So close to crashing

[Chrisc]

Out yesterday plodding up a hill into a nice headwind. Had my woolly cap under the helmet and head down in a steady rhythm when I glanced up to see the back of a van parked a few feet ahead with the driver standing there as if ready to catch me! I just managed to stop and unclip my left foot to save keeling over!
Damn close but we had a laugh about it before I got going again. Hadn't realised I was only really looking about two feet ahead under the cap brim. Heads up!

 

[Banjo]

Out yesterday plodding up a hill into a nice headwind. Had my woolly cap under the helmet and head down in a steady rhythm when I glanced up to see the back of a van parked a few feet ahead with the driver standing there as if ready to catch me! I just managed to stop and unclip my left foot to save keeling over!
Damn close but we had a laugh about it before I got going again. Hadn't realised I was only really looking about two feet ahead under the cap brim. Heads up!

Many years ago my Father went out to his van after visiting his mate and found an unconcious cyclist behind it.I cant remember how badly the guy was hurt ,didnt do much damage to the transit though.
The guy was wearing a peaked cap.


I think on long empty roads its easy to drift off into your own little world sometimes.

Glad you woke up in time Chris that Bianchi is too nice to be crashed

 

[skudupnorth]

I'm normally looking down nowadays to dodge potholes !

 

[Chrisc]

Banjo, yep I'd have been pretty upset if I'd bent my Bianchi! I was definitely in a world of my own there.

It is a bit of a balancing act nowadays between watching the other traffic and dodging bomb craters eh? As if there isn't enough to contend with.

 

[chris-s]

Nearly done it myself a couple of times, head down hoofing up a hill only to look up and see stationary traffic in front, fortunately dry both times and I was able to stop JUST in time and rip my feet out of the pedals to avoid falling over.

Chris

 

[Globalti]

Did it when I was a kid, riding along in the rain with my head down, I suddenly found myself sprawled on the boot of a parked car. Got off and rode away before the owner came out; he was watching TV inside and didn't hear the noise.

 

[sabian92]

I've nearly done it a few times, my most memorable was biking home after a night of drinking when I was around 15 or so (I imagine with hindsight I was probably still a bit drunk!) and I came down a long descent, swooped into a 90 degree left, clipped the apex of the corner like a beaut, but let it run a little bit wide. If the paint had been any thicker on the brand new Volvo parked on the outside of the road, I'd have hit it! Quite glad I didn't, I wasn't wearing a skid lid...

 

[sparty69]

I nearly came a cropper myself today. Going downhill at fair old lick keeping pace with a lorry in front of me. Narrow country road, wet surface, lorry decides to stop to allow another lorry coming the other way to pass!. I had to anchor on and just prayed that I didn't skid. I somehow managed to come to a halt just shy of the back of the lorry . Lesson learnt, don't get too close to vehicles in front of you, especially when it's wet.

 

[guitarpete247]

I was cycling home one Sunday from Nan's sunday tea. I was with my younger brother and was in charge of keeping him safe. I heard this crash and turned round to see my brother picking himself up after piling into the back of a parked van. It was over 40 years aga and he still hasn't forgiven me .

My ittle accident happened here on my way back from the Sandtoft gathering. My mate and I had been to the beer tent and then set off biking home. I glanced down at my derailleur, hit the kerb on the left (which used to be higher) and went over the bars. My mate came up a couple of minutes later when I was straightening the steering laughing. When he asked what I was doing I told him I'd looked down to see what gear I was in. He told me "Jeans and t-shirt you p**ll*ck".

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I nearly came a cropper myself today. Going downhill at fair old lick keeping pace with a lorry in front of me. Narrow country road, wet surface, lorry decides to stop to allow another lorry coming the other way to pass!. I had to anchor on and just prayed that I didn't skid. I somehow managed to come to a halt just shy of the back of the lorry . Lesson learnt, don't get too close to vehicles in front of you, especially when it's wet.

Reminds me of when I was cycling on the Isle of Mull on holiday when I was 10. Myself and my big brother were cycling back to Tobermory from somewhereorother with my parents in the car in front of us on a wet road.

On going down a hill, my parents braked for a corner/traffic and I almost slid into the back of them. I was only saved because they started to accelerate away just as I got close to them

 

[Riverman]

Ah you've just reminded me of this thread.

 

[buggi]

This happened to a mate of mine, and the woman driver was sitting in the car and ended up taking him to hospital. no serious damage done to car, bike or cyclist, just a few bruises and minor dents. Probably would have been a different story if he'd been going downhill, but then he would have probably been more likely to be looking where he's going. i think a few of us could be accused of not looking ahead when riding uphill.

I once glanced down at my feet and then somehow got mesmorised by them turning around... BANG! sprawled in the road looking at the back of a parked car. Whoops. Completely dazed with suspected broken fingers, some kind couple in a jag pulling a caravan stopped, picked me up out the road and gave me a lift home... i was really muddy and they had nice cream leather seats (they didn't seem to mind and were very insistent that i shouldn't worry about it)