Cyclist and fire truck who's at fault

[simon12]

Here's the video

Opinions range from
“It was on purpose. The driver did that on purpose. He was trying to kill that bike rider! It’s so obvious when you know what to look for. We see this sort of thing every single day. The driver has no excuse, he knows he has a blind spot and he should have found a way to ensure that bike rider wasn’t in his blind spot!" Donnachadh McCarthy (the nominal leader of the Stop Killing Cyclists lobby group).
To how do you not see a big red thing with a siren on?

The fire truck did turn left where theres a no left turn sign but I think the cyclist should have been ready for it as it was indicating and had a siren on. What do you guys think?

 

[MyQul]

I NEVER undertake anything as big as a firetruck for exactly the above reason unless it's stationary because you've got nowhere to go if it turns left. The cyclist was lucky because of the bollards. Other cyclist have been crushed on railings like those in the vid

Edit - also the cyclist clearly isnt watching what the fire truck is doing because you can see he has two revolutions of his pedals without attempting to break while the truck is turning

 

[Clint]

Might have had headphones in?

 

[DavidDetroit]

Here, if there are sirens, you get out of the way. We pull over. You're not supposed to be closer than 500 feet (something like that) to an emergency vehicle with their sirens on.
It was like the rider was trying to get in the way. There is no question on this.
The idea is you want to make it as easy as possible for the emergency worker to do his/her job.

 

[Galena]

As a cyclist most of my life and being all too familiar with thoughtless and ******** drivers, the cyclist is no doubt at fault, I'm not even sure where you are getting the "Opinions range from" I see no other opinion on the YT clip

 

[MickDundee]

I NEVER undertake anything as big as a firetruck for exactly the above reason unless it's stationary because you've got nowhere to go if it turns left. The cyclist was lucky because of the bollards. Other cyclist have been crushed on railings like those in the vid

Edit - also the cyclist clearly isnt watching what the fire truck is doing because you can see he has two revolutions of his pedals without attempting to break while the truck is turning

When a cyclist says the cyclist is at fault, then you know the cyclist was definitely at fault!

From what I can see in the video, the cyclist came from behind the fire engine, could clearly see the indicator and siren lights so should have stayed back until he knew whether the fire engine was actually turning left or not.

 

[AdeDunn]

As somebody who used to cycle, you hear sirens, you stop at the side of the road until you know it's safe to continue. As to wearing headphones, big no no and a good way to die young when cycling. Not even going to watch the video, as if that truck had his siren on, the cyclist should have stopped and waited.

 

[MyQul]

When a cyclist says the cyclist is at fault, then you know the cyclist was definitely at fault!

From what I can see in the video, the cyclist came from behind the fire engine, could clearly see the indicator and siren lights so should have stayed back until he knew whether the fire engine was actually turning left or not.

What he should have done , is simply pull over and let it pass. It's a fire engine. Dont get in its way!

 

[AdeDunn]

What he should have done (and what I do), is simply pull over and let it pass. It's a fire engine. Dont get in its way!

Exactly

 

[MyQul]

Exactly

I have no idea what the braking distance of a fire engine, going full pelt is, but I dont want to test it out

 

[simon12]

As a cyclist most of my life and being all too familiar with thoughtless and ******** drivers, the cyclist is no doubt at fault, I'm not even sure where you are getting the "Opinions range from" I see no other opinion on the YT clip

Sorry I mean't to include this link to the article London Cycling Community Outraged By Incident Between A Cyclist And Fire Truck

 

[terrym]

Cyclist at fault.
Head down, oblivious to the outside world.
Accident waiting to happen.
If there is a next time for him hopefully he will think twice and maybe save his own life.

 

[AdeDunn]

I have no idea what the braking distance of a fire engine, going full pelt is, but I dont want to test it out

With a full tank of water? Trust me, you'd end up part of a skid mark if you did test it out. People test breaking distances on vehicles carrying heavy loads regularly, and discover that even the best breaks can't stop a heavy load all that quickly.....

Even ignoring all that, as a cyclist, to survive you are supposed to assume that every other road user is a lunatic out to end your life. No left turn sign? Assume that if there is a vehicle there that it's going to turn left, and be ready for it to happen. I didn't get hit by a vehicle once following this simple rule, although a car did lose it's wing mirror to my bar ends once when the driver decided to give me 0 space whilst passing (I fitted bar ends for this very reason, to protect my hands from wing mirrors.... I fitted sturdy pedals too for when I had to kerb them to stop myself been thrown over kerbs by cars doing the same trick....). The biggest accident I ever had was a quick release axle snapping on me and locking my back wheel up on a stretch of road infamous for cars going to fast.... Ended up dragging myself, and my bike, out of the road with the bike tangled around my ankle.... Wife banned me from cycling there and then, not done it since. lol

Too many cyclists out there who ride oblivious to the world around them, like they are owed something and entitled, forgetting that they are squisshies on a road full of metal boxes of death, some of which are driven by drivers either oblivious to the world, or literally hostile towards them....

 

[DavidDetroit]

squisshies

Funny.

 

[MickDundee]

Sorry I mean't to include this link to the article London Cycling Community Outraged By Incident Between A Cyclist And Fire Truck

That reads like a satire site:
“Did you see that? There, right there! Did you see it?” asks the fuming McCarthy. “It was on purpose. The driver did that on purpose. He was trying to kill that bike rider! It’s so obvious when you know what to look for. We see this sort of thing every single day. The driver has no excuse, he knows he has a blind spot and he should have found a way to ensure that bike rider wasn’t in his blind spot!

“This carnage has to end. The only way forward for every civilised nation is to ban motorised vehicles and to force people on to bicycles instead. People who ride bicycles are saving the planet.”

 

[MyQul]

.... as a cyclist, to survive you are supposed to assume that every other road user is a lunatic out to end your life.

As a London cyclist this how you HAVE to cycle. I heard this 'phrase' a long time ago and have ridden that way ever since.

Too many cyclists out there who ride oblivious to the world around them, like they are owed something and entitled, forgetting that they are squisshies on a road full of metal boxes of death, some of which are driven by drivers either oblivious to the world, or literally hostile towards them....

It is weird how some cyclist somehow assume that a bike vs car wont always end up being car 1 bike 0.

 

[MyQul]

That reads like a satire site:
“Did you see that? There, right there! Did you see it?” asks the fuming McCarthy. “It was on purpose. The driver did that on purpose. He was trying to kill that bike rider! It’s so obvious when you know what to look for. We see this sort of thing every single day. The driver has no excuse, he knows he has a blind spot and he should have found a way to ensure that bike rider wasn’t in his blind spot!

“This carnage has to end. The only way forward for every civilised nation is to ban motorised vehicles and to force people on to bicycles instead. People who ride bicycles are saving the planet.”

Hmm, so a fireman/woman on the way to possibly saving someones life, purposely attempts to mow down a cyclist on the way to doing so?

 

[MickDundee]

Hmm, so a fireman/woman on the way to possibly saving someones life, purposely attempts to mow down a cyclist on the way to doing so?

Exactly - it sounds like something from a Daily Mash or Newsthump article.

 

[MyQul]

For me the bottom line is, as a cyclist you have to take responsibility for for own safety because your so vulnerable.

Whilst undertaking (on a bicycle) isn't illegal its potentially EXTREMELY dangerous simply because most motorist are for the most part looking out for things overtaking not undertaking. I think some cyclists dont take this into account.

When I cycle I always approach the road form the view of the motorist. Can the motorist seem me, what can they see, am I hidden in some way, etc, etc

 

[Joust]

I think it's obvious to most people that the cyclist is at fault. It was a really stupid thing to do.

But what about legally?
Would it be different if it was a lorry?