Is biking really for me?

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 . 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.

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.

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! )

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!

That which does not kill you will surely make you stronger... unless you pussy out like some kind of coward 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?

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

Keep at it there will be far more good days.

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

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

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.

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

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