Another accident: me, my bike or my luck?

drhaggis
drhaggis Posts: 1,150
edited September 2017 in Commuting general
Hi,

Hating Edinburgh's traffic much more that the weather, I started commuting by bike about a year ago. Mostly I love it, but maybe that's because last winter was surprisingly dry. Anyway, in January last year I was hit by a taxi that didn't give way, even if he had seen me and looked into my eyes. Luckily, I only broke one finger, but I couldn't brake for 6 weeks.

After settling with the insurer of the taxi driver, I got the bike finally fully repaired and fixed last thursday. Just in time for this Sunday's Pedal for Scotland! I even fit some lizard skins on my bike (an aluminium Defy 2, if you wonder). So everything was nice but, right after the meadows, a teenage idiot on a bike came out perpendicularly to the traffic, right behind a removals van, into my path, and looking the other way. I wasn't going too fast, so I almost managed to brake completely, but a final light touch sent me over the handlebar. I'm OK, my laptop still works, but my new lizard skins has now a small tear (BUUU). To make matters worse, this idiot ran away before I regrouped.

So, two incidents where I can't obviously see what I've done wrong in a year. Is it par for the course? Is this Dunning-Kruger and I suck, but I don't realise it? Or just plain bad luck?

Comments

  • Just random, I wouldn't take it personally.

    Sounds like you were able to avoid the accidents being worse by keeping your own wits about you.

    Hope you have better luck in future!
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    This one sounds like a freak accident really unless you saw him darting behind the van. Basically expect the unexpected and you wont be too far off...