Do you ever feel like you're due an accident any time soon?

pastryboy

After two displays of horrendous driving in one night I was subject to another this morning.

Car was on the other side of the road stationary - no signal but was clearly wanting to turn right into a car park.

I was about 80 yards away, had priority and it wasn't moving so obviously I kept going (doing somewhere around 23/24 so not like I could slam on the brakes given the wet conditions).

Naturally I assumed it was letting me past - why wouldn't it.

But no it rolled slowly forwards - I was clearly in view and travelling quick so I thought they're of course going to give me enough room to get past and they're just trying not to block their lane.

They didn't - just crawled slowly right across me blocking the whole lane so as I got there I had to brake quite hard and go right around (putting me in the wrong lane) - I was pretty close to hitting the front of the car.


It's the third time when I've just been travelling along in the right place, doing all the right things and again careless driving has put me in harm's way. The combination of the dark, the wet and awful driving is giving me a bad feeling something's going to happen soon.

To put this into context I'm only on the roads for 4 miles a day! I have all thbe lights and what not but it makes not a jot of difference.

AndyManc

It might be worth using a head light . You can direct the light into the drivers eye line, it makes a big difference, especially when you use it at drivers pulling out of side roads.


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pastryboy

This particular one was in broad daylight this morning - all the lights in the world would have made no difference.

In every case I'm sure I was seen but the driver was impatient and thought they'd get there first.

esamenoi

Pastry, I know exactly how you feel. 3 times in one day I was nearly hit by a car. All times due to crappy sodding indication! Rounder bouts... Okay so there I am coming up to a rounder bout I slow it down a bit, this car is coming round with its left indicator going as though its gonna turn in to where I'm coming from but the other way. No, what does it do? Carries straight on and I have hurriedly slam on the breaks and it only just misses my front wheel!
That was on my way to college in the morning dry and light.

Evening very simmilar thing happened again. Though dark and wet. I was wearing high vis flurrecent yellow jacket. Beasty back light. Decent cateye up front. If you open eyes you see me kay?

shouldbeinbed

AndyManc wrote:

It might be worth using a head light . You can direct the light into the drivers eye line, it makes a big difference, especially when you use it at drivers pulling out of side roads.


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+1 even in daylight. it's like making eye contact but effective from much further away.

desweller

Fridays are always a bit touchy I find. I count myself lucky that I go home before most people (3PM), but everyone is still extra-keen to get out of work.

All my prior accidents have taken place in rainy, dark/heavily overcast conditions so yes, I too have that feeling of impending doom!

NGale

I always feel as though my accident is due soon which is something why I don't get on the bike when I should frankly WTFU and get out there.

I guess two serious accidents in my time make me a bit nervous.

Wallace1492

DesWeller wrote:

Fridays are always a bit touchy I find. I count myself lucky that I go home before most people (3PM), but everyone is still extra-keen to get out of work.

All my prior accidents have taken place in rainy, dark/heavily overcast conditions so yes, I too have that feeling of impending doom!

+1 I agree Friday is worst day for way home, and tonight was just thinking that I am overdue a knock, have had none in 25 years cycling only a couple of clipless moments and a few MTB spills. Been commuting to work for just over a year, had my share of close misses, and think that my turn is just around the corner, or through the next traffic light.... but cycling with great caution and thinking they are all out to kill you is a good start. Also my prime aim during commute is to get to the other end alive helps.

SmellTheGlove

Sometimes get that feeling, but usually not when I'm actually on the bike. It comes in the form of a little voice trying to talk me out of tomorrow's ride. Strange.
That said, there are days that are clearly not for breaking records, like today - pissistent drizzle and dark by 4pm. Probably the very worst imaginable filtering conditions.

Hrun

If you could see he was going to turn and you were in the car would you have still kept going? I would have been slowing in the car and on the bike.

Treat every road user as a numpty!

Mr Sworld

I don't feel that I'll be hit by a car but I do know that I'll hit a careless ped again soon!

pastryboy

Hrun wrote:

If you could see he was going to turn and you were in the car would you have still kept going? I would have been slowing in the car and on the bike.

Yes because the car wasn't moving, not signalling and I had priority as oncoming (plus there was no traffic behind it but traffic behind me)

The turn could easily have been made with no problem to me but for some reason they decided to crawl in stages so it looked like they were letting me through but they just kept going and blocked the whole lane.

PARIS75

pastry

I have had three near misses in the last 3 weeks...i sympathise mate

keep alert and ride defensively