"Oh Shit" moments...

Another great moment for me this month, was riding down to Clerkenwell Road, and approaching Farringdon traffic lights when a black cab taxi turned left without indication and i was lucky to brake hard enough to stop the bike, but still managed to hit back of him and was even luckier to clip off and land on both of my feet with my bike crashing behind me!

Took my bike and exchanged some pleasant words with driver and he says 'I didn't know where i was going...'

Thank god i made it out without a scratch and my aerospoke are still true...

Another great moment for me this month, was riding down to Clerkenwell Road, and approaching Farringdon traffic lights when a black cab taxi turned left without indication and i was lucky to brake hard enough to stop the bike, but still managed to hit back of him and was even luckier to clip off and land on both of my feet with my bike crashing behind me!

Took my bike and exchanged some pleasant words with driver and he says 'I didn't know where i was going...'

Thank god i made it out without a scratch and my aerospoke are still true...

@hoke

Bugger me, happens twice eh? That was unlucky!

Taxi driver - Thinking Last minute = no indication of his turn left

I get so nervous going up the inside of cabs, last week booted it up St James's street in rush hour so fairly congested when a mini cab decides to do a no-indication-left-turn special shortcut, just misses me by a whisker but I fly up the curb through the middle of a few bunches of people and then back onto the road. Couldn't think of anything good to yell for at least 10 seconds therefore missing the opportunity, rats.

Just glad the bike and me was alright, more scared of lorries these days due to sight of vision...

i thought my stacks were bad until reading some in this thread lol ouchy!!!!!

Another great moment for me this month, was riding down to Clerkenwell Road, and approaching Farringdon traffic lights when a black cab taxi turned left without indication and i was lucky to brake hard enough to stop the bike, but still managed to hit back of him and was even luckier to clip off and land on both of my feet with my bike crashing behind me!.....

I'm really sorry to break the nursery rules and will fuck off there straight away like a good boy (been meaning to de-lurk for a while) - but I saw this incident! Was on the top of a 205 going the other way and saw the taxi cut you off. Dude, you have ninja-skills, swearing at the cabbie while still in mid-air and planting the landing! Was happy to see the cabbie stopped and wondered what would happen next as you wheeled your bike towards him. It made me feel a bit queasy really the way he cut you off, saw lots more close shaves on that bus journey.

Right, sorry for breaking rules, off to the nursery.

I'm really sorry to break the nursery rules and will fuck off there straight away like a good boy (......

Congrats on what sounds like top gun survival skills. IMHO that stretch has lots of little turn offs that taxis use to short cut the area, throw in all the queues of traffic at each junction and you've got a pretty risky bit of road.

Right, sorry for breaking rules, off to the nursery.

You haven't broken any rules. Posting something sensible is perfectly permitted. It's a frequent misunderstanding that when you first post, you can only post in the Nursery. That's not the case. And welcome.

Haha, you saw it? didn't remember swearing in mid-air, but you're probably right, just had a quiet word with him and I questioned his motive and the reasoning for his turn and no indication, his response was 'I didn't know where i was going' (this was with passengers in his cab) i think he didn't want me to report and get his details (which i stupidly didn't) and just left it like that as i think i cause quiet a scene and walked back to the traffic lights, whilst apologise to people for my inappropriate language and behaviour...damn cabby!

Riding home last night, not sure you'd call it Oh Shit, more like WTF! Turning left on a green out of Cricketfield road, heading toward Lea Bridge Roundabout. I turn, no problem, get my road position as normal, staying to the right of the red marked parking bays and pedal toward the roundabout.

Out of Newick Road, a 393 is turning right to head the same direction as me. He's crossing traffic coming to him from the right, but, as he's trying to filter into my lane, he has to wait for me to pass right? Not to mention the cars behind.
He does'nt stop, he keeps pulling out, he's clearly eyeballed me as he's looking straight at me gesticulating I should stop. At this point, I know he's in the wrong and I know I'm running out of space so had to dive through a gap to get myself into a safe part of the road. Unwisely, this safe spot was right in front of the bus! (not my wisest decision it's true but in the heat of the moment).
I pedal in front for maybe 10 full cranks, slowly to calm myself. Bus pulls into the stop so i (seemingly stupidly) decide to ask the driver just WTF he thought he was doing.
Driver steps out of cab and bus, strides toward me spreading a volley of abuse and accusing me of being not only in the wrong but of being dangerous and 'should'nt be on the f-ing road'!
I did raise my voice, I did swear (an argument loser to be sure) but I did'nt react aggressively. I got a name of one witnes, the bus drivers reg but not his tag number, I know what time and what bus he drove - Just need some advice how to broach this with TFL? Police? Should I have acted last night? Not sure, I was a little shaken last night as that reaction was something that properly had me on the back foot. I know I was in the right both in road position and in my asking what he thought he was doing.
Anyone riding around Clapton Pond/Cricketfield road around 6pm last night that may have seen, I'd welcome your thoughts too.

Full complaint.
Witness.
CCTV to back up.
Driver off road.
Done.

Footage of him getting out of the bus to abuse you would be grounds for instant dismissal I would have thought/hoped.

He was clearly hoping you would stop to let him out.
Obviously you have no requirement to do it.
(Frankly, I almost NEVER let anyone out while I am on a bike because there is a huge risk a driver behind you won't realise what you are doing and happily mow you down....)

His abuse is clearly unwarranted, unprofessional and sound evidence of a poor attitude to safety.
Get him off the road!!

(Frankly, I almost NEVER let anyone out while I am on a bike because there is a huge risk a driver behind you won't realise what you are doing and happily mow you down....)

Totally agree, and the vehicles that you are not slowing for very rarely seem to understand this - to be fair they probably can't tell out of the wing mirror - and it leads to loads of aggro. What I really don't get is when it's a bus driver or a cab and they blatantly experience this on a daily basis and still flip out like it's the first time it's happened to them. That's why 'professional' drivers that pull this sh*t need to be reported - cause they're gonna keep doing it until they either get fired, disciplined, or actually run someone over. Just thinking about it gets me angry.

If you're going to make a complaint, do everything you can straight away. Request CCTV from the bus company and the council (street CCTV), give the witness details, complain to TfL, the whole works. Don't just email TfL and wait, because you'll get an email in 3-4 months saying that they can't do anything, or asking for some small piece of information, which they'll then go away and think about for another 3-4 months...

All complaints made, with Arriva, popo's, tfl, Hackney council cycling unit also advised aswell as cctv team ......... I'll keep you posted.

Had a blue badge fucker turn left, across me, this morning without signalling. I hit the side of his car at maybe 20mph.

Quite please that I managed to remember to steer with the car and stayed up. To the guys credit he was extremely apologetic. Still a bit of brown trouser moment.

The marks on his paintwork/wallet will be a reminder to look before turning. Glad you're Ok.

The moment when I realised the guy who was overtaking me was swerving in front of me and was definitely going to take out my front wheel at speed. I think he indicated after he hit me at least.

Then a double oh shit because of the frame I was carrying across my back on my messenger bag and which I was now lying on top of; firstly and most importantly oh shit I wonder if the frame is OK, then oh shit I can't get up for a minute with this strapped to me, is the next car going to stop in time or will it just kill me?

Also as I'm pretty retarded when it comes to injuries someone tell me if I should do/not do anything to my finger (picture)? I can move it but it hurts and it's pointing off to the side a bit.

Is Les ok though, that's the main question?

Your biggest problem seems to be that the impact has shrunk one of your hands.

Fingers shouldn't stick out involuntarily so a trip to a&e might not be a bad call? Saturday night will suck though. I'd wait til first thing tomorrow morning if it was me.

It was Les that was on my back! No damage though and I think ending up on my back might have been the best result (as opposed to on my face or something) so maybe it was a valiant act of loyalty towards a new master...

I forgot about my finger and spent all day doing things that involve a firm grip and strenuous hand activity (not a euph). Didn't want to go to a&e for a little thing, especially not on Friday or Saturday when it's probably full of vomit choking drunks and stab victims and stuff but I guess if it's still sticking out tomorrow I should do something.

Also as I'm pretty retarded when it comes to injuries someone tell me if I should do/not do anything to my finger (picture)? I can move it but it hurts and it's pointing off to the side a bit.

No sign of major swelling so might just be a bit strained. I'd advise strapping up your hand with a gauze banadage and visiting a local drop in health centre for a quick triage check out. If still hurting, take some ibuprofen in the mean time.

Had a fun "oh shit" moment about a week ago. Away in my own little word on the way home on the day ater switching back from geared and realised I hadn't been braking coming up to a T. Reached for the unconnected brake lever and panicked a bit when it did nothing. Careened across the road and only just managed to swing around to avoid stubbing on the kerb. Conclusive proof that gears are dangerous to your health.

Fingers shouldn't stick out involuntarily

They do if you trip over a bike.

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Yikes! Is that you?