How often do grown-up cyclists have accidents?

[kwackers]

planted the left pedal on the kerb filtering (ironically not on the fixed-wheel bike!)

That's something I hadn't considered with a fixie, I occasionally catch the peddle on the floor whilst cranked over on a normal bike, if you really push it surely with a fixie you'll either be off or run wide?

[EdinburghFixed]

The bottom bracket is higher, so you can get over pretty far before that happens (I've only touched once on mine, turning right on a mini roundabout).

I worried about it for the first wee while, but it seems to be ok in practice.

It's not worth the hassle filtering up the left any more though (which is a good thing!)

[lauriematt]

in terms of time...i generally i have an accident maybe twice - three times a year.....

only minor accident sthough like maybe slipping over

ive just had my 2 accidents!
came off twice in one night from the icy roads! not good

[pioneer]

Only ever had two. One was being knocked off on a roundabout by a stupid car driver (years ago in Plymouth), the second was this Wednesday.I came off due to ice and I guess, not paying enough attention to the road. It still hurts though!

Not bad really in about 40 years of cycling. I'll settle fot that!

[AlanW]

Lets put it this way, four of us (who should all have known better given the minus temperatures) went out this morning and three came off.

Well actually, one guy managed to fall of twice, and thats excluding falling over while trying to pick his bike up after falling off the second time.

[meic]

Often the ride is worth the fall.

[Kirst]

Oh, bottoms. I deliberately didn't answer this poll as I'd never had an accident and didn't want to tempt fate, but last night I was hit by a van. I'm fine and the bike's fine, but still, I was hit by a van.

Heading home last night, about a quarter to six, travelling south on Duddingston Road West. I had flashing and solid white lights at the front, ditto red lights at the back, large reflective brightly coloured panniers on each side, hi-viz vest, reflective trouser bands and wrist bands. I looked like a scaffie crossed with a Christmas tree on wheels on acid. I was visible.

As I approached the junction with Peffer Place on my left I could see a van coming along Peffer Place. It stopped at the line and I could see the driver looking back along Duddingston Road West the way I'd come. It's a wide junction and his view wasn't restricted. I wasn't out wide in the road, but neither was I gutter-hugging. I was far enough out to make sure I could be seen and to avoid drains but close enough in that traffic could pass me easily when clear to do so. I don't know how fast I was going, but probably 12-15mph. I didn't see him see me but there was no reason to suspect he hadn't see me, until he pulled out right across my path. He continued to move out, no idea I was there, and I remember thinking that perhaps he was deliberately trying to force me off the road. If I'd braked he would have gone over me with his back end - my only option was to swerve to my right to avoid him. Luckily there was nothing coming the other way and I had space to move. The van made contact with my arm - at the time it felt like it just brushed me, but my arm is sore now so I wonder if it was harder than that.

I got myself to safety in a driveway on the other side of the road. He stopped, and the following traffic stopped behind him. He was very apologetic, said he just hadn't seen me, and didn't berate me for my language, which was intemperate. He said he had the kids in the van and wouldn't have risked their lives by pulling out in front of something - he just didn't see me.

I don't know how he didn't see me, but there you go.

I got his name and the van reg and the name of the company (liveried van) and the name and phone number of the woman in the following car who saw it all and was quite clear he was at fault. I reassured them all I was fine, apologised for my language and sent them on their way.

I was way too shaky to cycle home so I walked and went straight to the police station which is right outside my flat. The desk sergeant was - well, he wasn't exactly unhelpful but I wasn't overwhelmed by his interest. The first thing he did was ask me if the Duddingston Road West police station was closed. All I could say was, I have no idea, I've just been hit by a van, I'm shaky and just wanted to get home and completely forgot there was a station nearby. I gave him all the info but he was saying that careless driving is difficult to prove in court if there's no damage to the person or the vehicle so he didn't think there was much they could do. He's going to do an incident report, speak to the witness and the driver and then phone me back - he said he'd phone me last night or today, so it'll be today now. I bet he doesn't though. Oh, and he took the opportunity to tell me that so many cyclists cycle without lights, jump red lights etc, and so many white van men hit people and don't stop.

All the way home I wondered if I was being vindictive in reporting it, seeing as I'm fine and he apologised - but I'm fine because I had space to take evasive action. If there'd been traffic coming the other way I'd have had nowhere to go and things could have been nasty. I'm annoyed with the police attitude, but I'll wait til they phone me back before I decide if I want to pursue it.

My arm isn't swollen and there's no visible bruising so I'm not going to bother the doctor with it, I'll just treat it myself with wine.

Got downstairs this morning to discover my back tyre flat and floppy so decided to walk it over to Bicycle Repair Man and get him to sort it and give the whole thing a look over. 20 minutes later I had an inflated back tyre and a re-trued front wheel. The flat back tyre was probably due to the massive staple he picked out of it rather than the collision though.

[meic]

The attitude of the driver after the crash should count for something, shouldnt it? It certainly makes the victim less beligerent and shows that the driver may care but be imperfect, like many of us.

On the other hand it soon becomes common knowledge that you do not have to look out for cycles when driving as there will be no penalty for your ommision.

I doubt that it will be your decision though, I dont think the Police will bother acting without an injury. It is not a priority until AFTER someone is injured.

I do feel that the Police errect lots of little barriers to the reporting of crime, making it difficult to phone the right department, leaving you in a phone queue, redirecting you to other stations or officers or departments.
So in the end you give up on the idea of reporting anything which is less serious or unlikely to result in action.

[ianr1950]

What are you asking this question here for,

Where are the 'grown ups'

[minkie]

What are you asking this question here for,

Where are the 'grown ups'

What do you mean?

[ianr1950]

Didn't you know that all cyclists are little kids at heart.

[Spinners]

Accidents involving cars = 2.

I've had a car door opened on me when I was a teenager - massive bruising to my left side and cuts in the usual places. There was no claim culture back in the 1970's and because I was desperate to play in a football match I said nothing to my parents!

Fast forward to the mid-1990's and I was been knocked off by an elderly car driver who turned right in front of me. With no way of missing him I hit his nearside rear door and clean went over the roof with my brand new 'Jeff Bruce' 653 road bike still stuck to my feet. Being totally off balance the first thing that hit the road was my head which probably explains a lot.

[bobtob]

I have had 3 serious accidents in 10 years, 10 years ago had car emerging from left did'nt see me result broken collar bone etc, then 5 years ago car door suddenly opened, knocked off backwards knocked unconscious head injury split crash helmet, then last year car emerging from left did'nt see me , broken leg and ankle. I am a 55 year old experienced confident cyclist always wore reflective gear well maintained bike, cycled away from the kerb, tried to anticipate drivers actions. The police prosecuted all 3 drivers which helped but as I lay in a hospital bed for 2 weeks last year while they contemplated amputating my crushed leg I decided to give up on my 6 mile cross city commute. Honesly think there is something wrong with the drivers of Norwich, apart from these incidents I had dozens of near accidents, I hate walking to work or catching the bus and I know all actions in life are risky but have really lost all confidence

[benm]

in 30 years or so of cycling I have had three accidents, two of which involved cars...

1. Rode into the back of a stationary parked car... when I was learning to ride a 'big bike' - taught me how dangerous (and painful) a crossbar can be; what a learning experience - I can remember it as if it were yesterday.

2. Filtering down the left hand side of a queue of cars I got swiped off by someone turning right across said line of cars. My fault- I should have been going slower and down the outside of the line of traffic. Now, of course, I do that.

and the third (the one that ensured I go nowhere on the bike without a lid) was the bike slipping away from under me on an adverse cambered left turn on a really icy road- I was going really slowly anyway and the bike went away down slope, leaving me to head-but the road with my glasses which wound up in pieces,having first embedded bits of glass lens in my left eye socket (the dents in the bone can still be felt under the scar). Their progression to the eyeball, from the socket, was stopped because the helmet met the road.

B.

[EdinburghFixed]

Ouch!

So this is why my girlfriend generally wears contacts for riding