Clive George said:"R Lucas" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:The scary thing this time is that I don't think there was
anything I could have done to avoid it. Effectively the
car came from behind and attempted to exit the road by
driving over me. A split second assumption that I too was
exiting and a brief distraction by the kids in the back
and it was all over.
Bad luck.
One suggestion : In this situation, riding further to the
right (primary position - see cyclecraft - do you have a
copy/have you read it?) could have helped - you become
more obviously something they have to think about to
avoid, so they will do. You want to become more of a
problem than the kids in the back, so their attention
goes to you.
I'm going through a chronic crisis of faith in Franklin. Mid
February this year I was run over from behind by a lorry.
Fractured clavicle which, 3 1/2 months later, looks like it
won't heal. I was on the left wheel line of the centre lane
of Euston Road approaching the underpass at the top of
Tottenham Court Road. The b*st*rd tried to squeeze past
anyway, nearly hit a white van on the other side and swerved
back into me (as near as I can make out from his statement:
"A white van cut me up and I swerved into the bus lane to
avoid it" simply ain't true).
Regardless of the shoulder pain, I've been back on the bike
for about three weeks. Yesterday I stopped at traffic
lights just as they turned red. Dead center of the road,
just ahead of the ASL. The t*ssp*t in the car behind me
drove straight into my right leg. Just enough to knock it
out from under me, I held myself up by smacking my hand on
his bonnet. What was going through his mind? He was turning
left, so was he planning on driving straight through me?
Needless to say the conversation was not a particularly
useful exchange of information: "What are you doing? It's a
*****y red light? What was I supposed to do?" "***k you,
you ***king ***t". In retrospect, it's possible he didn't
realise he had hit me and thought I'd launched an
unprovoked attack on him. He's thus not only a discourteous
driver but also an ignorant pillock.
Over the last few months I've been watching other cyclists.
The ones that do everything wrong seem to have no problem.
Skulking in the gutter, edging along as close as possible to
parked cars, cautiously running red lights. They don't
travel at speed but they don't look particularly phased when
they're cut up, have doors opened, have drivers turn right
across segregated cycle lanes, &c. By jumping red lights,
they make a similar average speed to me anyway.
I cruise between 15 and 20 mph between lights. I ride far
enough from parked cars to avoid doors since I can't stop in
time at that speed. I occupy the center of the road
approaching pinch points to discourage people from squeezing
past. I ride out from left hand turns to avoid situation
similar to the OP's. I usually signal. I stop for red
lights. I avoid shared cycle paths. I get buzzed, cut up,
abused, beeped, suggestions for alternative recreations, and
frequently have to take violently evasive action. All in
all, it's more aggravating and dangerous than cathartic or
enjoyable most of the time.
So is this just bad luck, have I misinterpreted the book, or
should I accept that expecting to maintain a reasonable pace
on bike is a lofty ideal, but one that should never be
seriously entertained?
Ah, it makes no difference I guess. I'm not going to give up
cycling. However, all my experiences suggest the divine word
of Franklin is just plain wrong. Anyway, it feels good to
get all that out... thanks for listening (or not :-)
richard
