Think I’ve had enough
Discussion
Cycling along this road earlier this morning. It’s a nice route; well sighted, mostly flat and at the moment barely has a car on it. Weather was bright but overcast. 60 limit.
Could see another cyclist approaching in the distance, with a blue Suzuki approaching them. As luck would have it we were all going to meet at the same point. Didn’t think anything of it, I was wearing a black and red top, bright white shoes and a white helmet riding a blue bike so easy enough to spot against a grey road surface.
The Suzuki pulled out very early to overtake the other bike. Right over onto the opposite side of the road, probably less that 2ft from the verge. ‘Any moment now’ I thought they’ll spot me and pull back in. No, kept coming and coming. Starting to panic at this car heading straight for me I raise my hand. Still nothing. Less than 5 seconds to impact now I start doing great a big wave and planning my escape into the barbed wire fence. At what felt like the very last moment the driver realised what they were doing and darted to the left, firing straight through the middle of me and the other poor bugger. It must have been extremely close between them. I didn’t even have enough time to extend my middle finger.
It was some stupid middle aged b
h, peering over the steering wheel with great big dark sunglasses on. Barely a reaction on her face that would come with realising you were seconds from wiping out a fellow human being.The rest of the ride I spent wishing I was back home, and wondering if this was really worth it. I enjoy getting out on a nice morning for a few miles on the bike but is it worth risking your life for? I don’t think so. Can’t see me getting back on a bike for a while.
Stay safe out there folks. We’re putting our lives in the hands of some very stupid people.
Barchettaman said:
Hence why all my leisure rides are all off road these days. I have enough hairy moments commuting without stressing myself out when I want to just have fun.
I got back into cycling a couple of years ago after over a decade off, I went straight for mtb and plan routes that keep road time to a minimum. janesmith1950 said:
On your description I'd have acted as soon as I clocked the potential conflict. Probably by slowing and being prepared to stop/get off the road before it became an emergency.
Without 'victim blaming' I'm inclined to agree here. That scenario always makes my bum twitch slightly and even as an experienced driver and one who always gives RoW to cyclists, it can be a hard situation to get right.
It’s not right by any means, but it’s par for the course these days, even country lanes are bad for it now. I swopped my motorbike for cycling when my daughter was born, probably just as dangerous, perhaps more so, but having been a biker I’m almost immune to noticing poor driving standards and hardly notice close passes etc.
TheFungle said:
janesmith1950 said:
On your description I'd have acted as soon as I clocked the potential conflict. Probably by slowing and being prepared to stop/get off the road before it became an emergency.
Without 'victim blaming' I'm inclined to agree here. That scenario always makes my bum twitch slightly and even as an experienced driver and one who always gives RoW to cyclists, it can be a hard situation to get right.
I got knocked off my bike last October, hit and run, I suffered a fractured pelvis amongst other injuries. Got back on my new bike in March and every ride now is accompanied with flashing front and rear lights no matter what time of day or weather. There are some incompetent drivers (and cyclists I hasten to add) out on the roads. Take care.
I was out today, and got close passed by a police car, so it can happen to anyone.
My closest miss was when I was a pedestrian though and a woman looking at her phone almost drove into me, just swerving across the road as I threw myself into the hedge.
Just take your bike out and take responsibility for yourself, i.e. try and have a way out that's dependent on you and not on the muppets.
Keep riding,otherwise they win
My closest miss was when I was a pedestrian though and a woman looking at her phone almost drove into me, just swerving across the road as I threw myself into the hedge.
Just take your bike out and take responsibility for yourself, i.e. try and have a way out that's dependent on you and not on the muppets.
Keep riding,otherwise they win
TheFungle said:
janesmith1950 said:
On your description I'd have acted as soon as I clocked the potential conflict. Probably by slowing and being prepared to stop/get off the road before it became an emergency.
Without 'victim blaming' I'm inclined to agree here. That scenario always makes my bum twitch slightly and even as an experienced driver and one who always gives RoW to cyclists, it can be a hard situation to get right.
Sadly, the standard of driving is getting worse every year.
Folk used to take a pride in their driving, not any more. They are so wrapped up in their own little (dare I say it social media) world, in their tin cocoon, insulated from the rest of the world.
That or they are either pissed, drugged, talking on their phone or shouting at the kids in the back.
Still see in my mind the silver L200 coming for me on a country lane in North Yorkshire about 4 year ago. I avoided the impact, just.
Where I live now there are loads of cyclists, pedestrians, horses and carriages using the roads past our home. There's no pavement so we all share with the nuggets who drive along as if there was no one there of any consequence....It's only a matter of time before there's a serious accident. We keep trying to get our son out on his bike but I sometimes wonder if we are mad risking it. I'm 66, been riding all my life (cycling and for a while motor bike) and always alert for the next incident.
Folk used to take a pride in their driving, not any more. They are so wrapped up in their own little (dare I say it social media) world, in their tin cocoon, insulated from the rest of the world.
That or they are either pissed, drugged, talking on their phone or shouting at the kids in the back.
Still see in my mind the silver L200 coming for me on a country lane in North Yorkshire about 4 year ago. I avoided the impact, just.
Where I live now there are loads of cyclists, pedestrians, horses and carriages using the roads past our home. There's no pavement so we all share with the nuggets who drive along as if there was no one there of any consequence....It's only a matter of time before there's a serious accident. We keep trying to get our son out on his bike but I sometimes wonder if we are mad risking it. I'm 66, been riding all my life (cycling and for a while motor bike) and always alert for the next incident.
I had this recently. Im going west, and going to turn right here at the lights, cyclist coming towards me going through the lights and im waiting roughly where the 4x4 is to turn right. White mpv coming towards me, and overtakes the cyclist giving him room. but coming right at me. Im in a bright orange jacket and lights on and its not dark. Im highly visible. but its like he has not seen me. So close to me that my foot smacked his car door as Im getting out of his way.
He wasn't happy.... I wasn't happy like cant you see me, what the duck are you doing driving right at me. Im in the right spot and you are overtaking middle of a junction t
t.... I accept people don't see us sometimes.
I accept people getting it wrong sometimes and passing a bit close.
But nowadays they're often just looking down into their phone. Worse round here as the roads aren't busy, they think they can get away with it.
And we can do nothing about people driving into the back of us.
I still ride the motorbike, but pushbike mostly off road only.
I came to the conclusion about a year ago that some phone user is going to kill me one day.
So OP I'm with you, or was a year ago.
I accept people getting it wrong sometimes and passing a bit close.
But nowadays they're often just looking down into their phone. Worse round here as the roads aren't busy, they think they can get away with it.
And we can do nothing about people driving into the back of us.
I still ride the motorbike, but pushbike mostly off road only.
I came to the conclusion about a year ago that some phone user is going to kill me one day.
So OP I'm with you, or was a year ago.
I’m not sure if the quieter roads are a good thing or not. It’s always been the case that every car seems to be compelled to always overtake a bike no matter what, but there is one new(ish) type of driver out there at the moment. They’re what I’d describe as a submissive driver. It’s like they know they shouldn’t be out, so they drive in a submissive way, quite slowly, tight to the left hand edge of the road. Unfortunately, they make zero allowance for cyclists and so are unbelievably close when they pass. At first I thought it was just a couple of drivers, now it seems to be a fairly hefty chunk of them.
There’s another trend I’ve noticed too and it would be interesting to see if anyone has seen this. When a (non-submissive) car overtakes they seem unable to cross the white centre line, even if there is no oncoming traffic, they’ll put their tyres almost perfectly alongside it, but won’t cross it no matter what. Just an observation and probably some confirmation bias in there.
There’s another trend I’ve noticed too and it would be interesting to see if anyone has seen this. When a (non-submissive) car overtakes they seem unable to cross the white centre line, even if there is no oncoming traffic, they’ll put their tyres almost perfectly alongside it, but won’t cross it no matter what. Just an observation and probably some confirmation bias in there.
A few months ago I was very nearly wiped out on a roundabout when a driver who wanted to take the first exit didn't even glance to her right as she entered the round about. Luckily I slammed the brakes on but still ended up within touching distance of her front wing before she even reacted.
I followed her to the next set of traffic lights an tapped the window to offer some advice explaining how had I not reacted so quick I'd have been straight over the bonnet, she burst into tears! I felt awful as I'm really not the sort of person who goes off ranting at strangers so spent another few minutes with her before she was calm enough to carry on.
The advice about sticking to cycle paths, tow paths an woodland is all well an good, however at the moment I'm finding far far more people walking often with dogs on no leads which is becoming even more of a hazard.
I met one woman a couple of days ago who had her stupid mutt on a 5m long lead whilst she was carrying a circa 2m long branch like a lance (some kind of social distancing device?). The girl cycling in front of me rang her bell to alert this woman and would you believe it, the dog walker turns sideways and nearly clotheslined her before ranting about how bikes shouldn't be on a CYCLE PATH
It was absolutely ridiculous and to be honest if I was in that scenario again I should have grabbed the stick off her and snapped it!
So long as you try to be visible, keep scanning for potential danger, assume that EVERYONE is out to kill you there isn't a lot else you can do but ENJOY THE RIDE.
I followed her to the next set of traffic lights an tapped the window to offer some advice explaining how had I not reacted so quick I'd have been straight over the bonnet, she burst into tears! I felt awful as I'm really not the sort of person who goes off ranting at strangers so spent another few minutes with her before she was calm enough to carry on.
The advice about sticking to cycle paths, tow paths an woodland is all well an good, however at the moment I'm finding far far more people walking often with dogs on no leads which is becoming even more of a hazard.
I met one woman a couple of days ago who had her stupid mutt on a 5m long lead whilst she was carrying a circa 2m long branch like a lance (some kind of social distancing device?). The girl cycling in front of me rang her bell to alert this woman and would you believe it, the dog walker turns sideways and nearly clotheslined her before ranting about how bikes shouldn't be on a CYCLE PATH
It was absolutely ridiculous and to be honest if I was in that scenario again I should have grabbed the stick off her and snapped it! So long as you try to be visible, keep scanning for potential danger, assume that EVERYONE is out to kill you there isn't a lot else you can do but ENJOY THE RIDE.
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