3rd time knocked down by a car. This is starting to get old

[alicat]

@User9609, do you know how rude the swear word you used is?

 

[Johnno260]

Glad to hear you’re physically ok, I hope you get your confidence back soon.

Is it possible to do some more rural cycling to get some confidence back on less busy roads?

When I commute in my most enjoyable part is being in the sticks, once I hit Tunbridge Wells I get more anxious as people seem to be rushing around more and less aware, it’s obviously not as packed as London but from a country bumpkins point of view still a little scary, and it’s not a great experience driving around either.

I hope you get back in the saddle with no worries soon, you’re persevering which is a good sign, just try and build your self back up slowly.

Also would flats help you with the cleats not engaging? being able to just put your foot down may give you a little confidence boost, just take small steps and try and do things that enhance your confidence.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Welcome back, good to hear you're getting more confident again

 

[Katherine]

Mod note:
Some unhelpful posts have now been removed and all the quotes of and references to them have either been removed or edited.
Please report any further posts that you do not like rather than argue in the thread. Thanks.

 

[lazybloke]

Six months on, @jefmcg. Hope you've been able to regain your enjoyment of two wheels?

 

[Ilovehills]

Friday a week and a half ago I was heading west from Kensington. I entered a roundabout heading straight through. There was a car approaching from my left, but it was well short of the line, and I had priority. It was moving towards the give way line like it wasn't stopping, but - and I hate this - every car in London approaches a roundabout like they aren't going to stop. But you are well ahead of me here; It didn't stop, pringling my wheel and leaving my carbon fork under suspicion. But I'm ok, and... I don't think my insurance claim will be challenged.

But... the bike is at the LBS - possibly a right off but I've taken no action to get it back on the road or replaced. Cycling was one of my few pleasures and my main form of transport, and I may be done. How many more collisions (none of them so far my fault) before I am maimed?

There's more to tell post collision, but I'll save that and share of there's an interest

Ironically (or something) I was spending time with my brother from overseas. He's very much of the cycling-is-dangerous school. This was the third time this visit I had left for home on my bike, and the previous two nights he'd insisted on a text when I got home. This night I said "I'll be fine. I won't text. You go to bed.". 150 metres down the road? Bam!

This is why I am still on cyclechat. At the least the responses will be mainly supportive and I expect to get some help getting back on the road. But some of them will come from people I have differing views on gender roles, so there's that.

Car drivers are on tw*t mode at the moment, on my 40 minute commute I have numerous arguments, narrow, scrapes and near misses, whereas 5 years ago I had none. I HATE cars, and the majority of peanuts that drive them, but I will not let them win and force me off the road.

You`ve had a run of bad luck, and I hope it`s at an end

 

[alicat]

Car drivers are on tw*t mode at the moment, on my 40 minute commute I have numerous arguments, narrow, scrapes and near misses, whereas 5 years ago I had none.

IMHO it's a Christmas thing. Too much to get done and too much going on in their lives to concentrate on driving.

 

[Ilovehills]

IMHO it's a Christmas thing. Too much to get done and too much going on in their lives to concentrate on driving.

I wish it was only a Christmas thing, it`s been noticable over the last 12 months or so unfortunately

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I wish it was only a Christmas thing, it`s been noticable over the last 12 months or so unfortunately

12 months? I've noticed the decline in standard of driving for the past 10-15 years or so, but this also ties in with the Me Me Me attitude of a lot of people, which also ties in nicely with the rise in Social Media & the move from face to face communication.

 

[srw]

12 months? I've noticed the decline in standard of driving for the past 10-15 years or so, but this also ties in with the Me Me Me attitude of a lot of people, which also ties in nicely with the rise in Social Media & the move from face to face communication.

Really?

As a regular cyclist and pedestrian I think driving standards are generally pretty good, and have certainly got better over the last few years. If you go about your business with the attitude that most people really, really don't want to hurt you you discover that it's true.


[edit]
The irony of someone naming themselves after a driver who was legendarily dangerous 2500 years ago complaining about declining driving standards isn't lost on me...

 

[derrick]

Standard of driving is bad over recent years. I wonder where this comes from.

 

[fossyant]

Driving attitudes have got loads worse, I notice this commuting into Manchester by bike, and now by car.

I nearly broadsided a car this week as they went into a right turn lane, then veered back into the left and decided to take the next 'right' - can't blame it on not knowing the area as they lived on the street. Told them I nearly ran into them because they didn't indicate, just got a fowl mouthed torrent of abuse from a woman - and they were in a £30k plus car. Many people dont give a hoot - I've seen it. Tempted to pop a merry christmas card in the driver's house that smashed my spine !

 

[jefmcg]

Thanks guys for the interest, but I don't think this thread is healthy for me anymore. I don't need any help catastrophising, so I am putting this thread on ignore

Byeee!

 

[Johnno260]

It’s not necessarily the standard, but people’s attitude has regressed.

Be it on 2 or 4 wheels I see so much bad driving it’s a joke, mostly stems it seems from people leaving everything to the last min.

When I drive to work I now leave way earlier than I need to so I avoid most of the idiots.

Best argument I have seen after a fender bender was the guy at fault screaming I was indicating and you didn’t get out the way, he basically slammed into the side of someone when he realised he was in the wrong lane.

 

[fossyant]

There are some idiots out there. Early on last year, an elderly woman abused about 10 of us on MTB's. We'd come off the hills via a legal route, but the only way through to the road, was a tarmaced footpath next to the river. It was over 12ft wide. We rode down slowly (checked for pedestrians), then as we got to the road, this old woman was walking down the middle of the road abusing us for using the footpath (when there was no other route). I just don't get people.

She can't have been right in the head as who goes abusing 10 blokes in the middle of nowhere. It was a good job we are all decent fellows. The worse we responded was 'good morning'