Is biking really for me?

[Valman]

After the shock of my first off within 30 hours of picking up my bike, and someone dropping their bike on to mine whilst I was at work on Saturday, I then have the worst day of bike ownership yet.

On Sunday on my way to work whilst going round a left hand to right hand bend on a three lane one way road approaching a right exit, I suddenly see a car driven by a female coming straight at me at speed from the right exit :shock:. I do the smart thing and get the hell out of the way and she narrowly misses me and all the cars behind me without even slowing down, even with everyone horning at her. That scared the hell out of me and so I get to work taking it as slow as possible.

Then after a really stressful day I get on the bike and find my bike doesn't want to start. It was very cold so I keep trying and after a minute the SV finally starts, sounding very rough. I just get on and ride off, hoping it doesn't break down. Half way along my journey I'm riding in the bus lane as the signs say I can when a car on the right decides to just cut in across me, making me swerve and grab the brakes to avoid the damn thing, which then causes me to go down. The bike is a little more scuffed on the right side and the indicator casing that Jordan (Flamin Squirrel) so nicely let me have on Friday is also smashed. The bike also refused to change gears to start with but then got better. I also managed to scuff my helmet while I was sliding but the worst damage is to me. My hip and left thumb are aching badly and my right pinky finger is badly bruised but not broken. The car driver didn’t stop, nor did anyone else in a car for that matter so I didn't get a plate or any witnesses, but a cyclist and bus driver that came up behind me did stop to help. I refused an ambulance as I felt okay and just rode home very slowly.

I haven’t looked at the bike since last night, so I haven't checked for any more damage and am seriously considering selling it as owning it hasn’t done me any good yet. Anyway, the guy who dropped his bike onto mine, see the "Someone dented my "scraped" can" post, has offered me some cash to compensate, but the legal company dealing with my first off still haven't bothered getting in touch with me to try and claim for the damages off the car driver.

[K]

Man you've had a crappy day!

But then remember it is a crappy time of year for biking.

Don't get down or mad. Seems like most of your grief has been caused by others so you aren't the problem. As for the other stuff, like computers, bikes can have bad days too for no explainable reason. And if you're tense or stressed everything seems to go wrong.

Stick with it, if you can just get through winter it will all come clear with the blue sky and dry roads. Then you'll realise why it's worth it.

[coombest]

Jeez!!

You've had a serious run of bad luck there fella!

Don't get toodownhearted, things will get better in the end. Biking is absolutely fantastic when things are going well but pretty damn horrible when they're going badly! (Trust me - I have experienced both and even had both in the same day just over three weeks ago! :? :lol: )

Keep your chin up, take it easy & you'll be OK. People on this site are fantastic and I'm pretty confident that almost any one of them will be very supportive and will cheer you up if you talk to them.

Just think about how long you have wanted a bike and how long it took to get it... Also how much money you have invested into it (lessons, test, kit, bike, insurance)... Is it really deciding that it's not for you after a few days!??

Things will get better and, seeing that you have got thid far, you will love it when things get better!

[donniej]

That which does not kill you will surely make you stronger... unless you pussy out like some kind of coward :D Just kidding!!!

Give it some time. I'm guessing you're new to bikes and haven't learned that all cars are trying to kill you. After you get the "best defense if a good offense" attitude everything will make more sense...

You also picked a bad time of year to get started, maybe you should park the bike until spring and get a fresh start?

[chutz]

sad stuff dude. As Tim said keep at it man. The stuff that has happened to you is mainly caused by other people being ****s from what I can make out. It will get better 8)

[Moo]

Keep at it there will be far more good days.

[Iansv]

what they all said....

stick with it, its not the best time of year for being a new rider but you'll benefit when it gets to the nice weather next year

[Sudoxe]

Hey man! Take it easy, try to anticipate in front more. In this weather try to break more evenly with the front and back.

Try to stop that automatic front grab reaction. I dropped my SV within the first week because of this. Take it nice and easy for a while slowly, until you get use to the bike. (Did you say its your 1st big bike on friday, i cant remeber).

Remeber - Gental on everything, throttle, breaks and changing down (be careful not to lock the back, blip!) Unless, of course your are Rictus or Sid Squid, then just nail it and use your bikersence(tm)

Dan

[ArtyLady]

it would be such a shame to give up at this early stage. :(

It is overwhelming when you first get out there - even experienced riders have to anticipate and guess what the mad cage drivers are going to do and they have the advantage of many miles under their belt and more bike control experience - maybe give up the commuting and just pick your times to ride (if we have any nice winter weekend days?!) but chose nice quiet routes to get into the swing of things on your own terms. 8)

Its the best feeling in the world when your more confident and more experienced, the weather is pleasant and youre out on your bike sticking to mental fingers up to all the cagers stuck in traffic jams :lol: :lol:

[vtwinner]

Can only agree with what's been said before, sure everybody here can empathise with whats happened to you, my suggestion would be to try and get some time off work maybe even just a day when the weather looks decent and get out onto some quieter country roads.

If you give up now I fear that you may never come back to riding and not experience the exhilaration and freedom that only a bike can give you.

I have mates riding large cc sports machines, have been for years, who even now will call it a day and go home if they don't feel right, or in the mood to ride on a particular day.

All The Best

[Han]

Always look on the bright side and all that. I dropped my SV twice by grabbing the front brake. Things will get better :) It wont be long before the sun is out and the roads salt free. Don't even think about getting rid of the bike. Worse things happen at sea.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

D'oh!

Well there are more indicators where that came from.

Do you have any other ways to commute? Perhaps tuck the SV up for a while untill better weather?

Let us know if you need any other spares.

[Ed]

Never give up :!: If you do, you'll never get back on. Stick at it, it will get better. Come Spring you'll be riding all evening, you'll never be home.

[fizzwheel]

Dont give up, you've come this far already, theres some people on here that have had worse off's and they still ride..

Riding at this time of year is crappy.. slippy roads, moronic car drivers in steamed up cars..

Maybe go and get yourself some more training to build your confidence up.

Take positives in the fact that you saw the car and it didnt hit you on the roundabout, you saw the car cut across you.. yes you ended up on the floor but you know the circumstances and what caused it. Take heart from that as some people dont ever know why they crashed.

Keep your chin up, you'll get there

[nuntius]

Don't get in a panic about it. Try going for rides on quiet roads for the next few days and commute by car. If you think you're confidence has been shattered then go get some more training, (advanced driver etc) to help get it back. You've done the hard part, so why give it up now?

[Stig]

As has been said, It's not the ideal time to be a new rider. Take a deep breath and get back on. Antcipation of the idiots on the road is most of the battle in staying upright. Ride as though everyone is on a personal vendetta to knock you off. Ride only when you have to and leave the "fun" riding until we have better weather and better conditions to learn how to ride properly.

Don't let it beat you, Use it as a learning curve. Just be a bit more observant and carefull out there

[Sid Squid]

It's a ****er that you've had some crappy experiences, and more so that they have happened close together, this is however unusual, and the pleasure that biking affords is so great that any minor, and in reality they were minor, setbacks and screw ups don't take the shine off it.

I'm sure that you're very well aware that things can go wrong in a big way, part of the fun of biking is the skills that you learn along the way, you, just by making the decision to ride a bike, have shown that you think you're up to it, don't be disheartened.

Persevere, just crappy timing, chin up and all that, there's better ahead, I guarantee it.

[Anonymous]

Ahhhh, the sorrow and indecision you feel is quite distressing to Bertie but do not despair my child. Bertie has seen only good things for you from now on. The spirits are saying good things, just be carefull and you can enjoy a good thrashing of the twin.BERTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :wink:

[Mogs]

Sorry you are having such a bad time of it, you need to ride more, you can develop that 6th sense. Not the one that Berty has, :roll: the other useful road awareness one.

[mysteryjimbo]

Its just one of those days mate.

Look forward to the summer days where the roads are dry, the sun is out and everything gels together. Man and machine gelling together and out pacing everything else on the road, whilst everyone else is dying from heat exhaustion in their cars.

Those are the days to look forward to. The winter ones are just days of commuting generally, and due to the weather. They suck!!

[Cloggsy]

I suppose this is all part of the 'joys' of riding in London :roll: :toss:

Hope you get well soon & you don't decide to 'jack it all in' fella :!:

[Wiltshire7]

i dropped my sv after 1 hour, then chrashed 36 hours later. breaking my collar bone and writing off my bike.

i couldnt have been more gutted, i thought 'stuff this for a joke, sure bikes look nice but i dont wanna be part of it!'.

but after a while of reading what people said on here i deciding to buy a new sv with the insurance money and get back at it. I didnt know if i was gonna keep it up or not, but i didnt wanna never try again and wonder if i would have finally got on with it everytime i saw a bike.
i did a refresher day with my instructor on an er5, went over my mistakes, then got the new bike. i didnt enjoy riding it at all to start with, i was terrified! but 7 weeks later im loving it.

im new to riding, only ridden in the winter on my new bike. u have to be very careful as people have already said. and if u think u dont fancy facing riding on wet roads then just wait. theres no rush. but would u wanna wonder everytime u see a bike go past, and tell ur mates how u once had a bike?

give it another go, see how it goes. the best things dont come easy but ur on ur way.

[Balky001]

you really shouldn't put some bad luck and unfortunate circumstances down as the future of your biking career, and you did survive! It's natural to think about quitting whilst you are ahead, and if you think biking is not for you do stop. If it was me I'd stick with it, don't think you'll be getting top dollar for the bike anyway by the sound of it if you do decide to sell :wink:

[lynw]

weve all had bad days where it just goes horribly wrong (or weeks in my case!! :lol: )

I thought about what the hell I was doing as a coach tipped my sv while going home one night... fortunately I managed to keep it up and paddle it out of the way but having been knocked off the saturday before and rear ended by a bus on the Tuesday... I was thinking the same thing...

then I thought about all the good stuff... and Im still doing it....

Just take it easy, ride like EVERYBODYS trying to kill you (you wont be disappointed!!), think what the stupidest thing the car in front/behind/coming towards you can do and expect it, look at the roads and dont hack it in winter... (even Ive slowed down this month :lol: )...

and most importantly of all... relax... and then you'll enjoy again even when the above things happened...

cos stupid drivers do it to EVERYONE on the road not just bikes.... and theyll still be doing it even if youre in a car... :roll:

[northwind]

If anyone was going to give up at the first hurlde it was me, 5 CBTs and 3 crashes :) The good ting about a terrible start is that it only gets better... Wait for the first dry clear day in spring and it'll all make sense again.

On the wholyl pragmatic side, this is the worst time of the year to sel a bike anyway, so you should hold onto it if only for financial reasons- soeven if you do make the (wrong) decision to jack it in, you have months to change your mind :)

[CoolGirl]

Whoa, that's some really bad luck there. But please persevere. This is a crappy time of year to be on the roads, especially if you're inexperienced.

A couple of things to add:

1. You have a choice about riding, I don't. I'd love to see next summer on 2 wheels but it ain't gonna happen. You owe it to yourself to do it and Tim's right about remembering what it was that hooked you. Believe me, it tears you up when it's gone.

2. It took me 3 years of riding before I had a nasty off. I knew statistically that it would inevitably happen one day soon, and so it did. But then I got back on and had another great year. Just think, the odds say you've got all your crashes out of the way and you can now enjoy many happy years of keeping it shiny side up.

If you need any support or people to ride with to get your confidence back, say the word and the org will no doubt come up with the goods.

So rest up and keep warm for a bit and then get back out there.

Debs

[caines]

I think its best to learn in winter, I started on a small bike in winter and learned to deal with the road conditions and you get a real sense of when the bike is on the edge of its grip. When its dry you will be a far better rider from driving in these ****ty conditions. Stick with it!

[northwind]

Mm, I'd agree with that for a small bike. On a bike with enough power to throw the rear out or to get you into bends far too fast, and enough brakes to lock the front in the dry, it's probably not so much fun. But i agree with you that if you can get it right in winter you'll be a better rider in summer.

[Valman]

I still haven't looked at the bike, although I probably will tomorrow to give it the first wash. My thumb and hip are still aching a fair bit and my finger is still very blue, so I will probably not be fit to ride for a while yet but I've decided to give biking one more go as soon as I can grip the bars comfortably.

The legal company dealing with my first off still appear to be absolutely useless and can’t be bothered to contact me, even after I got H & R to give them a kick up the backside, they even told H & R that they have no records of any contact with me, even though they’ve sent me a letter explaining what to do next! So if you’re ever thinking of using the legal protection H & R provide, I wouldn’t bother as the company they use is rubbish at doing anything.

Anyway, thanks again for all the support and I’ll hopefully see some of you down in Soho again in the near future.

[Patch]

Valman sorry that your finding it tough going at the moment but you started riding for a reason, you have to remember that.

The most important advice I believe I can give you is to get some advanced training, specifically aimed at riding in London, its a very different skill and you simply have to view it as a test of survival.

Start off with a BikeSafe day with the Met police, the best £25 you'll ever invest. Once you have done that join the London IAM and start getting some observed rides done.

I know that these spills have been down to someone else but in 80% of PTW accidents in London that were the other drivers fault, the rider could have done something to avoid it, lessen its severity. Frequently its a case that the "clues" were not recognised.

Good luck what ever you decide

[Stig]

I know that these spills have been down to someone else but in 80% of PTW accidents in London that were the other drivers fault, the rider could have done something to avoid it, lessen its severity. Frequently its a case that the "clues" were not recognised.

Totally agree on that. The two big off's that I had on the streets of London, I was completely blameless. BUT, I am sure if I had been observing the road and traffic as I do now, those accidents could possibly have been avoided. :roll: :roll: :roll:

[Big Bad Al]

Hey sorry to read this Valman - sounds like you might have bust your thumb - easily done. Take it easy man especially in Bus lanes. Someone ALWAYS cuts in, even if your in a car. Don't give up the commute. Stop in traffic if you want to. There's no rule that says you have to filter / undertake / overtake at every opportunity. Take it easy.

Al.

[Stig]

There's no rule that says you have to filter / undertake / overtake at every opportunity. Take it easy.



You read that bit Deejay :?: :wink:

[vtwinner]

Just thought of another reason why you can't give up biking, you'll miss out on filtering through Summer traffic, spotting the exec with his arm out of his wide open window that you'll pull along side and crack the throttle right open gently awakening him from his slumber.

If done correctly said motorist should have a shocked expression like he's just found a skidmark on his hotel sheet.