"Oh Shit" moments...

Still though, people who have brakeless installed do seem to have a lot of front end accidents that aren't their fault at all (I did too btw). Cars, potholes, and peds must be afraid of brakes and know to keep their distance. #brakearedeath

But anyway, the bike is probably going on ebay this week to be replaced by something with freewheel and brakes, my knees are not up to riding fixed to work and uni every day.
So hopefully I will have a few less "oh shit" moments!
Didn't mean to be rude Chak, my apologies.

None required on your behalf 'ol chap, apologies are all mine. We deserve "friendliest forum on the internet" badges!
I get you about freewheeling for sure. My knee clicks and standing up grunts are getting too loud, and the lycra appeal is getting stronger!

Today: Riding my fixed-gear along a nice quiet back street, when suddenly I feel a strange tugging and tightening sensation on my right foot. By the time I have slammed on the brakes and stopped, my foot is in excruciating pain. I had forgotten I was wearing shoes with long laces, didn't tie them back, and they got caught around both the chain ring and crank arm. This meant that I was unable to reach down to unhook my laces, or to get off my bike, as with one foot stuck, I couldn't actually dismount the bike. I ended up sort of hopping around in the middle of the road and winding the cranks back, while balancing on one leg, and trying not to bash my bike into the ground, much to the amusement of bystanders.
I am fine, but my pedals are scratched. And I need new shoes, it tore the eyelets clean out of the canvas...

^Same happened to me some years ago, when I still used clips&straps, only I was in the middle of London Bridge, so stopping wasn't possible. Tied up the remains of shoelaces in the end of a bridge and made a note to myself, switch to clipless.

I've had that happen twice, actually both times on the same hill, and both times with a pushy car right behind me and nowhere to pull over to stop... it definitely sucks realising what's happened and having to keep pedaling anyway. At least my laces sacrificed themselves to save my shoes tho.

SPD's solve everything

^ Ha, I thought that.
Switched to Shimanos and they were uncliping every 513th revolution, and everytime you brake. Then started using Time Atacs and broke 3 of them last year.
Sometimes I think I should have stayed with clips and straps, but only had to hide my laces.

Oh shit moments never end, they're just smell different each day.

Pretty sure this is what happened to my boyfriend at the bottom of Haverstock Hill, at speed.

Came off with a big crash, landed on his teeth. He couldn't remember coming off or what caused it. Required ambulance, lots of blood, hospital stay. Still has quite a few scars and damaged four teeth quite badly.

Kids, do up your laces (or go clipless).

No.

this is out of order! you should be able to overtake without having to creep along half-expecting a wild manouevre: think about how a U-turn effectively blocks the whole road - why do you think a car should be able to do this without checking?

I use trainers with velcro fasteners instead of laces.

#bestofbothworlds

this is out of order! you should be able to overtake without having to creep along half-expecting a wild manouevre: think about how a U-turn effectively blocks the whole road - why do you think a car should be able to do this without checking?

Overtake when it is safe to do so.

Though on rereading it is clear that Phil was not overtaking, so apologies.

TBF if it's a random U turn done without proper checks then the situation was probably assessed as safe to overtake, maybe even with the proper precautions such as staying out wide. It's easy to say if wasn't safe to overtake with hindsight but if the guy just pulled out then it's his fault, he should check mirrors and blind spot, then signal, then check again before doing the manoeuvre.

Yep he was pulled over and I was in primary and it's a road with parking down either side so I was well wide of the car. It's cool DJ.

LHD VW camper on a bright sunny day smokes its way past me, extremely slowly, like 1mph more than I'm going (15mph), there's no other traffic, approaching the end of some parked cars he just slowly drifts into the space as I'm alongside the rear wheel.

Could see it coming so pulled back and went around, stopped and politely asked him why he was trying to flatten me into some parked cars, his response, 'thought I passed you ages ago, didn't know you were still there'
Erm, you passed at granddad speed, then didn't go any faster! Last time I checked, the owness is on the overtaking vehicle to ensure they can safely pass the vehicle in front without affecting it, not just sort of drift past, then drift into a space without looking, indicating or even making a move in a clear manor.
Anyway, he apologised, and I suggested he be a bit more observant, hopefully both learn't something from it.

Have you ever tried to drive stoned? It's really hard. You should give him some slack.

"Onus" dude, "onus."

Who are you calling an onus?

Ignoronus!

hopefully both learn't something from it.

Not enough it seems.

I'm pootling along past Woolwich common at 20mph when I become aware of the sound of a car engine behind me.

Closer. Closer. Silver Merc Benz slowly draws level with me, not indicating, and my spidey sense starts to tingle. Lo and behold, Mr Benz decides he wants to turn left at the lights about 20 metres ahead, still not indicating, and begins pulling left as if I wasn't even there. FUUUU.

Luckily a heavy dab of the brakes and a swerve to the right got me clear, but if I hadn't very slightly slowed when I first saw him, I would have probably started my Monday commute with a dash of unsolicited car/tarmac hugging.

This only reinforces my belief that all drivers of (particularly second-hand/older) Benzes are massive twats.

the owness

"Onus" dude, "onus."
I like the variant spelling. It has a pleasing allusion to 'to own', although I can't decide by what logic that would work. :)

A owlness?

A owlness?

An owlness??

A owlness??

A owlness?