Am in the car still (back on the bike on Monday) but was at a junction near home waiting to turn right, its quite busy and still pretty dark at that time of the morning and can be quite a fast road despite being a 30, it can be difficult to tell when you can go as the obligatory four by four appears to your left so you cant see, I dont like this junction and in these situations for a little extra sensory information I turn the radio off, blower off if on high and open both front windows, it was wet this morning but not that busy for once, one car goes past from the right and then its clear for me to go both ways and I was about to go but wasn't happy with the view from my wet window even given the clear road (always mindful of unlit cars, cars with broken headlamps, peds and cyclists) so wound them down as a bloke on a bike hoves into view, dressed in a black coat, head down into the rain, no lights or reflectors on his bike, hugging the gutter and partially obscured by street furniture and plants.
I had not actually moved so I dont think he had any idea how close he came to getting a car pulling out in front of him, I tend to be quite cautious and I am not saying "look what a superb driver I am" because I am just not but a lot would be sat there, radio blaring, windows opaque, on the phone and just pulled out and hit the cretin riding in low visibility conditions, dressed in black and unlit.
If you are on a bike, you cannot rely on car drivers, them being dilligent and cautious is only to be used when you really get it wrong, we are at a massive disadvantage, our stakes are far higher, but you lot all know that, how do you get that across to matey boy and his ilk ?
I feel now like I should have stopped him and told him how I had nearly pulled out on him and why.
I had not actually moved so I dont think he had any idea how close he came to getting a car pulling out in front of him, I tend to be quite cautious and I am not saying "look what a superb driver I am" because I am just not but a lot would be sat there, radio blaring, windows opaque, on the phone and just pulled out and hit the cretin riding in low visibility conditions, dressed in black and unlit.
If you are on a bike, you cannot rely on car drivers, them being dilligent and cautious is only to be used when you really get it wrong, we are at a massive disadvantage, our stakes are far higher, but you lot all know that, how do you get that across to matey boy and his ilk ?
I feel now like I should have stopped him and told him how I had nearly pulled out on him and why.
), just trying to point out how split second decisions even by motorists not behaving make a big difference, the difference being between tenses, I want drivers to think "What the F*ck is that I can see" not "What the f*ck was that loud thud".
