Originally Posted by
dicktill
Sorry, new here: What's a "VC"?
Vehicular Cyclist
Originally Posted by
Number400
Roadie/road racer riding in blissful ignorance on the road for years with only an occasional close pass with any automotive traffic. I was hit on the road a year ago and am still recovering.
So I have ventured out for a few short road rides and encountered a number of blissfully ignorant cyclists some of who were all dressed in black, weaving all over the road, riding in shadows...
It's hard to get any sense of comfort or pleasure from riding on the road anymore. People are just too crazy and are driving around at crazy speeds and with little common sense and a complete disregard for the laws of the road or public safety. I want to ride on the roads again but am having a hard time. Anyone else in the same boat?
Not sure how to avoid riding in shadows; and one man's weaving can be another's filtering. Can't say I'm in the same boat, but I do feel your pain.
A couple of years ago I found myself in what turned out to be the right place at the right time. I was on a busy road and wanted to turn right, which in the UK means crossing a lane of traffic. Rather than position myself towards the centre, which I didn't feel was safe on this particular road due to the speed of most of the other traffic, I pulled over to wait it out. A few cars behind me a woman wanting to make the same turn impatiently hopped into the other lane and ran her car smack into someone coming the other way. [Full story
here on my oddly named blog.] If I'd behaved like the assertive vehicular cyclist I usually am, chances are I wouldn't be typing this today. Such a traumatic experience could've easily drained my confidence if I didn't have a good stock of it to begin with.
To paraphrase howeeee: To safely ride on the road, you need to conquer your fear of it. Perhaps easier said than done, I know…
There's no shame in Dave Cutter's advice, a.k.a. the WarGames solution ("The only way to win is not to play"). An acquaintance of mine, an extremely experienced cyclist, had a close encounter of the worst kind with a bus. He took a sabbatical from two wheels. Time healed those wounds; as you're still recovering, perhaps you need more of same.