When Are You Giving Up Cycling?
Last week I had one of those days on the bike - repeated attempts by drivers to find the most creative way to kill me, while making it look like an “accident”. The best of these was the learner driver, who bounced off the kerb several times right in front of me, before driving up onto the pavement to stop. If I’d been just a few seconds earlier. . .
When I got home, I took Huge Dalmatian for a short walk to try & settle my nerves. We were out for less than twenty minutes, during which time I saw three drivers chatting away on the phone, and two texting.
Later that evening, I made the mistake of telling Wife all this, and saying as an aside that I was thinking of giving up riding on the road - even with eyes in the back of my head, my sixth sense for driver stupidity, and being a jolly assertive rider when the need arises, I can only dodge the bullet for so long.
So now every night when I get home, she’s asking me when I’m going to give up riding. The thing is, I really don’t want to. But that might only be because there have been no serious attempts to kill me in the last few days.
Don’t let the bastards get you down…
After being hit by an inattentive driver a little over a year ago, I haven’t managed to make it back on my bike regularly yet. Each time I see drivers on phones, or passing too close to a cyclist, or doing any number of other activities dangerous to two-wheeled road users, my resolve to get back to cycling crumbles a little. I’m coping quite well without cycling (well, I do miss the exercise) so why take the risk?
It is a shame that careless, inattentive (or worse) drivers can scare cyclists off the road, but the urge for self-preservation is a powerful thing. Hard to resist…
Eh, walking along yesterday I saw a Freelander being driven erratically - looked closer, and sure enough, the driver was texting.
Depressingly close to home. I rarely notice it when cycling, but I’ve been doing a lot of walking recently, and frankly the number of drivers using handheld mobile phones in inner London has me slightly terrified.
It’s scary, annoying and disheartening… but don’t give up cycling pls! Things will change, will have to… for the better, of course
What you’re suffering from is a lack of secondary subjective safety. It’s just fine when you’re a single person with no kids and enjoy darting in and out of traffic on your commute. However, once you have a partner and children it becomes more difficult to maintain cycling as a part of your life as external pressures add to your own doubts.
This is all part of why cycling has a relatively narrow demographic in the UK and is dominated by young(ish) adult males.
I’ve caught up with friends who were keen cyclists in the past and found that they gave up, and I could no more tell them that they must keep cycling than I can tell you to do so. You have to feel happy with the risk you’re taking. Your wife too has to be happy with it. You have to think it’s the best thing for your family and for your children. If not, why should you take a risk that many other people don’t and won’t take ?
This is all part of the reason why the only way to a true cycling culture is to have infrastructure which makes everything safer - and that is precisely the reason why these issues of secondary subjective safety don’t come up in the Netherland.
On transport matters the UK is a developing country.
There are things worth putting your life on the line for.
I know you are no cycle campaigner but you are.
It’s confusing, isn’t it!
I know you saw this before when I posted it, but we all go through times like this: http://blog.wintle.me.uk/2010/07/an-open-letter-to-those-in-charge-about-cycling-safety-in-swindon/
It’s a travesty that people like you or I…people who know that the world could be better…might give up and settle for the status quo.
I encourage you to use your experience in your campaigning. Messages like this are powerful. “I need to choose the expensive, polluting, unhealthy, and boring option because the alternative is not safe.”
Have a break from it. But please…get back in the saddle. Your experiences, your passion, your dedication, you JOY have inspired many who read your blog, including myself.
Don’t let them get to you Karl. Keep fighting.
Haven’t given up yet, and in truth the days where it’s like swimming naked with sharks aren’t as common as memory makes them. I have options:
o Give in. I don’t think so!
o Wait for the world to change. And trust the thinking that’s got us into this mess to get us out of it?
o Do a Hembrow. Oh, so very very tempting!
o Change the world. Maybe I’ll have to out myself as a cycle campaigner for this….
I let you have the last word.
Can be tempting at times to give up especially when had several attempts on your life by maniac drivers. But when the commute is problem free and the sun is shining it’s all good again.
I have an alternative approach…..
The look in the last ‘assassins’ eyes when he saw 100kg of Lycra clad annoyance heading his way still makes me chuckle.
This particular inattentive cockend was a taxi driver who overtook (even though I was already doing the speed limit !!) and slammed his anchors on in front of me….he missed that fare
Are you NOT a cycle campaigner? I’m confused.
@KarlOnSea You are a cycle campaigner?!? I never would have guessed
Rob - It’s a slightly different story when you’re only 70kg. I find a gum shield, knuckle dusters and the element of surprise help. Also, since watching Highlander again a couple of weeks back, I’m wondering about a Samurai sword tucked down the back of my jersey…
There can be only one, etc.
This is the saddest thing I’ve read in a while. Whilst I can sympathise they only thing you can do is try and change things for the better.
MTFU