Had my first off on my road bike yesterday - SMIDSY

Big_Ste

Well i decided that having a week off work wasn't going to stop me getting out on the bike and riding to work! So away i went, i decided to mix the route up to my usual, this involved negotiating a roundabout that i've never had any trouble with before. The approach to the RA is a slight downhill with good visibility from all entrances/exits. I was doing aprox 17mph on the approax and could see no approaching or queuing traffic to my right, a quick safety glance forward and no traffic coming from left....so i enter the RA (approx 17mph) within 1/2 a second a doddery old man as entered the RA from the first entrance (ie my left) without so much as moving his head to the right to check IM NOT THERE!. He finally reacts and emergency brakes 5 foot past the stop line and directly in my path!

I grab the front brake,its not doing much....im heading for a T Bone on a now stationary car! I grab the rear brake....and away she goes! The bike goes down on its side, in the process doing a pirouette and somehow sliding away from the car. I get slammed to the floor on my right side! After a second lying on the floor i pick my self up...driver still sat in his metal cacoon. Hadn't gotten out to see if i was ok / apologise for being a twat etc! This enflamed my reaction and i unleashed a torrent of rage towards him

"USE YOU &&£*$*£&%&£$&£** EYES"....i said 3 or 4 times.

"NO I KNOW YOU DIDNT SEE ME....YOU DIDNT LOOK THATS RI**U&£$££*$" WHY!"

Im pretty sure i invented 3 new swear words as well! Looking back im pretty embarrassed at my reaction, i was just fuelled with adrenaline, rage and his arrogance. I was THIS close to giving his car a kick, just to give him a reminder about looking but i thought better of it. My bike escaped with some scuffed bar tape. At the time i felt fine, however within a few hours of getting home my ribs were aching (on both sides despite landing on my right side), sore palm of hand and bruised elbow.

Had i T Boned the punto, im pretty sure it would've been an ambulance job! I haven't reported it to the police. My mate who has had a few similar instances says they arent particulary interested, its my word versus his and unless you've sustained life threatening injuries and have it recorded on 34 cameras from different views they simply don't / can't do anything. So im looking at buying a couple of digital cameras, a cheapy ebay job for the rear and maybe something like the countourHD for the helmet (still deciding if i can justfiy the cost).


EDIT: Forgot to mention, had my helmet light on flashing mode as well as my magicshine on SOS flashing mode. Guess it doesnt matter how many bright lights you;ve got, if the driver doesnt bother to look!

lucan

Did you see him as you approached the roundabout?

dabber

If you want the police involved you need to "stay down injured". They have no option but to be involved then.

tlw1

Why ride to work? If you are off shouldn't you go somewhere new?

Pokerface

All too common an occurance. Hope you're OK.

Bozman

I got taken out on a roundabout in April at roughly the same speed, Wingmirror, wing and door damaged on the car, it wrote my bike off and various bits of clothing, but some how i got away with minor injuries. It was the third accident that this woman had in 12mths!
It was the third time that i had been knocked off, its a risk that comes with cycling on open roads and you just have to accept it.

tlw1

Bozman wrote:

It was the third accident that this woman had in 12mths!
It was the third time that i had been knocked off, its a risk that comes with cycling on open roads and you just have to accept it.

I only know one person that has hit a cyclist and she is one of the worst drivers I know, time for yearly driving & cycling tests

tlw1

Bozman wrote:

It was the third accident that this woman had in 12mths!
It was the third time that i had been knocked off, its a risk that comes with cycling on open roads and you just have to accept it.

I only know one person that has hit a cyclist and she is one of the worst drivers I know, time for yearly driving & cycling tests

Ron Stuart

The inability to rotate ones head seems to have become a bit of a epidemic of late. Maybe it''s the three scarves, heavy overcoats, hats and extra Christmas jumpers that are...

a) restricting the movement of the head.

b) obscuring the drivers vision.

c) also restricting the drivers ability to text at the same time.

d) cause what little there is of a brain to finally pack up all together due to heat exhaustion as the car's heating has finally started to work.

e) the igloo effect, that is the fantastic job some numb nuts do not to clear the car windows from snow and ice before they set off.

f) also how many of these nightmares are still under the influence the next morning from a late nights seasonal binge up?

g) half of these idiots are on there way to either the retail park or shopping mall to spend money they haven't earn t yet on items they don't need. Why don't they do something useful to them and there offspring and either get on a bike or go for a nice cheap walk and get a life. :shock:

NWLondoner

Hope you're okay mate.


I wouldn't be embarrassed about your reaction, its only natural when someone has endangered your life. It was ONLY words after all.

Like the others have said you could be dressed head to toe in neon but if a driver DOESNT even bother to look then we are in trouble.

Thick Tester

Ra Ra Ra....

If you are able to shout at him and his window is down, you're able to rip his keys out and throw them away from his car into a nearby bush or suitably mucky place.
Providing that sort of inconvienence for motorists makes them think twice about being a Noggin again.