Minor tumble.

[Graham W]

On my daily commute through London yesterday I had slightly more interaction than I would have liked with a pedestrian. And then the pavement.

The story went like this: I was trundling along, not too fast, with right of way, along Wigmore street; 3 idiots start crossing the road into my path. I shout, 2 of them see me and stop, the third doesn’t. I slowed down, still shouting, thinking she isn’t going to keep going is she? Oh yes she is. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite stop in time, so she collided with my shoulder knocking me over.

Fortunately, by the time we made contact, I had virtually stopped so it was an almost comedy tip over onto the pavement. Had I not been clipped-in (and new to it too) I would probably not have gone over. She and her colleagues did at least stop to make sure I was ok (I was) and that the bike wasn’t broken (it wasn’t).

I guess if you have to come off, doing it at this speed is the one you want, although perhaps a softer landing would have been nicer.

Now maybe I haven’t taken this as seriously as I should but I do certainly acknowledge that I was very lucky here. And I’ve learned three things from it:

- Learn to up-clip quicker
- Learn to shout louder
- Ensure I have my polite but withering insults ready (they were coming to me thick and fast on the way home…)

 

[phil_hg_uk]

On my daily commute through London yesterday I had slightly more interaction than I would have liked with a pedestrian. And then the pavement.

The story went like this: I was trundling along, not too fast, with right of way, along Wigmore street; 3 idiots start crossing the road into my path. I shout, 2 of them see me and stop, the third doesn’t. I slowed down, still shouting, thinking she isn’t going to keep going is she? Oh yes she is. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite stop in time, so she collided with my shoulder knocking me over.

Fortunately, by the time we made contact, I had virtually stopped so it was an almost comedy tip over onto the pavement. Had I not been clipped-in (and new to it too) I would probably not have gone over. She and her colleagues did at least stop to make sure I was ok (I was) and that the bike wasn’t broken (it wasn’t).

I guess if you have to come off, doing it at this speed is the one you want, although perhaps a softer landing would have been nicer.

Now maybe I haven’t taken this as seriously as I should but I do certainly acknowledge that I was very lucky here. And I’ve learned three things from it:

- Learn to up-clip quicker
- Learn to shout louder
- Ensure I have my polite but withering insults ready (they were coming to me thick and fast on the way home…)

Nearly had a similar thing happen on a cycle path the other day when the 2 of the 3 people in front of me couldn't make up their minds which side of the cycle path to go to, so ensued a sort of comedy crossing and re-crossing of the bike path as one followed the other and I wobbled to a stop just avoiding a TIMBER moment

 

[HLaB]

On my daily commute through London yesterday I had slightly more interaction than I would have liked with a pedestrian. And then the pavement.

The story went like this: I was trundling along, not too fast, with right of way, along Wigmore street; 3 idiots start crossing the road into my path. I shout, 2 of them see me and stop, the third doesn’t. I slowed down, still shouting, thinking she isn’t going to keep going is she? Oh yes she is. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite stop in time, so she collided with my shoulder knocking me over.

Fortunately, by the time we made contact, I had virtually stopped so it was an almost comedy tip over onto the pavement. Had I not been clipped-in (and new to it too) I would probably not have gone over. She and her colleagues did at least stop to make sure I was ok (I was) and that the bike wasn’t broken (it wasn’t).

I guess if you have to come off, doing it at this speed is the one you want, although perhaps a softer landing would have been nicer.

Now maybe I haven’t taken this as seriously as I should but I do certainly acknowledge that I was very lucky here. And I’ve learned three things from it:

- Learn to up-clip quicker
- Learn to shout louder
- Ensure I have my polite but withering insults ready (they were coming to me thick and fast on the way home…)

d) Learn to track stand

 

[Davidsw8]

I don't think I'll ever understand how a person could walk in to a road, especially in Central London, and not look...

Glad you're ok anyway.

 

[Tyke]

e) Learn to brake harder and if not sufficient try to pass to the rear of stray pedestrians

 

[HLaB]

I don't think I'll ever understand how a person could walk in to a road, especially in Central London, and not look...

Glad you're ok anyway.

Peds can be so random, Ive seen one suddenly start running and run into the side of a stationary double decker bus, they were only bright maroon (Lothian Bus) and there was only 3 of them (bus only street); I suppose it was easy to miss the one in front

 

[Archie_tect]

It's the parents who push their buggy into the road before the traffic's past by that get me... thankfully not literally.

 

[Davidsw8]

Peds can be so random, Ive seen one suddenly start running and run into the side of a stationary double decker bus, they were only bright maroon (Lothian Bus) and there was only 3 of them (bus only street); I suppose it was easy to miss the one in front

I was thinking that maybe being a cyclist gives you an extra awareness for when you're a pedestrian so you keep an eye out for cyclists when crossing the road.

Saying that, I've always been able to bring myself to look both ways...

 

[Ciar]

I had this a couple of times the other day, I ended up slowing up because they were too stupid to realise the bit they were walking on was a road and i also passed behind both individuals easier to do that, as you just know they are going to speed up if you try to pass in front.......

 

[Twelve Spokes]

Sods law,you always make a prat of yourself when you are new to SPD's or whatever,at least I did.

Now I have done 10000+ miles on fixie with no probs,but a few of my workmates wont use them.

 

[Graham W]

Sods law,you always make a prat of yourself when you are new to SPD's or whatever,at least I did.

Now I have done 10000+ miles on fixie with no probs,but a few of my workmates wont use them.

I thought I was going well. Nearly two weeks in and remaining upright.
Oh well, at least it's out of the way now...

 

[michaelcycle]

Peds can be so random, Ive seen one suddenly start running and run into the side of a stationary double decker bus, they were only bright maroon (Lothian Bus) and there was only 3 of them (bus only street); I suppose it was easy to miss the one in front

I have seen the exact same thing here in London - a pedestrian running slap bang into the side of the stationary red, double decker bus they wanted to catch. Wouldn't you just...stop?

 

[kipster]

It's normally school kids where I commute, they never look further than their phone. I came of worse when one step out in front of me, it involved a visit to A&E.