SFCRetired

Well, Hell!! The Old Man just had his first arse over teakettle moment on the new bike. Kids were playing in the street and, as kids will do, weren't paying attention and stepped right into me. No way to avoid the one who stepped into me, either.

Damages: None to the bike that I can find. The Old Man has a nice little cut right on the bridge of his nose. Kid wasn't hurt. My lovely bride freaked when she saw the blood dripping off my nose. The two kids almost wet their pants when they saw me go down and then saw the blood. I will probably be sore tomorrow morning.

Lessons learned: Always expect the unexpected. Next time, nicely ask the kids to move to the side of the street or play off the street. The frame of glasses will cut you like a knife!

Still got in a little over seventeen miles.

DnvrFox

WOW!! Sorry about that. I have been known to stop and walk my bike around kids. I always unclip my right foot anywhere near them. I generally try to get their attention and talk my way through, but, depending on age, they are likely to run anywhere to "get out of your way."

I hope all heals up OK.

Zinger

Watch for the kids, pedestrians, dogs and other new bike handlers on any well used MUP. There will be more of that to slow down for.

Dudelsack 

Ironic post. I was riding in the Park yesterday and came across the entire clan: mom, dad, three little kids on Hello Kitty bikes, and two dogs. As I approached them from the rear I came to a slow crawl.

"Don't worry, the dogs don't bite", mom said to me.

"Um, the dogs aren't the ones I'm afraid of", says I as I very slowly pass the Hello Kitty cyclers.

It was pretty scary.

B. Carfree

Good job to not take the kid down with the ship. Children are wonderful creatures, and they teach us to stay on our toes (or pay the price).

Years ago, some friends of mine coined or stole the term "kiddie right of way", meaning that children have the right of way in all settings and it is up to us adults to adjust. That seems fair, we're supposed to be able to out-think them, but it does sometimes involve a bit of bruising on our end when we don't see all the possibilities.

SFCRetired

This incident brought to mind the dear lady who exclaimed, "You must hate children!" when I asked her to corral her little monsters.

I looked at her with one of my patented evil smiles and said, "Why, no, I actually love children. Medium rare with a good garlic and butter sauce!"

She and her children disappeared in a cloud of dust!!

Sometimes the evil old Platoon Sergeant just has to break loose.

DnvrFox

NOS88

Kids and squriles are the most unpredictable creatures around. Glad ther was no serious damage.

Bikey Mikey

Squirrels, just run them over...don't bother trying to avoid them as you will likely end up running over it any way. When I see kids playing in the streets, or anyone in the streets, with their backs to me, I'll announce "Comming through!" I almost always say hello, good day, or good morning to those I see on the street. I even clear my throat loudly at times to let those with backs turned that I'm there.

cplager

And when that doesn't work, I find my Air Zound/Hornit works wonders in getting people's attention (whether it be joggers with ear buds or teenagers who don't realize anybody else exists).

rdtompki

I was on a short, early am coffee run on a quiet residential street. There was a family ahead of me going in the same direction, but on the other side of the street. I looked to a parked car to make sure I wasn't going to get door'ed. When I look up the father and clan were crossing directly in front of me. I managed to avoid hitting the father who was directly in front of me; he wasn't wearing a helmet.

Looigi

Squirrels scare me.

Dudelsack 

That sounds tempting, but my Hello Kitty handlebar bell does a nice job at getting people's attention, and how could you get mad at the Kitty?

cplager

I've just ordered a bell too (although not a Hello Kitty one - oh well). For now, I use my loud "Good morning" voice, but sometimes that just doesn't cut it...

ModeratedUser150120149

Glad you are OK. It seems that most folks put bikes in the Toy category and it takes them a second or so to figure out that what most of us ride are not toys and react appropriately.

This reminds me of an incident that happened while I was driving across country but is appropriate here. I was off the interstate system driving through farm country on a US route. Ahead I saw a very young, maybe pre-schooler, playing on the highway shoulder in his front yard. That alarmed me so I stopped to take him to his house and tell his parent, if there was one, he was mere feet away from being killed.

Mom came boiling out of the house with a panic on her face. Didn't realize the danger where her kid was playing. But, she sure got it when the car stopped. Mission accomplished. Bet she never let the kid out like that again.

ModeratedUser150120149

Bells:

Maybe I'm the only person in the universe who didn't know what a bell meant when I heard one for the first time. So, if you pick one don't use it like some I know. Please use it as a request, not a command.

swampboy62

Too bad you crashed but you got off easy. Had an easy little crash right up from my house two years ago (no helmet - who needs a helmet to go around the block?) and fractured my skull in two places. Damn sure that I wear a helmet every time now.

Hope your nose heals up quickly.

Steve Z

on the path

That spoke pattern sure looks cool..

rgwinn

Holy Crap!, that would freak me out too, damn Kamikaze Squirrels.


Group of 4 of us almost got taken out by a car door, missed by inches, the guy didn't even look back before opening the door.

Steve Sawyer

Ahem - you titled this thread "First accident..." like you're expecting more!!

The wife and I were riding a long descent on a local MUP - one where you can get well up over 30 mph if you wish, which I was - she was a couple hundred yards ahead of me, was going very slowly (I was playing catch-up) and was approaching the clan - Grandma, mom 6-year old on bike, and 3-year old running around in circles (as 3-year-olds are wont to do). I thought to myself that I was going to slow down to barely above walking speed when I passed them. The wife passed them at just about that speed, probably saying "hello" in the process when said 3-year-old changed directions and darted right in front of her. I was still about 50 yards back and watched it happen. Little kid got a little cut on his cheek, the LOML went over the handle bars onto her butt, but fortunately no one was seriously hurt and we all wore ourselves out apologizing.

Little kids and dogs (puppies in particular - we're raising one) are like squirrels - their current trajectory gives NO clue as to what direction they're going to head in next. You can try real hard to give folks a "heads up" but kids and dogs often will never hear you - slow is the only way to go and even THAT may result in a crash!

leob1

Pics or it didn't happen.

Dudelsack 

Bottom of the thread:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...e-this-Weekend

eja_ bottecchia

Dang...well, did you have road kill for dinner that day?

Bikey Mikey

Just don't be this guy. It's a parody.

David Bierbaum

ow! The phrase "Citizens of Rome! Lend me your ears!" ran through my head at the end of that video. So that's a "tribal look"...

I gave up on notification. I just slow down to a pace that I can stop just by putting my foot down, and keep a lizard's eye on the mobile obstructions till I get by them...