Brings back memories of a similar incident from my schooldays. I was passing a parked car when a tipper lorry overtook me and passed so closely that he actually touched my handlebars, forcing me to a stop against the car. It is probably the nearest I have come to death on the road, and still gives me a shiver when I think about it.
The attitude of many people towards bike riders is frightening. When I was instructing I often wished I had a pound for every pupil who said "I hate Cyclists". This from an age group who had not long been whizzing round on bikes themselves. I had more than one difference of opinion with other instructors who wanted cycling banned, and expressed no sympathy for cyclists who were injured in accidents.
Driving vehicles just turns a fair proportion of people into dangerous arrogant prats.
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Gareth, I had a similar experience myself, on my bike more than twenty years ago -- except that in my case it was on an urban street and I landed on the concrete pavement, tho luckily I wasn't going fast.
As NoDosh says, you're lucky if your reactions hadn't been so quick, it could have been horrible. Well done!
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Pleased to read you escaped, and I share the sentiments of your post. A couple of years ago, I cycled from Aylesbury in Bucks to Winchcombe in Glos, and nearly didn't get past Waddesdon a few miles up the road from my start point.
Entering this small town on the A41, a juggernaut overtook me as I was but a handful of metres from the traffic island that marks the start of the 30 limit.
Having just checked my cycle speedo, I know that I was doing nearly 20MPH at the time, and had first noticed the truck a few seconds previously when I'd looked in the wide angle clip on mirror I use when not off road. I couldn't believe it when the truck, having slowed down and tucked in behind me, then started to overtake.
Thankfully, because I usually (strange this, ha ha!) use my mountain bike off road, it has a mechanism to lock my shoes to the pedals, and I was able to 'jump' the bike upwards and sideways straight on to the pavement. Having saved the situation, I raised a middle digit to the truck driver, and received a long blast from his air horns in return.
Charming.
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SjB,
Have you got a personalised number plate on a Volvo which might make it obvious it was yours ?
If you have, we live very close to each other. If you haven't, then its a plate you need to find and buy.
Mark.
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No, not I, Sir!
This actually touches on one of my hobby horses, but I'll make it brief!
Each to their own either way - and rightfully so as long as our country remains free - but I find personal plates to be the last word in vanity, so one of my vehicles is the last place you'll find one. That they are also used to 'hide' the age of a car, that people contrive to make numbers equate to letters, and that there is consequently a market for them, I find even more sad. No offence meant to anyone. Just my point of view having been asked a question.
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I can't see any problems with them at all, although its not something I would pay for.
But 0000SJB looked pretty good to me. I wasn't close enough to see how it was done, I'm guessing it must have been manipulated somehow.
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I have no problem with them either.
Ijust find this extension of vanity rather sad.
Anyway, 0000SJB: Let's take a look!
Given that we are talking about the Aylesbury area, where many cars are registered in Oxford, OO is a valid designator for the new style plates. The first O denotes Oxford, and the second O can exist as a result of the allowed range of A to Y.
The second set of 00 is probably a result of 03, with a coloured cap over the central arm of the three, so yes, manipulated as you suggest.
My guess is that we thus have a likely real plate of OO03 SJB.
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My guess is that we thus have a likely real plate of OO03 SJB.
According to both the RAC and AA website, that numberplate is indeed attached to a Volvo. In fact the RAC also go on to suggest it's silver, a 5 dr hatchback, and runs on diesel.
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How do you find out this information, Dave, from the RAC or AA websites? Any chance of a link? (I've looked, couldn't find it.)
Ta,
Mark
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Forgive me Dave for butting in but seeing as I'm here;
www.rac.co.uk/myrac/login?source=&loggedOn=false&d...c
You need to register but it's free.
--
Adam
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Thank you very much, Adski!
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Forgive me Dave for butting in but seeing as I'm here;
And what about the AA one then?
Oh, ok I'll do it myself.
www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/cardatacheck/index.jsp?...e
Although it does say you have to pay, you actually don't for a basic search.
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