Commuting Is Over

TheCross

Well folks. Thats it. My commuting days are OVER.

Since June 2006 ive been commuting 30 miles/day, including right through winter.

Its been pretty difficult. Far from cheap also lol. Think i consumed as much in food and supplements as i would have spent on petrol... However i felt fit and firmly committed despite many difficulties.

The roads were poorly maintained and despite it being a very straight route and a natural commuting route there was NO cycle lane on it at any point. Some bus lanes but they were invariably parked in.

I had a few accidents and some near misses. But im not easily put off.

However, three weeks ago i was cycling home from work (5pm) along a busy city road in heavy traffic (plenty of other cyclists on the go there too) when an idiot flung open his car door, as far and wide as possible, and without warning. (not normal behaviour with such heavy traffic conditions).

I smashed into it (destroying his door and window) I was left with 18 stitches 10 in the muscle itself and several haematomas...not life threatining by any means but very uncomfortable and painful. Had to get opened up and restitched to remove one.

Anyways its going to be months of physio before im back to "normal".

My poor wife is distraught and I was almost "banned" from cycling completely lol. However ive agreed not to commute.

The thing is, if im truthful, its too dangerous. The government in the uk simply isnt that interested in looking after cyclists or our interests. There is no attempt to fix roads they are a discrace. The number of cycle lanes remains a joke on the main commuting routes.

I had plans for a recumbent or at least a new bike for summer use. But not now. Im pretty hacked off atm and im not sure how to move forward (on crutches perhaps).

Any thoughts, advice, abuse, views, rants, solutions would be most welcome.

Cheers.

__________________
The trick is not to think outside the box.... simply realise the truth - there is no box.

Dondare

Stop now and you'll put on two stone and be as miserable as sin.
When you're fit enough, get back on the bike and ride well out from parked cars. Put the equivalent ot the Blackpool Illuminations on the back of your bike so that overtaking cars give you more room, then you'll be more confident about taking the centre of the lane instead of the left hand side.

Archibald

interesting.
am looking at moving to the uk in the next couple of months and bringing the roadie over as form of transport around london.
surely it's not as bad as you make it out to be? is it?

TheCross

Thanks for your comments, and those of Dondare.

I would never say that you shouldnt cycle or that its more dangerous in the uk than anywhere else. Perhaps there is more to my situation when you analyse the detail of my journey.

The jouney itself was the City centre of Glasgow to the town of Hamilton. I have done it all times of day/night. I have found that in the city centre, there is usualy fewer problems....yes theres more traffic, but speeds are generaly so much slower.

Expanding on this particular issue and as a commuter carrying out my 15mile (one way) journey in under an hour meant that you couldnt "hang about". This invariaby leads to "filtering", passing between vehicles to move to the front of a queue. This is when the opening door danger is magnified and particular attention is to be paid.

In my particular case, i was pretty far out and was extremely unlucky (i think) to be caught. I have heard other reports, from motorcyclist strangely enough, of these incidents taking place deliberately. In my particular accident the part of the road I had to use and when I used it SHOULD HAVE BEEN safe apart from the stupidity of the driver (who was charged by the police for section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988).

The most insecure I have felt is not at night, using the middle of the road, travelling at speed, or on occasions (as I am in all truth an aggressive cyclist and defend my road position and right to be there as far as can be considered safe) when using the space between stationary and on-comming traffic. It is it 4 oclock on weekday afternoons in bright sunny conditions. The number people on the road who are in a rush, take risks, think because you are on a cycle they can "beat you" or brains are just generaly in neutral seems to increase.

The other parts of my journey included some stretches of road where the traffic invariably travelled way above the speed limit, and in all honesty did NOT present a problem.

In my particular situation and route the quality of road was sometimes HORRENDOUS, absolutely unnaceptable and by far my biggest complaint. Yes you could ride in the middle of road but i believe that there is an increased danger of causing further accidents and more serious ones by this action. If someone attempts an overtake, misjudges your speed (very common) they will not hesitate to pull in, on you, to avoid oncoming traffic.

I will continue to cycle once i get better but the commuting, on my route, with my personal time restrictions in place, is simply not safe enough at this time.

I recently read an article which Dondare posted re cycle lanes. What I have personally noted is that the quality of surface on a cycle lane is generaly of a far higher standard that the normal road. The ones I have experienced have been smoother and therefore allowed me to travel faster.

I am looking to be bullied back into the saddle and I im keep saying to my wife I wouldnt have been so badly injured if id been in a recumbant lol ....she just scowls and draws me dirty looks....

In relation to my thoughts on how cycling should be:

Roads re-designed to specifically cater for cycling. with barriers on some stretches for protection. Yes its an ideal, but that is what you should aim for. Specific cycle only roads, for commuting perhaps. Alongside motorways perhaps to the left of the hard shoulder (on the safe side of the barrier)? Yes its not going to happen, because its expensive, how much do they really want to get people out of cars and onto cycles to commute? Not that much.

Thats this rant over...had to get it out of my system.

__________________
The trick is not to think outside the box.... simply realise the truth - there is no box.