Whose fault?

[Nick Kew]

This is an accident that didn't happen, but gave two of us a moment of panic.

Monday, about 10pm, I was setting off to ride home from a rehearsal in central Plymouth. Deciding to
take the back roads, I was turning right from a moderately steep uphill into a cobbled alleyway that
is not obviously a road at all. No traffic, so I was taking it easy.

Just as I was starting to turn, I see a cyclist coming the other way. He's on the downhill, with no
lights. And he has no reason at all to expect me to turn right into - essentially - a non-road.
Panic was momentary. I stopped and jumped down in the beginning of my turn; he jammed the brakes on
and skidded past. We had just enough time to exchange grins after seeing we've avoided an accident.

So who was worse? Him for riding downhill with no lights, or me for manoeuvering rather casually on
a road where I appeared to be the only moving vehicle, but where parked cars could conceal
something?

--
Axis of Evil: Whose economy needs ever more wars? Arms Exports $bn: USA 14.2, UK 5.1, vs France 1.5,
Germany 0.8 (The Economist, July 2002)

 

[Elyob]

"Nick Kew" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> This is an accident that didn't happen, but gave two of us a moment of panic.
>
> Monday, about 10pm, I was setting off to ride home from a rehearsal in central Plymouth. Deciding
> to take the back roads, I was turning right from a moderately steep uphill into a cobbled alleyway
> that is not obviously a road at all. No traffic, so I was taking it easy.
>
> Just as I was starting to turn, I see a cyclist coming the other way. He's on the downhill, with
> no lights. And he has no reason at all to expect me to turn right into - essentially - a non-road.
> Panic was momentary. I stopped and jumped down in the beginning of my turn; he jammed the brakes
> on and skidded past. We had just enough time to exchange grins after seeing we've avoided an
> accident.
>
> So who was worse? Him for riding downhill with no lights, or me for manoeuvering rather casually
> on a road where I appeared to be the only moving vehicle, but where parked cars could conceal
> something?
>

Both ..... he should have had lights, but you stated that you'd already seen him and crossed
his path therefore creating a dangerous situation where he had to apply his brakes with
considerable force ...

Just my opinion anyway.

 

[Digweed .. ;\)]

Nick Kew tried to scribble ...

> This is an accident that didn't happen, but gave two of us a moment of panic.
>
> Monday, about 10pm, I was setting off to ride home from a rehearsal in central Plymouth. Deciding
> to take the back roads, I was turning right from a moderately steep uphill into a cobbled alleyway
> that is not obviously a road at all. No traffic, so I was taking it easy.
>
> Just as I was starting to turn, I see a cyclist coming the other way. He's on the downhill, with
> no lights. And he has no reason at all to expect me to turn right into - essentially - a non-road.
> Panic was momentary. I stopped and jumped down in the beginning of my turn; he jammed the brakes
> on and skidded past. We had just enough time to exchange grins after seeing we've avoided an
> accident.
>
> So who was worse? Him for riding downhill with no lights, or me for manoeuvering rather casually
> on a road where I appeared to be the only moving vehicle, but where parked cars could conceal
> something?

50 - 50 ..

Did he need lights ? You seem to have seen him early enough. Why are you so casual about making a
right turn ?

--
Digweed

 

[Robert Bruce]

> So who was worse?

The car driver, of course.

--
Rob

Please keep conversations in the newsgroup so that all may contribute and benefit.

 

[Nick Kew]

In article <[email protected]>, one of infinite monkeys at the
keyboard of "elyob" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Both ..... he should have had lights, but you stated that you'd already seen him and crossed his
> path therefore creating a dangerous situation where he had to apply his brakes with considerable
> force ...

I obviously wasn't clear. I didn't cross his path; I saw him just in time to stop. His brakes were a
reaction to what might have happened.

--
Axis of Evil: Whose economy needs ever more wars? Arms Exports $bn: USA 14.2, UK 5.1, vs France 1.5,
Germany 0.8 (The Economist, July 2002)

 

[Tina Eager]

On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 19:13:24 UTC, [email protected] (Nick Kew) wrote:

> So who was worse? Him for riding downhill with no lights, or me for manoeuvering rather casually
> on a road where I appeared to be the only moving vehicle, but where parked cars could conceal
> something?
>

Him. No lights after dark, asking for trouble and at 10pm these days it is dark - unless you're in
Finland or someplace. IMHO. If he'd had lights then you'd have had a better chance of seeing him -
even if you were being casual.

Also, if you mention parked cars concealing something, was he riding on the pavement?

Did you have lights?

--
Tina Eager

 

[Elyob]

"Nick Kew" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, one of
infinite monkeys
> at the keyboard of "elyob" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Both ..... he should have had lights, but you stated that you'd already
seen
> > him and crossed his path therefore creating a dangerous situation where
he
> > had to apply his brakes with considerable force ...
>
> I obviously wasn't clear. I didn't cross his path; I saw him just in time to stop. His brakes were
> a reaction to what might have happened.
>

If it went to court, he'd be knocked big time for not having lights.

 

[Nick Kew]

In article <[email protected]>, one of infinite monkeys at the keyboard
of [email protected] (Tina Eager) wrote:
>> So who was worse? Him for riding downhill with no lights, or me for manoeuvering rather casually
>> on a road where I appeared to be the only moving vehicle, but where parked cars could conceal
>> something?
>>
>
> Him.

Thank you. Welcome to the newsgroup

> No lights after dark, asking for trouble and at 10pm these days it is dark - unless you're
> in Finland or someplace.

Indeed.

> IMHO. If he'd had lights then you'd have had a better chance of seeing him - even if you
> were being casual.

Well, I'd have seen a moving light earlier.

> Also, if you mention parked cars concealing something, was he riding on the pavement?

Nope.

> Did you have lights?

Yes - though I was one down on my usual (only one working front light; both the rear ones
were fine).

--
Axis of Evil: Whose economy needs ever more wars? Arms Exports $bn: USA 14.2, UK 5.1, vs France 1.5,
Germany 0.8 (The Economist, July 2002)

 

[Scrumpy Joe]

Digweed .. wrote:

> Nick Kew tried to scribble ...
>
>> This is an accident that didn't happen, but gave two of us a moment of panic.
>>
>> Monday, about 10pm, I was setting off to ride home from a rehearsal in central Plymouth. Deciding
>> to take the back roads, I was turning right from a moderately steep uphill into a cobbled
>> alleyway that is not obviously a road at all. No traffic, so I was taking it easy.
>>
>> Just as I was starting to turn, I see a cyclist coming the other way. He's on the downhill, with
>> no lights. And he has no reason at all to expect me to turn right into - essentially - a
>> non-road. Panic was momentary. I stopped and jumped down in the beginning of my turn; he jammed
>> the brakes on and skidded past. We had just enough time to exchange grins after seeing we've
>> avoided an accident.
>>
>> So who was worse? Him for riding downhill with no lights, or me for manoeuvering rather casually
>> on a road where I appeared to be the only moving vehicle, but where parked cars could conceal
>> something?
>
> 50 - 50 ..
>
> Did he need lights ? You seem to have seen him early enough. Why are you so casual about making a
> right turn ?
>
>
It's 10pm - of course he needed lights, unless Plymouth has suddenly moved up to the Arctic Circle.