toning it down

hamboman

I had another little prang the other day - went into the back of a porche that cut me up on the inside of a mini roundabout, then braked abruptly to let a ped across. I apologised simply cos I was annoyed at myself for not being alert enough to dodge his d1ck hed actions. He asked if there was any damage and i said 'no', then he put the hammer down and sped off, running over my foot! Cor blimey. no damage though.

Anyway, it just occured to me I'm becoming way too ballsey and taking too many risks - I need to tone it down a little before I'm chopped down. I've had a few pranks recently, none of them my fault, but if I'd been cycling less aggressively they wouldn't have happened.

"He was dead right as he sped along, but just as dead as if he'd been wrong."

Totalnewbie

I think you're right.

There are so many occasions where I think I would have come a cropper if I hadn't given way (when it was my right of way). I see some really aggressive cycling on my commute. Sometimes people over/undertake me only to have to slam the brakes on when they see what I was anticipating (a car turning right across me etc).

If in doubt, I slow down and let them go. There is sometimes no point in belting along thinking 'it's my right of way, I'm right dammit' because it won't do you any good when you're plastered all over a car. I probably add a few minutes onto my commute cos of this, but it's ok, still twice as fast as the bus.

el_presidente

"I shall bend like a reed in the wind" - Paul Atreides

IsledeBlanc

After five years riding through London I've settled on the following;

Be assertive but not aggressive, be defensive but not over cautious, be open-minded and try not to take things too personally.

I appreciate that this is not always possible, it's just a rough guide to getting home with the least stress and in one piece.

misterben

el_presidente wrote:

"I shall bend like a reed in the wind" - Paul Atreides

"I fly like a leaf on the wind" - Hobarn Washburne

cupofteacp

To finish first, first you must finish

The only race I'm in is the Human race

Clever Pun

Nearly everything is your fault...

Think about it... is there any prang/accident you couldn't have avoided in any way??? probably not

hamboman

Clever Pun wrote:

Nearly everything is your fault...

Think about it... is there any prang/accident you couldn't have avoided in any way??? probably not

Are you suggesting I wanted to get knocked off by an errant ped that ran out in front of me last year?!

Gambatte

hamboman wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

Nearly everything is your fault...

Think about it... is there any prang/accident you couldn't have avoided in any way??? probably not

Are you suggesting I wanted to get knocked off by an errant ped that ran out in front of me last year?!

Could have stopped in?

manick0de

It's good to be reminded how vunerable you are. I was running late for work last week, really sprinting on the drops with my head down and not really paying attention, didn't see the van turning left. :oops:,

John Stevenson

IsledeBlanc wrote:

After five years riding through London I've settled on the following;

Be assertive but not aggressive, be defensive but not over cautious, be open-minded and try not to take things too personally.

I'd add:

Be predictable; behave like traffic.

Seems to work in Sydney anyhow.

Clever Pun

hamboman wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

Nearly everything is your fault...

Think about it... is there any prang/accident you couldn't have avoided in any way??? probably not

Are you suggesting I wanted to get knocked off by an errant ped that ran out in front of me last year?!

Not saying you wanted to, I'm saying you could have avoided it; if you're honest with yourself you could have done something different...

Did you see the ped in advance? if not why not etc etc

fossyant

You need to back off in heavy traffic - I do, and that's also assisted by riding my MTB rather than the road bike.