Hit the deck
Riding down North Terrace approx 5:15, minding my own business in the cycle lane outside the Oaks apartments just before the church and Morphett Street bridge.
A woman in a blue camry decides to pull over and park, and obviously didn't see me - I braked hard, locked up the rear, her car came across into the front wheel/handlebars and I went down over the side of the bike onto the road.
Managed to unclip right leg before impact, unsure if that helped or not.
Edge 500 shows 43.9km/h then 36.8km/h then 0km/h right next to a jagged line on the GPS tracker where things went pear shaped.
Poor woman claimed she didnt even see me, and probably was a little shocked at some bloody cyclist coming up to her window to advise her she nearly killed him.
I was pretty lucky - my knee copped 90% of the road impact and is pretty swollen, but rest of me is OK. Going to get bike looked at, but at this stage will be up for at least the shifters, pedals and handlebars - possibly some rear derailuer damage too.
Shoes will need new cleats too as the pokey out bit in the corner got broken off.
Hopefully will be back in the saddle in no time, but if any problems with the frame I will be devo'd as this one took 3 months to come from USA via Fuji as is the special stealth black/carbon SST1 frame, only 2 in the country... not happy Jan.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Matthew (two dogs) Marshall on -
Ouch
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Permalink Reply by Tarquin FintimLintin Bustop on -
Not good. hope you are ok, and exchanged details with the other driver. It may be worthwhile to visit a doctor in a few days so that injuries are recorded, in case of future need. Dont forget to report to police AND get an incident report number.
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Permalink Reply by Don (Who's lost?) Nairn on -
43 Km/hr it just makes me feel old and slow.
I hope you have reasonable outcome.
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Permalink Reply by Kasey VP on -
how soon drivers forget:
1 signal
2 Mirror,
3 (head) check...
only then begin to move the car out of your lane. Because of my brain operation, I had to go through almost the entire rigmarole of the licensing procedure to prove to the doctors that I hadn't lost my faculties regarding driving. I am 34, I was shocked at how rusty my knowledge of the road laws and just how rusty my driving abilities had gotten. I am very much of the opinion that you shouldn't get handed a licence for life at 19. the road laws change, peoples minds change, you should have to re-qual at regular intervals(10 yrs?)as a pilot does IMO.re-qualling has made me a safer driver I feel. of course being a cyclist I am always looking extra hard for other cyclists if cycling isn't in your mindset it is amazing how we just blend in to the background for a lot of tin toppers:(
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Permalink Reply by heather on -
Kasey, I agree that drivers should sit a knowledge test and driving test every 10 years when they renew their licence. Also medical exam. I wrote this to the govt in a 1999 submission on driving licensing and in a 2011 submission on Towards Zero Together. Would be surprised if it ever happens because politicians would view it as unpopular.
Hear of elderly drivers who desperately hang on to their licence when they are past driving safely. Have just renewed my licence and this time questions of "do you have diabetes" (know several drivers with it) and "do you have a health condition for which you take medication". A very tiny step in the right direction, but fudging will be common.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Brisco on -
Er - isnt it mirror - signal - final check in that order? :)
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Permalink Reply by Kasey VP on
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I knew as soon as I wrote iot down I would c*ck it up:( Lucky I wrote doing the training again made me a better driver not a perfect one:) the important thing in the pre lane change list is to check your bloody blind spot. We've all heard the "Sorry mate, I just didn't see you" from an idiot 'tin-topper'. Well, its hard to see cyclists when you think you're Luke Skywalker in Star Wars attacking the Death Star and you only focus on the trench in front of you. I am sick of bike+ car collisions being called accidents. It is very rarely a true accident. It is 9/10 times poor skills from one or both parties, usually the car driver not bothering to check his/her blind spot.
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Permalink Reply by heather on
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Kasey, I use the word collision in the vain hope that others will start to realise that they are not accidents. Wish the media would get the wording correct. So that drivers might acknowledge that most collisions can be avoided if both parties follow the road rules, drive for the conditions, no distractions from electronic gear, plus consideration for other road users.
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Permalink Reply by Darren on -
+1
Following my collision I started calling it an accident too, and treated it as exactly that - an unavoidable coming together of car and bicycle. The more I thought about it (and particularly when I realised the driver's complete lack of empathy) my thinking about the whole event changed.
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Permalink Reply by Darren on
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Hope you're OK, and hope you're back on the bike soon. Did you actually make contact or were you taking evasive action to avoid a collision?
BTW, my Endomondo track showed something similar, though I have a complete track of the ambulance route to the local hospital. ;-)
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Permalink Reply by Just another psycho-list on -
My thoughts are with you. Hope you heal up OK and soon!
A cyclist's worst nightmare! *shudder*
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