Not sure why I'm posting this other than to clear my conscience, but I had my first major near miss this morning down to my own stupidity.
I'm generally a cautious chap, but getting a bit over confident on my new road bike I went through a light as it was changing to red this morning. The distance between the light and the juction it interacts with is some distance and to compensate I really put my feet down thinking I could make it before the corresponding light changed to green. I was going at quite a pace when I turned the corner and realised I hadn't made it in time and that a car was starting out from the junction on my left. Fortunately he saw me, and I managed to brake/aqua plane in the wet without coming off. In the initial shock we both waved fists at each other, and he gave me an earful before driving off. I should have known better as a driver and a 40 y.o. father of 2.
I carried on, but it was after I got on the train that I felt guilty, both for the driver and for generally giving a bad impression of cyclists; we often lambast motorists, but on this occassion I was clearly reckless.
Suppose the positive is that I've learnt the lesson without any dents other than to my pride and managed to handle the bike without coming off (although probably a large slice of luck in that).
So there you go. Suppose if any new cyclists are looking in on here, then be aware that the speed of a road bike needs to be countered with sensible and safe use on the road. The lesson for me is to be more considerate and think both as a motorist and a cyclist when in the car or on the bike.
I'm generally a cautious chap, but getting a bit over confident on my new road bike I went through a light as it was changing to red this morning. The distance between the light and the juction it interacts with is some distance and to compensate I really put my feet down thinking I could make it before the corresponding light changed to green. I was going at quite a pace when I turned the corner and realised I hadn't made it in time and that a car was starting out from the junction on my left. Fortunately he saw me, and I managed to brake/aqua plane in the wet without coming off. In the initial shock we both waved fists at each other, and he gave me an earful before driving off. I should have known better as a driver and a 40 y.o. father of 2.
I carried on, but it was after I got on the train that I felt guilty, both for the driver and for generally giving a bad impression of cyclists; we often lambast motorists, but on this occassion I was clearly reckless.
Suppose the positive is that I've learnt the lesson without any dents other than to my pride and managed to handle the bike without coming off (although probably a large slice of luck in that).
So there you go. Suppose if any new cyclists are looking in on here, then be aware that the speed of a road bike needs to be countered with sensible and safe use on the road. The lesson for me is to be more considerate and think both as a motorist and a cyclist when in the car or on the bike.
And yes, lesson learnt and it won't happen again
