Thien Che
Speeding Up
- Sep 14, 2020
- 58
- 76
Hey folks,
Just a friendly, unsolicited reminder to be careful on the streets. Had a minor accident last night in Shibuya crossing when a taxi came up on the inside lane and merged in front of me to get to a customer on the sidewalk. I rear ended and smacked my forehead (helmet on) quite nicely into the trunk at about 20kph. Bike, body, and teeth are thankfully completely fine, just sporting a mild concussion headache and public embarrassment.
After getting used to cycling on main roads (like Tamagawa-dori between Komazawa Park and Shibuya) over the past 6 months, it feels fairly treacherous even now with all of the buses, parked trucks, taxis, and mopeds using the outside/bicycle lanes. Traffic can be frantic at all times of day, with motorists and other cyclists shooting for any gap that they can find, especially during rush hour. I consider myself to be a fairly cautious rider, as I follow all traffic rules, use signaling, and daytime running lights. Despite that, I still have 2-3 close calls on my 5km daily fun rides. Could just be me, but would hate to see any fellow cyclists injured in any serious way.
Honestly, even if you have the best MIPS helmets, mount disco strobe lights, truck horns, and wear fluorescent body paint, there are still situations like mine where all of those nifty safety features aren't going to prevent an accident. Be mindful around road areas with stop-and-go traffic or where people/motorists might congregate, like bus stops, intersections, sidewalk crossings, and curb parking. Or, just use side roads if you're not in a hurry.
Anyways, that's my spiel. Stay safe!
Just a friendly, unsolicited reminder to be careful on the streets. Had a minor accident last night in Shibuya crossing when a taxi came up on the inside lane and merged in front of me to get to a customer on the sidewalk. I rear ended and smacked my forehead (helmet on) quite nicely into the trunk at about 20kph. Bike, body, and teeth are thankfully completely fine, just sporting a mild concussion headache and public embarrassment.
After getting used to cycling on main roads (like Tamagawa-dori between Komazawa Park and Shibuya) over the past 6 months, it feels fairly treacherous even now with all of the buses, parked trucks, taxis, and mopeds using the outside/bicycle lanes. Traffic can be frantic at all times of day, with motorists and other cyclists shooting for any gap that they can find, especially during rush hour. I consider myself to be a fairly cautious rider, as I follow all traffic rules, use signaling, and daytime running lights. Despite that, I still have 2-3 close calls on my 5km daily fun rides. Could just be me, but would hate to see any fellow cyclists injured in any serious way.
Honestly, even if you have the best MIPS helmets, mount disco strobe lights, truck horns, and wear fluorescent body paint, there are still situations like mine where all of those nifty safety features aren't going to prevent an accident. Be mindful around road areas with stop-and-go traffic or where people/motorists might congregate, like bus stops, intersections, sidewalk crossings, and curb parking. Or, just use side roads if you're not in a hurry.
Anyways, that's my spiel. Stay safe!