Depressed and contemplating selling my Bike - Cardiff

[eddiemee]

Sorry to hear you're thinking of selling the bike Bruce. Is it feasible for you to change the hours you work so you can commute in earlier. I leave the house at 7 each morning and I probably encounter no more than 40 cars over 8 miles (granted mostly in suburban/rural areas). If I leave it an hour later it takes an extra 10-15 minutes due to congestion and I'm far more likely to encounter agitated rush hour drivers who feel it's acceptable to risk my safety because they're sick of being stuck in the same traffic jam 5 days a week.

I realise you might be fixed to particular working hours, but if you do have flexibility it might be something to consider.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

I can't offer any advice as thank **** I do not live in a city. All the same do not let some knob-ends spoil your hobby.

 

[Arch]

Instead of trying to press hard all the time, try to chill out a bit when the traffic is heavy - just enjoy making faster progress than the cars. Your overall time will not suffer much and you'll be more relaxed and a bit safer too. Use the week-ends or quieter times for pushing the pace. As others have said, a fairly assertive riding style to control the space around you will help minimise incidents with other traffic and make the commute more enjoyable. You've done the hard bit in getting out there on the bike, so keep it up and don't beat yourself up.

Hear hear! Commuting is not the time to be trying to race. Imagine a car driver saying they didn't like to have to stop and start, and wanted to go as fast as they could all the time, we'd lynch them.

 

[JDP]

Sorry to hear you're thinking of selling the bike Bruce. Is it feasible for you to change the hours you work so you can commute in earlier. I leave the house at 7 each morning and I probably encounter no more than 40 cars over 8 miles (granted mostly in suburban/rural areas). If I leave it an hour later it takes an extra 10-15 minutes due to congestion and I'm far more likely to encounter agitated rush hour drivers who feel it's acceptable to risk my safety because they're sick of being stuck in the same traffic jam 5 days a week.

+1 to this.

I normally go in about 7.30am, the traffic is fine and I have far fewer close calls. I went in an hour later last week and the increased volume in traffic was very noticable. I would think my average speed on that day must of been under 10mph.

If I come home at 4pm its not too bad. If I leave it another 45 mins thngs get a bit more...'interesting'

 

[cyberknight]

+1 to this.

I normally go in about 7.30am, the traffic is fine and I have far fewer close calls. I went in an hour later last week and the increased volume in traffic was very noticable. I would think my average speed on that day must of been under 10mph.

If I come home at 4pm its not too bad. If I leave it another 45 mins thngs get a bit more...'interesting'

+2..

My day commute i leave at 6 am and the roads are great , returning around 4 pm is fine as well.

Find another route, try a different time.

 

[davehann]

dont sell your bike
start making 101 calls. the police have started listening to us!

 

[mcshroom]

Just to add if you are still paying off your C2W bike then you don't actually own it (your employer does) therefore you can't sell it.

Is there another route you could have a go at which stays on quieter roads? As a cyclist the roads usually aren't much slower and are considerable nicer to ride down. Have a look at your route with something like BikeHike and see if there are any interesting back ways etc.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

 

[fossyant]

Don't let them beat you. I was taken out two years ago, was back up the next day. Unfortunately, I've only just got my shoulder operated on following the accident, and I'm now off the bike for six week whilst the bones heal. I'm desperate to get back on the bike !

 

[Bunneh]

I understand your problem and can relate. The more you do it the more you improve at it, I control the road when I'm out, literally blocking traffic at junctions so they cannot cut me up. Pre-empt bad junctions, corners etc and see if you can go a different way. remember you can go down thin alleys and side streets, you can get off and avoid junctions altogether.

 

[craigwend]

It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters. - EPICTETUS (55 - 135 AD)​

 

[buggi]

I've found over the years that the rate of incidents has dropped for me. I think the reason for this is that I have learned how to control my space better. That is not to say that I was riding dangerously or doing things wrong, it is just that there are techniques that you can employ that encourage other road users to behave around you.

A good first step would be reading Cyclecraft by John Franklyn. He has some excellent advice on how to ride on urban roads.

Even now I find I go through good patches and bad, but I can assure you that it is well worth it in the long run. Yes it takes a while to get used to at the start, but if you hang on in there it will be worth it.

+1 get cyclecraft and learn to ride assertively, and learn primary position (sitting in the middle of your lane) at junctions (this will stop people left hooking around you for instance). it will totally change your attitude towards road riding, you will feel more in control of the traffic around you. any particular junctions you have problems with, post a link on here and we can advise you how to take it assertively and safely. don't give up and sell the bike. we're here to help.

 

[Roadrunner78]

To take a different slant on the previous posts, i notice you are new here. Apologies in advance but.. Ive been cycling in traffic for a long time im 32, i thought i knew everything there was to know about cycle commuting but.. since i joind this forum and read posts from veteran commuters i realise now i had a lot to learn. I now use primary position which stops silly overtakes most of the time. I use to ride in the gutter im sure you can imagine how the drivers treated me. I also move out early in positions where it would be silly for them to overtake, such as roundabouts and ped crossing islands. Defensive cycling. You get the idea.

Dont give up just take control of your space. Apologies again if i've got you wrong.

 

[400bhp]

Is the OP a troll?

He's only replied once.

 

[mgarl10024]

Is the OP a troll?
He's only replied once.

Perhaps he's now out on his bike and too busy to reply.

 

[mcshroom]

Is the OP a troll?

He's only replied once.

I think he's just more of an infrequent poster. The other thread Bruce 85 started is about a real incident so I would doubt he's a troll.