Another NDE on the road

[Wimmas]

Just another reminder of how little some road users feel for a cyclist:

 

The other day I was training on the Eleazer road in the Potchefstroom area (This is usually a quiet road, with "beware of cyclists" signs and mostly used by farmers or the army). Along the way I ride past a stationary truck loaded with cows. He was stationary because the police stopped him. I still thought WTH is going on here - did the oke steal those cows or what?

 

Anyway, they were faced in the opposite direction that I was travelling in.

 

So about 5km's after I passed them I looked back just to see if there aren't any cars coming that look like they're going to kill me. I saw that this truck loaded with the cows was coming down the road at a slow pace followed by a convoy of police vehicles etc. So they obviously turned the oke around and escorted him to wherever he came from for whatever reason.

 

In my gut I felt something did not feel right so I kept looking back every 5s. Something just told me "get off the road", so when this truck and police vehicles was around 30m away from me I went off the road and rode probably a meter away from the side of the road.

 

When they passed I saw why my gut told me to get off the road - it looked as if the truck was trying to ride so close to the side of the road just to see when his wheels will touch the sand. I literally felt the wind, was blasted by sand and almost thrown off my bike.

 

Immediately my blood boiled and heart was racing. Guess what, they just carry on riding and the police do nothing. They just saw me almost fall and be traumatised by a huge truck for NO reason.

 

There was NO oncomming traffic so there was no reason for the truck to almost drive over me.

 

If I had a gun with me, I would've been in jail now!

[No Hare]

Not a nice situation for you but, for me a feel-good post.

 

you saw something was happening

You deducted from certain observed actions that the following may happen

you acted accordingly

 

Result

 

No accident

No damage

You alive

 

You used your common sense and took responsibility for your own actions. the things that is lacking in our world presently.

 

Good one bru'

Edited September 5, 2013 by No Hare

[Moriarty]

And if you hadn't noticed you would be another statistic.

 

I must confess that the story didn't make me feel particularly good. I commute most working days and each time I get on my bike I wonder if it will be my last, not a major stressing but more of a nagging feeling in the back of my head.

 

There need to be serious consequences for any motorists found guilty of reckless driving when it comes to cyclists, this is the only thing that will make me feel safer.

[De Rosa]

I've been a roadie for the majority of my life. Fact remains that riding on South African roads is very dangerous. No matter where you ride.

 

I now only ride my road bike on major events like the 94.7 or the agus. Every other time I'm on the trails with my mtb.

 

 

When you are on the road you basically putting your life in other people's hands. Life is too precious to be taken out by a motorist.

 

But kudos to you for taking action. Prevention is better than cure.