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Unlock bike, hop on, saunter up to the queue of traffic at red light, gentle braking to stop, nothing happens, panic, hard braking feels like something is very wrong, manage to stop and look at the brakes, someone's only gone and released the quick release on my front brake haven't they?
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Wide open road on roseberry avenue, no traffic before or in front of me. I see two people waiting to cross in the distance, but am a bit confused that they're waiting for me, there's plenty of time to cross.
I slow down to about 10mph and head to the right of the lane to give them time to cross. They're motionless. I slow down to 5mph and am practically in the central isle. I signal for them to cross. They stand still just looking at me.
Worried that they still might cross even though I'm now now about 10 feet away I hop onto the curb looking thoroughly confused, both at my stupidity and, fuck it, theirs.
As soon as I've stopped moving, they calmly and in time walk across the street when I hear one of them say, "What a strange man."
Next time I'll just aim for them.
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Tootling around town fixed on Sunday, not concentrating on the road, I got my front wheel caught in the tram rail. Lost balance but got the wheel out, managed to get my feet out of the clips just in time, and my feet landed on the street. Luckily there were no cars or trams about. Bruised by the saddle near the crotch, bruised on the calf by the pedal, a big gash above the ankle by the pedal, all of which I did not realise until I got home and noticed the blood. Fortunately, no damage done to the bike. It could have been much worse...
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Wide open road on roseberry avenue, no traffic before or in front of me. I see two people waiting to cross in the distance, but am a bit confused that they're waiting for me, there's plenty of time to cross.
I slow down to about 10mph and head to the right of the lane to give them time to cross. They're motionless. I slow down to 5mph and am practically in the central isle. I signal for them to cross. They stand still just looking at me.
Worried that they still might cross even though I'm now now about 10 feet away I hop onto the curb looking thoroughly confused, both at my stupidity and, fuck it, theirs.
As soon as I've stopped moving, they calmly and in time walk across the street when I hear one of them say, "What a strange man."
I think I agree with them, why did you not just keep trundling past at a speed and position whereby you could stop if necessary? You could also try speaking to them, e.g. 'Are you crossing?', its not rocket science ;-)
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I did speak to them. Both before and after. But thanks for your advice.
Your welcome :o) , what did you actually say to them? People who are walking may not necessarily be in any particular hurry, and whilst chatting to each other might well just stop at the kerb and finish the topic of their conversation before concentrating on crossing the road, its better than stepping off the kerb mid flow without looking/concentrating as some others do. Also maybe you look faster than you are so they thought they had to wait ;-) -
Unlock bike, hop on, saunter up to the queue of traffic at red light, gentle braking to stop, nothing happens, panic, hard braking feels like something is very wrong, manage to stop and look at the brakes, someone's only gone and released the quick release on my front brake haven't they?
Stating the obvious / teaching Granny to suck eggs etc but check your front skewer hasn't been loosened off too mate! Sounds like someone was trying to have it away with your front wheel. One bunny hop later and you might be pulling permanent wheelies in circles looking for a grassy knoll to embed your teeth into.
Just saying.
God I'm so Health and safety! Actually considered PMing Arducius! (should I PM Ardicius ?)
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Your welcome :o) , what did you actually say to them? People who are walking may not necessarily be in any particular hurry, and whilst chatting to each other might well just stop at the kerb and finish the topic of their conversation before concentrating on crossing the road, its better than stepping off the kerb mid flow without looking/concentrating as some others do. Also maybe you look faster than you are so they thought they had to wait ;-)
They weren't talking to each other though, which was the weird thing. I could see them from some way away and they just stood silently, motionless watching me for about 400 yards. Quite weird.
But then when I was having a shower later I imagined skidding in circles all around them and making revving noises and all was better.
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Oooh. Forgot about one of the biggest oh shit moments I've ever had. It happened on Saturday and no, wasn't when I leaned too much and stacked it on the A10.
I was chasing JAMIE down Blackheath Hill on 48x18. I'm a relatively new fixed rider and don't often ride down hills. I was giving the BEANS. If I was pedalling at 120rpm I would have been doing about 25mph but given that I regularly top 175rpm and have on occasion topped 200rpm on my road bike when descending(according to my cadence meter) I think I was doing a lot more than 25. Maybe 35ish give or take.
Anyway, I digress. Being a new fixed rider I forgot to take into account that gravity is always going to add a little bit of pace to what you've generated from your legs and of course I had temporarily forgotten that freewheeling is not an option. I slipped from the maximum possible cadence that I can maintain to a few rpm over what my legs can handle. One moment I was riding my bike, next moment the bike was riding me. I suddenly couldn't keep up with the cranks and the bike started fighting hard to flip out from underneath me by flipping switching from side to side. I just about managed to wrestle the bars and shift my balance around for long enough to keep hold of it and to scrub some speed off with my front brake (I was on my drops too and not near the lever!). I was really surprised how much strength I had to use to wrestle it back under control...scary stuff when bike control is usually about fine calm movements.
I came so so close to having my bike remove itself from underneath me. When I got to the bottom of the hill my heart was truly in my mouth. It took me about twenty minutes to totally calm down. Hatbeard was behind me at the time and for some reason thought I was showing off by doing some kind of flashy "tail wagging" manouver.
To make things worse, if I had come off, I wasn't wearing gloves. Anybody who has lost the skin from their palms before will know how unpleasant that could have been.
Well, that was a lesson well and truly learned! Won't be doing that again.
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CYOA: "i slow down to about 10mph and head to the right of the lane to give them time to cross. They're motionless. I slow down to 5mph and am practically in the central isle. I signal for them to cross. They stand still just looking at me.
Next time i'll just aim for them."
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They weren't talking to each other though, which was the weird thing. I could see them from some way away and they just stood silently, motionless watching me for about 400 yards. Quite weird.
...then they said 'Strange man!', err, how can I put this, has anyone else ever described your appearance as 'strange'?
But then when I was having a shower later I imagined skidding in circles all around them and making revving noises and all was better.
Too much information :O
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Unlock bike, hop on, saunter up to the queue of traffic at red light, gentle braking to stop, nothing happens, panic, hard braking feels like something is very wrong, manage to stop and look at the brakes, someone's only gone and released the quick release on my front brake haven't they?
That's happened to me, too, and it's just about as shit as anything.
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Other day, cycling east down city road at about 20mph, just before the petrol station, a car flies out of petrol station in front of me. I didn't need to brake as I'd judged he'd be out and I could pass him on the left side, keep going, but he does a full speed U turn to go into the road thats a few metres beyond the petrol station exit. Turns straight into me cutting me off.
I swerved into a pavement, hit it, and miraculously mounted the kerb. have no idea how. Must have been the speed I hit it at. I then proceeded to scream many explitives indicating the driver check his mirrors and slow down for a U turn. Felt a bit guilty when I saw that he looked scared. That annoys me so much though.
Anyone else get this bike rage when you're almost hit?!
Arducius
CYOA
shredder
niggle
Wrongcog
deleted
Oliver Schick
singspeed-
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About
"Oh Shit" moments...
Posted by
@Sparky
Just had to change my underwear.
I would avoid the eastbound Hyde Park Corner tunnel - the lights are off.
I only realised when I was right in the middle of the black hole; no pavement to turn around on, no lights on my bike, lots of cars/trucks about to run me over, who also couldn't see because it takes them most of the length of the tunnel to turn their lights on...
It was an hour ago but I am still coming down off the adrenalin hit.