| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cyclists an opinion | |
| Posted by: | Gavin Gilbert | |
| Date/Time: | 09/07/09 10:29:00 |
| I agree totally. I rode from Ealing to the Hillingdon Cycle Circuit along the Uxbridge Road last night, raced and then rode home. During the course of that journey: 1. I was almost sideswiped by a white van at the Uxbridge Road & Gunnersbury Lane junction. 2. then had a bendy bus pull out on me (without signaling) from the stop opposite the town hall. 3. had a clown run out in the road in front of me approaching the clock junction in Hanwell. 4. Was very nearly left hooked by a non-signaling car in Southall. The driver was on her mobile. post race 5. another near sideswipe by a bhangramobile driving in the bus lane coming into Southall. 6. a youngster deciding to run across the road in front of me as I was coming out of Southall. This was clearly a deliberate act. 7. a car failing to give way whilst joining the Uxbridge Road from outside of the Jarvis Hotel. I had to brake so hard I locked the rear wheel. Note I was on the cyclelane at this point. Now keep in mind I am a racing cyclist with 30 years road experience. I have competed in National Championship events, and have raced at an international level. I know how to handle a bike. I was in very visible club racing colours, and on the return journey was using BS Standard lights front and rear. The machine I was riding was well maintained. Yet in a journey of 8 miles I experienced 7 incidents that cause me reasonable fear for my safety. Whilst that frequency is on the extreme end of the norm, it's not untypical. Sometimes I do wonder how any of the less skilled cyclists we see manage to survive. But what really sticks in my craw - what really makes me angry - is prigs like F Stone that blame us for existing. During the course of this topic I have been told to get onto the pavement and to stay off the pavement. Wonderful, so I'm an easily persecuted minority. |