-pillar, as the car turns the cyclist is kept in the blind spot. Had this happen to me twice recently, you (cyclist) are forced to react either slowing or speeding up to change your position relative to the driver and their a-pillar, as they damn well arnt going to check behind it as they should (as we see here).
I agree with STATO
I agree with STATO
Modern cars have large blindspots.
I am always aware of this when I’m cycling, especially in the situation here.
NoSoSlimTim wrote:
I have to add that modern cars in order to get 5 star crash rating have now enormous A-pillars compared to 25 years ago.
cyclisto wrote:
I agree with STATO
Modern cars have large blindspots.
I am always aware of this when I’m cycling, especially in the situation here.
— cyclisto I have to add that modern cars in order to get 5 star crash rating have now enormous A-pillars compared to 25 years ago.— NoSoSlimTimYou say that like it’s some sort of well-kept secret and drivers aren’t aware of it, like they can’t physically see the great big pillar and blind spot just inches from their face.
As others have pointed out,
As others have pointed out, the driver was entirely at fault, so will doubtless be completely exonerated by our laughably named justice system.
As for the cyclist being in line with the A pillar, that isn’t his fault, and it is still the driver’s responsibility to look properly, not just pull out in the hope that there isn’t anything there.
burtthebike wrote:
The problem is that A-pillars are so heavily raked, and the driving position is set so low and back that as a driver you have to lean forward to look around the pillar. Of course the luxurious leather armchairs that cars provide these days don’t exactly encourage it. Not a particularly new problem either – my 2005 Passat suffers from it. They are undoubtedly contributory factors in pedestrian deaths – used by defence counsel as an excuse in the case of an elderly lady pedestrian being killed in Guildford town centre a couple of years ago. I’ve seen that some manufacturers are trialling either transparent pillars (actually curved OLED screens fed by an exterior camera) or warning lights to address the issue.
This was caused by a
This was caused by a combination of poor driving and A-pillar blind spots. Until either car designers figure out that avoiding common accidents lethal to cyclists is more important than mitigating the injuries caused in unusually serious accidents (rolling car) or drivers learn to look around their A-pillar, as cyclists we need to attempt to watch out for people pulling out in front of us.
You can sometimes tell that a driver can’t see you by eyeballing them. If you can’t see their face because of the A-pillar, they may not have seen you. For an example, see https://youtu.be/oEfy9K3ROY4 including description.
Not the cyclists fault at all, he *ought* to be able to cycle round a roundabout without eyeballing everyone about to come on, but unfortunately we have to do our best to watch out for idiots. 🙁
Perhaps it’s time to
Perhaps it’s time to introduce new policy. If you are the driver of a vehicle and are deemed to be responsible for causing an accident then you should automatically forfeit your licence until such time that you sit an extended driving test to prove that you are fit/safe to continue to hold such a licence to drive. Same should apply for those jumping red lights, driving at > 10mph over speed limit etc. You would be given priority access to such tests, but a mandatory 1 week ban to “think” about your driving would be a good start. It might make folk think a bit more about what they are doing behind the wheel, concentrate more, and take less risks.
dee4life2005 wrote:
I like this approach. How much easier would it be to process these situations… there appears to be a clear loss of focus / attention here… back to school for you.
As you say, take the licence away untilt hey have retaken their test. No fine. No ‘ban’, they just have to demonstrate that they are competent through taking the test again.
I’ve said it before, if your car is sooo important that you can’t live without it, you could even book your test for the same day as you are sentenced. Takes away the whole ‘I can’t have a ban, I can’t survive’… that argument falls on deaf ears if the only reason you are not on the road is that you can not demonstrate that you are road worthy.
what is not to like about this idea.
Jimmy Ray Will wrote:
Because just like how nearly everyone magically drives sensibly and within a speed limit whenever they see a police car on the road,the vast majority would pass the resit with flying colours be back on the road and following their shoddy habits again because it’s not in most cases these people can’t drive within the rules, it’s that for laziness,sheer b****y mindedness or arrogance they CHOOSE not to.
Jimmy Ray Will wrote:
Completely agree, except that they have already passed this test and yet are still dangerously incompetent. We need a much more rigorous test so that people who are clearly not capable of driving safely don’t get a licence in the first place.
If only this was in the
If only this was in the driving test… http://www.autoglassnews.co.uk/index.php?id=a-pillar-tips
(and people had to resit every 5 years plus after any driving offences!)
Roundabouts anywhere near an
Roundabouts anywhere near an A road are a death trap for cyclists, because every motorist is just engaged in a game of chicken about when to squeeze into a non existent gap. It’s near time we had road rage prevention courses or personality tests as part of driving tests – it’s this selfish self entitlement and impatience that’s causing most RTAs.
I don’t think the A-pillar of
I don’t think the A-pillar of the car can be blamed. The driver had a clear view – if they could be bothered to look. Just incredibly bad driving, which we see far too much of these days.
The only thing that shoudl be
The only thing that should be physically separated is this driver from a motor vehicle, that was some very poor driving.
Also, I am nervous about comments on here amounting to A pillar excuses. Every car has one, competent drivers compensate for it.
surly_by_name wrote:
This. An active, engaged driver is aware of their blind spots.
Jesus wept, how anyone can
Jesus wept, how anyone can suggest the cyclist could or should (not sure which is worse) here surely isn’t watching the same video to me.
Two cars feeling massively inconvenienced at having to wait 30 seconds at a pedestrian crossing, accelerate hard towards the roundabout. The driver of the car that collides is still accelerating, has no intention of stopping, the other car turning left just convinces them that the road is clear, probably hits the roundabout at the speed limit as is. The likelihood of the driver having checked mirrors, more than glanced right or even considered the A Pillar is about as likely as them completing a level on candy crush as they drove!
Has no one noticed the idiot
Has no one noticed the idiot didn’t indicate to turn right off the roundabout until on the roundabout, as well slow acceleration and of course the total lack of awarness……looks like mobile phone use to me!
Police need to get gold of the phone and see when it was used!
How anyone can actually
How anyone can actually apportion blame onto the hi viz wearing, helmeted cyclist is beyond me.
If they don’t look they dont see. It’s as simple as that. Cock all to do with position, attire or any other victim blaming theory you can espouse. And after the recent Mick Mason case, it’s apparently okay not to bother looking. Bollocks but sadly true.
Ride safe, brothers and sisters.
willythepimp wrote:
Think it’s denial from some people on these boards how appallingly little regard some drivers have for the safety of others, so they try and blame the victim to tell themselves they won’t be mowed down next time they’re out because they looked several times/wore a helmet/wore hi vis.
The truth is ugly to borrow a phrase and often it’s worth researching quiet routes and avoiding busy junctions and roundabouts.
Fake!
Fake!
The cyclist is wearing high-vis and a helmet, no way that this could really have happened…
The car driver is 100% to
The car driver is 100% to blame.
Suffolk police will soon be
Suffolk police will soon be charging the cyclist with criminal damage to the car.
Still can’t beleive people
Still can’t beleive people state blind spot bollocks or try to deflect the matter, it’s not blind spot, it’s an area that can be seen very easily if you’re bothered to look properly, same old sodding problem.
Can you imagine a similar scenario in the workplace, yead soz about mowing down a worker because the forklift truck driver stated he had a blind spot despite actually being in full view.
it’s only in the wild west of UK, well actually pretty much all countries roads that people are allowed excuses for killing and maiming and not being held accountable.
I drive a Passat, it was supposed to have a bad ‘blind spot’ due to the front pillar, absolute gash, just look around the fecking thing, christ it’s really not difficult, and if you’re a short arse/no neck, just go slower, take a second or a third look because if you don’t you’ll end up ending someone’s life. Not that some give two shits anyways if they do and are only interested in apportioning blame on their victim or scarpering to avoid detection.
I don’t believe the blind
I don’t believe the blind spot had anything to do with it, the bike would have been obvious enough for plenty of time had the driver borhered to look at all properly. I blame that fluorescent invisibility cloak!
whobiggs wrote:
The blind spot behind the pillar is a convenient excuse. Interesting that it never stops them seeing things which might endanger them, but seeing a bike is impossible.
I had something similar this morning – woman desperate to get to the post office before it closed ended up stopped about 2 foot from my path. When I spoke nicely to her at the post office (all of 400 yards from the house she had just left and would return to, with no other travel) she claimed essentially that she had been unable to see a large man dressed in yellow and black, riding down a straight road, in daylight, with no sun to distract her. I directed her to the opticians.
It does seem to me that if she knew, with certainty, that striking me would have resulted in the permanent loss of her licence and temporary loss of her liberty she may have been rather better motivated to look properly.
Full disclosure: “spoke nicely” and “directed her to the opticians” may be euphemisms.
Related but unrelated…
Related but unrelated… bought a new car yesterday. This morning I took the boy out for a spin in it, on some whim about wanting to work out how to operate the cruise control.
Anyway, some spirited driving ensued, during which I encountered 3 cyclists.
Despite abusing the speed limits with gay abandon, I was able to see each cyclist well ahead of me, slow and pass in a safe manner.
No problems…
Again, as I whinge on about all the time, driving is not hard… people are either poorly schooled, or applying themselves without paying adequate attention.
A frames are just a distraction from the truth.
Some people in cars drive
Some people in cars drive into people on bikes, therefore we need segregated cycling facilities.
Some people in cars drive into other people in cars, therefore we need… um… segregated driving facilities?
ajft wrote:
Are these scenarios equivalent ajft? In my opinion no. If a person on a bike is hit by a car they’re more likely to be injured than the occupants of a car that’s been driven into: This is why well planned segregated infrastructure is required.
It doesn’t matter. Car
It doesn’t matter. Car drivers will not be prosecuted. It’s official…
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/driver-rams-dad-two-children-10068315