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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 00:31 
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Star letter in CW – reader recounts riding on the newly resurfaced a483 IN north Wales – Chester direction. This is a fast road…and the reader says he was practising his “race technique”

A few miles in and he was overtaken by an articulated lorry/

reader from North Wales wrote:

I was alarmed by how close it came to me. I was just off the white line to the far left. He came within one metre – travelling much faster of course.

But before he was fully past – he moved in closer and the rear of the trailer struck me with a force I cannot begin to describe. I thought my time on Earth was over.

I smashed to the ground and suffered a lot of very bad burns and a huge bruising from the initial impact on my left arm.




Hmm… bad. : Lorry should have allowed more room on passing but we always have to be extra vigilant when on the wrong side or become out of long vehicle driver view whether on bikes or in cars

I think I would have eased off a lot to ensure he cleared just in case. But then don’t know exact lay out.

But there is worse to come - and to me in the main principality of the speed camera a shaming indictment on the standard of their average drivers – more proof if you like that we do need to improve driver standards first if we are to get true safety and choice of the safest speed for the conditions;


Quote:

It is always pretty busy on this road at 15.45. After I stopped sliding down the tarmac I had to barrel roll myself out of the way of traffic. The lorry had stopped some 1oo metres ahead but no sign of the driver/ I got to my feet – covered in blood and tried to retrieve my bike – which the cars were swerving to avoid. They did gawp at the injured cyclist – but [i] not one bothered to stop, help or report the accident.

I then had to try to recover my mobile phone from the carriageway.



So …. No one slowed or stopped for an obvious hazard. Shame on them. :furious:

Quote:

The driver was in the cab when I approached.. I told him he’d knocked me off. He replied he knew and did not report it.


:shock: :?

Pity you did not have digital recorder for evidence of his admission. (Pocket sized Dictaphones are fairly cheap and can be useful. I have on in my kit along with the disposable camera

The chap says he had to phone the police and ambulances himself. On hearing the sirens one driver stopped and

Quote:

He assumed the police wanted him. An injured cyclist and crushed cycle were invisible to him


Hmmm – perhaps he pulled in to allow the emergencies to pass him. People do stop to let us pass. Shock does blur facts. Why we close roads and take a lot of statements – and put up the signs asking for witnesses to come forward at the accident site.

Chap continues in his letter that he rides a motorbike and vouches for the Think! Bike! Campaign and wants similar for Cyclists.

Yes – agree. :yesyes:


But then I suppose there would be some whinging over the other sign “To DIE for?” –

There is a series ranging from speed to undertaking to blind spots to remind riders to watch speed and position and to remind drivers about biker presence.

Sadly this cyclist has no witnesses and the truck driver is denying any contact.

So –

If anyone hitting or member/user of this site was riding or driving on the A483 at 15.45 hours on April 20th this year – would they please contact North Wales Police


I am sure that when the author of this letter is asking for investment into road cyclist’s safety – he means decent bike lanes and decent training standards for all and NOT speed cams. Speed of the lorry was not the problem.

It was failure to COAST - especially S and T, which almost killed this guy.

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A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

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FINES USfor our COAST!


Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.


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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 00:55 
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I also don't see how 'decent bike lanes', whatever they are, would stop a lorry from overtaking too close? Unless you build 'decent bike lanes' along both sides of side every road in this country.


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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 04:14 
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Location: Windermere
They might help if they were like this one....
Image
It's shared with pedestrians, but mostly serious walkers, or experienced locals who dont get in the way.

The surface is better than the road.
It's even swept regularly (except not soon enough after accidents).

Most of all it's safe... - but expensive. :oops:

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