Close Shaves
This morning during my commute I looked down at my right hand and noticed a a white van about 1cm away from the bar end. At first I just thought "that other riders a bit close" not realising it was actually a van skimming the bikelane. Then I felt the vans left mirror gently pushing my backpack and my bike along. I just moved over an inch or two and kept riding.
Later on I realised that I had experienced a pretty close shave ...
and got to thinking, I bet the crew here have had a few "memorable" moments of their own they could share.
Later on I realised that I had experienced a pretty close shave ...
and got to thinking, I bet the crew here have had a few "memorable" moments of their own they could share.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by VeloAvenger on
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Too close. I was once yanked off the back of my recumbent by a cable strung across the bike path catching under the lip of my helmet. If an Idiot us trying to hurt you, you're safe. If he's not trying to, BEWARE!
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Permalink Reply by Teddles on -
Not sure if this counts, a few weeks ago while riding home from town at a rather ungodly hour wound up getting a 3/4 full Jim Bean tin in my back, which had been thrown from a passing car on Greenhill road. It left a nice round mark on my shoulder , also made feel like I needed to get home quicker as I felt like one off those tins. It bloody Hurt. I figure this falls in the near miss, If it had hit my neck or higher I may off been F**ked. (though I have a neck brace on now due to a self inflicted injury)
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Permalink Reply by simon young on -
This bloke needs to buy a LOTTERY ticket.. awesome, and he just keeps right on cruising... oh well just another day in Ho Chi Mihn city!
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Permalink Reply by heather on -
Once I had a vehicle hit the safety flag that then protruded from my bicycle. The orange flag was on a flexible arm so the flag bounced for extra attention. The handle bars protruded only 50mm further out than the flag. Missed by less than 50mm - I call that a close shave.
Another time I was travelling west along Regency Road and crossing over the Main North Road intersection. I heard a truck, knew it would be too close, and got onto a triangular pedestrian island, before the truck passed over where I had been.
Another time I was cycling south on Montefiore Road. I heard a a truck, realised there was a garbage truck too close to the left, and got onto the footpath. Otherwise I would have been squashed. ACC in its wisdom recently erected a 'safety barrier for vehicles' here. Now vulnerable cyclists do not have the option of escaping onto the footpaths to escape negligent drivers. The ACC did not accept my logic about protecting cyclists who are even more vulnerable than those strapped into a metal cocoon.
In King William Road near the Adelaide Oval, where ACC added a protrusion on a slight curve, I know to be aware of bendy buses. Heard a bus too close, and managed to fall onto the footpath, pulling my bike on top of me, just before the rear end of the bus 'swept' the place where I had been.
Another time I was cycling South Road in Regency Park. There are many areas of South Road that I would not cycle, but this is 3 lanes wide in both directions. There are 3 businesses in this area that I patronise. Heard a truck too close and quickly got onto the grassed verge. Then there were no footpaths to (illegally) ride on, but some being installed this year. Next moment a B-double truck passed over where I had been.
Teddles, I too have been deliberately hit by thrown rubbish in daylight hours. Even without injury, very distracting re road safety.
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Permalink Reply by Doddsy on -
On a rainy day this bloke was walking back to unlock his bike when things were getting a bit sticky in the nether regions. My mate stopped to re adjust his package holder when...
True story, if he didn't stop to adjust his trousers....
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Permalink Reply by Doddsy on
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These are a few photos ive taken while at work over the last six months or so.
Some of the broken windows are from pedestrians getting hit, the taxi airbag took out a police car with his sirens on, the taxi in the wall was in an incident with a pregnant lady (the motor of the taxi came out of the hood and landed in the garden and according to the news the speedo of the taxi landed down the road and was stuck at 90 at a 50). The motorcyclists leg was broken and his ankle was twisted in the wrong direction (he was wearing a suit and slacks instead of boots). I can't remember most of the others.
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Permalink Reply by Doddsy on
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Althought ive never been hit by a car I've got more stories of close shaves than i can remember.
these photos are also from the last six months or so.
Can't really remember this one but i think a pedestrian was involved.
this car plowed into a pub
This pedestrian got absolutely nailed by a cab it was pretty bloody but i didn't want to reveal anyones identities.
A tradie kicked his door open at me, dodged it but the tailgating bus didn't (lucky i wasn't really in the door zone otherwise the bus would have nailed me).
Also had a photo of a kid who got hit by a bus but the police made me delete it.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Palfrey on -
It is illegal to take photos of kids under 14 at any time in SA without parental permission.
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Permalink Reply by Doddsy on
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Yep I try not to reveal identities in photos, while still trying to keep a record of some of the crazy stuff i come across.
The photo illustrated a bus with a broken window, ambulance officers standing over the child with their backs turned to me and all you could really see was the kids legs hanging out.
Think i failed the "attitude test" because i was still angry about an anti cyclist media explosion the night before.
This cyclist lost his cool with a bus driver who tried to intimidate him.
The bus driver that hit the child was running the lights so i wasn't very sympathetic to the motorist to say the least.
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Permalink Reply by Sue on -
I was riding 9:30pm one night along Bartley Tce and there was a side street with poor street lighting, I had front and back flashy lights (no hi-vis vest at that stage, since this incident yes!)) and a car came out of the side street slowly, I was sure I had made eye contact with him through his tinted windows but apparently not. I slowed down a bit and he kept coming slowly, it got to a point where I realised he had not seen me and I yelled out "STOP"!! which he did and his front bumper bar stopped within a couple of centimetres of my left leg. I rode around the front of him and kept going, having a slight heart attack and processing the moment, he stayed deadfast in his car for almost a minute then slowly drove up beside me with the passenger window down and said to me he was really sorry and didn't see me, I waved and said "you just need to look mate".
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