When you have been cycling long enough, u would think that your skills become so good and fast that you are "unbeatable". In singapore context - it is called "yaya papaya".. thats when accidents happen. Good read and reflect on our behaviours on the road. Ride safe and have fun cycling!
Excerpts of the article.. " After a month or two of two-wheeled rage, I had an epiphany. I was afraid. Everywhere I went I anticipated being crushed and killed, and rather than weeping and cowering, I was going on the offensive. If I wasn’t overtly courting conflict, I was having protracted arguments, in my head, with errant motorists. I was, I think, trying to make sense of a new landscape, one in which I could be doing everything correctly, and still be killed. This was no way to go about riding a bicycle. I ride a bike, because I like it, not to drive myself into irrational rages. I had to change, not only my attitude, but also the way I ride. I had to be more forgiving, more patient. This took time......"
sorry, i don't buy it. and i'm commenting here rather than on redkite because the article is from 2009. in the article the guy says he once made coffee carelessly, resulting in a spill, therefore he's sometimes just as bad as an inattentive driver who cuts off a cyclist. i'm sorry but no - one action results in spilled coffee, the other results in death or serious injury.
ReplyDeletejust this morning a man in a blue honda peoplemover was driving behind me as i cycled to work along portsdown rd (single lane both directions, 40km/hr limit). after driving behind me for 10 seconds or so (during which he could have safely overtaken as the road was straight), he only finally decides to overtake on a blind uphill corner, into the path of an oncoming taxi. instead of slowing and falling in behind, he speeds up and cuts in, forcing both me and the oncoming taxi to brake to let him in. at the traffic lights i caught up with him, banged on the rear right of his 'truck' and forced him to stop. i then proceeded to give him the lecture his driving instructor obviously never did, about not overtaking until you can see what's coming in the other direction. his lame-ass excuse was that "it was a single white line". so!? eventually and calmly i managed to show him what he'd done wrong, he apologised and we all got on with our lives.
so sure, ride defensively and be able to get yourself out of trouble as i was able to this morning by anticipating the stupidity of others. but don't forgive lazy drivers their inexcusable and dangerous inattention. instead try to do the authorities' job for them at every opportunity. point out to drivers firstly the road rules, and secondly that you are flesh and blood and that while an accident might scratch their paint, it might kill you.