Pressure from family to pack it in - Cycle Commuting ?

[Mushroomgodmat]

There is so much irrational fear with cycling... I noticed when I mentioned at work that about 100 cyclists are killed every year on the roads they where all surprised it was so low, but it's subjective.

My mum, who if fairly irrational knows I cycle to work, but I think she thinks I work about a mile from my house...if she knew I cycle 11 miles a day I'd never hear the end of it. So I choose not to tell her about it

I have yet to fall off, or have been hit by another object. But....last week I did roll my car, I was doing maybe 35mph in a 50mph speed limit road, and after some new rain, with my very thin Toyota Yaris types the rear of my car just spun out. Lucky no one was hurt, but it makes you think. I didn't have a scratch and was very relaxed about the whole thing...my wife (who was not with me at the time) was more effected by it than me, and I worried for her worrying about me,


Then again... My wife wants a bike, and I'm worried that she will put herself in danger

 

[mcshroom]

I think it's the lack of a big safety cage/air bags/seatbelt that probably gets to people.

Also cyclist deaths are remembered as they are less frequent than car deaths. Unfortunately so many people are killed in cars every year (more than were killed in the twin towers) that we seem to have become numb to it

 

[fossyant]

Show them what your worth on the insurance policy

Better not. Ahem.

 

[The Brewer]

A van passed so close today that its wing mirror brushed my t-shirt sleeve, caught him at the lights and he knew what he'd done and apologised straight away. Theres no way I'd tell Mrs B, just don't need the nagging, well not nagging, over concern say.
Touchwood not had a big spill yet, just a few grazes from mainly cliples moments, but its the fear in Mrs B's eyes I dread more than actually getting injured

 

[sabian92]

Why? High heels?

Fortunately for me, no as she's already 2 inches taller than me at 6 foot!

As for the post above, I know what you mean. I rarely tell my fiancée about my incidents because it worries her - it sounds dreadful but I don't want it to get to the stage where she dislikes it so much I give it up just out of not wanting to upset her when I do go out. I'm getting a helmet cam soon - I won't be showing her footage off that either!

 

[summerdays]

Well I got Mr Summerdays into commuting a short while after I started so generally we don't worry too much though obviously we both know about close passes etc, and we do tell each other about incidents (whereas I admit I didn't tell him about them before he started commuting). I do sometimes phone to check he has arrived at work, or he might ring me, on really icy/snowy days when there is an increased risk of coming off.

As for family they don't mention it - one sister does cycle, the other family members don't. If they did have a go I would point out that my BIL is still suffering from aches etc more than 3 years after his car accident.

 

[jefmcg]

I'm lucky. I came back from a ride with friends where I'd had an altercation with gravel (the gravel won) and he described me as "A spectral figure: white as a sheet and covered in blood" - but the only time he's ever expressed that I shouldn't do something on my cycle was when he said I shouldn't cycle to Paris on my own.
On the other hand, the first time he cycled to work through London, I regretted that I hadn't asked him to call me when he got to work. Then I realised I'd be furious if he asked me to do the same.

 

[marafi]

Well sadly for my family thinks, if i ever have a accident then they will get rid of my bike. Also they have said because for me and some other people who are Muslim and Jewish we are most likely to get knocked down. Sometimes yes, due to racist bigots, other times well especially at night its never going to happen. This is because according to strangers we 'look very scary at night'. lool I almost fell off my bike when someone said that to me. Other then that i am very glad to how much weight i have lost and still losing. I like roller blading also!

 

[wheeliebin]

Not entirely relevant but I remember the comment from my Mrs when I went back to motorbiking a couple of years back:
"if you fall off it's going back to the shop"(!!)