Mike was a couple of miles from home, heading down a steep descent, when a car overtook him with oncoming traffic already approaching. He spent the next few seconds waiting to be cut back into. It is not the worst thing that has happened to him on a bike, a driver once crossed into his lane and drove straight at him before swerving away at the last moment, an incident that kept him off the bike for a while. Here is Mike’s story, and why he does not ride without a camera anymore.
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Every UpRider has a story. Here is Mike’s.
What happened prior to this incident and why do you record your ride?
I was coming to the end of my early morning ride with a couple of miles to go when I turned off the high street onto Market Hill, which is a steep descent. Once I was on the hill, a car overtook me while another was approaching from the opposite direction. I was scared the overtaking car was going to cut back in and hit me. The car then continued down the hill well in excess of the 20mph speed limit.
I record my rides because I do not feel safe on the road anymore. I have had several incidents where drivers have passed very close to me or pulled out on me. In one extreme case, a young male driver deliberately drove into my lane, straight towards me, and swerved back at the last minute. That was near the Colchester United training ground, which is normally a quiet back road. It shook me up and put me off cycling for a while.
When do you feel most vulnerable as a cyclist?
At rush hour. Everyone seems to be driving without any consideration for cyclists, just wanting to get where they are going as quickly as possible.
What do you think are the most important things that can be done to improve safety for cyclists on the road?
I feel safety equipment like cameras needs to be made more affordable. At the moment they are a premium price for something that is genuinely important, both for gathering evidence and for peace of mind.
What is your advice for other cyclists?
Always pay attention to your surroundings, and record your rides. Incidents of bad driving towards cyclists seem to be increasing, as does online hate for cyclists.
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