Thanks RobbyB, still trying to process what happened – bit stiff, road rash and a large swollen bruise from the blow to my arm.
As cyclists we are accustomed to sharing the yellow line with pedestrians through necessity and are often forced to negotiate past them at close proximity due to vehicles approaching from behind. In these typical scenarios we are extremely vulnerable. For me, this incident is a huge wake-up call going forward. I enjoy cycling immensely but in order to continue doing so will have to readjust accordingly, possibly limiting where/when/how I train.
We shouldn’t have to accept that attacks on cyclists are now the norm but, sadly, we really are soft targets. The sheer brazenness of the attempt to steal my bike yesterday indicates how self-assured criminal elements are when it comes to perpetrating such vile activities, safe in the knowledge that the chances of being held accountable are virtually non-existent.
