I'm posting this in the hope the cyclist concerned is a member of this
group, can objectively look at my report of his actions, and can avoid
making the same mistakes. He might not even know how close he came to
wiping out big-time. This isn't destructive critisism - I'm just trying
to highlight how dangerous his actions were in the hope that he and
anyone else who has this style of riding might see the problem and
correct their ways before they become another statistic.
The cyclist concerned was riding on the A386 Plymouth Road from Morrisons
roundabout to Drake's Statue (junction with the A390) some time between
4:30 pm and 5:00 pm last night (7/12). He was dressing in dark clothing,
had no lights, and had a not very effective, taller than wide, rear
reflector. I first caught sight of him because his bare calves stood out
slightly in my headlights. If this is you, you managed to put yourself in
serious danger at least three times in about half a mile. For reference,
I was driving the Mitsubishi 4x4 that you seemed hell bent on hitting.
The mini roundabout after Morrisons is offset massively to the left. As I
was decelerating for that roundabout, you passed me on the left and then
took the shortest route - i.e. went the wrong way round the roundabout.
In doing that, you cut straight across the front of my car just as I was
entering the roundabout. Be grateful that I check my nearside mirror
before entering a roundabout, because you'd probably been under my wheels
if I hadn't.
Just in case you didn't see it, I'll point out that when you rode the
wrong way round that roundabout, there was a car coming in the other
direction that had to take avoiding action and that when you left the
roundabout, you cut across the front of the car two in front of me, who
also had to brake sharply to avoid you.
I overtook you shortly after that but kept a close watch on you until you
disappeared from sight. I suspected that you'd turned off the A386. As I
approached the road on the left a little before the the river, there was
a Jag on the other side of the A386 waiting to turn right. Since he was
holding up a long queue of traffic in his direction and since there was a
continuous stream of traffic in my direction, I intended doing the
courteous thing and slowed down to open a gap in front of me. My next
action would have been to flash my headlights - except at that point you
moved out of my nearside blind spot (where you'd been tailgating me) and
started to pass me on the left. I accelerated away and in doing so might
have saved your life. Let me project what might have happened if I hadn't
checked my nearside mirror at that point and had not seen you:
I'd have flashed the Jag, who would have passed in front of me. At that
stage he couldn't see you and you couldn't see him because my car was in
the way. The driver probably wouldn't have seen you at all because from
his perspective the road was clear and his attention would have been on
the road into which he was turning. Judging by the cavalier manner in
which you handled the roundabout, I suspect that you wouldn't have been
able to stop. If you were lucky the Jag would have gone far enough for
you to run into his wing because otherwise you'd have gone under it.
If that was you, please get yourself some lights. Don't overtake at the
approach to junctions (Highway Code, rule 143). While you're at it,
please get yourself a copy of the Highway Code (or visit
http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/) and read it.