r32

As well as being a motorcyclist and car driver I also like to cycle. Mountain biking really, but being of advancing years I need to get out locally at least two or three times in the week to keep fit (well fittish)........
I can do some off road locally but need to use roads to join the rough bits up, and it can get very muddy our way if its been wet, so sometimes try and get my miles in just on the road!
But every time I get out I must have at least two or three close shaves with cars, trucks or buses. It seems very few have any consideration for a cyclist, wide berth, on the phone, too close, too fast, not paying attention etc etc.
I am just waiting to get hit, I know its going to happen sooner or later, nearly got knocked off twice last night .................

Any one else have the same problem....................

pslewis

Its one hell of a lot more dangerous for me when the wife is on her cycle!!

Pete

OllyK

I think a lot depends on where in the country you are. Try driving in Lincolnshire or Cambridge, and the roles are reversed, the car drivers are terrified of getting half a dozen bikes carving them up!!

Nimbus

I used to cycle a lot when I was younger (must start doing it again). Had a few spills as you do. One time I was riding down an A road that was not too busy. A van tried to pass me while a car was coming the other way and decided to leave more room for the car than me. I ended up with his wing mirror hitting my head! (no safety helmets in those days). Sod didn't stop of course. I felt like I should have fallen off so that it made it look worse then gotten the police on him. It made me very nervouse of passing traffic after that..

RB5 Paul

Instead of waiting to get hit why don't you move out the way? much less painful in my opinion.

But i know what you mean it's a nightmare and it's not recent thing,i remember riding down the road years ago when some daft bint in her massively large mk2 fiesta managed to whack my elbow with her wing mirror as she went past me,and then she had the cheek to shout abuse at me for being there,being the polite teenager i was i pointed out the error of her ways in very colourful language and told her to call the police if she was that sure i was in the wrong (this was in the days when the police actually arrived within 2 weeks ),funnily enough she declined and apologised,i think the purple swollen elbow worried her a bit. She had assumed i kicked her car .

Anyway sorry to digress,but it is annoying and bloody dangerous isn't it,just a case of i'm alright in here mate so you best move as if i hit you it won't hurt me a bit.

A&E

I frequently slam my hand on the windows of cars when they get too close (usually when they overtake me and cut right in front of me 'cos they have no idea bikes can go over 5mph )

OllyK

The main road near me is pretty steep, I was keeping to spot on 30 mph as there are 2 speed cameras on the hill. Had a push bike free wheeling and sitting right behind me. I see some speed camera push bike fun coming up

A&E

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Yep, me to, round here you take your life in your hands against Cayennes, X5's and all the other big lumps, all intent on making lunch with the ladies, blacked out windows so no eye contact but then they are wearing Gucci shades anyway. Have kicked a few panels, you know when they pull out not wanting to wait another ten seconds and then realise a sixteen stone bloke on a bike is bearing down on them at thirty miles and hour, they then dont know whether to go for a p1ss or a haircut so just stop completely blocking the road, at this point the foot comes out and connects with the softest looking bit I can find, next time I might launch myself on the floor and put a claim in if there are a few witnesses. Left a really good snotty face print on a Volvo estate once.

Basically I stay off road wherever possible !

the moose

It's more dangerous off-road, but the pain is self inflicted in most cases.

ChrisB

If I'm out road riding I stick to the quietest country lanes I can find. It's actually a good way of finding nice houses out in the sticks.

Very true Mr Moose, although my biggest wound from last weekend's visit to Nant-yr-Arian is from sticking a chainring into a finger getting my bike out of the car

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Oh and assume everyone wants to kill you.

Scoobydid

I'm quite lucky that I can get off road pretty quick from where I live. Roads do scare me, I nearly got taken off by a Police car last year - with nothing else comming the other way.

the moose

Chris, looks like we'll be riding together again soon in Scotland, if MarkO's got his dates right. Mrs Moose will be there as well.

ChrisB

If it's the weekend I was talking to Mark about, my plans have changed a bit. However, I've just had a brain wave about being able to ride on the Saturday...

davegtt

Used to Cycle everywhere a few years back but it did get dangerous... I had loads of near misses and packed it in, in the end... remember one time cycling down hill but not too fast... over taking parked cars on the side of the road when a door opened up wide as it possibly can.... about 3 metres in front of me... I shat myself, without having time to think I instinctively swerved to the right... right in the middle of the road. if I car was overtaking me I would have been a gonner.... thank **** is all I can say... I honestly thought that was it at the time. hardly ever cycle now.

gotta say though. motorcyclists pi55 me off big style when Im in the car. bank holiday monday they were everywhere. I always pull tot he left when I see 1, make plently of space for overtaking. so this 1 comes flying up my backside so I pull to the left, hes stuck on my ar$e not overtaking and there was bags of room, so now Im concious of a motorbike behind me, very close and Im having to watch him closely so that he doesnt overtake me unexpectedly etc.... trying to keep to the left aswell. gets near enough along side my rear wheel now and Im thinking WTF. scared sh!tless by this useless motorcyclist and I go and kerb the ba$tard wheel whilst watching him rather than the road. frigging cvnt.... wasnt a mark on the car until then...

cw42

iTrader: (1)

I went out on my first road bike ride for a while last week. Only 12 miles, along the busy a6 from hazel grove to high lane, then turned off for the quieter roads to marple. Your quite right about the level of care taken by other road users as they pass though, the majority don't give a toss, and very nearly clip you as they pass
Much prefer the off road routes, but then you get covered in crap within a mile of your home, and spend ages getting it all clean again
Maybe thats the fun of off road?
chris.

Abdabz

I cycle about 50 miles a week, about 50% of that is road riding. Just forked out on a new Claud Butler - woohoo - hacing worn out the somewhat cheaper Saracen... Anyhoo if I'm cycling along the winding country lanes (or twisties where I know Subaru's go rally driving) then I get on the pavement - in fact anywhere where there's no pedestrians I get off the road quite often.
I always get a few n0bs who give me no space at all and I probably gesticulate violently at these folk about twice a week... I get the odd nutter turning into roads who cut across in front of me too. Once had a very near 25mph miss with the bonnet of a Fiat ****o.
So these days I do as little road riding as possibe. There's enough green belt in my area to provide hours of fun but on those occasions where a few miles of road riding is needed then its helmet, bright yellow luminous bib and I even bare my milk bottle legs In the winter when its dark I look like a mobile disco I'm covered in that many lights too
P

Abdabz

In general motorbikers have their own highway code and are a danger to themselves and those around them. I've had some right fun putting the frighteners on a few in my time and I'm sure one will fall at the hands of my temper in time - but that's for another thread.

paulr

My biggest worry is someone opening the car door on you cos that would be nasty!!!.