Discussion
Ah, the season of "sorry mate; I didn't see you*" begins.
Me, cycling, in a reflective jacket, with bright lights on my helmet and my bike.
I'm fine, and it was a miss not a hit, but *sigh* all the same.
* left unsaid was "because I haven't bothered to defrost and wipe my windows"
@neil yesterday on my commute home a driver shouted at me, I couldn't tell what, it was either I was going "too fast" (unlikely 🤣) or that my lights were "too bright"
@coffeecatdotorg I have often wondered about one of those jackets!
@neil We have a friend who biked everywhere. Then one day as she waited at a roundabout, someone accelerated to get into a gap without bothering to check who was in front of her. Left our friend senseless on the road and with no memory to this day of what happened, waking in hospital. And now, years later, her bike lies unused in the garage as she's still too frightened to use it.
@neil Oof, glad it was a miss. But it always shakes you up even if they don't hit. I hope you are not too shaken up.
I really hate the way they think pointing out they didn't see you makes it better. Yes, I know you didn't, that was the problem!
I think I'm lucky where I live. We have those rental scooters and people ride them with so little care for their own safety that it's trained the drivers to be _really_ careful of things that are not cars 😂
The pedestrians wondering across the road while staring at their phones are another problem entirely...
@Noneeeed Fortunately, not shaken at all, since it is just was so predictable, and I'd already accounted for it.
@neil Too familiar, that.
I'm glad it was a miss.
@neil damn. I'm glad you're alright. Pity cycling is made so hazardous for us all.
@neil and because your government decided to not include bikers when building transportation infrastructure.
@neil glad you're OK.
A few years ago I was passenger in a car that was written off by a low-speed shunt in traffic where the driver behind us hadn't cleared their windows.
(I was fine and no-one was seriously injured.)
@neil thanks for reminding me to campaign for safe cycling infrastructure (like the Bowie Ride with the Dundee Critical Mass crew on Saturday)
@neil phew.... My reply when they say that is often 'well if you don't watch you can't see'
@neil Good that you´re ok.
Next time just install a police light on your helmet and then mimic the sound of the police siren during your commute. 👌
( maybe contains a few drops of sarcasm...)
@neil Ugh. I hated this when I commuted by bike. Glad you’re OK
@neil "I haven't bothered to defrost and wipe my windows"
There I fixed it for you 😈
(Here in Australia these incidents are known amongst fellow motorcyclists by the acronym SMIDSY).
@neil Ah yes. The dreaded SMIDSY, as us motorcyclists call it. Got by one 20-odd years ago - beautifully clear summer day, and was taken out by Blind Pew in a Vauxhall. Destroyed my Kawasaki ZX-6R.
Glad it was a miss.
@thirstybear Yikes. That sounds horrible :(
@neil Of course, you could always ride more defensively? 😁
@neil hope you are ok. We could start the whole issue of body cams and the legality of use of the video in various ways. I took to wearing them when I was cycling. Some time I must start again, but the A40 needs a cycle lane, really.
@neil Good luck and be safe out there the coming dark months!
@neil ooof. Glad you're OK.
@neil Oof, I hate that.
It was always my theory with the classic "polite notice" chequered hi-viz jacket: every time a driver shouted "OI - you're not a policeman!" at me I'd think "obviously not, but you've clearly seen me now, so that's another potential SMIDSY averted..."