Raging Bike

INCIDENTS

REGISTRATION

NEWS

Guest, you are in: Incidents > Incident report

Member:	markwm
Location:	Junction woodmill lane/Portswood road
Vehicle model:	A White, Ford Other
Driver gender:	male
Injuries:	None. But nearly fatal (IMHO).
Date:	26 Mar 2004
Waiting at a crossroads to turn right, a builders type tipping truck waiting to turn right into my road. He goes for it - right across the path of a double decker bus (did he not see it?!). So, the bus sounds his horn and the van cuts his corner while accelerating hard. He's now on the wrong side of the road he's just turned into and travelling quite fast. Straight into me waiting at a red light. I literally dive to the left as the front of the van misses my face by inches.... Time for some new cycling shorts, methinks.

26 Mar 2004

Miak 26 Mar 2004
Did you get a registration or report it to the police?

markwm 26 Mar 2004
Sadly, no :-(. Needless to say, he left the scence as quickly as he could, and by the time I realised what had happened he'd gone. Else I'd have been straight on the police (not that they gave a toss last time I reported a minor incident.)

Miak 26 Mar 2004
Shame. your experience of Police response is sadly too common. Although sometimes its worth reporting just to get the figures up. I suspect 90% of incidents of attempted murder by car go unreported. It would be good to have a 'repoting incidents week' when during a specific week of the year we could encourage every cyclist to report every incident, however minor to the local police...thereby grinding the criminal justice system to a halt.

Cunobelin 30 Mar 2004
Do some research and be firm with the Police, state what the problem is, what you consider the offence to be and why you expect them to act. In my case the report of "this vehicle overtook at a corner and cut across me forcing me to brake. I feel this constitutes an ofence of dangerous driving, or at least careless driving. It is essential that someone at least has a word with this driver and delas with this before someone is injured" They did, and this car now gives lots of clearance when it overtakes on the straights and waits patiently behind me at the corner. Try it it can work, but make sure you have good grounds and vehicle details

markwm 31 Mar 2004
Thanks for you comments/support. I agree we musn't just say "oh well", else nothing will change (and it'll probably get worse). Unfortunately I don't think I can expect much from the Police wrt this incident without any details, but I will get back onto them about the incident I did report and got a rather apathetic response to. I'll try making a case similar to that you suggest stating what I think was wrong - they've already said they would have difficulty prosecuting due to lack of witnesses (but said I could pursue a civil case at my own expense...), but all I really want is for the other party to *think* more, *look* more and not hit another cyclist!

in this section:

incidents

post an incident

add a response


		News
		Cab driver gets 4 months for attacking cyclist Having had something similar happen to me many years ago, good to see the driver ...more

		Knife attack charges... It begs the question. Why are more drivers not charged with murder...when they r ...more

		Jason MacIntyre killed by van on A82 Jason MacIntyre the triple British & multi Scottish champion road/time trial cyc ...more

		Matthew Parris...what more is there to say For a Tory..... I kind of liked Matthew Parris. As a young Thatcherite MP I see ...more