W
Warwickc
Guest
I enjoy cycling for fitness but I am seriously thinking about giving it up before I am seriously
injured. Almost every time I go out there seems to occur an issue of some kind with a motor vehicle.
Things like being overtaken very closely, and/or being cut in just before a junction by a car
turning left seem to happen almost every time.
Some of this may be down to the way I ride so I would be interested to know what others do to avoid
these scenarios. I want to improve my fitness so I don't want to pedal cautiously and stop and wait
until the road is clear in every direction at each road junction.
I would also like to know what more experienced cyclists would have done in this latest incident
which took place yesterday.
I try to keep off main roads and out of towns for the above reasons. I was cycling along a country
lane when an articulated lorry about 0.5m narrower than the width of the lane approached from the
opposite direction. The lorry stopped centrally in the lane leaving about 25cm on either side
between the lorry's wheels and the verge.
The verges are next to farm fields, and are unsuitable for riding on so I slowly edged my bike down
the gap between the lorry and the raised verge. When I had passed the tractor unit and I was level
with the front of the trailer, the lorry started forwards again leaving me facing the oncoming
wheels of the trailer. To avoid being run over I steered by bike into the raised verge where I
immediately lost my balance and fell on to the verge.
I limped back to the front of the lorry and pointed out to the driver with feeling, but without
swearing, that I was not happy that he made no room for me to pass but stopped centrally in the
lane, and that he drove on whilst I was still attempting to squeeze by, causing me to be knocked
off my bike.
The driver only asked if I had "finished". He did not ask if I was hurt or show any concern. I
said if that was his attitude, no I hadn't finished, I wanted to make a complaint about him. At
this point he shrugged and drove off. I shouted after him that I was injured and wanted his name
and address. He did not stop but drove on leaving me standing bruised, wet and muddy by the side
of the road.
How to avoid these dangerous (to me) confrontations? Should I have dismounted and carried my bike
onto the verge and waited for the lorry to pass? Or should the lorry have pulled over so that I
could have ridden by more easily? Should I complain to the police or is this just a waste of time?
injured. Almost every time I go out there seems to occur an issue of some kind with a motor vehicle.
Things like being overtaken very closely, and/or being cut in just before a junction by a car
turning left seem to happen almost every time.
Some of this may be down to the way I ride so I would be interested to know what others do to avoid
these scenarios. I want to improve my fitness so I don't want to pedal cautiously and stop and wait
until the road is clear in every direction at each road junction.
I would also like to know what more experienced cyclists would have done in this latest incident
which took place yesterday.
I try to keep off main roads and out of towns for the above reasons. I was cycling along a country
lane when an articulated lorry about 0.5m narrower than the width of the lane approached from the
opposite direction. The lorry stopped centrally in the lane leaving about 25cm on either side
between the lorry's wheels and the verge.
The verges are next to farm fields, and are unsuitable for riding on so I slowly edged my bike down
the gap between the lorry and the raised verge. When I had passed the tractor unit and I was level
with the front of the trailer, the lorry started forwards again leaving me facing the oncoming
wheels of the trailer. To avoid being run over I steered by bike into the raised verge where I
immediately lost my balance and fell on to the verge.
I limped back to the front of the lorry and pointed out to the driver with feeling, but without
swearing, that I was not happy that he made no room for me to pass but stopped centrally in the
lane, and that he drove on whilst I was still attempting to squeeze by, causing me to be knocked
off my bike.
The driver only asked if I had "finished". He did not ask if I was hurt or show any concern. I
said if that was his attitude, no I hadn't finished, I wanted to make a complaint about him. At
this point he shrugged and drove off. I shouted after him that I was injured and wanted his name
and address. He did not stop but drove on leaving me standing bruised, wet and muddy by the side
of the road.
How to avoid these dangerous (to me) confrontations? Should I have dismounted and carried my bike
onto the verge and waited for the lorry to pass? Or should the lorry have pulled over so that I
could have ridden by more easily? Should I complain to the police or is this just a waste of time?