Had an off this morning

Clever Pun

Ouch… cycling along cable street filtering past cars loads of room and all of a sudden a small girl popped out from the middle of two cars and I hit her, she’s pinged to the side and I’m ass over tit and on the ground. The mother catches up and asks me if I’m ok, ignoring the kid. My hip is going to be one massive bruise and my forearm is sore going on purple. Plus a couple of places didn’t like the skin currently adorning them. I got up shaken and stirred, my bike is fine as much as I could see, I think she cushioned the bike a little. The kid seemed shaken but ok and her brother kept asking if I was alright


I ache… a lot, I wasn't wearing a helmet either and it wouldn't have made a difference

The busy main road is just safer, people seem to be aware of how to cross the road safely there. If I'd have been a motorcycle the kid would have had serious injuries possibly worse.

Surf-Matt

Surely the girl must have been slightly hurt?
Yes it was her fault but if she's only a little 'un then she can't be blamed too much - although her mum should have been watching more closely.

I went into loon mode this morning - just hammered it through town with total intolerence for faffing cars, buses and pedestrians (lots of weaving) - got beeped at twice BUT just missed my PB time thanks to all the traffic

Greg T

Were you on the bumpiest cycle path in the world?

What with all the road junctions cutting across it and pedestrains bimbling around it can be a bit of a trial.

Sorry to hear you are bumped up - I last came off coming down the ramp to the garage at work - moving very slowly but my arse bruised up big time.

Belv

Are you sure none of you is broken? Adrenaline can mask all sorts of injuries.

The kid was lucky and it sounds like it was entirely her fault otherwise the mother would have given you a worse beating than the road did.

Reassure yourself that it could have been worse... for you and her.

Clever Pun

was the mother fault for letting the kids run ahead and inbetween queued cars.

I was on the road as the cycle path is more hazardous with all the random turning cars and randoms walking on it...I'd started taking the A13 to avoid lemming like peds... just renewed that vigour.

My hip is sore but I think it's just nasty bruising

I can imagine the daily hatemail having a field day with it... "Crazed cyclist mows down innocent child" :x

Surf-Matt

There's way way too much defensiveness here and too little empathy.

Yes a little girl ran out from between two cars causing you to crash. Yes it could have been much worse. But because you have decided it was her mothers "fault" you seem not to care a bit about the little girl (who was probably terrified) but only about yourself and your bike.

I've clipped people a couple of times when it's been "their" fault - my concern it primarily for them not myself. If I hurt myself or damage my bike, I can deal with that later.

No wonder many people have such a dim view of cyclists.
Accidents do happen - it does not mean we have to vent our anger at the wrongdoer and exonerate ourselves from any sense of empathy or care.

My reaction would have been to brick myself for hitting a little girl, then making very sure she was okay. At the most I'd then ask the mother (who has clearly realised she made an error but it's not easy keeping tabs on a little one all day every day) to be a bit more careful if possible - although this hardly needs stating.

Sorry but this thread has depressed me.

spen666

Surf-Matt wrote:

There's way way too much defensiveness here and too little empathy.

Yes a little girl ran out from between two cars causing you to crash. Yes it could have been much worse. But because you have decided it was her mothers "fault" you seem not to care a bit about the little girl (who was probably terrified) but only about yourself and your bike.

I've clipped people a couple of times when it's been "their" fault - my concern it primarily for them not myself. If I hurt myself or damage my bike, I can deal with that later.

No wonder many people have such a dim view of cyclists.
Accidents do happen - it does not mean we have to vent our anger at the wrongdoer and exonerate ourselves from any sense of empathy or care.

My reaction would have been to brick myself for hitting a little girl, then making very sure she was okay. At the most I'd then ask the mother (who has clearly realised she made an error but it's not easy keeping tabs on a little one all day every day) to be a bit more careful if possible - although this hardly needs stating.

Sorry but this thread has depressed me.

Here endeth the lesson from Saint Matt

Surf-Matt

Well humble apologies for not being a selfish cycling git but there is WAY too much moaning about how awful every other road user is.

Yes if someone drives like a pillock and puts you in danger, they need sorting out. But ranting about the above sucks big time.

In almost all cases, regular moaners who never blame themselves are incompetent. Driving is a prime example but cycling is similar.

st199ml

Surf-Matt wrote:

Surely the girl must have been slightly hurt?
Yes it was her fault but if she's only a little 'un then she can't be blamed too much - although her mum should have been watching more closely.

I went into loon mode this morning - just hammered it through town with total intolerence for faffing cars, buses and pedestrians (lots of weaving) - got beeped at twice BUT just missed my PB time thanks to all the traffic

You wrote the above. But now you're berating people for not paying more attention to others? Reads like utter hypocrisy. Have I missed something?

biondino

I think Clever Pun ascertained that the girl was pretty much fine ("the kid seemed shaken but okay") and in that context felt free to talk about the rest of the accident. If she'd been hurt I am 100% sure CP would have focused on that far more. Seriously, you're reading negativity into the anecdote, Matt

spen666

Surf-Matt wrote:

Well humble apologies for not being a selfish cycling git but there is WAY too much moaning about how awful every other road user is.

Yes if someone drives like a pillock and puts you in danger, they need sorting out. But ranting about the above sucks big time.

In almost all cases, regular moaners who never blame themselves are incompetent. Driving is a prime example but cycling is similar.

Surf-Matt wrote:

Surely the girl must have been slightly hurt?
Yes it was her fault but if she's only a little 'un then she can't be blamed too much - although her mum should have been watching more closely.

I went into loon mode this morning - just hammered it through town with total intolerence for faffing cars, buses and pedestrians (lots of weaving) - got beeped at twice BUT just missed my PB time thanks to all the traffic

Quiz time

Can anyone spot the contradiction in what Saint Matt has posted compared with his earlier post.

Perhaps he was on the road to Damascus this morning and had a conversion to considerate cycling

Surf-Matt

st199ml wrote:

Surf-Matt wrote:

Surely the girl must have been slightly hurt?
Yes it was her fault but if she's only a little 'un then she can't be blamed too much - although her mum should have been watching more closely.

I went into loon mode this morning - just hammered it through town with total intolerence for faffing cars, buses and pedestrians (lots of weaving) - got beeped at twice BUT just missed my PB time thanks to all the traffic

You wrote the above. But now you're berating people for not paying more attention to others? Reads like utter hypocrisy. Have I missed something?

Two totally different things. I rode more quickly this morning as people were faffing. Rather than waiting for ages behind buses and cars, I just weaved past them. Had there been an accident (there wasn't so maybe the increased speed also increased awareness?) I would have been very concerned for whoever I hit.

My point is that a girl was hit, yet all that seemed to matter was himself and his bike.
He hit someone at speed - unless she is a cyborg, that would have hurt. "Seemed shaken but okay" probably means "in shock, but not aware of her injuries yet"

I'm not reading negativity into it - just getting sick of cycling selfishness and the constant feeling that cyclists are poor victimised pariahs of society.

SBezza

Perhaps the people shouldn't have been crossing the road between stationary cars on the road, one of them could have moved off at any time hitting the person.

I am sorry but the onus is on the people crossing the road, my 3 1/2 year old knows not to go into the road without me saying so, so unless she was younger than that, she should have been more careful. Education is a wonderful thing.

I think the error is with the people crossing the road, clearly no road sense with how to cross a road safely, perhaps if a car or motorbike had hit her, then of course it would have been their fault as well that they were using a road correctly, whilst the people crossing were clearly not using the road in a safe manner.

st199ml

SurfMatt, maybe your ultimate point about cyclists (on this forum at least) being selfish is bang on the money. But you forfeit the right to pontificate when you mention your own selfish attitude to others on your commute.

'Do as I say not do as I do' really isn't a mantra for anyone to live by.

And your assumption that increased speed might mean increased awareness is just nuts. If this was a driving forum would you agree?

Clever Pun

Surf-Matt wrote:

There's way way too much defensiveness here and too little empathy.

Yes a little girl ran out from between two cars causing you to crash. Yes it could have been much worse. But because you have decided it was her mothers "fault" you seem not to care a bit about the little girl (who was probably terrified) but only about yourself and your bike.

I've clipped people a couple of times when it's been "their" fault - my concern it primarily for them not myself. If I hurt myself or damage my bike, I can deal with that later.

No wonder many people have such a dim view of cyclists.
Accidents do happen - it does not mean we have to vent our anger at the wrongdoer and exonerate ourselves from any sense of empathy or care.

My reaction would have been to brick myself for hitting a little girl, then making very sure she was okay. At the most I'd then ask the mother (who has clearly realised she made an error but it's not easy keeping tabs on a little one all day every day) to be a bit more careful if possible - although this hardly needs stating.

Sorry but this thread has depressed me.

making a little bit of an assumption there... before I was even off the ground I was asking if the little girl was ok...

Surf-Matt

St199 - I would agree (with myself!) to some extent.

Take the best Police drivers (I'm cop driver trained) - when driving at speed, they have increased awareness through adrenaline surges. An armed response driver told me when I did my training that they had a call in Taunton (they were based in Bristol) - 150mph halfway down the M5 in total calm. As soon as he got there, he felt completely drained.

Same with downhill MTB riders - they are going very quickly indeed over object strewn terrain. If they had the same awareness levels as someone pootling along a cycle track, they'd crash - a lot.

Same with surfing - the faster the wave, the more aware you become of what you are doing. On a slow wave, you almost switch off.

I said I had more intolerence for faffing this morning- that does not mean I was more dangerous or selfish. But had I crashed, it would have been at a higher speed. So would cause more damage I guess.

Intolerence is not selfishness - it's getting the job done more efficiently.

robmanic1

Have to say CP, your initial comments do suggest that the kid wasn't laid unconscious on the ground in a pool of blood, hence the mother's concern for your welfare. Sounds like there wasn;t a deal you could do to avoid the situation.

If this woman had let her child near a (presumably) busy road unattended, it was definitely her fault, no question. It's time these people took responsibilty for their actions, it's not always the cyclists fault, although it would seem we are easy targets!

(Slightly off-thread)
Perhaps it's time to introduce a system of testing peoples suitability as parents before the're alowed to have kids, I'm sure that would put a crimp in the number of morons littering our world
(Back on!)

spen666

Surf-Matt wrote:

St199 - I would agree (with myself!) to some extent.

Take the best Police drivers (I'm cop driver trained) - when driving at speed, they have increased awareness through adrenaline surges. ...

Ahhh the old Saf* Sp**d line

Intolerence is not selfishness - it's getting the job done more efficiently.

Intolerance as you describe is 100% selfishness

robmanic1

Surf-Matt wrote:

St199 - I would agree (with myself!) to some extent.

Bah! I never agree with myself, yes I do!

Surf-Matt

Well Spen you seem extremely intolerent of many on this forum. Other road users, pedestrians, etc.
So maybe it's time to have a little look in the mirror before accusing others.

Nipping around buses and cars stationary in traffic rather than the usual waiting behind them is just sensible not selfish. Oh and if there's any chance of anyone stepping out from anywhere without me seeing them, I either use my bell or give the "danger zone" a very wide berth.

secretsam

As a father of two little ones, I hope that she's OK, I'm intolerant of peds on the whole (see numerous rants) but with the exception of under 10s

I nearly had a purler this morning, woman blithely walking across a quiet road near a school, yours truly invisible as ever (13 stone bloke in lid on bike with hi-viz on) missed her by not much, not realising she had her daughter (9-10 years) alongside - Mum jumped out of way but didn't warn daughter, who thankfully jumped right way. Could have been nasty.

Be careful out there, folks, and keep an eye on yer babbies

secretsam

SBezza wrote:

Perhaps the people shouldn't have been crossing the road between stationary cars on the road, one of them could have moved off at any time hitting the person.

Oh please, back on planet Earth we all do this at some point

Clever Pun

Robmanic1 wrote:

Have to say CP, your initial comments do suggest that the kid wasn't laid unconscious on the ground in a pool of blood, hence the mother's concern for your welfare. Sounds like there wasn;t a deal you could do to avoid the situation.

If this woman had let her child near a (presumably) busy road unattended, it was definitely her fault, no question. It's time these people took responsibilty for their actions, it's not always the cyclists fault, although it would seem we are easy targets!

and there it is if the mother was checking on me she realised that I'd done myself a cropper trying to avoid the child who appeared from behind the bonnet in front of me and the kid appeared to be fine from a mothers eyes.

the kid had her mother to look after her I just looked for a little sympathy on the net as I sit here in pain... sorry for making you feel sad Matt.

but fu<k you of course I care about me and my bike

Bikerbaboon

spen666 and surf-mat......... guys chill every time i see the 2 of you posting on the same topic it turnes in to a slaning match try counting to 10 and then both adding something constructive to the topic thats not a dig at the other person.

secretsam

Yup, am with BikerBaboon, let's chill folks, it would seem that the kid's OK and CP's battered but will see another dawn.

Surf-dude-Matt: thought you lot were supposed to be chilled? Or has a crab nipped your 'nads today?

Surf-Matt

Sam - you lot? Do you mean surfers?!

Some of the most uptight people on the planet. It's bloody hard work trying to be uber cool at all times while living in a country with a lot of cack surf and too many people in the sea 8)

. I try my very best not to look like a surfer - the rule being, the more you look like a surfer, the worse you surf (in most cases) - dope smoking surfers with old V Dub vans/Beetles, long blonde hair, saying "dude" all the time and wearing surf beads = beginners at most :twisted:

Anyway, I'm off for a surf maaaaaaaaaan

robmanic1

Fight, fight, fight, fight!

It's only 'cos we all lurve the cycling so much, passion innit! Nothig wrong with that.

SBezza

SecretSam wrote:

SBezza wrote:

Perhaps the people shouldn't have been crossing the road between stationary cars on the road, one of them could have moved off at any time hitting the person.

Oh please, back on planet Earth we all do this at some point

I wouldn't let my kid do it though, without me saying it is safe to cross, there is a huge difference between what an adult sees as safe to what a child does, you ought to know that with 2 little ones.

Surf-Matt

Uh oh - time for an "are you questioning my parenting skills" scrap...

SBezza

Not at all, but the fact someone let their child cross the road, without first checking, or making sure their child checked first is pure folly IMO. They might be a fantastic parent, just not road savvy.

boybiker

It's all very well wittering on about how dangerous pedestrians are, and I have to admit they can be very bad, but only today I saw a guy riding along with one of those trailers you put kids in, and I think those things are sooooo dangerous that its bordering on criminal negligence to ride around with kids in them in the traffic you get round a town at rush hour.