The ups and downs of cycling

morstar

Raced a CX race in September 2019 shortly before getting ill with Covid like symptoms (yes, I know) and basically struggled to get back to any sort of fitness until early this year
Been gradually feeling better and did a TT on Thursday which was a grand return to competing. Very slow compared to my best but felt good and beat my predictions.
Today, stacked it on a training ride after some shenanigans with cars all slamming the anchors on at a mini roundabout. A van from the opposite direction decided to do a no indicators 180 degree turn which caught everybody out on the fast downhill approach.
Quite philosophical about two points. If I’d been more alert, I probably could have avoided it and that it was nearly considerably worse than what actually transpired.
Lots of things hurt and I have no point to make, I just want to share.
Be careful out there folks.

MattFalle

How's the bike?

nibnob21

Wishing you a speedy mend, you'll bounce back.

I'm assuming many of the vehicles overtook you just before hitting brakes at the roundabout too?

veronese68

Hope you're not too sore come the morning, but glad it wasn't worse.
I know what you mean about anticipating things better, I often wonder if I could have avoided my last off. Probably, but I didn't so no point dwelling on it. But I am a little more careful nowadays, the constant reminder of a sore wrist helps remind me.

DeVlaeminck

Glad you can take it philosophically

elbowloh

Bugger.

Hope you're not too bad Mortar and the bike is serviceable.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

GWS, learn from the experience and get back on the metaphorical horse as soon as practical.

morstar

nibnob21 said:

Wishing you a speedy mend, you'll bounce back.

I'm assuming many of the vehicles overtook you just before hitting brakes at the roundabout too?

Thanks. And were you there? Yes, exactly what happened.

morstar

Thanks all for comments.

A couple of things come to mind since.

1. Bike appears to be OK. Due to where contact was and how I flew through the air. Saddle and rear wheel took direct floor contact and rest of bike was protected by me. Rear wheel slightly out of shape but will straighten and due for renewal soon anyway. No excuse to buy a new bike but I did look just in case.

2. Annoying factor. I was in primary position to stop more cars passing as I turn right immediately after roundabout. Had I been riding less proactively, I’d have just shot down the inside of the cars.

In summary, it has been a bit of a wake up call where I got off lightly. Other than it not happening, all the other scenarios I’ve run through were a lot worse.
Got out this morning nice and early to beat the traffic. Things hurt but function.

Dorset_Boy

Good to hear you're straight back on the horse!

nibnob21

morstar said:

nibnob21 said:

Wishing you a speedy mend, you'll bounce back.

I'm assuming many of the vehicles overtook you just before hitting brakes at the roundabout too?

Thanks. And were you there? Yes, exactly what happened.

Haha yeah I was driving the van. It's one of my many irritations with a lot of motorists and I experience similar on a far too regular basis (as I'm sure we all do) of motorists failing to acknowledge what's going on a few metres down the road. You're viewed only as an inanimate obstacle that must be overtaken even if that means instantly having to hit the brakes. Because once overtaken you've completely disappeared right?

One particular occasion springs to mind of a motorist overtaking me approaching a roundabout but she started braking and squeezing to the side before she'd even got passed me. She'd just accelerated alongside and assumed I'd magically disappeared behind her. Had to whack the side of her car to wake her up as I was pincered into an ever decreasing gap between curb and car. Spoke to her at traffic lights just down the road and she was baffled as 'my husband cycles and I always give cyclists space'. She didn't seem to understand that she never actually got passed me and it took a lot of simple explaining before she apologised...still don't think she quite got it though. That's just one example of many, as primary road position (as useful as it is) can only go so far in certain situations.

Main thing is you're ok!