[Shades]

Have a mate who is part of our wider cycling gang; he’s taken early retirement and heard he was really frustrated with the Covid restrictions as he has a small holiday flat in Germany and can’t pursue his various plans.  My comment was why hadn’t he gone out on some long rides etc; then I was told he’d stopped, because he was sick of UK roads (safety), and was just going to cycle when he’s out in Germany (which he always raves about).  I was initially bemused but then, having almost being totalled on 2 rides recently (oncoming driver speeding on a lane and another speeding/not paying attention whilst I was trying to turn right off an A road; I’ve really lost my nerve when trying that manoeuvre), I kind of sympathised.  Realised that pre-WFH etc a lot of my miles were commuting on the Bristol/Bath bike path and quiet urban roads, so I was probably slightly cossetted.  I generally steer clear of A roads but, mid-week especially, the roads are like the wild-west post lockdown.  Apart from group rides I’ve now got front/back cameras so I could hardly criticise my mate for just being aware of his own mortality.

Topic

[Secret_squirrel]

Its sad that it had to come

Its sad that it had to come to that.  

I went the other way about 4 years ago, and sold my last MTB – a beautiful steel HT to part-fund a Gravel bike and felt the need to install camera’s about 9 months ago.  FWIW I’ve only used the camera’s “in anger” once since. 

We all have to find our own paths to mental peace.  Wishing you many happy offroad miles instead.  Happy trails!

[ChrisB200SX]

There are millions who won’t

There are millions who won’t ride bikes because “the roads are too dangerous”. The tragic irony is that a proportion of those people are the dangerous drivers that make the roads a dangerous environment for vulnerable road users.

No suprise that the hostile environment would put some cyclists off from ever doing so again.

[Awavey]

Well yes Chris Boardman for
Well yes Chris Boardman for one notable rider. Personally I always found the commute the hardest to cope with in the respect of safety as I was forced to use quite nasty busy urban roads,which with peak stress rush hour drivers always led to some conflict. So WFH allows me to explore the countryside on longer rides at nicer times, where you still get the occasional issue,but it’s not that thing where you just start stressing & dreading the ride because you know some hare brained motorist is going to try to put you in danger.

[Dave Dave]

Yes, I have. Occasionally I
Yes, I have. Occasionally I’ll ride a very short stretch of quiet back street linking two cycle paths. Other than that, off-road only.

Given that as a youngster I was a cycle courier in C London – pre congestion charge – I think it’s my attitude to risk that has changed.

[kil0ran]

Yep – sold all my road bikes

Yep – sold all my road bikes as of Sunday specifically because of this. One road rage incident resulting in physical injury and I’m also aware that it’s had an impact on my mental enjoyment (if that makes sense?) of road cycling. The main point of cycling for me is enjoyment and as I’m not enjoying it (each ride is a source of stress, every approaching driver a trigger) I’ve given up. Can’t be doing with running cameras because I don’t think that’s particularly good for mental health either.

Full convert to MTB now, have a lovely steel hardtail frame on the way that’s versatile enough to do double duty as a gravel/adventure bike. Now I just need to watch out for squirrels instead of drivers.

[Author]

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