Am I a proper cyclist now?

grancanaria

So I joined the bike to work scheme, got myself a bike on Monday for the first time in years (after lots of test rides, a bianchi camaleonte II), and got to say I'm absolutely loving the commute. So, so much better than horrible buses, and I get home earlier too. Amazing.

Well, it was until yesterday, when three days in to the rest of my life a woman looking completely the opposite direction stepped out in front of me. Nothing I could do apart from pick the road out of my arm, work out whether my bike was ok (which it was, thankfully)and ask if she was ok, to which she refused to reply - or even look at me, as if it was my fault!

I suppose it had to happen at some point, but so soon? Depressing. Confidence took quite a knock but I got back on the bike today. Is it really the case that I have to expect the worst from everybody?

Eat My Dust

It was partly your fault. But don't worry I've also knocked down a ped!!!

attica

Yes you are a proper cyclist the minute you throw your leg over a bike!
No it wasn't necessarily partly your fault, if you were in a heavy traffic situation, she presented you with a choice, hit her or swerve out into the traffic, that's a no brainer!

People really should take responsibility for their own actions. The woman you hit was probably in a bit of pain and feeling somewhat foolish, she ignored you out of embarrasment more than anything.

mrchrispy

she didnt have a white stick with red bands on it did she??

:oops:

grancanaria

she wasn't blind... but she also didn't speak a world of english. I felt quite sorry for her really, it was quite a big impact, but when ten minutes later I tried to make some sort of hand gesture, shake her hand etc, she woudn't even do that!

Ah well. Was wondering though, seeing as i'm pretty new to all this, does anyone think I should take the bike back to Evans and get it checked over or am I being over-cautious? It all seems to work properly, but, um, what would I really know...

attica

Ah, Johnny foreigner tends to drive on the other side of the road, hence her looking completely in the wrong direction!

Best to get your bike checked over just for peace of mind if you're worried at all.

woodgob

Ditto Attica

I've not yet knocked anyone on their a*** but had a lot of near misses on a differnet commute route (where the cylce lane was on the footpath/promenade). Peds always following the red tarmac - like they're drawn to it.

As far as expecting the worst of everyone - I think you just need to ride defensively. People are very unpredicable - this goes for cars too. Peds especially will rely partly on sound and they can't hear an engine, may assumne that the road is clear and not look. I've done this myself (stoopid I know :?!) Someone posted a great article about defensive riding a couple of days ago. Worth reading if you can find it.

SmellTheGlove

Yes you are.

And no, you don't have to expect the worst from everybody. Cycling doesn't exist in a bubble outside real life, it just makes you more sharply aware of it sometimes!

Getting back on = top marks.

el_presidente

I get nervous and cover the brakes whenever I see a ped moving towards the edge of the pavement

you'll get used to it

Good thing is, if she can't speak English, she won't be on the Daily Mail message board moaning about it

saveswalking

grancanaria wrote:

she wasn't blind... but she also didn't speak a world of english. I felt quite sorry for her really, it was quite a big impact, but when ten minutes later I tried to make some sort of hand gesture, shake her hand etc, she woudn't even do that!
quote]

She probably thought you were going to clobber her again !

Seriously though - I dont know how effective those 'think bike' public info films were but one aimed at pedestrians should be made...

I have near misses nearly every day and often have to stop like a goldfish to avoid a collision
(same goes for squirrels and pidgeons btw)

sw

abbots_mike

Is that stopping like a squirrel or a pigeon?

Crapaud

saveswalking wrote:

I have near misses nearly every day and often have to stop like a goldfish to avoid a collision
(same goes for squirrels and pidgeons btw)

sw

ABBOTS MIKE wrote:

Is that stopping like a squirrel or a pigeon?

I've never seen a goldfish, a squirrel or a pidgeon on a bike. I have seen a budgie, a chimp and a flea on a bike (on Michael Bentine's Potty Time. Is it something like that? :?

If the woman was foreign I can relate! In an emergency, when cycling abroad, I've instinctively veered off into oncoming traffic thereby causing another emergency ditch in the other direction. It takes a bit of time to change ingrained habits.

saveswalking

ABBOTS MIKE wrote:

Is that stopping like a squirrel or a pigeon?

Goldfish - 60 to 0 in zero seconds 8)

Squirrels and Pigeons have a habit of darting out in front of you ... :roll:

sw

steve_pushbiker

I've knocked a pedestrian over. Similar thing she went out when me (and a car) were exiting a roundabout. She waddled enough not to be hit by the car, but I hit her square on (I was braking -honest!). So p1ssed off that I asked her if she was OK and then bnggered off.

Yes you're a proper cyclist but you need to get your hit rate down from 1 in three days.

always_tyred

I once had a very near miss with someone with a white cane. I was committed to a right turn and the guy just stepped out. The person leading them had a real go at me "Can't you see he's BLIND".

I was really apologetic....

... then I thought, hang on, there was a sighted person holding his arm leading him across.

When I tried to point out that something was amis with their decision to lead a blind man into a road in front of traffic, for some reason they were a touch defensive. "But he is blind", she kept saying.

whome

If you were turning into a side road (you mentioned a right turn so not sure exact scenario) then pedestrians have right of way over traffic turning into the road.

IMO you should always assume pedestrians have right of way. Certainly I would argue it is your responsibility to anticipate and avoid pedestrians no matter what.

jedster

Certainly I would argue it is your responsibility to anticipate and avoid pedestrians no matter what.

I tend to that view, your speed and road positioning should reflect the potential hazards around you. A pedestrian near the edge of the pavement looking the wrong way is a bleeping red alert! You need to move out into the road and/or slow JUST IN CASE they do something stupid.

You can extend this to all sorts of situations, e.g.,

see a car waiting to enter your road - you need to work on the assumption that they WILL pull out without noticing you

car behind you approaching a pinch point - they WILL try to squeeze through the too narrow gap given half a chance

Of course, in practice, people are usually sensible but you need to position your self for the one in a hundred who is not.

You'll get used to all this. Welcome to cycle commuting - it really IS great!
J

toslow

Being a cyclist is a state of mind . I always thought your initiation was being bitten by your first dog. But hitting a pedestrian looking the wrong way is a start i suppose.