You are reading a single comment by @chris_tim and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@chris_tim
I had a serious oh shit moment yesterday followed by a nasty spout of road rage, it was the first time I actually thought I was going to die. Not a nice feeling! I was coming home from the station and there is this nice bit of road just as I leave the village with a downhill sweeping left hander to which I normally get up to around 30 mph with relative ease, normally cars are pretty cool as its a 30 and there isn't a real overtaking point but clearly lorry drivers are different! I had a very large artic behind me with a long abnormal load, he decided to go for the overtake just after the corner and pulls into the other lane to which I wasn't really bothered as he was miles away. I then notice an oncoming car and it twigged that the lorry was overtaking, to my horror I look right to see the cab barely in front of me and moving back into the lane rather than braking. To my left was a large curb with a recently cut countryside hedge (plenty of spikes of tree etc poking out) so I couldn't go anywhere, the lorry came within a foot from me to which i decided to brake and pray. Locked up and slowed pretty fast moving my weight over the rear wheel and the lorry missed me by a slither! If I didn't move I would have definitely been crushed! Pumped full of adrenaline I sprint back up to the same speed as the lorry and give him plenty of nice friendly waves and kind words only to find out because of the length of the lorry it was being escorted by a large pickup. The driver of the pickup decided to come flying up behind me beeping so I moved to the left to which they came alongside me hurling abuse and telling me to get off the road and pay road tax etc and then they started moving towards me, double wammy! I called the woman driving a dirty whore and did some more hard braking to get out of the situation, I'm not sure if it was a coincidence or they saw what was going on but the driver behind the crazy pick up lady hung well back and gave me plenty of room until I turned off.
It's safe to say I shat a brick on two occasions but unfortunately due to the shock and disbelief towards what had happened I forgot the pickups number plate and the name of the haulage firm. It was the first time I hated being on my bike.