Cycle fall

[Asha]

Sorry guys but just need to voice my upset/anger at my unfortunate and unnecessary incident this afternoon.
Managed to get out for a cycle ride.
There are an increasing number of cycle lanes appearing down here which often provide the cyclist with a safer option to the road and indeed are motorist friendly as it means the traffic doesn't get blocked behind cyclists on the road.
Although there is the option to use the road, on this particular stretch the cycle lane is preferable so I'm riding along with no concerns when I get overtaken by another cyclist who passed so close that his arm clipped mine, making my steering suddenly jerk and the front wheel catch the curb ( the cycle lane is enclosed within two curbs) ......You know what's coming next don't you.....All within a split second I find myself rapidly coming into contact with the tarmac!
Went down with one hell of a bump. All part of cycling I know and yes it hurts every time!!
What p****d me off the most is not only did the cyclist not stop, neither did anyone else and there were lots of people around...motorists and pedestrians.
Fortuanatley I only suffered bruises.grazes to the classic places...hip and elbow.
Got a nice dint in my helmet mindst so going to have to buy another but better than having a head injury!!
My bike was still in one piece so was able to continue riding but of course upon inspection it has suffered a few marks here and there which is very distressing as it was bought new last March by my mother as a birthday/christmas present for me....It isn't paid for yet! ( last payment next month).
I have a feeling there is more damage than what I've noticed...At the moment I can't bring myself to look closer!
OK it's not a top notch bike but it's a decent bit of kit and certainly one of the best I've had.
Part of life I know but still very very distressing.
I'm trying to lose myself in organising my film shot for week 8 but my mind is very much otherwise occupied!
Sorry for blathering but I couldn't contain it any longer!!!!

 

[MatBin]

Some of the bike riders in London use a bike lane (which the buses and taxis are allowed to share - seems like madness to me), some of the riders are clad in lycra and do about 40mph, they even make speed cameras flash, one of these days they are going to clip a slower rider and what happened to you will happen to them except the falling rider may well go under a bus so count yourself lucky

Seriously though, its not nice when you get hurt/fall and no-one comes to your aid, we all seem to be in so much of a rush these days, I'd hope I'd help though despite being late for work and losing money (I'm freelance), the spirit of human kindness is still there I think, so I am sorry you didnt find it this time.

Did you take any photgraphs?

Matt

 

[LadySapphire]

That's a horrible thing to happen, are you ok? Unfortunately it seems less and less people have the decency to stop and help someone, I know its not much but I would have stopped to see if you were ok and I'm sure many people would.

As for your bike could you take it to where it was bought and ask to have it checked over? And to me it doesn't matter if its the most or least expensive bike in the world, its yours and you have every right to be shouting every name under the sun. Regrading your film shoot just remember how it could have been worse for you and your bike and move forward, things can be fixed.

 

[neil_g]

chicks dig scars

 

[Asha]

Some of the bike riders in London use a bike lane (which the buses and taxis are allowed to share - seems like madness to me), some of the riders are clad in lycra and do about 40mph, they even make speed cameras flash, one of these days they are going to clip a slower rider and what happened to you will happen to them except the falling rider may well go under a bus so count yourself lucky

Seriously though, its not nice when you get hurt/fall and no-one comes to your aid, we all seem to be in so much of a rush these days, I'd hope I'd help though despite being late for work and losing money (I'm freelance), the spirit of human kindness is still there I think, so I am sorry you didnt find it this time.

Did you take any photgraphs?

Matt

There are some similar ideas here too in Nice where the cyclists share the bus/taxi lane ....It works and it doesn't work depending on the bus/taxi driver!!
The biggest issue on the roads down here is use of mirrors and indicating...A massive percentage of motorists do not use their mirrors and do not indicate, simply turning and cutting cyclists, buses, motorcyclists up ...I've seen so many incidents and yes I have offered help if the emergency services haven't arrived.
As for photos today, No I didn't get any but I'm pretty sure someone probably did record something...I'll be checking U tube later !! lol
Ironically I take a tiny rucksack which amongst other things carries my canon point and shoot.....After I realised I was ok, the camera was one of my concerns...;As you can see I get my priorities right.

 

[Asha]

That's a horrible thing to happen, are you ok? Unfortunately it seems less and less people have the decency to stop and help someone, I know its not much but I would have stopped to see if you were ok and I'm sure many people would.

As for your bike could you take it to where it was bought and ask to have it checked over? And to me it doesn't matter if its the most or least expensive bike in the world, its yours and you have every right to be shouting every name under the sun. Regrading your film shoot just remember how it could have been worse for you and your bike and move forward, things can be fixed.

Yes thank you I'm ok just the grazes and bruises...no doubt will ache a bit more in the morning ...They generally do

I've cycled all my life and naturally had incidents, many much worse than this one but I cannot recall when no one has offered help....I may sound old but it wasn't the view of society when I was younger ...People helped each other especially at times of crises/incident.

As for the bike, yes i can take it to the shop if needs be ...I will try and take a good look at it tomorrow.....I really don't want to find the potential damage...maybe it won't be so bad ...here's hoping!

 

[Asha]

chicks dig scars

LMAO......Yes I know they do ( my mates and I use to show off war wounds regularly when we were younger to impress) .....appeared to work but I'm sure in hindsight that the ladies were just being polite I've got a permanent chick now ( the mrs ) so I don't need to impress the ladies anymore....Mindst you I can play for sympathy this evening though!!

 

[photon]

I had two accidents 25 years ago: one on a rural road (my regular commuting route) and the other in the middle of a city. Attitudes were no different. In fact, I recall my sister saying her flatmate had rushed to help a motorcyclist involved in an accident in London, and no passers-by helped.

 

[Asha]

I had two accidents 25 years ago: one on a rural road (my regular commuting route) and the other in the middle of a city. Attitudes were no different. In fact, I recall my sister saying her flatmate had rushed to help a motorcyclist involved in an accident in London, and no passers-by helped.

It does make one wonder what people are frightened of by becoming involved. For goodness sake, it often involves little more than a few kind words, a call to emergency services or helping the poor victim get home.

Edit: Just to add that I was an avid fellwalker when I lived in the UK. A lone climber got himself into difficulties on the Cuillin Ridge on the Isle of Skye.....It was a beautiful day but close to nightfall with no one other than us on the ridge. I never carried a mobile phone so calling for help was not an option. After reassuring the climber that I would obtain help, I made a rapid descent and called the local mountain rescue. I wonder what would have become of that guy had I chosen to ignore his predicament ....Potentially he wouldn't have made the night.....I could never have lived with that on my consience.
When people turn a blind eye to any incident no matter how small, I wonder how they would feel if that individual was to not survive simply because of their lack of involvement.

 

[LadySapphire]

I'm glad your ok and the bike can be sorted

I agree with your view on society, it's slightly scary that it's now common that people don't help one another any more

 

[Lynton]

Ouch.

Good news you has a bash lid on though.

Personally i would make it law to wear one and the punishment for cycling in the dark with no lights whilst wearing black (like the muppet I saw tonight) would be harsh.

 

[Asha]

Ouch.

Good news you has a bash lid on though.

Personally i would make it law to wear one and the punishment for cycling in the dark with no lights whilst wearing black (like the muppet I saw tonight) would be harsh.

Not to wear a helmet is just foolish ....My worst cycling incident was in the UK involved me ploughing into the rear of a parked car ( my own stupid fault as I turned into a side road at speed whilst looking around at a beautiful young lady.....oh look I was a young man then ....not that it's stopped me doing the same now!! ) Unbeknown to me there was a stationary car directly around the corner
The bike stopped dead, I didn't
Straight through the rear window of the car coming to a a halt between the front two seats.
The helmet was a right off ( as was the bike!). I had one hell of a headache for 24 hours but I lived!
To be fair most cyclists down here wear them but I am surprised it's not law.
A few years back they also made it law to wear a high vis jacket of some description on a pushbike after dark....Is that not the case in the UK?
Not that the majority of people adhere to it here and it's not policed very well.

 

[Tringa]

Glad you are basically OK, Asha.

It is a sad fact that people will not offer help, especially in your accident, the other cyclist. Not that it is an excuse but perhaps he was embarrassed at having been the cause of a fellow cyclist's accident.

As any collision involving a bike it is likely the cyclist will come off worse the lack of helmet wearing is amazing.

The one (and I have seen it more than once) that really surprises me is seeing a young child safely strapped into a child seat on the back of a bike and wearing a helmet while the adult isn't wearing one.

Dave

 

[Asha]

Glad you are basically OK, Asha.

It is a sad fact that people will not offer help, especially in your accident, the other cyclist. Not that it is an excuse but perhaps he was embarrassed at having been the cause of a fellow cyclist's accident.

As any collision involving a bike it is likely the cyclist will come off worse the lack of helmet wearing is amazing.

The one (and I have seen it more than once) that really surprises me is seeing a young child safely strapped into a child seat on the back of a bike and wearing a helmet while the adult isn't wearing one.

Dave

Thanks for your kind words Dave,
To be honest i don't even know if the other cyclist knew he had brought me down as I have no idea if he bothered to glance over his shouldr.....He obviously knew he hit caught me as it was too hard a knock not to feel it!

The children wearng helmets and not the adult is seen down here at times too....nothing like setting an example is there?!!
I appreciate they are not the most comfortable things to wear especially if it's hot ( just like a motorcycling helmet) but these things save lives in the same way seatbelts and airbags save lives in cars.

 

[photon]

As any collision involving a bike it is likely the cyclist will come off worse the lack of helmet wearing is amazing.

Driver sees unhelmeted cyclist and passes with more care

Adult, responsible cyclist without helmet more likely to ride with care

 

[neil_g]

Driver sees unhelmeted cyclist and passes with more care

Adult, responsible cyclist without helmet more likely to ride with care

That taxi driver that drove into me leaving me sprawled on his bonnet while I didn't have a helmet on wasn't following the rules then

 

[photon]

That taxi driver that drove into me leaving me sprawled on his bonnet while I didn't have a helmet on wasn't following the rules then

Ah, my sympathy.

His vehicle should've been equipped with a large cushion at the front, operating a rusty spear ready to thrust into his belly if involved in a collision. :nono: