Wales by Bike

Grabbing the brake while obviously wrongly reading the approach to a corner. It was an open road and nothing was oncoming but I still had a few heart flutters.

Paul, Swansea

Riding along a dual carriageway at 70mph is not a good time to commit to an emergency stop! I had been catching up with the intrepid white van which was in lane one. I moved over to lane two as it slowed further indicated to the left.

As I drew closer the van moved into the opening of a drive to a house but then without warning committed to a 'U' turn across the carriageway into a gap in the central reservation! I was on a collision course with the rear offside panel and about to investigate the contents of the van.

My CBR 1000 was in a skid and I had lost control. However, like Popeye the Sailor Man and his tin of spinach I engaged what I had learnt on a Road Craft course and disengaged the brakes. I recovered control over the steering and just managed to brush past the rear of the vehicle and indeed have time to pass on a courtesy hand signal to the driver.

I did flat spot my rear tyre though. (Evidence I should have been confident to use more of the front brake).

Paul Michael, North Wales

A cyclist crossed the road without looking and forced me to swerve and hit the rear of a car.

Rich, Chepstow

Going 90 degrees across a river bridge in North Wales then 90 degrees left again to follow the river line. Left leg grazed road as another biker banked over me going the opposite way. I can still visualise it more than 25 years later.

Michael, Cardiff

While travelling along a dual carriageway on the inside lane - traffic was quite heavy so was only doing about 30 to 35mph - a van on the outside lane decided he wanted to come into the inside lane to exactly the same place I was.

It was only the fact that I was watching his nearside front wheel that I knew he was coming over (the angle of the wheel turned towards my direction). Thankfully the car behind saw my brake light and pulled back, giving me room to do an emergency stop. When I rode to the van's window at the next set of traffic lights, he was totally oblivious to what he had done.

David, Swansea

Applying the front brake on a bend!

Simon, Cardiff

Being knocked off by an overtaking car. The driver wasn't looking.

Justin, Cardiff