Hit by motor vehicle

[Guest]

I took OldTimers advise and beared the pain and whent for a training ride yesterday. 1 km from home my chain comes off. Stop fix and off we go. First traffic light I get to some bloke in a golf nearly squashes me agains the pavement.

I carry on and notice th cadence seonsor is not working, no problem, I'll check it when I'm finished riding.

about 7km from home, I'm doing about 40km/h passing a shopping complex on my left when this bakkie (pickup truck for non S'Africans) just turns left into the shopping complex. I hit the brakes, back wheel locks and front wheel hit the rear wheel of the bakkie. I manage to keep my balance and grab onto the back of the bakkie to pull my body in the direction the bike was going.

I then had to chase this guy to make him stop. And all he could say was sorry I did not see you. I was fuming, my heart rate was sky high and I was ready to kill. thinking about it afterwards I should have taken the company name and phone number as well as the drivers name.

I still consider myself very lucky, it could have been much worse. there is no damage to me or the bike (physical damage that is).

Guy (and gals ) keep a look out, motorists drive like they own the road. This is the first time I've collided with a motor vehicle and it'sjust brought that danger to the forefront of my attention.

 

[Vo2]

Glad to hear you're ok, ouzo.
Golden rule No1: ALWAYS assume that the driver is going to brake or turn infront of you.

 

[Guest]

Glad to know you came out unschathed. As for the driver of the pick-up, I'd say that maybe you should let him off the hook this time. If I understood you correctly, the driver unknowingly cut you off. If he was ahead of you in the turning lane, then he was not at fault. But if cut you off coming from another lane...then he is at fault. Either way, he apologized, so I'm thinking he didn't see you. That's why I ride like I am invisible, because I know that motorists don't know that I am on the road.

Ride safely, hope nothing on your bike was damaged (that would suck!).

 

[Guest]

Thing is I wear a bright yellow cycling Jersey. Also, the lane goes straight, the entrance into the shopping complex was more like a drive way than anything else. Also he did not signal his intention as the traffic light 20m ahead had changed to red so he was going to take a short cut through the parking lot.

The thing that really p'd me off was that he did not stop, sure if he was alone he would not have know he hit me, but he had a passenger sitting on the back that saw everything.

Anyway, like you say, ride so that they can see you. Not always possible and not always easy, but bike vs car car always wins.

 

[Guest]

Over here if we get the reg number and go see the police they'll normally go have a chat with the scum bags. In your case where you've been hit, they get charged ;D

I hate people who can't drive whether i'm on the bike or in the car.....they **** me : its not like its hard to drive properly is it?

glad your ok mate, cause you post alot here.....we can't afford to lose members like you

cheers!

 

[Vo2]

Then you should never come to SA. You'll be shocked by the driving here!

 

[Guest]

I read an interesting report that said motorists don't see cyclists/motorbiks because subconciously they're looking for road users that match their own profile (cars, trucks etc). I had a similar situation to Ouzo - car overtook me and immediately turned in front of me (I did an 'Ouzo' and leaned up against the car for a really sharp left). This is in South Africa - we drive on the left. He would have had to be blind not to see me considering he overtook me.....

 

[Guest]

The classic one liner. "I didn't see you". Its that old its grown a beard. We've all had similar situations. For me on one occasion on the Gold Coast I had a motorist stop half way through a turn in front of me.

My snarl back at the driver brought a tidal wave of abuse. Amazing that! ???

 

[Vo2]

Isn't it amazing how motorists that have bike racks or bike rack brackets attached to their cars leave you with more than enough space on the road when they pass you? It's usually motorists that have no sporting background, or no-one amongst their closest family or friends that participate in sports, that are the worst.

 

[Eldron]

Agreed!

The amount of abuse hurled at you is directly proportional to the belt size of the driver.

 

[Guest]

Glad to hear you're ok ouzo !!

Unfortunatly cycling is a bit dangerous from that point of view and that's why a prefer to cycle early (just after 5) in the mornings on safe as possible route. Sometimes even that is not good enough ...

Something else that I've noted is that there are some cyclists that would, sometimes, on fairly busy roads, cycle next to one another, taking up half a lane and completely ignore motorists. I find that arrogant and feel that they give the rest of us a bad name.

 

[Guest]

So glad to hear you're ok. Ouzo. I too had a skirmish with a car a while back, but was not so lucky as Ouzo. Bike was written off completely, had to buy new gear from the helmet, eyewear and clothing. Also someone who turned right in front of me. Luckily I wasn't hurt that bad, just had a headache that lasted for 2 weeks. Now when I go out cycling, I believe I'm the only person with my eyes open and try to think for everyone.

 

[Guest]

Ouzo. Glad you (and the bike!) are not damaged! ;D Always ride thinking someone, anyone, is going to do something stupid any moment now, and it won't be long before you're proved right! :

 

[Vo2]

Agreed!

The amount of abuse hurled at you is directly proportional to the belt size of the driver.

So true! So true! ;D

 

[Guest]

Its not only an inability to see you but I find that drivers cannot estimate what speed you are travelling at. You really have to think for them and yourself at the same time.

 

[Guest]

Then you should never come to SA. You'll be shocked by the driving here!

You think it's bad there in SA, try riding over here in my country. That's why I always ride at like 5 or 6 in the morning. It's bad enough being on the streets in a car. They should probably just pass a law where everyone is required to ride to and from work. Cars should only be allowed during certain times of the day (7 pm to 5 am). Wouldn't that be great?

 

[Guest]

The attack on a Gold Coast cyclist did take place yesterday. Here's the editorial which appeared in a Gold Coast paper today:

IT would appear from recent tragic events and from a roadside bashing at Miami that cyclists are in grave danger whenever they travel on Gold Coast roads.
Darren Carson felt the force of antipathy or, indeed, outright rage towards cyclists in training when two carloads of men bashed him in front of start- led onlookers.
His crime? He apparently stood his ground when insulted by a driver.
It was understandable that Mr Carson made a comparison between his frightening experience and that of triathlete Luke Harrop who was killed while riding his bicycle at Robina 13 days ago.
In the wake of Luke's death, many cyclists have complained that riding on Gold Coast roads all too often is a risky business.
It is true that negotiating vehicles past training cyclists can be tricky at times, mostly because few Gold Coast roads provide an adequate shoulder onto which the cyclists can move to make room for passing cars.
But at most it is a momentary obstacle which requires drivers to be patient for just a few seconds until the cyclists can be overtaken. The inconvenience caused by cyclists is minimal.
But apparently even such a brief encounter is too much for the occasional angry driver.
Cyclists are regularly abused on the Gold Coast and put in danger by motorists who would rather sideswipe or attack them than wait a moment or two for the road to clear.
Despite what these motorists may think, cyclists are entitled to use the road as much as anyone else.
The provocative attitude towards cyclists on the Gold Coast is at odds with the attitude displayed in many other parts of Australia and indeed with most of the world's great cities.
In many Asian cities, where cycles far outnumber cars, cyclists naturally are given as much respect as any driver.
The same holds true for many European cities where cycling is a traditional form of transport.
But on the Gold Coast, where the car is king, cyclists had better watch out.
It's a dangerous mindset that simply has to change.
If it doesn't, the deaths and injuries from cycling on our roads surely will continue.


Bring on "A Current Affair"

 

[ewep]

I live in Alberton SA and must confess that, except for 1 stupid driver that nearly hit my wife, all the drivers I've come across were and are great. Even the big, dangerous taxi drivers give way to the cyclists (and runners).

I must confess that the traffic department doesn't try to catch or even warn anyone that is a danger. After the incident with the car and my wife I reported it to the traffic dept. I was told that I could only lay a charge/complaint AFTER someone was hit :-[ . Now that can only happen in SA.

 

[Guest]

ewep, where about in Alberton are you ? This incident was going past the KFC in Brakenhurst.

Do you cycle to the Lido on weekends ? Maybe we should meet up.

 

[Guest]

 Even the big, dangerous taxi drivers give way to the cyclists (and runners).

Thought I liked to mention an incident that happened on Saturday to me with a Taxi Driver.

I was cycling home , when straight out from a side road came a Taxi , I slammed the brakes on leaving some tread behind :'( and came to a stop just touching the side of the taxi, I explained that he was a naughty boy and would he please refrain from doing that kind of thing.

Not wishing to go in front of the car I went around the back only for the t**t to put the car in reverse and come back towards me as I tried to continue on my journey.

Deciding that he was a lost cause I cycled off fuming.

Today being Monday, I went to work only for a work mate to come up to me and say " did my driver upset you at all " it appears that he was in the Taxi at the time.

He said he heard to wheel skid looked out the window and saw me, he then went on to explain that the driver thought I was making a fuss over nothing because I didn't get hurt (this time)