close call

General Fixed Street
1

Had a close call while riding into work this morning.

I entered a roundabout heading straight. Car on the left doesn’t see me and enters the roundabout as well. I see the car, resist on the pedals hard … start to feel my rear wheel skid alittle and slip to the side (wet road). I’m getting very close the car’s driver side door. I know I’m going to hit this guy for sure so I turn with the car and try not to hit head on. Next thing I know, my front wheel is touching his rear tyre. Amazingly I stay upright and ride out of the roundabout unharmed. Turned around to see the driver go on and a give little wave (apology?).

Just thought I’d share.

Be careful out there.

Des

2

I’m glad you stayed upright.

This is the reason I have a brake, even if I use it rarely.

3

scary dude! my o crap moment: yesterday, coming down the hill at the bottom of exibition street. light turns red. start a skid and then unclip out of my right pedal! make the left turn into beeping oncoming traffic. didn’t come off or get crashed though…

also pushie cops are doing a blitz on cyclists in the cbd until the end of next week, so be careful–i got a $215 red light fine on tuesday for running a red at little collins(!) coming down eliz. boo.

4

I’ve been thinking about the situation abit.

The car was already very close to me when it entered the roundabout. If I had my brake with me, I would not have been able to brake and turn with the car.

Hard front brake + turn + wet road = slipped front wheel + ending up under the car.

Hypothetical of course … but in this situation I believe that a front brake would not have helped me. Anticipating that the car wasn’t going to see me and reacting accordingly did.

That’s not to say that brakes on a fixie are useless … just depends on what sort of rider you are.

5

Was the driver dark skinned by any chance Des?

6

Couldn’t tell. Didn’t even notice if the driver was male or female.

The car was maroon red. It happened on Park St (or Ave? Can never remember the proper name) in Parkville.

Why Nick? You know this guy?

Des

7

Roundabouts are shit like that. I have to turn into one at least twice a day, to and from work and all too frequently the perception of some drivers seems to be that they have right of way by the simple virtue of being in a car. And when push comes to shove, they do because that’s one big mobile death trap they’re sitting in.

8

No I don’t. But I know you :wink:

9

Ah yes … that little inside joke … it’s been so many weeks now, I can’t even remember how it started. I have a feeling that “YeeHaw” was somehow invovled.

Des