flags-or-bashed by a bus in Berlin

Tom,

Glad you're safe. Amazing that you weren't injured--or worse. What I don't understand is why anyone who lived in Scotland would want to bike anywhere else!!!

Chicagoland Canto rider,
Ben

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Tom Patton
Hi all. Just back to Scotland from 10 days in Berlin. For 15 years I ve rode Berlin streets on my
recumbent trikes. This year I did nt get a flag-it scares the horses in my rural retreat. Imagine my
surprise when a bus turned right onto my cycle lane-with nowhere to go my trike was crammed against
the bus-something had to give-my front wheel and hub. The bus driver was white as a sheet he
expected to see a badly injured cyclist-"I did nt see you" he said-and fortunately-repeated it to
the police. Being Berlin all the passengers were invited to leave the bus and I got a bus ride
home!-which was just as well as my trike now had 2 wheels and I can walk a hundred yards on a good
day. Thanks to Allan Baumont of GNAT recumbents and Kinetics of Glasgow a hub-rim and spokes were
united and I went for a spin today-no flag of course-but-Ill use one in Berlin!.

😎

Hi Ben. I like to sample other cultures now I ve retired. My present GNAT has done 9000 miles in
several countries. It folds up into a bag 3 feetx3 feetx1 foot-weighs 40lbs. I ve only been charged
once for my bike-a Trice [paid 40 dollars for 6000 miles]when I toured round Florida-almost shot
dead twice! Ive used it to travel in
Crete-Switzerland-Germany-France-Holland-Belgium-Spain-Checkia-Tenneriffe and Gomera. I am really
fortunate where I live I can travel on quiet country lanes along bike paths or canal paths and of
course up very steep hills!-great views. There s nothing better than riding in a big beautifull
international city like Berlin-its so full of contrasts-the beautifull Tiergarten or the crazy
train-bus centre-the Zoo-[where the bus hit me]the stunning island of museums-the terrifying Stazi
centre on the rightly named Russia Str. I ride for pleasure at a leasurely pace.My considerable
experience has lead me to buy well tried "agricultural" components-eg Sachs 7x3 hub rear- Sturmey
Archer wheelchair brake hubs front- with easily obtained rims and tyres-20 inch all round-amazingly
enough all the drive train is still going strong after 9000 miles although the wheels have been
rebuilt at least twice. I would certainly have been injured seriously-on a conventional upright-the
hub and wheel took the full impact and protected my body.

Quoted message said:

Glad you're safe. Amazing that you weren't injured--or worse. What I don't understand is why
anyone who lived in Scotland would want to bike anywhere else!!!

Chicagoland Canto rider, Ben

😎

--

Quoted message said:

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Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

"tom patton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

:
Hi Ben. Ive used it to travel in
Crete-Switzerland-Germany-France-Holland-Belgium-Spain-Checkia-Tenneriffe and Gomera.

I'm glad you're OK.

I noticed that you haven't been to Denmark yet, I suggest you bring the flag if you do. I almost got
creamed by a truck this Wednesday. He didn't blink, didn't look, just turned right over a (blue
painted for visibility!) bike track. I don't have a horn, but my yelling woke him up. We exchanged
politenesses (?) as he meant it was my fault, quote : "I coudnt see you because you lay down on the
bike" - I rode in a flouroscent orange jacket. I guess he creams kids on bikes on a regular basis.

I'm sad i didn't note the license number - I was too furious to think about that.

Take care out there. Torben

Hi Torben. Ross Lowell of Greenspeed fame toured Denmark and made an inspirational video of his
travels. I certainly have got Denmark on my "must do" list as it has an excellent reputation for
cycling. Sorry to hear about the truck. Sadly the only bad experience I ve had on my travels has
been less than 1 hour away-when a massive gravel truck backed up 100 yards so a fellow Scot- truck
driver-could swear at me and my trike-I think being "unusual" really winds up some people. Tom

"Torben Scheel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"tom patton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

:
Hi Ben. Ive used it to travel in

Crete-Switzerland-Germany-France-Holland-Belgium-Spain-Checkia-Tenneriffe

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and Gomera.

I'm glad you're OK.

I noticed that you haven't been to Denmark yet, I suggest you bring the

flag

Quoted message said:

if you do. I almost got creamed by a truck this Wednesday. He didn't

blink,

Quoted message said:

didn't look, just turned right over a (blue painted for visibility!) bike track. I don't have a
horn, but my yelling woke him up. We exchanged politenesses (?) as he meant it was my fault, quote
: "I coudnt see you because you lay down on the bike" - I rode in a flouroscent orange jacket.

I

Quoted message said:

guess he creams kids on bikes on a regular basis.

I'm sad i didn't note the license number - I was too furious to think

about

Quoted message said:

that.

Take care out there. Torben

"...when I toured round Florida-almost shot dead twice!" Could you possibly explain that?