And now my turn

rjsterry

To add to the tally of regulars nursing roadrash or worse, I was taken out by a pedestrian stepping out from between parked cars on Garratt Lane and looking the wrong way. It happened fast enough for me to barely get my hands off the bars before I hit the ground with my elbow and knee. Luckily it happened opposite the health centre, so I managed to get the roadrash dressed in there before continuing on my way, at a more nervous pace. Bike is fine as are my new bib tights (first wear today of course), but I'm a bit concerned about the pedestrian: she hit the ground pretty hard and was saying that she'd banged her head. Myself and a lady that helped us back on our feet were both strongly urging the pedestrian to get herself checked out at the health centre as well; she said she would and then I turned to cross the road to the health centre and when I looked back she'd vanished.

Think I got off pretty lightly considering, and this is my first case of roadrash since I was in the 6th form, so I can't complain too much. Trying to keep the knee mobile so that it doesn't stiffen up too much over the day.

Let's all make a big effort to stay upright, too. This is starting to get a bit silly.

kelsen

Ouchie! Is it me or is there a disproportionate number of experienced cyclists on this forum being taken out on the roads lately?

Heal up soon!

rjsterry

It's quite the thing doncha know. Roadrash is so on trend.

bobtbuilder

Jeez, we're getting taken out on a daily basis! :shock:

Glad you got away relatively lightly.

UndercoverElephant

<LockStock>Will everybody stop getting shot?</lockstock>

Need to be careful this time of year, low sun during commuting times. Heal well.

rubertoe

I hope you feel better soon.

It does certainly seem to be silly season.

Keep safe people.

rjsterry

Thanks chaps. Really nothing to moan about compared with Veronese.

Yeah, that Lock, Stock... quote sprung to mind yesterday - didn't realise I was going to add to the tally. Funny what bits you remember: I can distinctly recall feeling my elbow slide along the tarmac and thinking, "Oooh, that's going to take the skin off... oh, doesn't seem to hurt. Perhaps I've got away with.... Ah, there we go. Ow."

M-A-S

Exact same thing happened to me about a year ago, I could barely walk for a few days and was off the bike for a couple of weeks.

Hope you heal up fast.

Sharkyssurfers

hope you all heal up soon i think there is an scr assassin out there peeps beware

spen666

Part of problem is experienced cyclists often have good handling skills etc, so ride faster than less experienced cyclists, but are unable to respond to a fast moving pedestrian doing something unexpected/ stupid/ dangerous

nich

Rest up!

I had another stack again yesterday too. That's 2 Monday's in a row. Only minor - the car in front braked hard 'n unexpected due to taxi pulling over and peds stepping out combi.

I was going to take a rest from cycling for a bit to evaluate whether I am being crap, or whether I'm just really unlucky. It's 2 crashes in the past 5 or 6 years commuting, but both within a week of each other.

msmancunia

Road rash (even just hearing about it) sets my teeth on edge even more than Veronese's hole in the arm. Get better soon!

bails87

Glad you're relatively okay.

Peter Walker (guardian bike blog person) said on twitter that he was talking to the bike police at Elephant & Castle this morning and they'd just scooped up a ped who'd stepped in front of a cyclist and had ended up with a broken nose. I wondered if that was you, but doesn't sound like it.

I came within a foot of being taken out at the weekend when a driver pulled out of a side road on my right, into my lane, without having seen me. Somehow. Swore profusely at 24mph as I did my best to avoid him. He pulled up at the lights and apologised, which was nice of him, but I'd rather he looked than said "SMIDSY" after being an idiot. There must be something in the water at the moment.

rjsterry

spen666 wrote:

Part of problem is experienced cyclists often have good handling skills etc, so ride faster than less experienced cyclists, but are unable to respond to a fast moving pedestrian doing something unexpected/ stupid/ dangerous

Probably fair point: it was one of those appeared-from-nowhere incidents, and I'd barely registered she was there before I hit her. Wasn't going that fast - <15mph as I was approaching a junction - and certainly not faster than other traffic, but still plenty fast enough to hurt.

meanredspider

Sorry to hear about this one too - hope you get sorted quickly.

Might be something to do with the changing day length/light etc. I've noticed that the weather has an effect on how people drive so the shortening days may have an effect

veronese68

Sorry to hear that RJS. Glad it wasn't worse for you and hope the ped is ok.
I'M really quite relieved I don't have road rash. I stopped far too quickly. Everything just aches today. Got a lift in to work as I hate sitting around, but was jealous of all the cyclists I saw. It does seem like everyone is just a bit more thoughtless at the moment. We just have to remember to keep our wits about us and not be complacent.
My son cycled to school this morning, I was a little worried but I'm hardly going to stop him. I'm just trying to teach him to be extra careful.

mtb-idle

sorry to hear that matey.

I saw a cyclist being attended to yesterday evening (1st October) along the dreaded Tooting stretch just before Tooting Bec heading south.

It was 6-10pm (checked my watch) and rider had just been forced into the curb by a 344 bus (which was sitting waiting a bit further up the road).

He was conscious and talking but lying in recovery position in the road. I didnt see it happen and about a dozen people attending to him and an ambulance had been called so i thought it was pointless for me to stand around gawping so I carried on my way.

I do get that feeling that it's similar to being a grunt in the 'Nam. You know it's odds on that you are going to get hit you just wonder when it's going to happen and hope it's not too bad when it does.

rjsterry

Thanks again chaps. Don't think it was at all weather or season related; it was dry and bright, about 8.30am. She just walked up to the edge of the road, stopped, looked left and then stepped out - I'm not even sure the parked cars contributed that much. She was pretty contrite afterwards.

Tricycleboy

Its stories like this that make me miss my old fulcrum freewheel, t'was easily loud enough for peds to take notice, as they can be sooooo dozy sometimes.

crappy quiet unclicky shimano

Koncordski

Tricycleboy wrote:

Its stories like this that make me miss my old fulcrum freewheel, t'was easily loud enough for peds to take notice, as they can be sooooo dozy sometimes.

crappy quiet unclicky shimano

Ouch, not been a good couple of weeks. :shock:

jimmypippa

meanredspider wrote:

Sorry to hear about this one too - hope you get sorted quickly.

Might be something to do with the changing day length/light etc. I've noticed that the weather has an effect on how people drive so the shortening days may have an effect

This year, there seem to be more numpties in cars round here than other autumns...

SimonAH

Oof!

When I saw the thread heading I was making mental wagers as to whether you would have crashed or were expecting a child :-)

Take care fella!

walkingbootweather

SimonAH wrote:

Oof!

When I saw the thread heading I was making mental wagers as to whether you would have crashed, were expecting a child or facing the snip :-)

Take care fella!

FTFY

Flyingbogey

MTB-Idle wrote:

sorry to hear that matey.

I saw a cyclist being attended to yesterday evening (1st October) along the dreaded Tooting stretch just before Tooting Bec heading south.

It was 6-10pm (checked my watch) and rider had just been forced into the curb by a 344 bus (which was sitting waiting a bit further up the road).

He was conscious and talking but lying in recovery position in the road. I didnt see it happen and about a dozen people attending to him and an ambulance had been called so i thought it was pointless for me to stand around gawping so I carried on my way.

I do get that feeling that it's similar to being a grunt in the 'Nam. You know it's odds on that you are going to get hit you just wonder when it's going to happen and hope it's not too bad when it does.[/quote
Saw that one too. I was heading north and he had two ambulances in attendance. He was sat up wrapped in tin foil, didn't look too bad.

SimonAH

Flyingbogey wrote:

He was sat up wrapped in tin foil, didn't look too bad.

Are you sure it wasn't a badger? And Clarissa Dickson-Wright dressed up in a nurse's uniform?

adam0bmx0

Had a near miss as a lass stepped out in front of me staring at her phone as I was riding down a quite road, but with a taxi oncoming and a large crowd right near the side of the pavement, slammed on the brakes and jumped sideways off the bike and into a run........

Bike landed in a mess and me and the bike managed to miss her! She said sorry a load of times and I got a massive cheer off all the Spanish students at the side of the ride due to my casual dismount. Guess riding bmx and racing DH mtb's has taught me a thing or two of how to bail off the bike without getting tangled and trying to stay upright!

rjsterry

SimonAH wrote:

Oof!

When I saw the thread heading I was making mental wagers as to whether you would have crashed or were expecting a child :-)

Take care fella!

:shock:

Er, no, just the former

Rode home to try and loosen up my knee, which was difficult, but worked. A very slow ride home in the rain and awful traffic was not the best, though. Nice hot bath when I got in put things right. Maybe on PT tomorrow.

jejv

SimonAH wrote:

Flyingbogey wrote:

He was sat up wrapped in tin foil, didn't look too bad.

Are you sure it wasn't a badger? And Clarissa Dickson-Wright dressed up in a nurse's uniform?

You mean:

Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmerelda Dickson-Wright ?

- Just wanted to check which Clarissa Dickson-Wright you were talking about. It's quite a common name.

Origamist

spen666 wrote:

Part of problem is experienced cyclists often have good handling skills etc, so ride faster than less experienced cyclists, but are unable to respond to a fast moving pedestrian doing something unexpected/ stupid/ dangerous

Firstly, bad luck rjsterry - I'm glad you're not badly hurt.

There's a lot in what Spen is saying, but what is the alternative on a road like Garratt Lane? Ride 4 to 5+ feet from parked cars at sub 10mph (which means you should be able to brake and/or swerve to avoid a pedestrian) but face the abuse and concomitant impatient driving that often follows from taking the lane at that speed. If you ride in the door zone (facilitating the passage of overtaking vehicles), you are at risk from being doored and are closer to pedestrians who step out into the road. If you ride quickly 20mph + , 5 ft from parked cars can you avoid a pedestrian who runs out quickly into the road? It's a bit of a Hobson's choice, unfortunately. That said, I try to avoid roads that have on-street parking, where possible, due to poor sight lines.

jedster

RJSterry,

bet that smarts. Sorry to hear about it. Don't want to add insult to injury but just in the spirit of helping everyone avoid these collisions...
Think you said you saw her approaching the road? When you saw her walking towards the kerb and looking the wrong way, what did you do?
Reason I ask is that alone is enough to set my alarm bells off - I'd be braking and moving right before she stepped out. Really.

Origamist asks some good questions. But frankly I just wont ride in the door zone at any pace. I've got a wife and two kids at home I'm not risking being knocked under some wheels by someone opening a door.
J

bails87

jedster wrote:

RJSterry,

bet that smarts. Sorry to hear about it. Don't want to add insult to injury but just in the spirit of helping everyone avoid these collisions...
Think you said you saw her approaching the road? When you saw her walking towards the kerb and looking the wrong way, what did you do?
Reason I ask is that alone is enough to set my alarm bells off - I'd be braking and moving right before she stepped out. Really.

Thing is, this is a similar response to what I got fro mone of the roadies when I was hit by a car (the first time). Driver rolled up to a T junction (on my left, to turn left) looking to his left, away from me. Then just pulled out without looking right. Someone said the crash was my fault because I hadn't seen him look in my direction so should have stopped, rather than expecting him to look right before moving out. The driver and his insurance company didn't agree, fortunately. :roll:

Even when people look straight at you they often don't see you. I know what you mean, I think I'd be preparing for the possibility of the ped stepping out, but you can't always assume that someone on the pavement is going t ostep out.