Bloody cyclists!

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Bristol Dave

Active Member
Location
Bristol
Just had a call from a mate - he had a head on collision with 2 other cyclists who were cycling two abreast around a blind bend in the Bristol-Bath cycle track.

My mate has minor injuries and a written off bike. One of the others has minor injuries and damage to his bike. The second cyclist has rather more serious injuries and a written off bike.

Morale of the story? You decide.

BD
 
Don't use paths!

Seriously though I hope you're mate is OK.
 

ComedyPilot

Secret Lemonade Drinker
Bristol Dave said:
Just had a call from a mate - he had a head on collision with 2 other cyclists who were cycling two abreast around a blind bend in the Bristol-Bath cycle track.

My mate has minor injuries and a written off bike. One of the others has minor injuries and damage to his bike. The second cyclist has rather more serious injuries and a written off bike.

Morale of the story? You decide.

BD

Ride at a speed in which you can safely come to a stop in the distance you can see to be clear.
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
the NCN21 cyclepath in Lewisham is notorious for crashes at it has some real crap insighted bends. Never use it, traffic laden road far safer.
 
Comedypilot's advice: never ride at such a speed that you cannot stop in the distance you see to be clear - is the way to go. Much the same applies to a cycle path as to a narrow country lane with sharp blind bends - plenty of those round my way! But surely no-one is going to suggest, keep off narrow country lanes! Yet I have many times come face to face with a car haring around a blind bend unexpectedly. It's all part of anticipating trouble and being prepared for it...

My recollection of a near-miss in a similar situation on a narrow cycle path (actually the segregated two-way track alongside a busy dual carriageway): yes perhaps my attention lapsed for just a moment, so did that of the two cyclists coming towards me on a collision course, riding abreast. Anyway, I recovered myself and was able to stop in time. So was one of the other cyclists. The other one - not quite: he went down on the grass verge. Fortunately without apparent damage to either bike or person. After checking that he was OK I went on my way. They didn't try to blame me, just as well...
 

ComedyPilot

Secret Lemonade Drinker
If on a blind bend (L/H) you are tucked into nearside, you have restricted visibility. Simply moving to the centre of the path/road will improve visibility. I often ride on the offside, with the best visibility, and the opportunity to go all the way over to the left to avoid incident.

On a straight/busy path/road I cycle on the left, whenever it is quieter and bendy (lack of vision) I move out to the right to improve visibility. Just reverse it for a right hand bend.
 
OP
OP
B

Bristol Dave

Active Member
Location
Bristol
HLaB - thanks, apart from dual bruises to his mid thigh area caused by his handlebars he is tip top.

Good advice ComedyPilot. My mates is very fit (in a non sexual way (well, to me anyhow)) and covers a 17 mile journey in under an hour, so averaging 17+ mph. I'll deride his cycle-craft and call his breaking ability a silly thing the next time I speak to him.

BD
 

campbellab

Senior Member
Location
Swindon
Isit the blind bend around Easton? There are signs by it to keep left, but they really could cut down all the vegetation so you can actually see what's coming. I'm sure it won't be long until there are a couple of young mums with pushchairs having a natter whilst someone else is hooning it around the corner...
 

ComedyPilot

Secret Lemonade Drinker
campbellab said:
Isit the blind bend around Easton? There are signs by it to keep left, but they really could cut down all the vegetation so you can actually see what's coming. I'm sure it won't be long until there are a couple of young mums with pushchairs having a natter whilst someone else is hooning it around the corner...

Which is exactly what should not be done on a cycle path IMO.

They are there for mooching, pottering and dawdling. If you want to set a new cycle landspeed record, the cycle path by the river is not the place to do it.
 
Ironically, the scene of the 'near miss' I referred to is indeed an instance of a cycle path where you can 'hoon it' - the place where I nearly collided is one of very few on that path where visibility is restricted. Most of that path is smooth and straight (it runs beside a D/C remember) with relatively few other users, ped. or cyclist. And there are no side entrances or other unexpected obstructions (apart from the odd rabbit). So you can get up a fair old speed in perfect safety.

This isn't meant to be an argument in favour of cycle paths in general, by the way! :biggrin: I know full well that many of them are appalling. This is just a case of an 'exception that proves the rule'.
 
On a narrow track you need to be able to stop within half the distance you can see to be clear because you have to deal with oncomers within your braking distance. You also hope that the chap coming towards you is also doing the same thing!
 

lazyfatgit

Guest
Location
Lawrence, NSW
ComedyPilot said:
Ride at a speed in which you can safely come to a stop in the distance you can see to be clear.

+1

I had a similar incident. Even though I had virtually stopped at point of impact, they hadn't. They obviously should have been single file, but had i been doing 10mph instead of 15+, the shorter stopping distance may have given the plonker who rode straight into me more room to manoever.

Glad to hear you pals OK.
 

fruitbat

New Member
Location
NW England
lazyfatgit said:
ComedyPilot said:
Ride at a speed in which you can safely come to a stop in the distance you can see to be clear.
+1

I had a similar incident. Even though I had virtually stopped at point of impact, they hadn't. They obviously should have been single file, but had i been doing 10mph instead of 15+, the shorter stopping distance may have given the plonker who rode straight into me more room to manoever.

Glad to hear you pals OK.

-1

as xpc316e said, you need to be able to stop within half the distance you can see, for exactly the reasons you've highlighted.
 
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