whose fault ? opinions ?

[nick crisp]

[quote author=AdieR link=topic=8553.msg84948#msg84948 date=1372651281]
There always seems to be an assumption in these kind of bike accidents that the biker is *never* to blame, which I think is potentially dangerous.
IMO, every accident or near miss (regardless of whose error it was) should be an opportunity to think through ways to avoid a repeat (ie, "Was that avoidable? What could I have done differently?" etc).

I'm not saying that it'll magically stop dozy drivers from flattening a biker (some drivers really ought to get a guide dog and let the dog drive instead), but it might just help mitigate some of the risks, bearing in mind the inherent vulnerability we face on bikes.

Agreed, accidents will always be avoidable and it's just a case of putting yourself in a position where you can see what's going on properly.
[/quote]
I don't think accidents are always avoidable. Human error is a very common trait among us, and even if you do everything right, there's still a risk. So it has to be about risk reduction. I've been very reluctant to comment on this video, as we are seeing it from a camera-eye point of view, a picture only. The human senses (usually) pick up so much more than what a camera sees, and even the people involved may not remember it the same way. Soldiers who have been in live combat situations together will remember things, and indeed experience things, quite differently to each other, though they may have been only yards apart when events unfolded. I believe a similar process takes place in events such as this accident. Everybody's perceptions are different. And you may say " the camera doesn't lie" - well, maybe not, but it doesn't "see" everything either. In court, you can bet the two sides would not rely purely on the camera evidence, and with good reason.