Oh I agree, it’s more a mental attitude - if I take on the risk of riding, I need to take on the responsibility of anticipating what other road users might do. If I end up in an accident part of that is failing to fully anticipate the stupid, illegal shit car drivers constantly do that will kill you.
Sure, the guy who turning right across two lanes in front of me was at fault, but I had the opportunity to spot him slowing down to make the turn and I know cars don’t always see bikes or indicate. I can move to the outside of the road to give myself more space, I can roll off and cover the brake, and then I can accelerate as soon as I can to get past them quickly so I’m out of danger.
If I do none of those things and don’t notice the car, I consider myself at fault even if the car was doing something illegal.
After the fact of course you can say the car driver was at fault but it’s completely academic when you’re dead, so before that happens you need to take on as much responsibility as possible.
Oh I agree, it’s more a mental attitude - if I take on the risk of riding, I need to take on the responsibility of anticipating what other road users might do. If I end up in an accident part of that is failing to fully anticipate the stupid, illegal shit car drivers constantly do that will kill you.
Sure, the guy who turning right across two lanes in front of me was at fault, but I had the opportunity to spot him slowing down to make the turn and I know cars don’t always see bikes or indicate. I can move to the outside of the road to give myself more space, I can roll off and cover the brake, and then I can accelerate as soon as I can to get past them quickly so I’m out of danger.
If I do none of those things and don’t notice the car, I consider myself at fault even if the car was doing something illegal.
After the fact of course you can say the car driver was at fault but it’s completely academic when you’re dead, so before that happens you need to take on as much responsibility as possible.