So there IS justice in the world

A couple of months ago I was knocked off my bike by someone who was leaving the roundabout I was on. She insisted that it was my fault and that I had hit her car with my bike! It was because of this that called the police. If she had just said "sorry are you ok," I would have thought no more of it, even though I still have sore bits on my leg and my arm.

Well, to cut a long story short, some weeks later I had a letter from the police asking my to put my side of the story. It seemed that they were going to charge her. I filled in the form and thought no more of it.

This morning I  had a letter from the police (my heart stopped for a minute I thought I had been 'caught on camera' speeding!). The letter informed me that the young lady in question had been found guilty and had just completed a driver improvement course!

This, I feel is a very satisfying outcome and makes me think that maybe in time cyclists are actually going to be a little safer on the road!

I really hope she was found guilty, as well as being sent on the course!

More and more these days the police are using the threat "go on a driver improvement course or we'll charge you" and people are getting scared and forking out the two hundred quid because it's cheaper.

I can't be the only person on here who would be more than prepared to go on periodic courses to improve my own driving (which is very good actually - never had an accident) if it meant our roads were safer and made us a bit more aware of other road users?

I'm very careful around cyclists, because I'm trying more and more to become one. If we could get drivers to get out onto a pushbike every once in a while, it might help those who see them as nothing more than a menace realise how vulnerable they can be.

Glad you got your justice, Lady Sue! Well done!

Good for you Sue

A few years ago I was cycling along a cycle path with my 2 year old son, on a seat behind mine. A car pulled out ofa drive and hit us. Fortunatley neither of us were hurt badly. My bike was a crumpled mess under her car though.

I would have settled for a new bike and an apology but her husband rang me up refusing to pay for the bike saying I shouldn't have been on the pavement. The police were called ............................. I now have a new bike and £4000 in compensation. She now has a conviction for driving without due care and a attention and lost her no claims bonus.

good enough PM!

If enough of this sort of thing happens all to the better IMO

I sometimes cycle along a bypass road, drivers just don't realise that when they skim close to a cyclist doing 80+ MPH the consequences can be disastrous and they would never know it.

A member of a local Tri club was knocked off in a similar situation by a white van and left for dead. He was so badly hurt that he couldn't move, his back had gone into spasm. His mobile phone was knocked just out of his reach. He lost count of the cars that passed by without stopping

Even if you argue that you shouldn't have been on the "pavement" PM, how would it have been any different if you'd been a pedestrian that day? She still clearly wasn't looking!

In any case, you say it was a cycle path - so you were perfectly within your rights to be there anyway!

We should all pay more attention. I'm getting sick of slowing down for cyclists and giving them some more room, only to have some impatient bugger behind me either beeping or crawling all over the back of my car in temper!

YOU CAN WAIT, people! Bikes are road users too....

I took my kids on a bike ride a couple of weeks ago and although it was daytime and most of the ride was on a trail, a small part of it was on a cycle path on the road of the A56. The kids were wearing high vis jackets and the traffic was actually very very good with them. I was greatly relieved, though I couldn't help but wonder how much of their good manners was due to the children being correctly kitted out and highly visible?

 I'll never know....

That was the case LB, it was one of those joint pedestrian/cycle paths, mind you the drive did have 4 bollards and give way marks on it.

I just had had to take some photos of the drive, bollards and markings (all be it very faint ones) and the sign saying it was joint use. She should never have got her husband involved.

Sue, that's terrible

Some people just won't take responsibility for being stupid PM. They look to blame others before examining their own actions and I think that's what you experienced with this woman's hubby. You're right, though - he should have kept his nose out.

Lady Sue the Corpulent wrote (see)

 He lost count of the cars that passed by without stopping

It's a sad fact of today that people believe it's better in some way not to "get involved". I'm sorry, but I'll always get involved. It's what separates us from animals, supposedly. They used to call it compassion.

How utterly disgraceful that nobody stopped. Shame on every car driver that drove on by. If you're first on scene, the very least you can do is call a bloody ambulance, FFS....!!!

Hey LB I agree entirely!!!! It's disgusting sometimes it only takes a quick 'alright mate' and it's sorted!

 My bro had nasty car accident few weeks back and not one person stopped!!!!! The car that caused the accident and the car behind him, all saw him hit a tree and that his car was in bits and not one of them stopped! Although he lost consciousness for a few secs he recalls coming round and cars still going past! He called his own ambulance... but thankfully at least someone had done it already but not stopped!

Lady Sue the Corpulent wrote (see)

good enough PM!

If enough of this sort of thing happens all to the better IMO

I sometimes cycle along a bypass road, drivers just don't realise that when they skim close to a cyclist doing 80+ MPH the consequences can be disastrous and they would never know it.

A member of a local Tri club was knocked off in a similar situation by a white van and left for dead. He was so badly hurt that he couldn't move, his back had gone into spasm. His mobile phone was knocked just out of his reach. He lost count of the cars that passed by without stopping

Sue that's awful.

I have a road ID now with my details and ICE contact.  Rio's mate ended up in hospital and no one knew who he was for a while cos he was unconscious and didnt have ID.  How awful nobody stopped.

Glad you're ok-ish now.  You coming next weekend?

It's good to know there is some justice in the world, Sue, I'm really pleased for you.

Just a shame more people aren't big enough to take responsibility for their own actions.  Makes you wonder how they sleep at night.