Matthew Parris wrote today in the Times:

Have you ever seen anyone nearly killed? I did recently, in broad
daylight on a city street. It’s a danger I know has been flagged up by
cyclists ever since the tram was invented. And of course it can be
avoided by prudent cycling, and sensible cyclists do avoid it. But still
it came as a shock to see a woman almost killed by overlooking a hazard
that had previously struck me as more theoretical than real.

She was pedalling perfectly sedately across a set of tramlines that ran
at an angle to her direction of travel. She must have turned her
handlebars slightly (as you do on a bike to maintain balance) so that
her front wheel was momentarily aligned with the narrow iron trench that
is a tramline. The wheel must have slotted itself into the trench,
throwing her off balance. I saw her fall.

A tram was approaching at some speed. She could have fallen either way:
under the iron wheel of the approaching tram or just clear of it. The
driver braked hard and immediately but could not stop short of her.

Mercifully, she fell clear. The tram came to a halt a couple of yards
past where she fell. People rushed to help her up and she was shaken but
unhurt. The woman remounted and cycled off in one piece.

Had she fallen the other way, she would have been in two pieces.

NB (Piano wire work too}

On 10/04/2024 08:34 pm, colwyn wrote:

> Matthew Parris wrote today in the Times:
>
> Have you ever seen anyone nearly killed? I did recently, in broad
> daylight on a city street. It’s a danger I know has been flagged up by
> cyclists ever since the tram was invented. And of course it can be
> avoided by prudent cycling, and sensible cyclists do avoid it. But still
> it came as a shock to see a woman almost killed by overlooking a hazard
> that had previously struck me as more theoretical than real.
>
> She was pedalling perfectly sedately across a set of tramlines that ran
> at an angle to her direction of travel. She must have turned her
> handlebars slightly (as you do on a bike to maintain balance) so that
> her front wheel was momentarily aligned with the narrow iron trench that
> is a tramline. The wheel must have slotted itself into the trench,
> throwing her off balance. I saw her fall.
>
> A tram was approaching at some speed. She could have fallen either way:
> under the iron wheel of the approaching tram or just clear of it. The
> driver braked hard and immediately but could not stop short of her.
>
> Mercifully, she fell clear. The tram came to a halt a couple of yards
> past where she fell. People rushed to help her up and she was shaken but
> unhurt. The woman remounted and cycled off in one piece.
>
> Had she fallen the other way, she would have been in two pieces.
>
> NB (Piano wire work too}

It was always a known fact that chav-cyclists should steer well clear of
tramlines, though the risk was said to be a warped front wheel rim.

This particular risk was gradually removed during the late 1950s and
early 1960s, as tram lines were gradually removed or asphalted over.

But hey... trams and their sunken tracks are once again popular among PT
"enthusiasts".

PS: I also saw someone nearly killed. One Saturday afternoon in about
1967, there was a fight and attendant fracas outside the pub my parents
kept. Someone had said something unacceptable to a black patron whose
girlfriend was white and the resultant meleé included a half-brick
(there was waste ground next door) being thrown through the windscreen
of someone's parked Mini.

While the battle raged in progress along the street, the Mini's owner
went back to his vehicle, started it and accelerated hard towards one of
the main participants, who saw the car and managed to scramble out of
the way by a second or so. Had he not seen the approaching Mini, we
would all have witnessed a Death by Dangerous Driving, if not a murder.

On 10/04/2024 23:49, JNugent wrote:
> On 10/04/2024 08:34 pm, colwyn wrote:

>> She was pedalling perfectly sedately across a set of tramlines that
>> ran at an angle to her direction of travel. She must have turned her
>> handlebars slightly (as you do on a bike to maintain balance) so that
>> her front wheel was momentarily aligned with the narrow iron trench
>> that is a tramline. The wheel must have slotted itself into the
>> trench, throwing her off balance. I saw her fall.
>>
>> A tram was approaching at some speed. She could have fallen either
>> way: under the iron wheel of the approaching tram or just clear of it.
>> The driver braked hard and immediately but could not stop short of her.
>>
>> Mercifully, she fell clear. The tram came to a halt a couple of yards
>> past where she fell. People rushed to help her up and she was shaken
>> but unhurt. The woman remounted and cycled off in one piece.

> It was always a known fact that chav-cyclists should steer well clear of
> tramlines, though the risk was said to be a warped front wheel rim.
>
> This particular risk was gradually removed during the late 1950s and
> early 1960s, as tram lines were gradually removed or asphalted over.
>
> But hey... trams and their sunken tracks are once again popular among PT
> "enthusiasts".

Case in point Edinburgh's trams, £1.2 million paid out

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/edinburgh-trams-ps12-million-paid-out-over-cycle-accidents-on-edinburgh-tram-tracks-3850045

On 11/04/2024 12:00 pm, Soup wrote:

> On 10/04/2024 23:49, JNugent wrote:
>> On 10/04/2024 08:34 pm, colwyn wrote:
>
>>> She was pedalling perfectly sedately across a set of tramlines that
>>> ran at an angle to her direction of travel. She must have turned her
>>> handlebars slightly (as you do on a bike to maintain balance) so that
>>> her front wheel was momentarily aligned with the narrow iron trench
>>> that is a tramline. The wheel must have slotted itself into the
>>> trench, throwing her off balance. I saw her fall.
>
>>> A tram was approaching at some speed. She could have fallen either
>>> way: under the iron wheel of the approaching tram or just clear of
>>> it. The driver braked hard and immediately but could not stop short
>>> of her.
>
>>> Mercifully, she fell clear. The tram came to a halt a couple of yards
>>> past where she fell. People rushed to help her up and she was shaken
>>> but unhurt. The woman remounted and cycled off in one piece.
>
>
>> It was always a known fact that chav-cyclists should steer well clear
>> of tramlines, though the risk was said to be a warped front wheel rim.
>
>> This particular risk was gradually removed during the late 1950s and
>> early 1960s, as tram lines were gradually removed or asphalted over.
>
>> But hey... trams and their sunken tracks are once again popular among
>> PT "enthusiasts".
>
> Case in point Edinburgh's trams, £1.2 million paid out
>
> https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/edinburgh-trams-ps12-million-paid-out-over-cycle-accidents-on-edinburgh-tram-tracks-3850045

Wow!

JNugent <JNugent73@mail.com> wrote:
> On 11/04/2024 12:00 pm, Soup wrote:
>
>> On 10/04/2024 23:49, JNugent wrote:
>>> On 10/04/2024 08:34 pm, colwyn wrote:
>>
>>>> She was pedalling perfectly sedately across a set of tramlines that
>>>> ran at an angle to her direction of travel. She must have turned her
>>>> handlebars slightly (as you do on a bike to maintain balance) so that
>>>> her front wheel was momentarily aligned with the narrow iron trench
>>>> that is a tramline. The wheel must have slotted itself into the
>>>> trench, throwing her off balance. I saw her fall.
>>
>>>> A tram was approaching at some speed. She could have fallen either
>>>> way: under the iron wheel of the approaching tram or just clear of
>>>> it. The driver braked hard and immediately but could not stop short
>>>> of her.
>>
>>>> Mercifully, she fell clear. The tram came to a halt a couple of yards
>>>> past where she fell. People rushed to help her up and she was shaken
>>>> but unhurt. The woman remounted and cycled off in one piece.
>>
>>
>>> It was always a known fact that chav-cyclists should steer well clear
>>> of tramlines, though the risk was said to be a warped front wheel rim.
>>
>>> This particular risk was gradually removed during the late 1950s and
>>> early 1960s, as tram lines were gradually removed or asphalted over.
>>
>>> But hey... trams and their sunken tracks are once again popular among
>>> PT "enthusiasts".
>>
>> Case in point Edinburgh's trams, £1.2 million paid out
>>
>> https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/edinburgh-trams-ps12-million-paid-out-over-cycle-accidents-on-edinburgh-tram-tracks-3850045
>>
>
> Wow!

I wonder how many upgraded bicycles that £1.2m paid for: “I crashed because
of your tram lines, my bicycle is a wreck and I want a new one”?

We all know the cyclist attitude to compo.

--
Spike

On 12/04/24 04:10, Spike wrote:
> JNugent <JNugent73@mail.com> wrote:
>> On 11/04/2024 12:00 pm, Soup wrote:
>>
>>> On 10/04/2024 23:49, JNugent wrote:
>>>> On 10/04/2024 08:34 pm, colwyn wrote:
>>>
>>>>> She was pedalling perfectly sedately across a set of tramlines that
>>>>> ran at an angle to her direction of travel. She must have turned her
>>>>> handlebars slightly (as you do on a bike to maintain balance) so that
>>>>> her front wheel was momentarily aligned with the narrow iron trench
>>>>> that is a tramline. The wheel must have slotted itself into the
>>>>> trench, throwing her off balance. I saw her fall.
>>>
>>>>> A tram was approaching at some speed. She could have fallen either
>>>>> way: under the iron wheel of the approaching tram or just clear of
>>>>> it. The driver braked hard and immediately but could not stop short
>>>>> of her.
>>>
>>>>> Mercifully, she fell clear. The tram came to a halt a couple of yards
>>>>> past where she fell. People rushed to help her up and she was shaken
>>>>> but unhurt. The woman remounted and cycled off in one piece.
>>>
>>>
>>>> It was always a known fact that chav-cyclists should steer well clear
>>>> of tramlines, though the risk was said to be a warped front wheel rim.
>>>
>>>> This particular risk was gradually removed during the late 1950s and
>>>> early 1960s, as tram lines were gradually removed or asphalted over.
>>>
>>>> But hey... trams and their sunken tracks are once again popular among
>>>> PT "enthusiasts".
>>>
>>> Case in point Edinburgh's trams, £1.2 million paid out
>>>
>>> https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/edinburgh-trams-ps12-million-paid-out-over-cycle-accidents-on-edinburgh-tram-tracks-3850045
>>>
>>
>> Wow!
>
> I wonder how many upgraded bicycles that £1.2m paid for: “I crashed because
> of your tram lines, my bicycle is a wreck and I want a new one”?
>
Probably about one, judging by the increasing prices of 'upgraded' bicycles.
> We all know the cyclist attitude to compo.
>
'compo' does not compensate for my stay in a mangled state in Bed 13 of
the ICU.

Peter Keller <muzhmuzh@centrum.sk> wrote:
> On 12/04/24 04:10, Spike wrote:
>> JNugent <JNugent73@mail.com> wrote:
>>> On 11/04/2024 12:00 pm, Soup wrote:

>>>> Case in point Edinburgh's trams, £1.2 million paid out

>>>> https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/edinburgh-trams-ps12-million-paid-out-over-cycle-accidents-on-edinburgh-tram-tracks-3850045

>>> Wow!

>> I wonder how many upgraded bicycles that £1.2m paid for: “I crashed because
>> of your tram lines, my bicycle is a wreck and I want a new one”?

> Probably about one, judging by the increasing prices of 'upgraded' bicycles.

LOL

A significant event happening to a carbon-framed bicycle means that it has
to be X-rayed to check for cracks. A defective carbon frame can’t be
recycled, it has to go to landfill.

>> We all know the cyclist attitude to compo.

> 'compo' does not compensate for my stay in a mangled state in Bed 13 of the ICU.

Sadly, some people can only see the £££…

--
Spike