well no more bike for me
- Thread starter windy7777
- Start date
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Archie_tect
De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
- Location
- Northumberland
Take it steady windy and look forward to better days.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
I got smashed up five years ago - pretty bad, long hospital stay over 7 months off work. Got back riding off road after about 4-5 months (once injuries were stable enough) and I've started road riding more again, but stick to the quiet roads where possible.
Doug.
Veteran
- Location
- Bergerac,S.W. France
All the very best wishes and hope you have a quick recovery, where the police involved ?
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HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
It's always a pity when someone contemplates giving up something that they enjoy for external reasons.
Fear, anxiety, call it what you will prevents a lot of people from achieving their potential.
To my mind, the best thing to do is to address that fear, that anxiety.
Close passes can be terrifying. I have three tools in my toolkit for them.
Firstly, nobody else on the road (except me, of course
) is sane and rational. By treating every other road user as an idiot I react accordingly.
The second is a mirror so I'm not taken by surprise.
And the third is to leave my testicles at home. I'm not going to stand my ground if it's dangerous or just plain uncomfortable. If that car behind me isn't giving me enough space I'll pull over.
Road craft, or basic cycling skills can't be underestimated for giving confidence. Yes, riding a bike is a simple thing, but being safe on a bike is a tad more complicated involving awareness of the road, conditions and traffic. There are many resources online for these, text and video. Cycling, if possible, in traffic free areas can build up skills and confidence such as being able to look behind and not veer off course.
A well set up bike is important too. It should do what you want it to do when you need to do it. Most of the time you may get away with it, at a critical point? That's when things go wrong.
Sometimes, it helps to ride in groups. You may have difficulty roping in some friends after this escapade, but can you make contact with other people on bikes?
A good route always helps. Sometimes the most direct route isn't the best for cycling, sometimes a route that is pleasant at noon is hell at 5. One road may have a shoulder but may be full of crap and traffic, perhaps that road without the shoulder is actually safer and more pleasant to ride?
https://cycle.travel/ works in your part of the world.
I've seen suggestions that cyclists use a pool noodle (foam) attached perpindicular to the bike to encourage traffic to give a wider berth.
Similarly, I've seen people advocate a vest/jacket or similar with "Grandpa to ...." as a way of "humanising" a cyclist. (A little part of me died, writing that).
I hope you recover fully and that maybe there's a few things in here that will help you get back on the bike.
Good luck!
Fear, anxiety, call it what you will prevents a lot of people from achieving their potential.
To my mind, the best thing to do is to address that fear, that anxiety.
Close passes can be terrifying. I have three tools in my toolkit for them.
Firstly, nobody else on the road (except me, of course
) is sane and rational. By treating every other road user as an idiot I react accordingly.The second is a mirror so I'm not taken by surprise.
And the third is to leave my testicles at home. I'm not going to stand my ground if it's dangerous or just plain uncomfortable. If that car behind me isn't giving me enough space I'll pull over.
Road craft, or basic cycling skills can't be underestimated for giving confidence. Yes, riding a bike is a simple thing, but being safe on a bike is a tad more complicated involving awareness of the road, conditions and traffic. There are many resources online for these, text and video. Cycling, if possible, in traffic free areas can build up skills and confidence such as being able to look behind and not veer off course.
A well set up bike is important too. It should do what you want it to do when you need to do it. Most of the time you may get away with it, at a critical point? That's when things go wrong.
Sometimes, it helps to ride in groups. You may have difficulty roping in some friends after this escapade, but can you make contact with other people on bikes?
A good route always helps. Sometimes the most direct route isn't the best for cycling, sometimes a route that is pleasant at noon is hell at 5. One road may have a shoulder but may be full of crap and traffic, perhaps that road without the shoulder is actually safer and more pleasant to ride?
https://cycle.travel/ works in your part of the world.
I've seen suggestions that cyclists use a pool noodle (foam) attached perpindicular to the bike to encourage traffic to give a wider berth.
Similarly, I've seen people advocate a vest/jacket or similar with "Grandpa to ...." as a way of "humanising" a cyclist. (A little part of me died, writing that).
I hope you recover fully and that maybe there's a few things in here that will help you get back on the bike.
Good luck!
flake99please
We all scream for ice cream
- Location
- Edinburgh
Well, you’re less likely to be shot over here
In all seriousness... Wishing you a speedy and full recovery.
winjim
Smash the cistern
I was driving, not riding today but I lost count of the number of bikes I passed. I do live close to a national park though.
Glad you are OK, but having driven a few times in the NewJersy and California I recon you are better staying off the bike.
I amazed to find there are even hardly any pavements for pedestrians in most residential areas as everyone just drives. The shock on peoples faces when I mentioned I had taken a public bus in LA was crazy.
The car really is king in the US, and I get the feeling most people struggle to understand why you would use a pedal bike if you can afford a car. Therefore an assumption anyone on a pedal bike cannot afford a car so will be treated with the social segregation/stigma that makes the wealth gap between Knightsbridge and Hackney seem petty.
Than there are 4 way stops, it would terrify me trying to get through one of those on the bike!!
As much as people moan about UK drivers and bikes, we here in the UK have a much better experience as cyclists versus what you will experience in the US.
When you add in the fact any road rage incident in the UK at most ends up with funny YouTube videos of grown men throwing fisty cuffs, versus the unknown of firearms been potentially on anyone in the US, I would just stick to something like a Peloton indoor bike, or stick to the boulevards in places San Diego.
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DRM
Guru
- Location
- West Yorks
I don't know where in the US you are, but this is the exact reason the Gravel bike was designed, to stick to gravel roads with next to no traffic, perhaps one of these could be an option, even if it means putting the bike in the car and getting away from the city, Oh and GWS
LeetleGreyCells
Un rouleur infatigable
- Location
- Whitehaven Mansions
While in general terms, I believe the US is car-centric, I don’t believe it is true everywhere. In Portland, Oregon, there was/is a movement to bring the bicycle to the forefront. Plus there are a number of people on this forum from the US.
Here‘s a trailer to a documentary I saw about Portland. I can’t find the full film on YouTube (I think I saw it on Amazon Prime):
Getting back on topic, @windy7777 please don’t stop doing something you love doing because of someone else.
It doesn't sound like OP is loving cycling though??
I have no issues with cycling in the UK/Europe, even Asia. But in the US, unless its a few very choice destinations no thanks.
If you think our SUVs are big, wait till you pull up next to a 'Full sized' SUV in the states, or a 18 wheeler truck.....Just use a car on US roads - or go off road.
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
