Motoring Discussion > Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. Legal Questions
Thread Author: Fullchat Replies: 9

 Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. - Fullchat
Leave it with you:

road.cc/content/news/viral-video-driver-refusing-stop-child-cyclist-297205
 Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. - Manatee
You can debate whether the child should be there, but as the oncoming driver I would have come to a dead stop 20 yards from the child, carefully positioned to prevent anyone overtaking me, and waited for them to clear the 'chicane'.

TBH though, had I been the dad, I would not have been surprised at the driver ploughing on and I would have asked the child to stop and wait. It's one of those things that shouldn't happen, but that can be anticipated.

I'm fairly familiar with this. My granddaughters are in a cycling family in Cambridge, and now aged 8 & 5 (and three quarters). Both are reliable and careful cyclists under supervision. It does help to be in a cycling town or city.

 Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. - zippy
In that situation, stopped as soon as he saw the kid.

I hate (in a worried way, not a evil way) wobbly kids on cycles, to the extent that I just don't want to hurt anyone so stay well clear.

In some situations they don't help themselves though. I shudder to think how close some kids late at night, in the winter, wearing black, on BMXs, with no lights, on an unlit road came very close to being squished by me when they came flying down a side road on a hill and right on to the main road that I was on.

How I managed to stop in time I will never know and of course they just rode off in to the distance as if nothing had happened.
 Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. - Fullchat
Perhaps the driver was more focused on the adult and wasn't seeing the small child.

I don't mean that in a critical way. Its a phenomenon that has been explored by an ex fighter pilot who was looking at reasons as to why people pulled out more infront of motorcycles than cars.
Last edited by: Fullchat on Thu 10 Nov 22 at 19:55
 Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. - zippy
>>Ex fighter pilot...

Wasn't there a study from the 60's, probably the Vietnam war when a fighter pilot's jet was on fire but he didn't know because of information overload. His brain just didn't register the emergency claxon because of all of the other beeps and buzzers and warnings that the aircraft's systems were emitting?

I did have one other thought on the above video: "I wouldn't let a kid that young ride on a fairly main road". There must be better places.
 Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. - bathtub tom
>>"I wouldn't let a kid
>> that young ride on a fairly main road". There must be better places.

Cycling on the footpath is a criminal offence.

Full marks to the parents for allowing the child to cycle on the road. Note how the child has full control and doesn't wobble or deviate. I wish I was that good!
 Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. - Manatee
>>Its a phenomenon that has been explored by an ex fighter pilot

www.gedandclaire.com/downloads/a-fighter-pilots-guide-to-surviving-on-the-roads.pdf

I think this is probably the one you meant. It describes how we can look, without seeing.

It should be taught. I read this on a cycling website years ago and I have always looked twice since then!

It's quite true and provable that you can't see when your eyes are moving from one object to another. I think it's described in the article.
 Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. - Fullchat
www.car4play.com/redirect.php?https://www.gedandclaire.com/downloads/a-fighter-pilots-guide-to-surviving-on-the-roads.pdf

That's the one thank you.
 Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. - R.P.
Totally agree Zippy.
 Driver refuses to stop for child cyclist. - Bromptonaut
As the team knows I'm a bit of an extremist when it comes to cyclist's rights but I'm agnostic on this one.

Full marks to the parent for teaching the youngster to use the road early. Provided you're confident your child can control the bike, ie steer and brake properly, riding behind like that and acting like a driving instructor is a way to go. The kid is well positioned far enough out to see/bee seen and avoid being doored.

Ideally the car driver would have stopped but he was well slowed down and had enough space to his left to cope if the lad wobbled.

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