For the first time in a year I took my Stiffee out for a spin to make sure all is good before hopefully a short morning Brechfa ride next week. This morning I was heading down a short one way street (the right way) and a van was parked at the side of the road just before the junction. Luckily it was a junction so I had already started to slow down.

As I got along side the van, it swung out very sharply towards me. Both brakes on, skidded sort of sideways into the kerb and stone flower pot (as the road was a bit greasy I found out) as the van brushed the side of my handlebars.

He pulled straight out of the junction without stopping, or looking i guess. I went after him but he had just pulled away from the end of the next road as I got there. Didn’t get the full number plate unfortunately.

A bit shaken by it as it was a close call, even at slow speed it would probably have hurt. I actually walked home with the bike after this.

Glad you’re ok. Whats worrying is that there people out there driving who are completely oblivious to whats going on around them.

Yep, completely agree. This definitely seemed like one of those times.

We’ve all been there mate.

i read the thread before reading the author, glad it was a near miss. Be safe pal.

(Which sounds like I want the rest of you to be taken out by idiots in vans. I don’t, of course.)

I guess unmarked, no sign-writing on it?

Sc-xc – thanks. I had that exact thought too, that’s why I pushed the bike back. Try to do something for me and it bites me in the arse. Stick to ‘safer’ (gentler pace perhaps) cycle paths and mountains from now on me thinks.

Andrewh – yep, plain white transit van. Couldn’t get more cliché really.

I had micra nearly hit me as it cut me up to undertake the traffic. Problem was it was a cycle Lane. I hit his rear window with my hand as I was so annoyed and wanted them to know I was there.

So many idiots on the road unfortunately

Close call Alan, hope you’re ok …..

Good you’re getting out on the bike though.

I had a close call with a silver car stuffed with kids. Happened so quickly that I couldn’t get the reg plate but I think it was a Yaris. 😉

I think i know the yaris in question. Pm me and I’ll give you the number plate. And the kids.

It was good seeing you and the kids. Did you manage to hook up the OBD dongle in the end?

Nice to see you both and have a nice afternoon. Sorry for the chaos caused by 4 kids, hope your recovering OK.

Nope, still won’t connect. I think the phone will need to go back, can’t connect to anything at all.

Glad you’re OK OP, never nice when you have a close call.

Whats worrying is that there people out there driving who are completely oblivious to whats going on around them

I got knocked off by a guy in a van a few years ago, he pulled out right in front of me as I was heading past the junction he was waiting to pull out from, managed to slow a bit but bounced off the side of his van as it was at about 45 degrees, he drove off completely oblivious.

A nice motorcyclist who was behind me chased him down and forced him to stop, and he was genuinely oblivious, he was quite apologetic too but had no idea what he’d just done, when asked if he head the massive thump as I collided with the side he said “yeah, but I just thought it was a box falling over in the van“