Rider security: Staying safe on the road

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.