Run off the road

[Trekhawk]

I did what I would call a couple of harder rides over the weekend so today I decided to do a nice relaxing ride and take in the sights. I decided to cycle a route called The Greg Lemond Loop. Its a lovely ride along mainly country roads and very scenic. I had a lovely ride and was nearly home when some idiot ran me off the road. This is the first time I have had any problems with a driver around here most are courtious and give you plenty of room. This driver went past me so close and then cut back in before he was actually passed me forcing me off the road. There was no bike lane or even a shoulder so I was off in the bush. Lucky for me there were no trees near the edge and I managed to stop without any damage just a few scraps from some bushes. The driver never even slowed but a lady coming along behind stopped and asked if I was ok which was very nice. Anyway I finished my ride but it really did spoil a beautiful day.

[jobob]

Leslie, how awful !!!

I'm very very glad you're OK.

I imagine you or the lady behind you had no chance to get a description of the vehicle. People like that should rot in he!! , pure & simple.

[Aint Doody]

Oh, Trekhawk, that makes me sooooo mad! It happened to me once, too, in town and the car had plenty of room. We all need to start trying to get those tag numbers, (which is ridiculous-who is thinking about that when we're trying to save our booties.) Somebody needs to come up with a helmet-camera to take pictures of these people..............

[SadieKate]

I nearly had a large brown delivery truck that shall remain unidentified do that to me last week. Sorry your encounter was closer than mine.

[massbikebabe]

Trekhawk,

That's horrible!! Glad you were not hurt. People are just plain idiots!!






karen

[CorsairMac]

very glad to hear you're ok my friend. There is nothing scarier than having someone do that to you with no shoulder. Sounds like you have very fast reflexes and that you both made it thru ok! Angels were riding with you!!

[DeniseGoldberg]

Wow - what a bad nightmare you just lived through! I'm very glad to hear that you're OK, even though a bit shook up.

That driver's license should be yanked - too bad no one saw the license plate.

--- Denise

[luv'nAustin]

I like your spirit...you tell 'em Trek!

[Trek420]

thanks luv'nAustin, I dunno if it's spirit but where is the jersey that says:

"CA Vehicle code # __?____ bikes ARE traffic, same rights, same rules, same responsibility?"

or the vest that says:

"YES as a matter of fact I DO own the d*&^ road"

I've been hit twice (this is where Bikeless chimes in "you WHAT? ") back in the day when I was much younger and took better ukemi (Japanese for falls).

Now I'm old and brittle boned, don't think I could do it again. ;-)

Both times cut off by a right turning driver on College Ave in Oakland, it's a pretty street but you could not pay me to ride there. Twenty years later there are traffic calmed streets that paralel it. Anywho the first time I did emergency right turn and just turned with him, scraped my tire down to the tube on his fender but stayed upright.

Second time was knocked to the ground off the bike by a gal who just had to get to Wendy's right now, could not wait the nano-second for me to clear the driveway.

We've all have close calls every day. This stuff makes me so mad.

Be careful TE gals.

[yellow]

Ah, this brought back memories of my first run-off-the-road.

I too was living in a rural area very similar to where TrekHawk lives (only 1 county away!) that had a high number of big trucks per capita. I think I'd had my bike maybe a month and was riding with a friend (who is an experienced rider) on a road that I hadn't ridden on before. So I was already a little gripped since the roads there didn't have shoulders or white lines or anything (I eventually got over that...). Anyhoo, here comes Big Truck Man. My friend and I were a little spread out (he was in front of me) and Big Truck Man decides to give me a "scare" I guess and pulls off the road into the dirt between me & my buddy, thus throwing rocks and dirt in my face and forcing me to go down. Truck Man then speeds off but not before uttering some unintelligible obscenity at my buddy.

I was definitely shook up but interestingly most pissed about the scratch on my new bike. My friend never suggested riding on that road again! I look back on it now as a learning experience, but it was way scary at the time.

[Selkie]

Trekhawk---I'm going to invent a "james bond" supersoaker water cannon that you install on your bike. I need to figure out a way to put water--under pressure--inside the frame of a bike without adding a lot of weight. I guess you'd have to use a Titanium frame. I figure the trigger could be on your brake caliper. This has been a fantasy of mine for awhile---blasting people who compromise your safety. When someone does something mean to me when I'm riding, i.e., intentionally crowding me or not yielding, I just visualize blasting them, as I mutter swear words under my breath!
I am glad you're OK.

[luv'nAustin]

Check out this plate that is available in Texas. Wish I saw more of them on the road, I love the message...Share the Road Y'all.

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/vtr/sppla...te.htm?nbr=135

[Trek420]

mickchick,

I'm thinking handlebar-mounted paintball gun with levels of paint-contrasting colors is the way to go

[Duck on Wheels]

[QUOTE=Trek420]

I've been hit twice (this is where Bikeless chimes in "you WHAT? ") ...

Second time was knocked to the ground off the bike by a gal who just had to get to Wendy's right now, could not wait the nano-second for me to clear the driveway.

You WHAT!!!???
And for Wendy's???!!! The driver not only had no street smarts, she had no taste either!
Luckily, far's I can see, you have recovered.

[Trek420]

bikeless in WI "Luckily, far's I can see, you have recovered."

Yeah, no mental damage that I can see.
Who are you again?

Yes, the Wendys customer cut me off so that I could not avoid hitting her back fender. Saw a space there was no car and tucked and rolled. I was wearing a helmet, took a decent fall.

That was 20 years ago I wouldn't like to fall off the bike at this age.

Gitane was totaled. Driver didn't stop but someone else stopped to see that I was ok.