Mate got hit by car, mrs not keen on me cycling anymore...

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Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
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SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
The only sensible way to mitigate it is keeping cyclists completely separated from motor traffic with inexpensive infrastructure (all things relative). In the mean time we are forced to ride with extreme caution and expect everyone hasn't seen you

Separation doesn't eliminate the risk of crashes, it just gives a false sense of security and encourages inattentiveness. Anyone riding a bike should be exercising extreme caution all the time there is anyone/anything in the vicinity that you could have a coming together with. Doesn't matter if it's a motor vehicle, a pedestrian, a dog, another cyclist or something like an overhanging branch or a bit of bush sticking out into the path you are on. If you come into contact with any of them, they can have you off the bike and dump you straight on the ground.
 
Has to be your call . I got knocked off a few years ago. Had a similar dilemma - sat down with wife and kids and asked what they thought "dad - but you love it"

Why don't take out cycling personal accident insurance and get an on board camera, some daylight flashing lights. - that way you have limited the risks and provision is in place should the worst happen.
 

simongt

Guru
Location
Norwich
Was rear ended, broken hip, three months off work, no cycling etc.. Nothing was going to stop me getting back on a bike again. Fortunately, the GLW is also a cyclist, so no overtures of fear from her - ! The only difference it's made to me is that I now avoid that particular stretch of road where I was hit.
What I do think made a big difference in my case is that due to the concussion - yes, I was wearing a bash hat, I still have no recollection of the fall off my bike, I've nothing to 're-live' as it were.
 

Johnno260

Veteran
Location
East Sussex
Time can play a big factor, I prep all my stuff the night before, set the alarm for 5am fuel up, and head out and I see very little traffic, this time of year you get fantastic sun rises as a bonus.

Also if the wife is stressing like mine was she got me my strava prem for the tracking, and she knew I would like the other bonus items, she also got me a radar rear light last Chritmas which I love as a solo rider and can't recommend enough.
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
Separation doesn't eliminate the risk of crashes, it just gives a false sense of security and encourages inattentiveness. Anyone riding a bike should be exercising extreme caution all the time there is anyone/anything in the vicinity that you could have a coming together with.
It must be very stressful riding everywhere with "extreme caution all the time". Doesn't it shorten your life compared to the blissed-out riders rolling along the motor-free cycleways? And moreover, you're already probably mentally exhausted before you reach a junction where you really need to pay attention, whereas a cycleway rider still feels fresh because they've not had to live with the "fear from the rear" for miles.

The main drawback with most British cycleways is recognising the junctions and the best ways to use them, because government here seems awful at marking them clearly or giving riders a cycle-friendly approach to the junction even though it's a farking cycleway! :cursing:
Doesn't matter if it's a motor vehicle, a pedestrian, a dog, another cyclist or something like an overhanging branch or a bit of bush sticking out into the path you are on. If you come into contact with any of them, they can have you off the bike and dump you straight on the ground.
It is, however, much rarer for a pedestrian, dog, cyclist or plant to hit you so hard that you die, or to then continue to mash you into the ground, or drag you along the road like a rag doll, so it does rather matter what you come into contact with!

You can still get unlucky and lose out, but it's all about the probabilities and given the choice between having a kerb between me and the motorists or not, I'll usually pick having it.
 
The main drawback with most British cycleways is recognising the junctions and the best ways to use them, because government here seems awful at marking them clearly or giving riders a cycle-friendly approach to the junction even though it's a farking cycleway!

I'd forgottan about that: these days I take it for granted I have right of way crossing side roads when on a cycleway
 

Johnno260

Veteran
Location
East Sussex
I'd forgottan about that: these days I take it for granted I have right of way crossing side roads when on a cycleway

I have seen people cross the road on a 20mph limit while they were crossing some nitwit comes roaring up the road hits the brakes and screams at them to gtfo the road, ignoring the fact that a ped already crossing has priority.

But what's the point in telling them their error you get called every name under the sun as the moron is obviously correct.
 

Cycling_Samurai

Well-Known Member
Time can play a big factor, I prep all my stuff the night before, set the alarm for 5am fuel up, and head out and I see very little traffic, this time of year you get fantastic sun rises as a bonus.

Also if the wife is stressing like mine was she got me my strava prem for the tracking, and she knew I would like the other bonus items, she also got me a radar rear light last Chritmas which I love as a solo rider and can't recommend enough.
I'm not sure how a radar light works any better than a regular LED light. I ride mostly in bike lanes and bike paths. There's nothing that will stop an inattentive driver from rear ending you except that driver or your not being there. My point is it seems like a lot of tech for little return. It probably gives a false sense of mind. I use LED lights on my bike for early morning rides with less traffic. There are many miles outside the city where i share the road with traffic. A lot of the time there is no bike lane or path just the edge of the road. Vast majority of traffic are courteous. Having mirror on my helmet is far more useful than a Garmin display. I'm not in constant fear of being hit.
 

Johnno260

Veteran
Location
East Sussex
I'm not sure how a radar light works any better than a regular LED light. I ride mostly in bike lanes and bike paths. There's nothing that will stop an inattentive driver from rear ending you except that driver or your not being there. My point is it seems like a lot of tech for little return. It probably gives a false sense of mind. I use LED lights on my bike for early morning rides with less traffic. There are many miles outside the city where i share the road with traffic. A lot of the time there is no bike lane or path just the edge of the road. Vast majority of traffic are courteous. Having mirror on my helmet is far more useful than a Garmin display. I'm not in constant fear of being hit.
I use roads, but the way it works is the headunit beeps if the radar picks something up, if they are going fast the screen flashes red, at this point you know you have a potential douche bag incoming, also a dot appears on the screen showing distance to you.

It doesn't replace a shoulder check, but it helps, I was stationary at temp lights and it flashed red, I checked my shoulder and Mr Audiot wasn't slowing so I got onto the curd as muppet McDipstick hit the cones.

It's not foolproof but it helps, and it's especially good with more EV's on the road.
 
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iluvmybike

Über Member
If we try to mitigate all risks or dangers - we would never go out - or even get out of bed. I am a lifelong cyclist and my hubby also cycles and yes I do 'worry' about him when he is out on his own - but he always carries a mobile and his gps has a tracker so I can see where he is - and vice-versa if I am out. Cycling is still a very safe activity compared to driving a car so you have to put it in perspective - government figures just released from last year show that car occupants accounted for 42% of fatalities (736 people) , pedestrians 27% (470) , motorcyclists 19% (336) and pedal cyclists 6% (100 people). Consider them alongside these stats from RoSPA:

  • The home is the most common location for an accident to happen

  • Every year across the UK, there are approximately 6,000 deaths as a result of home accidents

  • Children under the age of five years and people in later life (those over the age of 65, and particularly those over 75) are most likely to have an accident at home

  • Falls are the most common accidents and can cause serious injury at any time of life, but the risk increases with age

  • More women than men over the age of 65 die as a result of an accident in the home; however, among children more boys than girls have accidents at home

  • More accidents happen in the lounge/living room than anywhere else in the home
It is a question of perspective
 
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