Lost another of my 9 lives last night.

[Globalti]

I've had a few brushes with death over my 61 years, most of them climbing-related. Last night I lost another life when approaching a mini roundabout with my right arm out signalling clearly that I intended to turn right. Down the road towards me came an old green Land Rover 90, the scruffy driver holding a phone clamped to his ear and his eyes fixed on the middle distance, seeing nothing. I sensed he wasn't stopping and he steamed straight across the roundabout at over 30 mph missing me by a foot as I stopped on the white circle.

I was so shocked I just continued my turn. Should have chased him really as I would have caught him in the congestion of Whalley village centre. What a dick.

 

[Lonestar]

Drivers on mobile phones are such ignorant selfish dicks.

To be fair though he probably overworked his one working brain cell.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Amazing aren't they..i used to get so annoyed when on my motorbikes with this..
Good for you for having the sense not to assume the idiot had seen you..so many think their safe because they are riding or driving correctly ...

 

[smutchin]

Chasing him and getting into an argument isn't going to get you anywhere, unfortunately.

This kind of experience is one of the reasons I hate roundabouts. There's one I use regularly where I go straight across but drivers joining from the left have just come off the motorway, so are often approaching very fast. I'm always terrified that they're not going to stop. Riding defensively and anticipating such behaviour is the only thing you can do. Or avoid the roundabout altogether, except that would add miles to my journey.

 

[Lonestar]

Must admit there are roads I now avoid as I can and I know there are total dicks driving down there.Although I can't avoid them all.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Glad you are still here.

The new one (or maybe not) that I see a lot now is staring at their crotches. SO subtle. Not.

 

[swee'pea99]

I'm still trying to get my head round the fact that you're a cat. That's amazing. How do you reach the pedals?

 

[Arjimlad]

Good road sense there, hoping that the driver gets stopped before he takes someone less alert out.

 

[Sixmile]

Glad you're here to tell the tale.

It's amazing that he didn't clock you but you could see his vehicle, his face, his phone and noticed that his attention was elsewhere!

 

[Katherine]

Yikes. Glad you are still here. Good reactions.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I've had a few brushes with death over my 61 years, most of them climbing-related. Last night I lost another life when approaching a mini roundabout with my right arm out signalling clearly that I intended to turn right. Down the road towards me came an old green Land Rover 90, the scruffy driver holding a phone clamped to his ear and his eyes fixed on the middle distance, seeing nothing. I sensed he wasn't stopping and he steamed straight across the roundabout at over 30 mph missing me by a foot as I stopped on the white circle.

I was so shocked I just continued my turn. Should have chased him really as I would have caught him in the congestion of Whalley village centre. What a dick.

I'm assuming you were turning right to go up Accrington Road? If so,i always wait till the pillocks stop before i make the turn. That roundabout is so dangerous. As you approach it from Billington you have to have your wits about you as you can't see the traffic on your right,hidden by the Whalley Arms pub. Another case of roads that were built for about 20% of the traffic they now have to cope with. I've sat on that bench outside the Swan Hotel and watched the traffic go around and over that mini roundabout. It's relentless,especially on a Sunday afternoon. Some of those wagons that go round and over the roundabout just should not be using such a tight road!

That's if the roundabout in question IS the one in Whalley Lancs?

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Phew. Adrenalin rush I expect.

 

[Milkfloat]

I'm still trying to get my head round the fact that you're a cat. That's amazing. How do you reach the pedals?

Freewheeling downhill.

Enough of the cat stuff - the internet is full already.

 

[Globalti]

A cat? I wish! Cats have an easy life patrolling the mousing territory and sleeping.

To @Accy cyclist no, it's the roundabout at the other end of the village where Mitton road starts. I was approaching from the village and turning right into Brooks Lane, the LR 90 came down from the direction of Barrow.

British roads weren't even built for 20% of the traffic, they were built for pack horses; that's why our country roads tend to head straight up hills rather than take a nice well-engineered zig-zagging gradient. Our A roads are mostly improved turnpikes, which were built for horses and wagons at the time when large weights of goods began to be moved around as industry grew.

 

[Drago]

Mobile phones should explode if used to access the internet or call any number other than 999 while in a car with the engine running.

I see Nissan have developed a Faraday cage integrated into a centre console so people can stash their phones and won't be tempted to look. Call me old fashioned, but every mobile phone I've seen has an off switch, and drivers are responsible for their own actions. No punishment is too severe for such eejuts.