Black Bike Down

[Hotdog]

The crashing of black coloured bicycles must be contagious, I stacked mine on the way to work this morning. I'm coasting downhill at a decent speed when I spot a taxi beginning to pull out of a side street in front of me on the left, but just as I'm about to brake he spots me and stops. I relax thinking I'm now safe but unfortunately this was just a cunning ploy to lull me into a false sense of security, almost immediately he starts moving again. I slam on the brakes (and the AirZound 2 horn) but by now it's all too late, I've nowhere to go and not enough space to stop so go straight into the side of his car just behind the rear doors.

Fortunately I got off fairly lightly, I have no idea how I fell but the only part of me showing signs of impact with anything is my right knee, which is scratched and a bit bashed up. The bike has also survived suprisingly well, inevitably the front wheel is buckled but still rideable until I get it repaired (one advantage of hub brakes, they still work with dodgy rims) and the rest is essentially cosmetic as far as I can tell so far.

The taxi driver was very apologetic, and hung around to check I was OK and exchange details, but had no explanation for why he started moving again after he saw me (he was looking straight at me the whole time). These sort of completely unnecessary, easily avoidable accidents are so annoying. Now I've got to go through the time consuming process of getting the bike fixed, chasing up the taxi company for payment for repairs, and so on.

[Bnej]

Most likely he didn't judge your speed or distance correctly. Some people always assume a bike is going to be slow, so they'll guess they have time.

Plus, any two-wheeler is harder to judge distance than a four wheeler, due to the lack of width.

[moosterbounce]

I had a similar thing happen last week, but I managed to brake early. I continued coasting and came up behind them and knocked on the window. Must have scared the pants of the silly woman as she really panicked then!!

If she had driven her shiny new bmw x5 (I'm jealous ) out of the parking spot instead of going a bit forwards, then back, then forwards over the curb, then back (yes, there was a vacant park behind her, she just couldn't keep the car straight as she reversed ), she would have been out of the spot in plenty of time - probably before I even left the lights 500m down the road!!

And to think you need to actually sit for a license to drive a car!!

Moo...

[Hotdog]

Yeah, my assumption was that he either couldn't or just didn't bother to judge my speed, and decided he'd chance it as everyone knows that all bicycles pootle along at 5kph when they're going downhill on wide straight roads....

Just called the taxi company, who just told me I'd have to sort it out directly with the driver myself. Fortunately I have his name and address from his driver's licence, and ought to be able to get a phone number, though this might be tricky to sort out as his English didn't seem great. In theory I should also report this to the police as I was (slightly) injured, though I'm not sure how interested they'd be.

[tuco]

Yeah, my assumption was that he either couldn't or just didn't bother to judge my speed, and decided he'd chance it as everyone knows that all bicycles pootle along at 5kph when they're going downhill on wide straight roads....

Just called the taxi company, who just told me I'd have to sort it out directly with the driver myself. Fortunately I have his name and address from his driver's licence, and ought to be able to get a phone number, though this might be tricky to sort out as his English didn't seem great. In theory I should also report this to the police as I was (slightly) injured, though I'm not sure how interested they'd be.

Report it anyway. Why risk not reporting it?
It my have to be reported for an insurance claim to be made.

Take photos of the damaged bike before it's repaired.

How do people who can't speak English properly get jobs which require an clear under standing of English?

[stryker84]

Yeah, my assumption was that he either couldn't or just didn't bother to judge my speed, and decided he'd chance it as everyone knows that all bicycles pootle along at 5kph when they're going downhill on wide straight roads....

Just called the taxi company, who just told me I'd have to sort it out directly with the driver myself. Fortunately I have his name and address from his driver's licence, and ought to be able to get a phone number, though this might be tricky to sort out as his English didn't seem great. In theory I should also report this to the police as I was (slightly) injured, though I'm not sure how interested they'd be.

Report it anyway. Why risk not reporting it?
It my have to be reported for an insurance claim to be made.

Take photos of the damaged bike before it's repaired.

How do people who can't speak English properly get jobs which require an clear under standing of English?

did you just write "... an clear under standing of English" ? talk about irony
but yeah, on one hand, everyone deserves a go at earning their keep, but on the other, at least making an effort to speak the language would be appreciated.

and yes, just make a police report, all it takes is one lunch break spent at the depot, and would save you a lot of heartache if anyone decides to renege on your claim.

[tuco]

Yeah, my assumption was that he either couldn't or just didn't bother to judge my speed, and decided he'd chance it as everyone knows that all bicycles pootle along at 5kph when they're going downhill on wide straight roads....

Just called the taxi company, who just told me I'd have to sort it out directly with the driver myself. Fortunately I have his name and address from his driver's licence, and ought to be able to get a phone number, though this might be tricky to sort out as his English didn't seem great. In theory I should also report this to the police as I was (slightly) injured, though I'm not sure how interested they'd be.

Report it anyway. Why risk not reporting it?
It my have to be reported for an insurance claim to be made.

Take photos of the damaged bike before it's repaired.

How do people who can't speak English properly get jobs which require an clear under standing of English?

did you just write "... an clear under standing of English" ? talk about irony
but yeah, on one hand, everyone deserves a go at earning their keep, but on the other, at least making an effort to speak the language would be appreciated.

and yes, just make a police report, all it takes is one lunch break spent at the depot, and would save you a lot of heartache if anyone decides to renege on your claim.

Oh no, call the grammar natzis.
I was rushing between customers.
One mistake in months and it's in that context. Who'd have believed it?

[Hotdog]

Take photos of the damaged bike before it's repaired.

You just want there to be some photos for me to post so you can see the gory details

I will take a few snaps but there's not a lot to see apart from a tear in the foam grip on the left handlebar. The buckling to the front wheel isn't obvious until you spin the wheel so a photo might not document that very well.

You guys have talked me into reporting it to the police anyway, I'll go down the cop shop tomorrow when I go out to get some repair quotes for the bike.

[tuco]

Take photos of the damaged bike before it's repaired.

You just want there to be some photos for me to post so you can see the gory details

I will take a few snaps but there's not a lot to see apart from a tear in the foam grip on the left handlebar. The buckling to the front wheel isn't obvious until you spin the wheel so a photo might not document that very well.

You guys have talked me into reporting it to the police anyway, I'll go down the cop shop tomorrow when I go out to get some repair quotes for the bike.

No, no, not photos for us to see, as a record of the damage for any possible insurance claim.

[Hotdog]

I know, I was just joking

[MichaelB]

Cars coming out from side road is my greatest worry. I always assume the worst, and hope for the best.

parked cars are the other worry - i always chweck to see if there is someone on the drivers seat, but try and give them a very wide berth anyway.

Almost got doored once doing about 30km/hr - don't quite know how I missed it, but somehow did. That was close enough fo a lifetime for me.

Good to hear that you are OK anyway.

[tuco]

Cars coming out from side road is my greatest worry. I always assume the worst, and hope for the best.

parked cars are the other worry - i always chweck to see if there is someone on the drivers seat, but try and give them a very wide berth anyway.

Almost got doored once doing about 30km/hr - don't quite know how I missed it, but somehow did. That was close enough fo a lifetime for me.

Good to hear that you are OK anyway.

I'm forever telling my daughter to go wide around parked cars. I'm hoping she doesn't learn the hard way. I've hit one so I'm very wary of them. The car came off second best.

[Hotdog]

Cars coming out from side road is my greatest worry. I always assume the worst, and hope for the best.

They do seem to be the biggest risk, this is only the second time I've actually made contact with one (the last time was when I was a kid) but I'd say that it's the most common cause of close calls for me.

I'm generally straight into full-on 'defensive cycling' mode when I see a car waiting to pull out from a side street up the road too, but on this occasion I was caught out by his indecision.

parked cars are the other worry - i always chweck to see if there is someone on the drivers seat, but try and give them a very wide berth anyway.

Yep, that's something else I'm wary off. And with the Sydney councils being very fond of having designated on-street car parking next to or even in their cycle lanes it's a big risk round here for less experienced cyclists who reasonably assume that riding in the cycle lanes is safer than not.

Good to hear that you are OK anyway.

Thanks. My knees are stiffening up now which might keep me off my bike for a bit, but I count myself lucky I didn't get hurt more.

[Mulger bill]

The crashing of black coloured bicycles must be contagious...

*fingers in ears* LA LA LA LA I can't hear you...

Sorry to hear 'bout that Hotdog, glad the injuries aren't too bad.
As I've said to the kids so many times, never trust a driver to do the right thing. Yes yes, most of us own and use smokeboxes at some time, and the same rule aplies to us. IMO there's something about having 1000kg+ of tinplate and plastic around us that acts as a mind altering substance.

Taxis always scare me, they are so unpredictable. I've had too many near misses and doorings from yellow cars with so-called "professional" drivers aboard.

Hope you're back rolling sweetly soon Hotdog.

Shaun

[mikesbytes]

TAXI............

Hope that legs just brused and hasn't got something else more serious with it. Give us an update on the leg tomorrow.

Just curious, which streets did it occur at ?

[Hotdog]

Hope that legs just brused and hasn't got something else more serious with it. Give us an update on the leg tomorrow.

Thanks, will do.

Just curious, which streets did it occur at ?

Miller Street, in Pyrmont. I'd just turned left from Harris Street and was heading down the hill towards the Anzac Bridge. The taxi came out of Bulwarra Road.

[mikesbytes]

Just curious, which streets did it occur at ?

Miller Street, in Pyrmont. I'd just turned left from Harris Street and was heading down the hill towards the Anzac Bridge. The taxi came out of Bulwarra Road.

Thats the second most busy bicycle route in Sydney (after the Harbour bridge). The route thru Pyrmont leaves a lot to be desired. I've seen a cyclist lying on the road there once with other cyclists around and a car parked accross the road. I think they where waiting for a paramedic before moving him.

[nimm]

I think the problem is drivers may _appear_ as if they are looking right at you but you don't register (cause you're not a car, or they are really in automatic pilot/daydreaming mode).

I had a similar experience once, riding along the road and a car about to turn onto the same road from a side street. I look at the driver and he looks at me (right in the eye it seems). As I get directly in front of his car he then accelerates and i end up on the bonnet. Lucky it was at such slow speed it felt like it was in slow motion. Apart from a graze on one of my legs there was no other damage.

[uMP2k]

I think the problem is drivers may _appear_ as if they are looking right at you but you don't register (cause you're not a car, or they are really in automatic pilot/daydreaming mode).

I had a similar experience once, riding along the road and a car about to turn onto the same road from a side street. I look at the driver and he looks at me (right in the eye it seems). As I get directly in front of his car he then accelerates and i end up on the bonnet. Lucky it was at such slow speed it felt like it was in slow motion. Apart from a graze on one of my legs there was no other damage.

Yep - the ol' driver coming out of a side street (or in my case out of service station driveway) will get you every time!

[rider06]

Yep, that's something else I'm wary off. And with the Sydney councils being very fond of having designated on-street car parking next to or even in their cycle lanes it's a big risk round here for less experienced cyclists who reasonably assume that riding in the cycle lanes is safer than not.

I know what you mean. I ride through the Rhodes area on the way to and from uni and the bike "lane" runs alongside the parked cars. The biggest problem with this is that most people are apparently unable to park their car anywhere near the kerb and hang out into traffic - usually urban cowboys/cowgirls driving gleaming luxury 4WDs. After two very near misses (or should that be near hits?) from people opening car doors, I now ride right on the solid white line that marks the bike lane - luckily the traffic is not too bad.

[mikesbytes]

Most of the marked bike lanes are just telling me where not to ride.

Can you imagine how much it would hurt to hit the edge of a car door at 30k+

Where Hotdog got hit, there is no separation between the bikes and the cars. The bikes take the single car lane and thats that. The problem with that stretch of road is the side streets and cars coming out of them.

Hotdog, hows the leg today ?

[Hotdog]

Just got in from a trip to the LBS and the LCS (Local Cop Shop).

The bike shop guys are going to check the bike out and write up a report of the damage and a quote for repairs. I should get the full gory details mid week, though based on a brief eyeballing the guy who took the bike in reckoned it'd probably be possible to straighten the rim. The buckling of the rim isn't very severe, though when I looked at the hub this morning it looked like the axle might be bent, and the hub brakes have spewed a lot of their grease so might be damaged. Will have to wait to see if a wheel rebuild/replacement will be necessary. The helmet I was wearing (a MET Sfero, worth about $90) will need replacing too, of course, and to replace the foam grips will be another $15 or so.

The police were extremely friendly, polite and uninterested. The cop at the front desk said that as we had exchanged details, no-one was injured sufficiently to need medical attention, and there was no suggestion of DUI that filing a report wasn't necessary, it was just up to ourselves and the insurance companies to sort out.

Not tried calling the taxi driver to discuss things yet, probably should get things rolling as soon as possible but don't have all that much to talk to him about until I know how much repairs will be.

As far as the damage to myself is concerned, it seems I've been even luckier than I thought. While I'm aching in several places and the grazing and bruising on my right knee is painful there doesn't seem to be any other damage. I reckon I'll be all mended before my bike is...

[jzell67]

Just curious, which streets did it occur at ?

Miller Street, in Pyrmont. I'd just turned left from Harris Street and was heading down the hill towards the Anzac Bridge. The taxi came out of Bulwarra Road.

Thats the second most busy bicycle route in Sydney (after the Harbour bridge). The route thru Pyrmont leaves a lot to be desired. I've seen a cyclist lying on the road there once with other cyclists around and a car parked accross the road. I think they where waiting for a paramedic before moving him.

I live right near there and I hate it in the mornings and in the afternoons.

My street is near the Anzac bridge ramp where all the bikes come down from the Anzac bridge.

One day theyll be an accident there. Its very hard when turning left onto Saunders street to see if any cars are coming on your right and to figure out if the cyclists are going to go towards the drivers side or passenger side to get onto the Channel ten road. I just stop and let them do whatever and then go.

Then there's the road near the Pyrmont Bridge (where the new Coles is).
Bikes everywhere. Im very careful when i pull out in the afternoons (5-6.30pm). Ive sat and watched other cars pulling in and out when there's a bike coming I just cringe with the near misses. One cyclist kicked a car cause it pulled out in front of him... heh heh...

[europa]

Sounds like things are working out Hotdog. I'd still be wary about no putting in a report. The cops may not think it's much, but you've still got to get your bike repaired. I'm amazed the taxi company is able to wipe its hands of the deal - another plus for our new industrial relations policies whereby modern employers can pay the same but shift more of the responsibility elsewhere.

Get fit and get riding mate. And don't blame the colour, it's all the government's fault ... just like the drought

Richard

[mikesbytes]

Miller Street, in Pyrmont. I'd just turned left from Harris Street and was heading down the hill towards the Anzac Bridge. The taxi came out of Bulwarra Road.

Thats the second most busy bicycle route in Sydney (after the Harbour bridge). The route thru Pyrmont leaves a lot to be desired. I've seen a cyclist lying on the road there once with other cyclists around and a car parked accross the road. I think they where waiting for a paramedic before moving him.

I live right near there and I hate it in the mornings and in the afternoons.

My street is near the Anzac bridge ramp where all the bikes come down from the Anzac bridge.

One day theyll be an accident there. Its very hard when turning left onto Saunders street to see if any cars are coming on your right and to figure out if the cyclists are going to go towards the drivers side or passenger side to get onto the Channel ten road. I just stop and let them do whatever and then go.

Then there's the road near the Pyrmont Bridge (where the new Coles is).
Bikes everywhere. Im very careful when i pull out in the afternoons (5-6.30pm). Ive sat and watched other cars pulling in and out when there's a bike coming I just cringe with the near misses. One cyclist kicked a car cause it pulled out in front of him... heh heh...

The design is really stupid. It seems to be based on the concept that cyclists are actually pedrestrains and travel at 5kph. There are so many faults within a single kilometer that it shows the designer do not understand the concept of cycling.

Most cyclists now when departing town ride on the wrong side of the road on Bridge road between Pyrmont Bridge and Union st, when departing the CBD and this is despite there being motor vechiles driving directly towards them in the same lane. Why? Because there is no better alternative. And from a legal perspective, I don't think there is a way that you can legally ride your bike from Pyrmont Bridge to Union st.