Or rather, in contraflow with 2ft+ drop off either side of a 7ft ribbon of tarmac, I was on my own coming through the lights, old geezer in an old geezer car (honda something) looks in my direction, then looks at gearstick, then looks in teh direction he wants to go, quickly pulls into my path (less than 5m distance, I'm doing 25-30mph) then realises he will overshoot the tarmac into the works, so stops.
The second I saw him look my direction I start braking almost as hard as I can. then he moves, I AM braking as hard as I can. but still.
Boof.
right into the rear door/3/4 panel then tumble off slowly back into the road, he nearly reverses over me, then carries on up the street.
People from behind the junction he was at jump out to ask if I'm OK, I am, just shaken. Say thanks to them, jump back on bike, and hunt him down. Seconds later, find him, nice dent in the side of his car.
Just about smash through his side window for him to even notice me (@ 30mph now) as he must have been about 85yrs.
Eventually he turns his neck and looks up at me. and stops, on the pavement, nearly knocking a ped.
I calmed down enough to ask WTF did he think he was doing. THe response?
"Oh are you that cyclist I saw earlier today?"*
erm yes mate, the one you pulled out infront of, who then crashed into you, and yes, the very same one you nearly ran over and then fled the scene of an accident.
You can't make this shit up!
Exchanged details, no damage to Bob, and neither to me, I must have just about stopped. Only damage was to his rear door & 3/4 panel both had decent dents and a scrape from QR/fork/pedal.
He probably never actually saw me, despite it being a bright enough sunny day, and I was wearing a hi vis yellow waterproof (windy day).
This was in Keswick, a tourist town, most of summer its out of bounds for locals, can't get parked, can't get to the shops and during July/August its full of people who really like Jesus and would like you to really like Jesus too :s
pffft, they just don't make old people like they used to. hope you're not too rattled.
pffft, they just don't make old people like they used to. hope you're not too rattled.