Close shaves!

lismore7

Nearly ended my short cycling career under the the rear wheels of a lorry on my 30k spin on Saturday. A numpty driving a slow coal lorry decided to overtake me, going uphill on the inside a very sharp hairpin bend.
Suddenly found my 3 foot cycle space between grass embankment and rear wheels of lorry, running out rapidly.
Had to pedel like hell to keep ahead of rear lorry wheels, as they closed tighter into the bend and my back wheel.
Thankfully bend straightened out and the slow coal lorry finally went past me, then pulled in and driver shouts " howya" and gave me thumbs up !!!
Was so angry and shocked, I couldn't speak and just kept pedeling up the hill.....
Once I reached the top of the hill, the realization of my near miss, left me fairly shook.

This is my first vehicle v bike incident, anyone else had a close encounter from a brain dead driver?

Ryder

lismore7 wrote: »

Nearly ended my short cycling career under the the rear wheels of a lorry on my 30k spin on Saturday. A numpty driving a slow coal lorry decided to overtake me, going uphill on the inside a very sharp hairpin bend.
Suddenly found my 3 foot cycle space between grass embankment and rear wheels of lorry, running out rapidly.
Had to pedel like hell to keep ahead of rear lorry wheels, as they closed tighter into the bend and my back wheel.
Thankfully bend straightened out and the slow coal lorry finally went past me, then pulled in and driver shouts " howya" and gave me thumbs up !!!
Was so angry and shocked, I couldn't speak and just kept pedeling up the hill.....
Once I reached the top of the hill, the realization of my near miss, left me fairly shook.

This is my first vehicle v bike incident, anyone else had a close encounter from a brain dead driver?

very similar experience with an artic overtaking near the eastlink. Not much fun

coolbeans

I thought you were gonna have a moan about razor burn on your legs, something with which I can empathise with.

krissovo

Forced into a ditch by artic:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=89183015&postcount=2860

Meeting the transport manager this morning to discuss.

Wishbone Ash

lismore7 wrote: »

...Suddenly found my 3 foot cycle space between grass embankment and rear wheels of lorry, running out rapidly.
Had to pedel like hell to keep ahead of rear lorry wheels....

Depends on the scenario but it may have been safer to have braked sharply and allowed the truck to go ahead.

tomasrojo

Not sure I've understood the scenario, but as I visualise it, I'd have done as Wishbone Ash says.

I once took the lane entering a temporary chicane set up near some works and a concrete lorry chased me all the way to the end, right up my tail end. I often let trucks go ahead under the guise of courtesy now.

bambergbike

Last time I had a close overtake and caught up with the driver further down the road I had a friendly chat with him and I think he learned something. He apologized, and I didn't take it any further. Partly because he was a foreigner and not likely to be around my local area all that often, partly because I didn't actually get the reg at the time (close overtake on a bad road on a 15% upward incline) and was only absolutely sure I had the right man because he actually admitted he remembered overtaking me a few miles back and initiated the conversation when he saw me standing by the side of the road looking (slightly angrily?) at his van.

If you're too upset to talk to somebody at the time, try and note details and write down what happened afterwards and get a report in to the guards and/or (if relevant) the employer. The coalman may have been self-employed, but if he was driving the truck for somebody else that person is likely to be interested in knowing whether he was doing so in a competent manner or not.

I would probably have stopped and said something like "I thought you were trying to kill me there for a minute." Something less confrontational than "You are a complete moron and a dangerous liability on the roads" but still to the point. If the driver reacts well to that, you can explain why you had a problem with their driving. If you get an agressive reaction, you probably want to remove yourself from the scene ASAP. Possibly with an 180 degrees change of direction - you don't want an ignorant AND angry lorry driver on your tail.

From a prevention point of view: if you have a large, ugly vehicle on your tail as you climb a hill, especially one with hairpins and sudden changes of grade, wobbling around a bit can prompt drivers to hold off with their overtakes until they can overtake safely. Try and make yourself look incompetent.

NeedMoreGears

There seems to be a natural tendency on a sharp left bend to overdo the turn - i.e. you start with the edge say 100cm to the left and by the time you're around the turn it's only 25cm ; it's the same for cars, bikes, busses etc.

I have a beauty on my regular commute where the sharp left becomes a sharpish right all the time clinbing up a short hill. The whole thing is only about 80m long. I've had the slow pass where the space between me and the car is reduced ; it took me a few seconds to figure out what was going on before I braked. The car wheels ended up brushing the grass verge. I've also had the much more scary fast past where the car just whipped past and cut across my front wheel. These days I sit well out from the edge - 150cm - and make sure I can't be passed on that section. No complaints so far from any motorists.

jdawson

coolbeans wrote: »

I thought you were gonna have a moan about razor burn on your legs, something with which I can empathise with.

Gillette Mach 3 Turbo and you'll feel like a new woman under the lycra.

Pinch Flat

jdawson wrote: »

Gillette Mach 3 Turbo and you'll feel like a new woman under the lycra.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Veet-Men-Hair-Removal-Creme/dp/B000KKNQBK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393840889&sr=8-1&keywords=veet

The reviews are what sold it for me. :eek:

lismore7

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

There seems to be a natural tendency on a sharp left bend to overdo the turn - i.e. you start with the edge say 100cm to the left and by the time you're around the turn it's only 25cm ; it's the same for cars, bikes, busses etc.

I have a beauty on my regular commute where the sharp left becomes a sharpish right all the time clinbing up a short hill. The whole thing is only about 80m long. I've had the slow pass where the space between me and the car is reduced ; it took me a few seconds to figure out what was going on before I braked. The car wheels ended up brushing the grass verge. I've also had the much more scary fast past where the car just whipped past and cut across my front wheel. These days I sit well out from the edge - 150cm - and make sure I can't be passed on that section. No complaints so far from any motorists.

Your first para is exactly the scenario...My space quickly depreciated as I rounded the hairpin and lorry man cut the bend outside of me.
It's a country road (The Sweep up Tallow Hill, Co.Waterford )and the lead up to the hairpin is straight road and the road out of the hairpin is also straight, with good overtaking. Why coal lorry man chose to overtake while I was rounding the bend, after following me up the hill, is beyond me.
Nearly going under the rear wheels of a lorry from behind, with no faults on my part + wearing a hi vis waste coat, was a very sobering experience!!!
A change of cycle shorts was required after the event!! :eek:

Pinch Flat

lismore7 wrote: »

Your first para is exactly the scenario...My space quickly depreciated as I rounded the hairpin and lorry man cut the bend outside of me.
It's a country road (The Sweep up Tallow Hill, Co.Waterford )and the lead up to the hairpin is straight road and the road out of the hairpin is also straight, with good overtaking. Why coal lorry man chose to overtake while I was rounding the bend, after following me up the hill, is beyond me.
Nearly going under the rear wheels of a lorry from behind, with no faults on my part + wearing a hi vis waste coat, was a very sobering experience!!!
A change of cycle shorts was required after the event!! :eek:

Op all joking aside, I know that areas you're talking about. Looks like you had a lucky escape. You should report this guy if you have details (even a company name of the lorry). Sounds like he needs retraining.

I have a left hand turn near my work - the amount of times I've had cars try to overtake me on the corner to save all of 2 - 3 seconds. Easy solution - take centre lane, indicate left, problem solved. I get to work without being hospitalised, and car driver loses 2 seconds of their lives. Win-win.