wear a helmet ,very lucky escape for myself .

Hixyhicks

Pedelecer
May 14, 2020
151
10
55


Im very bruised and battered but my helmet saved my head .very strong language for a short burst .I then fell over .
 

trevor brooker

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 11, 2018
284
158
62
maidstone
Very sorry to see your crash & very glad that you are not seriously injured.

When I come up to a junction with a vehicle waiting to emerge I move to the centre of the lane to make myself more obvious.

Also I see that you have a flashing white light (in addition to the front light?) & through trial & error I have found that positioning the flashing lights at the ends of the handlebars (showing the true width of the bike) does make a difference to increasing your visibility.

The final thing I established was using a motorbike headlight as the front light really does make a difference, due to the volume of light compared to a normal cycle light. I only attach it for night rides (2 bolts & 3 push wires) so its as quick as when I used battery powered lights.
 
  • Like
Reactions: guerney

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,252
3,195


Im very bruised and battered but my helmet saved my head .very strong language for a short burst .I then fell over .
What ebike do you have? That's very impressive speed. You're fortunate to get away without very serious injury! Is the bike ok? I've wired three ebike front headlights via the battery and inline fuse - drivers see me much more often, but I'd still be interested to know about the motorcycle headlight. An idiot van driver pulled out from my left from his parked position (same direction as me) yesterday, so three bike headlights may not be enough - mind you, there wasn't much time to be spotted, because I was approaching via a bend. Regardless, he got beeped with the Hornitt 140db horn, and sworn at. I was carrying about 50kg in cargo, that would have left a big dent. I just about avoided collision - that loud horn has helped prevent many accidents. Trouble is, by the time you sound a horn, it's often too late!
 
Last edited:

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,252
3,195
The final thing I established was using a motorbike headlight as the front light really does make a difference, due to the volume of light compared to a normal cycle light. I only attach it for night rides (2 bolts & 3 push wires) so its as quick as when I used battery powered lights.
What motorbike headlight do you use, and how have you installed it?
 

Hixyhicks

Pedelecer
May 14, 2020
151
10
55
What ebike do you have? That's very impressive speed. You're fortunate to get away without very serious injury! I've wired three ebike front headlights via the battery and inline fuse - people see me much more often, but I'd still be interested to know about the motorcycle headlight.
Its a bafang diy j ob it looks faster than it was i was doing about 25.No quicker than if i was on a normal bike.Its down hill for about a mile .
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,252
3,195
Its a bafang diy j ob it looks faster than it was i was doing about 25.No quicker than if i was on a normal bike.Its down hill for about a mile .
Mine's a Bafang diy job too - wide angle action camera lenses do make things look faster. The drunk/tipsy drivers are really annoying; dozy, half blind, slow reflexes, dead brained...
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,252
3,195
Its a bafang diy j ob it looks faster than it was i was doing about 25.No quicker than if i was on a normal bike.Its down hill for about a mile .
What did the driver have to say for himself? Did you damage his car?
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,882
8,517
61
West Sx RH
:eek: Very fortunate lad to get away without serious injury.
These typical accidents known as smidsy or the driver not realising the speed of an approaching light/bicycle more so in the dark, it is also known that drivers pulling out simply don't register bicycles even with lights.

Following my spill a couple of years ago like yours but in broad daylight, in hind sight I now wished I had reported the incident and contacted the insurers. A driver thinks they got a way with it and it is settled amicably but nothing gives them the jeepers creepers affect if the police are involved and more so the insurers as they are more worried about premium rises then any thing else, I also not 100% sure in the long term they learn anything.
 

Hixyhicks

Pedelecer
May 14, 2020
151
10
55
:eek: Very fortunate lad to get away without serious injury.
These typical accidents known as smidsy or the driver not realising the speed of an approaching light/bicycle more so in the dark, it is also known that drivers pulling out simply don't register bicycles even with lights.

Following my spill a couple of years ago like yours but in broad daylight, in hind sight I now wished I had reported the incident and contacted the insurers. A driver thinks they got a way with it and it is settled amicably but nothing gives them the jeepers creepers affect if the police are involved and more so the insurers as they are more worried about premium rises then any thing else, I also not 100% sure in the long term they learn anything.
The police are going to do you for driving with undue care he is 82 so will probably lose his licence.Im not going to pursue it,just ask him to replace my helmet .Unless my bike is knackered . I think its only the front wheel i will see this weekend .
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,882
8,517
61
West Sx RH
The police are going to do you for driving with undue care .
Not riding a bicycle they aren't but looking at your video they might do so as the footage could be used against you, they could deem it as so for the conditions and the speed that looks greater then you say.
 

Hixyhicks

Pedelecer
May 14, 2020
151
10
55
well Neath i know how fast i was going because i ride that route twice a day 5 days a week unless my speedo is wrong i was doing 20-25 .My bike wont go quicker that that at that junction nearer the bottom of the hill i would be quicker but not over the speed limit .Not possible with the gearing i have on my bike .
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,882
8,517
61
West Sx RH
That's the issue with footage the speed viewed always looks faster, I'm not saying you weren't doing 25km/h.

One will ned to go over the bike with a fine tooth comb to check for damage.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,252
3,195
I think I'll eat my SD card, depending on what occurred in a collision - formatting doesn't erase...
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,252
3,195
Very little damage to his car,i think i hit his wheel then over the bonnet .
That happened to me about 30 years ago - my front wheel collapsed (racer).
 

Hixyhicks

Pedelecer
May 14, 2020
151
10
55
Being honest it has scared me to death ,and possibly put me of riding to and from work .I have close calls every week and this is probably to close for comfort .
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,252
3,195
Being honest it has scared me to death ,and possibly put me of riding to and from work .I have close calls every week and this is probably to close for comfort .
I know what you mean, personally I do my best to keep under 15mph - easier to stop. So many idiot drivers! Getting back on the horse dispels the fear, if you want the fear dispelled.

A taxi driver jumped lights and almost ran me over yesterday. The lights were at the bottom of a hill and I was going too fast to stop. Another close call.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: flecc

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,882
8,517
61
West Sx RH
I think one has to put things in to perspective a little, and circumstances to be taken into account. That crash was late after noon/early evening certainly well after dusk, dark and busy road with cars appearing to be going quite quickly (speed always looks faster on camera), driver of said car was elderly his eyesight may have been wanting in the poor light.
Commuting/riding in such conditions needs maybe to be slower or more assertive with road positioning at junctions (that said the elderly driver most likely would still have pulled out, one expects his eyesight more so at night was wanting). May be choose another route or one needs to anticipate junctions more and slow down or be prepared to stop in an emergency.
 

joelectric

Pedelecer
Feb 22, 2019
144
93
Motherwell
The car driver looked at fault but it could just have as easily been a child that ran out in front of you, not preaching but it happens sometimes.