nearly crashed

[stephen.rooke]

lol only had the new bike a few days and nearly crashed into a kid, was travelling at around 20mph and he just ran into the road without looking, had to break hard missed him by inches, the back wheel also punctured.

was a really close one and im so glad i was covering the brakes, wouldnt like to think how much an impact would have hurt

 

[defy-one]

Well done for stopping. I had a clipless moment and a puncture yesterday - guess what?
Can't wait to get riding tonight

 

[mark1974]

little horrors eh was we really like that haha least you missed him would have got his parents to weigh me in for new inatube though

 

[Powely]

Lucky kid you were so quick to react hey. I had a couple of near misses yesterday. A cat...didn't know which way it wanted to go, panicked and nearly ran under my wheels when it saw me. A kid on a cycle path pulled straight out on me, the mother didn't look either and a couple of runners with headphones in went from single file to two a breast nearly sending me into the bushes...oh and a guy stepped into the road without looking as I was approaching. Thankfully all were avoidable. The cat was the closest and thankfully no punctures for me either.

 

[mr_hippo]

lol only had the new bike a few days and nearly crashed into a kid, was travelling at around 20mph and he just ran into the road without looking, had to break hard missed him by inches, the back wheel also punctured.

was a really close one and im so glad i was covering the brakes, wouldnt like to think how much an impact would have hurt

What did you break? Hope it does not cost a lot to get it fixed! I see that this is the beginners section so I will go easy on you! You should be riding well within the capabilities of your machine and yourself. You say that he just ran into the road, from where? No where? Did you not see him before he ran into the road? Look for telltale signs - movement within cars, etc. Speed is nice but not that important; your safety and the safety of others is!

 

[mark1974]

What did you break? Hope it does not cost a lot to get it fixed! I see that this is the beginners section so I will go easy on you! You should be riding well within the capabilities of your machine and yourself. You say that he just ran into the road, from where? No where? Did you not see him before he ran into the road? Look for telltale signs - movement within cars, etc. Speed is nice but not that important; your safety and the safety of others is!

i drive a truck for living i am a lot higher up than on a bike and kids or animals can appear from beetween cars at any point you dont see them every time before they appear 10 ft in front of you

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Come on Mr Hippo, ease up a bit.
The OP doesn't seem to have done anything wrong and regardless of when he joined the forum, we've no real evidence of his ability, skill or experience.
A response as simple as something like as "lesson learned I suppose" may have sufficed in anything at all.
Stephen.Rooke seemed to be wise in covering his brakes and i also think he mentioned the 20mph as an indicator of how dangerous someone walking/stepping/running out on him could have been.
Could you guarantee that you have spotted every potential hazard and adjusted your riding speed/position according every time, even when you have seen the hazard?

 

[I like Skol]

Just another one of those things to be aware of as you ride along really. Remember that your approach is almost silent in comparison with a car so many people (adults and children) just won't expect you even though you might be approaching at motorised vehicle speeds!

Powely, I hope you were watching your speed on those shared cycle paths, I think the 'official' recomendation is 12mph max, but often less is more appropriate. All the incidents you mention are run-of-the-mill occurances and as such are foreseeable and you should approach each situation expecting these things to happen (although none of us are perfect )

 

[Davidc]

Happens. Good to miss the child but at least on a bike you're unlikely to kill him.

mr-hippo - it's a cycling forum not a spelling test!

 

[MrJamie]

Kids are just incredibly unpredictable and oblivious, they can be peacefully walking along with a parent and then turn and randomly sprint into the road without looking.

Ive been shouted at for skidding towards someones young kid who suddenly and for no reason ran out into the road despite keeping my speed down, riding away from the kerb, covering the brakes and watching incase the kids ran out or threw anything in front of me.

 

[sidevalve]

Sorry Davidc but in a car at 20 mph you may well have stopped faster, further, modern cars are designed to crumple/absorb impacts, the main cause of death at such speeds is head injury caused by striking the road and that is just as likely by bicycle as by car. Yes cars do have more mass but the bonnet/bumpers will all flex or shatter, a bikes handlebars for example are very unforgiving.
To the OP, well done for avoiding the little cherub but mr-hippo does have a bit of a point, I mean we don't reall know the full facts but if it was in town with parked cars etc maybe 20 is a tad quick on a silent bicycle. Remember the silent ninja cyclist may be swift but he must also be carefull.

 

[stephen.rooke]

he was walking along the path, towards a school (at 7pm) which has a sports ceter, he was carrying a tennis racket, so instinct would be he was going to the sports centre, he suddenly sprinted into the road. this wasnt someone just crossing the road without looking, the was a crossing just ahead he could of used, and after i had put the brakes on he went back onto the path and walked to the school, so there was no reason for him to cross the road

 

[stephen.rooke]

@sidevalve, there were no parked cars, this is an open stretch of road with good visibility

 

[stephen.rooke]

what if it had been a silent electric car traveling down the road

 

[Powely]

'I like Skol', I'm fear I may have been doing a little more than 12mph. I wasn't aware there was a speed limit. :/ Don't they all know the paths should be clear when I choose to ride?