Warning: No photos; long read (they always are anyway)….but totally worth it!
“Cycling is freedom, it should be…… “
The ability to get on
your bike, and head out to wherever the roads or trails might lead you
in this age of limited living and playing spaces is to say the least, one of
the most liberating things one can do. And this is why I have always loved the
bike since I was a kid and one of the main reasons I decided to buy a bike as
an adult. The memories and moments you can create from this simple act – no one
can take that away from you. And that’s what life is all about: Memories and
moments.
Sadly, the world we live in is full of people with sinister
intentions. These are individuals who lay in wait for others who have worked
hard for what they own in life so that they too can get to enjoy these things,
without the hard work part: Low-lifes who prey on the seemingly vulnerable.
As cyclists we are not spared from the reality of having to
deal with such individuals albeit on a rarer frequency than say, drivers. So
let me get into my subject matter for today: Personal security while on the road
The reason I am writing this is because I recently found
myself in a bit of a situation with a couple of Neanderthals who wanted to reap
where they had not sown.
Here’s a brief:
My team mate and I had just come from a 110km ride on the Southern Bypass. When
we got to the finish point (The top of Thogoto climb) I told him that I wanted
to round back down and climb the hill just one more time, to make it 117km,
just for the sake of it. He wasn’t too keen on joining and so I proceeded solo.
I went down, circled the intersection at the bottom and
started climbing. About 1.2km into the hill, I saw two guys on foot. When I
passed them, one of them started sprinting towards me saying ‘haya twende! Twende!’
(Alright let’s go!) Now I am used to dealing with all manner of people while
riding, including these tour de France fan types that feel the need to chase
down someone on a bike and so I didn’t pay too much attention. When he upped
his speed that’s when I got little concerned and sure enough, a few seconds
later I felt a bony hand dig into my back jersey pocket probably in an attempt to
grab my phone. Needless to say I was not impressed.
I reacted quickly and swerved, consequently crashing on the
side of the road. On seeing this, the low-life douche tried to take advantage
but I made certain murderous threats that made him think twice about his
intentions. These two to three seconds of self-doubt is all I needed to get on
my feet and when I did; boy was I baying for blood!
One of them picked up a stone, something that I had
considered doing myself but chose not to reasoning that such an action might
cause this grey-matter deprived individual to cast his first. I however
informed him that if he dared hit me with the stone, that would be his last action
on earth. Both of them panicked and started retreating into a blue-gum tree
line just a few metres from the road. A truck driver who had apparently seen
the entire drama from his side mirror stopped his trucked, backed up and came
to check on me! (Side-note: Truck drivers
are awesome!)
The crash didn’t do much damage. All I got was a bruised
elbow and a slightly sprained hip; all valuables intact and for that I am very
grateful. As we always say #VeloNos #SponsoredbyGod. The big guy came through.
Here are several pointers I would like to give you all my
brothers and sisters on two wheels in order to significantly reduce the chances
of such a thing happening to you:
1. Get a riding partner
I fully understand that this is not always possible
especially if you are one of those people who are privileged enough to be able
to ride while most other people are working. That said, whenever possible, try
and get someone you can ride with especially if you are charting new
territories.
2. Situational awareness
Being a cyclist I understand how one can get so caught up in
a moment of riding bliss that they forget what’s going on around them. Steep
and long hills also tend to have this effect as all effort is directed towards
getting to the top – think tongue and teeth out, eyes almost rolling behind the
eyelids. Be that as it may, it is very important to always be aware of what’s
happening around you, at all times. This will significantly improve your reaction
time in case something out of the blue happens.
3. Always trust your gut
Each one of us is wired with the so called gut feeling. The
more you live, the more experiences you go through, the sharper this instinct gets.
Wherever you are at in life, always trust your gut instinct and act
accordingly. If for some reason during your ride you begin to feel uneasy –
maybe because you have noticed someone tailing you or you have spotted some suspicious
fellas up the road; ride as far away and as fast as possible in the opposite
direction. In my case, trusting my gut accorded me a few precious seconds that
made a world of difference.
4. Avoidance over confrontation
If you can avoid getting into an unfavorable situation during
your ride, please do so, it does not make you a coward; it makes you smart.
5. Go into the light
“Don’t go into the light”. That’s the advice they give in movies
when faced with a near-death experience. In cycling, I advise you to do the
exact opposite. In other words, try to ride in daylight as often as possible. Darkness
comes with a great deal of risks.
6. Stay ‘strapped’
Some might refer to this point as controversial. I however
believe that it is necessary to carry with you some form of protection
especially if you fall in one or both of these categories:
·
Cyclists who ride late into the night, like
really late, not sundowner type of riders
·
Cyclists who ride in well-known unsafe areas
I am fully aware that a few paragraphs up I have talked
about avoiding confrontations but we live in an unpredictable world. You might
do everything right and still find yourself, well, confronted with a situation.
My opinion is that everyone deserves to feel safe.
Random example:
say someone stops you in the middle of the road and demands you give them your
full-carbon Pinarello/S-Works/Giant/Trek roadie or MTB that set you back a few
pay-cheques. He is not armed, he just thought he should try his luck because,
well, you sort of appeared weak and vulnerable, riding all alone in the middle
of nowhere. I will hand you a lifeline, you have a can of pepper-spray in your
back jersey pocket. I will let your imagination do the rest.
I am not just talking about weapons of mass destruction.
Something as simple as a whistle can significantly get you out of tight
situations. Hint: Noise gets attention and that unsettles most people with sinister motives.
Anyway, this last piece
of advice is my personal opinion; apply it with absolute discretion.
At the end of the day, all I want is to see more people on
bikes; being accorded the respect they deserve by drivers, pedestrians and
people from all walks of life. We should all be able to ride our bikes without
fear for safety of both self and machine.
I have a dream…….
Call me an optimist.
