Safety in numbers re cap
Ok, 1 mile from home after a first time ride with a new bike on a clear Sunday morn in January.
I'm traveling on a main road with my lights still on just passing a junction on my left where I see a van (Ocado home delivery) slowing down for junction but to my horror didn't stop.
I was pretty lucky....the driver finally managed to stop, there were two witnesses one being a off duty copper & I walked away cuts/bruises plus sore as hell for a week or two not....not bad hey?
It's not my first off but it's the one that made me feel the most vulnerable I've felt on a bike (motor bikes included) as he didn't see me I wasn't sure where I was going to end up.
I now wear a hi viz gillet & an excellent hi viz Giro Savant.
Like most of you I have or use to have a passion for cycling, it gripped me like no other sport & apart from hitting the back end of a parked car at speed once (head down in the rain) I consider myself a good cyclist.
My dilemma is that I am now taking my 15 year daughter cycling with me & this has presented a whole different perspective on things.
Has a catalogue of close calls made me a worried or more cautious rider?
Well It's been a few months since I posted the above so I've had a good many rides under my belt & I am convinced that wearing a hi viz helmet & gillet has made drivers more aware of me I'd say that most give me a wider birth & hang back.
The helmet rant will go on for ever until it's made compulsory but in my opinion they have saved me from serous injury twice & only a fool would ride without one.
For me the jury is open on safety in numbers however I do think that the more spread out a group is & (dare I say it traveling three abreast) the more impatient a car driver becomes making his judgement of distance & speed poor.
I'm traveling on a main road with my lights still on just passing a junction on my left where I see a van (Ocado home delivery) slowing down for junction but to my horror didn't stop.
I was pretty lucky....the driver finally managed to stop, there were two witnesses one being a off duty copper & I walked away cuts/bruises plus sore as hell for a week or two not....not bad hey?
It's not my first off but it's the one that made me feel the most vulnerable I've felt on a bike (motor bikes included) as he didn't see me I wasn't sure where I was going to end up.
I now wear a hi viz gillet & an excellent hi viz Giro Savant.
Like most of you I have or use to have a passion for cycling, it gripped me like no other sport & apart from hitting the back end of a parked car at speed once (head down in the rain) I consider myself a good cyclist.
My dilemma is that I am now taking my 15 year daughter cycling with me & this has presented a whole different perspective on things.
Has a catalogue of close calls made me a worried or more cautious rider?
Well It's been a few months since I posted the above so I've had a good many rides under my belt & I am convinced that wearing a hi viz helmet & gillet has made drivers more aware of me I'd say that most give me a wider birth & hang back.
The helmet rant will go on for ever until it's made compulsory but in my opinion they have saved me from serous injury twice & only a fool would ride without one.
For me the jury is open on safety in numbers however I do think that the more spread out a group is & (dare I say it traveling three abreast) the more impatient a car driver becomes making his judgement of distance & speed poor.
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