Fear of road riding

[Deleted member 1258]

Overtaking into a blind bend is just dangerous driving, I see it on one bend on one road I ride on a regular basis, Caldwell Road, fortunately its a quiet side road used by some as an access to the factories further on. Why they do it I don't know, I wouldn't when I drive.

 

[Boris Bajic]

This sounds to me a bit like the Fear of Flying. Objectively cycling on the road is extremely safe but people don't perceive it as such. In which case getting some training is likely to be more effective than reading a book, very good though Cyclecraft is.

I took your advice and read the book you mention. It has no references to cycling in traffic. There is more than one reference to wanton and inappropriate carnality. I am shocked. I may have misunderstood your post.

 

[Red Light]

I took your advice and read the book you mention. It has no references to cycling in traffic. There is more than one reference to wanton and inappropriate carnality. I am shocked. I may have misunderstood your post.

You've got the Jong book !

 

[Boris Bajic]

You've got the Jong book !

I think I have.

Although I've now found a passage in which there is a coming together with a zipless truck.

It sounds like a traffic accident of sorts, but my reading glasses are downstairs.

 

[Red Light]

So your anecdotes carry more weight and importance than mine? My anecdotes come from actual experience. Stats are stats - you can cherry pick the ones that suit your view. Since Christmas I have seen 4 cyclists knocked down, 2 go over the bonnets of cars and 2 rear ended. All were down to inattentive drivers. You are 9 times more likely to be killed on the roads if you cycle as opposed to driving. As Silver Fox said he gave up road riding as he didn't want to become another statistic and this view I totally understand and appreciate. So your spouting bollocks is now different to any other Joe spouting bollocks. You like one of the other knobs on this thread started getting high and mighty giving the impression he was a road weary cyclist. Turns out he only cycled 2.5k a year on the roads. I used to cycle more than that on sunday morning club runs each year!!! I reckon you need to be riding at least 7.5k maybe 10k miles a year before you can comment to at least stand a chance of knowing what you are talking about and to have done it for at least 10 years no 20 years.

Yep, anecdotes are good, statistics are crap. Excuse me while I have a drag to prolong my life.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...says-drink-and-cigarettes-keep-her-young.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tes-birthday-smoking-170-000th-cigarette.html

 

[growingvegetables]

I reckon you need to be riding at least 7.5k maybe 10k miles a year before you can comment to at least stand a chance of knowing what you are talking about and to have done it for at least 10 years no 20 years.

Not much different from proposing that the voting age be raised to 95.

 

[redcard]

Not much different from proposing that the voting age be raised to 95.

I agree. But only when election date is an odd number.

 

[User16625]

You can teach yourself though.

Buy and read cyclecraft.

It's defensive riding for cyclists. Some of it is plain sense, some a little more counterintuitive until you understand it. Like riding further out to get more room from passing drivers - the idea being that they see you more as an obstacle to pass, than something to brush past.There are tips on tackling all sorts of junctions and hazards.

So, buy it (or see if you can get it from the library), read it, put it into practice and then re-read it occasionally - we all benefit from refreshing our knowledge every so often.The driver or cyclist who thinks they know it all and can stop learning is the biggest fool.

Completely disagree, that would piss me right off. In one case a cyclist pulled right out almost to the centre lines, done my head in so I sounded the horn and made a rude gesture at him! Maybe I was wrong to react like that but reacting like that I did so its best not to provoke such behaviour. Same as people who cycle side by side on bends when they know there is traffic behind. When cycling I avoid doing things that would piss me off if a cyclist done that to me as a driver. Common sense stuff really.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

So your anecdotes carry more weight and importance than mine? My anecdotes come from actual experience. Stats are stats - you can cherry pick the ones that suit your view. Since Christmas I have seen 4 cyclists knocked down, 2 go over the bonnets of cars and 2 rear ended. All were down to inattentive drivers. You are 9 times more likely to be killed on the roads if you cycle as opposed to driving. As Silver Fox said he gave up road riding as he didn't want to become another statistic and this view I totally understand and appreciate. So your spouting bollocks is now different to any other Joe spouting bollocks. You like one of the other knobs on this thread started getting high and mighty giving the impression he was a road weary cyclist. Turns out he only cycled 2.5k a year on the roads. I used to cycle more than that on sunday morning club runs each year!!! I reckon you need to be riding at least 7.5k maybe 10k miles a year before you can comment to at least stand a chance of knowing what you are talking about and to have done it for at least 10 years no 20 years.

I've been cycling for over 40 years, since the cycle computers came out and I've been seeing what mileage I've been doing I've been seeing 4-5000 miles a year on average, in the 40 years I've been cycling I've not seen anybody taken out by a car, I've seen people fall off but not taken out by a car, I've been taken out myself about four times, worst injury a bruised back, an afternoon in A & E and three weeks off work. Like you I base my opinion on my experiences, and my experiences are a lot different to yours.

 

[Boris Bajic]

I've been cycling for over 40 years, since the cycle computers came out and I've been seeing what mileage I've been doing I've been seeing 4-5000 miles a year on average, in the 40 years I've been cycling I've not seen anybody taken out by a car, I've seen people fall off but not taken out by a car, I've been taken out myself about four times, worst injury a bruised back, an afternoon in A & E and three weeks off work. Like you I base my opinion on my experiences, and my experiences are a lot different to yours.

Although I have been walloped by a car, I find the above about in line with my own experiences and I have 4 decades cycling and 3 decades driving..

To date, despite some spectacular unplanned convergences with kerbs, tarmac, hedgerows, trees and other vehicles I've spent no more than the odd hour in A&E.

 

[theclaud]

Completely disagree, that would piss me right off. In one case a cyclist pulled right out almost to the centre lines, done my head in so I sounded the horn and made a rude gesture at him! Maybe I was wrong to react like that but reacting like that I did so its best not to provoke such behaviour. Same as people who cycle side by side on bends when they know there is traffic behind. When im cycling I avoid doing things that would piss me off if a cyclist done that to me as a driver. Common sense stuff really.

If people who are going to talk bollocks would kindly put this warning at the beginning rather than the end of their posts, they could save us the trouble of reading them. Thank you.

 

[bicyclos]

Do you have to ride on these particular roads with which puts the fear into you or is there an alternative route to make your experience more enjoyable? Some roads I avoid like the stink because of the aggresive attitude and bad driving I have encountered over the years. I have had to change my route to work which for me now is a pleasure to cycle and I really enjoy it. I nearly gave up cycling altogether as 5/6yrs ago was the last straw on my old route when an 18t wagon just pulled out of a junction into my path, I saw it coming at the last second and pushed myself away from the vehicle with my left hand on the grill and managed to push myself away. Cars and vans dont bother me as such but its the big boys of the road which I am more cautious and weary of. Don't let the above put you off, Its not all doom and gloom.

My yearly mileage on the road isnt fantastic by a long straw compared to most people on here as I use my bikes for commuting to work and a lot of escapism cycling, the only other alternative I have to get to work and back is two buses or walk. For my amount of time spent on the road the chances of bad encounters are a lot less than a roadie who is going to spend alot more time on the road. I would never have given up cycling for good as it's in my blood I would have ended up doing more of the rough-stuff..

 

[growingvegetables]

done my head in so I sounded the horn and made a rude gesture at him!

Ah - such a pearl of wisdom, cast before swine, so utterly wasted on us.

 

[Brandane]

Surely this subject all depends on what type of "roads" people are cycling on? It's all very well for people who spend all their time cycling on pleasant B roads out in the country to claim that it is all nicey nicey and perfectly safe. I just spent the last 2 days doing road rides around the Solway Firth and it was heaven. Very little traffic apart from the odd tractor or lost tourist.

The other side of the coin are some of the roads that some on here were suggesting I was using as a cop-out excuse for not commuting by cycle (on another thread). Anyone who thinks cycling on busy, narrow trunk roads is either safe or fun has a warped sense of immortality and/or humour, IMHO. For those familiar with them, I refuse to cycle on: A78 Largs/Wemyss Bay; A737 Lochwinnoch/Howwood; A8 around Coatbridge (section linking 2 parts of the M8); A9 Dunblane/Perth. That's just for starters.....

 

[Crankarm]

I only ride GBW and dedicated off road cycle lanes and pavements with shared use. I do not ride roads any more. The GBW is heaven, a 15 mile TT twice a day five times a week sometimes 6. The cycle lanes and shared used paths into Cambridge can be a bit of a bummer sometimes slowing for other cyclists or peds but it doesn't take 5 seconds to be courteous. Junctions can be a problem when stooooopid feckwit motons look the wrong way when approaching juntions fast and not the direction in which their vehicle is travelling. A collision waiting to happen. But I am happy to stop and let these dangerous numptees who are often driving and dialling pass as the other option riding on the roads themselves doesn't bear thinking about.