alasdairgf
New Member
- Location
- Liverpool
I was flying down Liverpool's Smithdown Road (streetview) this afternoon, a lovely long downhill stretch. Two lanes, all the traffic in the right-hand lane because of the odd parked car partly in the left lane, but that left long stretches where it was just me in the left lane, going faster than the traffic. At the bottom of the hill, a set of lights, everyone (incl. me) slows up. A car I had just overtaken pulls up to the right of me, then suddenly decides he needs to turn left at the lights, so nearly sideswipes me. I yell, "Jesus, watch it!" loud enough that both he and his startled wife (passenger seat) hear, and he slams on anchors and veers back into his lane.
Collision avoided.
It was bloody close, though - I reckon there must have been a max of 5cm between his car (v expensive Merc) and my right pedal.
I turned at the lights (he didn't in the end, I reckon he found another route out of embarrassment), stopped and sat there shaking for a while. If he'd hit me, the relative velocities were negligible, but I just had a vision of his car knocking me down and riding right over me.
I've been riding since May, I think, that was the first time I've at all felt at risk. Up until now, every driver I've come across has given me loads of room, no problems. I certainly feel a little bit more vulnerable now.
(Of course, the best outcome might have been him knocking me down but not injuring me, but totalling my bike - I'm desperate for a new bike as mine's a total POS, but I'm utterly skint!)
Collision avoided.
It was bloody close, though - I reckon there must have been a max of 5cm between his car (v expensive Merc) and my right pedal.
I turned at the lights (he didn't in the end, I reckon he found another route out of embarrassment), stopped and sat there shaking for a while. If he'd hit me, the relative velocities were negligible, but I just had a vision of his car knocking me down and riding right over me.
I've been riding since May, I think, that was the first time I've at all felt at risk. Up until now, every driver I've come across has given me loads of room, no problems. I certainly feel a little bit more vulnerable now.
(Of course, the best outcome might have been him knocking me down but not injuring me, but totalling my bike - I'm desperate for a new bike as mine's a total POS, but I'm utterly skint!)
Better to save (or blackmail someone, LMAO!) 
Do you get a free apple!?
