I was recommended to join this site by a guy I met this morning.
I ride a baby bike, a Yamaha YBR 125 (give me the money and I’ll do the test and get something bigger). Today, on my way to work, in the smelly rain, I was overtaking a huge queue of stationary traffic. Further up the road the traffic was blocking any smooth path through so I began to slow down. The brakes didn’t take to the wet road too well (especially after it’s been pretty decent weather until recently) and I started sliding about a bit. Would have been fine, but the bike also decided to veer into the back of a stationary car. Wasn’t a huge collision 'cause I wasn’t going particularly fast so there was little more than a scratch in the car’s bumper. The front of my bike, however, was now wonkier than usual.
Anyway after I had taken the bike to the side of the road and stood there looking confused and perhaps startled, a guy came up to me to help me out. He gave me advice and helped me check if it was all working still. He then recommended this forum. So I have come along to say ‘hi’
If you’re wondering about the damage, I took the bike to where my partner works, which is incidentally a bike shop (though he doesn’t ride. He doesn’t like bikes much, in fact). At the mo the damage doesn’t look too bad for my pocket. Have ordered a new headlamp and bulb and some things apparantly can be beaten back into place as a resolve until I want to buy new bits.
Am just glad I wasn’t overtaking on the outside - would have been an oncoming car to go under that way, and I think I would have felt it. As it happens, I was wearing all my protective stuff like a good girl and the worst I got was a little ruise on my leg. Though that could have been there already.
Yeah. The driver of the car stopped, obviously. But the car behind just quickly did their best to drive around. Noone came over to help me pick the bike up and pull it away from the car, I was clearly struggling. A cyclist had seen it happen and checked if I was ok before going, but that was it until that guy came over. Which I’m grateful for.
Is a shame most people do their best to just look down and pretend nothing happened. I’m glad I wasn’t knocked off and badly hurt, just to lay there and watch all the people driving around me. Though I’m sure more people would have stopped and checked or helped then. Or I’d like to think so!
Hi Emily,
I’m glad you made it to the bike shop and that you (and the YBR) only suffered minor damage
The Ethic of reciprocity (only know the name after looking it up ) comes into play here.
More people would probably have stopped and helped if things had looked more serious, but it is too easy to get flustered and forget/ make bad decisions in that kind of situation so I thought I had to stick my nose in
I hope you find LB (londonbikers.com) as welcoming, helpful and informative as I did when I joined.
Hey there you are, actually you did tell me your username but I forgot it.
Thanks again for stopping and letting me use your pen And yeah, don’t think I’ll be making an insurance claim. Hope noone in the car suddenly suffers whiplash pains though!!
People I’ve told have so far either assumed I was speeding and or too close to the car I hit. Which is a bit of a pain, cause I don’t speed when I overtake or in that kind of weather and there was noone in front of me for ages. The bike went off to the side to hit the car. Why do people who don’t ride bikes tend to assume a biker is always in the wrong? Was just one of those things as I see it.
And everyone has been friendly to me so far and welcoming
Well, my real name and LB username are the same, but it is fairly rare and you had your mind on more important matters at the time! Don’t worry, I’m a little surprised you even remembered/ bothered to make it here given the circumstances, but pleased that you did
You’re very welcome.
Without seeing a video replay, no-one can say for sure what happened. I wouldn’t let anyone get you down about it, although in that kind of situation (rain-based filtering etc), we can’t be too careful. Just get back on the horse and keep your wits about you next time I guess
