On my hill training ride there is this great stretch of road through a business park. It has a little 4% incline and if traffic is just right I can turn onto the road at a nice pace, sprint up the bump and take the bend in the road at a speed that makes this old lady feel like a young, fast racer. It is particularly nice because in the direction I travel there aren't any driveways and, inspite of the bump, 100% visible roadway. I've always thought it was safe. Well, until today....
Traffic was light, I hit the turn perfectly and I had enough oomph to start up the bump still strong. But, being the ever paranoid cyclist, I saw a semi pulling out of a driveway at the top of the bump, but on the opposite side of the street. "Oh, [explicative deleted], his angle is bad and he's going to use his two lanes and the two lanes in my direction to make that turn." A little math said my 160lbs didn't stand a chance--shouting and waving are pretty useless to a truck cab that tall. So, I concede and hit the brakes. Thankfully so did the truck.
I think he was just as shook up as I was because DH, who was about a half mile behind said a semi with the same markings waited and gave him almost too much respect.
Paranoia pays off--I'll continue watching both sides of the road. Trust no one.
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07-03-2007, 08:29 AM #1
Slow and Steady
- Join Date
- Oct 2006
- Posts
- 1,057
Bicycle Vs. Truck -- Bicycle Concedes but Scares Truck
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07-03-2007, 08:34 AM #2
fly like and eagle
- Join Date
- Jul 2006
- Location
- Central TX
- Posts
- 757
Scary stuff sometimes. Be careful, but still have fun. I'm glad you and the truck did not connect.
Donna
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07-03-2007, 05:45 PM #3
Team Pink
- Join Date
- May 2007
- Location
- San Antonio Heights, CA (Upland)
- Posts
- 1,067
Scary, scary!!!
Yes, we must be defensive cyclists at all times, never knowing what we'll encounter. Sounds like you were. So glad you escaped calamity.
Interesting that you were half a mile "ahead" of Dh. You sound like a superstar!
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07-03-2007, 05:49 PM #4
Ride it Like You Stole It
- Join Date
- Jun 2005
- Location
- Wisconsin
- Posts
- 1,139
Glad to hear you're heads up paid off. A similar thing happened to me at lunch yesterday. Except I was "in the zone" spinning up a long incline and just happened to pick my head up in time to see a delivery truck coming out of a tree lined "blind" driveway right in front of me. I hollered hey the same time I hit the brakes cuz he was looking the other way. He saw me in time and let me pass but made me much more alert for the remainder of the ride.
Be safe out there!Dar
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“Minds are like parachutes...they only function when they are open. - Thomas Dewar"
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07-03-2007, 06:07 PM #5
LeMond Etape WSD
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Location
- Central Connecticut
- Posts
- 195
TRUST NO ONE!
There are no truer words when I am on my bike!!
Glad you are ok!Louise
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You don't really ever have to fall. But kissing the ground is good because you learn you're not going to die if it happens."
-- Jacquie "Alice B. Toeclips" Phelan, former U.S. national champion cyclist
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