Close call

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

RichardB

Slightly retro
Location
West Wales
Last weekend, I took my newly-acquired Carlton Corsair out for the afternoon. I had a great ride, loving the old-school bike, and getting used to riding a bike with drop handlebars again. I passed a group of club riders having a break, and a few minutes later they passed me on a minor road. I sped up to keep pace with the last guy, but they were much fitter than I was and I got dropped. No problem, having a great day. The road took a fairly steep downhill gradient and I watched them ahead of me as they went out of sight. The road bent right at the bottom of the hill, and there was a huge 4x4 tractor parked on the corner on the opposite side, facing me (it's a farm entrance and I thought he was waiting to go into the yard, but he was parked - it's a *very* quiet road). The club riders disappeared round the corner about 100m ahead of me, and I let the bike run down the hill, gathering speed. I think I thought in my head 'they have got round the corner, the road must be clear'. I was riding on the hoods and was probably descending at about 25 mph. As I leant into the corner, going past the tractor, I came face to face with a small car which was in my lane, coming directly for me. The road was narrow, and the car took up the whole lane. I squeezed the brakes, but it was impossible to brake hard from the hoods, and to avoid a head-on collision I baled to my left and hit the grass verge. Luckily, it was just grass and I was shaken and soaked, but not damaged. The car accelerated away and didn't stop, although the driver must have been aware of me, as we were face to face for a second or two. After a lot of extremely bad language, I remounted and went home.

I never blame anyone else for incidents on the road, as I believe we are all responsible for our own safety. So my three takeaway lessons from this are:

1. 40-year-old Weinmann centre-pulls are great for slowing down, but less good at actual stopping. Bear this in mind.

2. Ride your own ride, not the ride of the guy in front (a relic from my motorcycling days).

3. If you think you are going to need the brakes, get down on the hooks BEFORE to need to. The brakes are good enough if used correctly. (I may have been spoilt by the exceptionally good hydro discs on my electric bike.)

No criticism needed - I am harder on myself than anyone else could be. It would not have happened if I had been in the car or a on a motorbike - the whole scene (hill, corner, parked vehicle making it blind) would have shouted 'caution' at me. Wall rather than grass verge, car going faster, I'd be in hospital or dead.

Just venting really. Thank you for listening. ^_^
 

a.twiddler

Veteran
Last weekend, I took my newly-acquired Carlton Corsair out for the afternoon. I had a great ride, loving the old-school bike, and getting used to riding a bike with drop handlebars again. I passed a group of club riders having a break, and a few minutes later they passed me on a minor road. I sped up to keep pace with the last guy, but they were much fitter than I was and I got dropped. No problem, having a great day. The road took a fairly steep downhill gradient and I watched them ahead of me as they went out of sight. The road bent right at the bottom of the hill, and there was a huge 4x4 tractor parked on the corner on the opposite side, facing me (it's a farm entrance and I thought he was waiting to go into the yard, but he was parked - it's a *very* quiet road). The club riders disappeared round the corner about 100m ahead of me, and I let the bike run down the hill, gathering speed. I think I thought in my head 'they have got round the corner, the road must be clear'. I was riding on the hoods and was probably descending at about 25 mph. As I leant into the corner, going past the tractor, I came face to face with a small car which was in my lane, coming directly for me. The road was narrow, and the car took up the whole lane. I squeezed the brakes, but it was impossible to brake hard from the hoods, and to avoid a head-on collision I baled to my left and hit the grass verge. Luckily, it was just grass and I was shaken and soaked, but not damaged. The car accelerated away and didn't stop, although the driver must have been aware of me, as we were face to face for a second or two. After a lot of extremely bad language, I remounted and went home.

I never blame anyone else for incidents on the road, as I believe we are all responsible for our own safety. So my three takeaway lessons from this are:

1. 40-year-old Weinmann centre-pulls are great for slowing down, but less good at actual stopping. Bear this in mind.

2. Ride your own ride, not the ride of the guy in front (a relic from my motorcycling days).

3. If you think you are going to need the brakes, get down on the hooks BEFORE to need to. The brakes are good enough if used correctly. (I may have been spoilt by the exceptionally good hydro discs on my electric bike.)

No criticism needed - I am harder on myself than anyone else could be. It would not have happened if I had been in the car or a on a motorbike - the whole scene (hill, corner, parked vehicle making it blind) would have shouted 'caution' at me. Wall rather than grass verge, car going faster, I'd be in hospital or dead.

Just venting really. Thank you for listening. ^_^
Glad to hear you're OK. A lot of good points and reflections on the incident. It could be me! (motorcyclist, cyclist, occasional car driver).
 
OP
OP
RichardB

RichardB

Slightly retro
Location
West Wales
Thanks for the kind comments. I am fine, no damage other than to my pride, and the bike is unscathed too.

Don’t go so fast round a blind bend that you can’t stop if you find something blocking your way - would be another take away.

Well, yes. Thing is, in my car (or on a motorbike) I would have spotted the potential hazard and slowed considerably. I blame a lovely afternoon, a bike that was a nicer ride than I had remembered, legs that seemed to be turbocharged, and following a group of much fitter guys for a while before being dropped. I think I was still mentally attached to the group when it happened. They had just gone round the corner out of sight, but I saw myself as part of the group still, and failed to anticipate that a car might have been waiting out of sight behind the tractor for them to clear before pulling out. Also, if I had been on the hooks and ready to brake hard, I would have been OK. That was a skoolboy error. I tried it later on, and braking like that is pretty effective. Nowt wrong with the Weinmanns, but after years of riding flat bar bikes I had forgotten how little leverage you have on the brake levers when riding on the brake hoods. Enough to control your speed, but not for an emergency stop. Lessons learned.
 

a.twiddler

Veteran
Thanks for the kind comments. I am fine, no damage other than to my pride, and the bike is unscathed too.



Well, yes. Thing is, in my car (or on a motorbike) I would have spotted the potential hazard and slowed considerably. I blame a lovely afternoon, a bike that was a nicer ride than I had remembered, legs that seemed to be turbocharged, and following a group of much fitter guys for a while before being dropped. I think I was still mentally attached to the group when it happened. They had just gone round the corner out of sight, but I saw myself as part of the group still, and failed to anticipate that a car might have been waiting out of sight behind the tractor for them to clear before pulling out. Also, if I had been on the hooks and ready to brake hard, I would have been OK. That was a skoolboy error. I tried it later on, and braking like that is pretty effective. Nowt wrong with the Weinmanns, but after years of riding flat bar bikes I had forgotten how little leverage you have on the brake levers when riding on the brake hoods. Enough to control your speed, but not for an emergency stop. Lessons learned.
Stop beating yourself up! You survived, you have reflected and learned from the experience, Whatever criticism anyone else may express, as you have said, no one could be harder on you than yourself. If a similar situation arises (if it arises) you will do better! Don't let it stop you from enjoying your riding. Your post struck a chord with me. You could have been me, and I am sure that your experience or something like it will be familiar to many others. Not enough brakes, not enough grip, too much enthusiasm, too much competitiveness, too much speed, not enough foresight, etc etc.
 

Lovacott

Über Member
Good to hear you found an “emergency” lane to bail into.

Don’t go so fast round a blind bend that you can’t stop if you find something blocking your way - would be another take away.
I cycle country lanes and my rule of thumb is to always assume that there is a brick wall across the road just around every blind bend.
 

Mo1959

Legendary Member
I cycle country lanes and my rule of thumb is to always assume that there is a brick wall across the road just around every blind bend.
Yep. We have a network of lovely little single track roads. Very rarely much on them but there is always the occasional vehicle or occasionally a deer shoot out or something. When I see some riders Strava speeds on segments on some of them they must be taking huge risks to cover them at the speeds they do.
 

davidphilips

Veteran
Location
Onabike
Great you did not get injured or worse, Centre pull brakes can work at least as well as modern duel pivot calipers if you set them up slightly different.
Either using mtb brake blocks or even using spacers between the calipers and the brake blocks, slightly longer bolts needed for the blocks if using spacers, what you need to do is get the straddle cable as straight as possible, makes a really big difference in performance, does take away from looks a bit but well worth it.
 

RoadRider400

Some bloke that likes cycling alone
I think the #1 lesson could have been. Slow down from 25mph for blind bends when there is a vehicle on the opposite side. Perhaps even all blind bends come to think of it. As much fun as it is hooning down a hill at great speed with momentum, personal safety needs to come first. Good to hear you are okay though.
 
Glad to hear that you and your bike survived unharmed .
You were a bit unlucky in your timing in meeting a car at that moment a few seconds either way and you would have been fine . Sods Law!
At least you will now be a bit more aware of these situations in the future. I would have thought that the car driver would have stopped to see how you were. Perhaps they saw you getting up in their mirror and assumed that you were okay but seems very wrong .
I find that it's always best to ride downhill with your hands covering your brake levers , for one thing you are more aerodynamic and the other is that you can grab a handful of brake if needed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mjr
Top Bottom