Crashing My New Giant TCR & Lessons Learned

[@vincem5]

a strong front strobe light would help, especially in yr situation i believe.

[@CamNicholls]

Yes, agreed mate. Good point I should have mentioned. Cheers, Cam

[@sprice0609]

Cam Nicholls the Bontrager lights have an interrupted flashing pattern which Trek funded research with Clemson University. They also pair to Garmin head units and you can program them to turn on when you start your ride, and they adjust to the daytime light. Whilst they are expensive, I think they are well worth the money.

[@waisinglee1509]

Strongly agree on running your lights in the daytime. It is very very cheap insurance.

[@markchapman9317]

I've been using Exposure lights for the last few months (after a near miss), which have a day bright setting (irregular flash). I've noticed drivers giving me more room since using.

[@zagijimzoo]

white light front strobe light, red strobe rear helmet, red strode rear bag, garmin rear radar!

[@emekanabs5223]

Thank goodness you are ok. However my policy when I ride is to assume all drivers are crazy. I had a near miss 2 weeks ago caused by a motorist entering the road from the wrong side. But because I anticipated it nothing happened. Take care and be safe mate!

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers mate, and agree with your sentiment. Cam

[@rajeshkannan_s]

I think front daytime running light might have helped you as well.. i never ride without front and rear light(varia).

[@CamNicholls]

Hey Rajesh, you make a very good point here. It could have been the difference if I had a strong front light. Cheers, Cam

[@angustroutman3494]

Forward blinking light is a must! I have some dodgy intersections that I ride through where people would always pull out in front of me, but since adding front blinking light, light catches their attention and causes them to pause just long enough for me to safely pass. I never take riding on the road for granted and always have in the back of my head.. Is today the day. Thank you for sharing your personal story on mental health...the struggle is real!!

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Angus and thanks for sharing your experiences / insights on this thread. Cam

[@diggo19]

It is absolutely brilliant to see a guy like yourself openly talk about something that we should all be openly be talking about. I've been a subscriber for quite a while now and this is definitely my favourite video you've made. Fantastic stuff!

[@CamNicholls]

Thank you Stephen, much appreciated. Cam

[@ZWHOA6Productions]

I always run daytime lights front and rear.

[@CamNicholls]

Smart man! I need to do the same, should have incorporated into the vid actually! Cam

[@dominicbritt]

Fantastic content around mental health Cam - will help others to think about open up about their situation.

[@CamNicholls]

Thank you Dominic 👍

[@pulser955]

Daytime running lights are a must now. I use the Bontrager lights. I have had people comment to me bout how visible they are.

[@BadGrrmmr]

Yeah plus one for these, tiny, lightweight and all sorts of attachments for mounting them. I have mine on a gopro mount under my computer mount. Tidy

[@hugoyoung4890]

When I'm riding past parked cars I watch for whether a car has it's lights on to work out if the driver is going to pull out or open a door. Also, the sound of an engine if a car is slowing down to turn is often more reliable than indicators.

[@CamNicholls]

Good insights, thanks for sharing mate.

[@TinkleAssify]

I rotate my light and strobe at the rear view mirrors. Handheld high lumen flashlights are very handy. Though most of them won't have strobes suitable for cycling. I use a Convoy C8+ that has a cycling mode. The smooth reflector may need to be changed out for an orange peel reflector for better light dispersion.

[@Necromonger69]

Thank God everything is ok, would hate to see anything happen to that beautiful machine. I'm glad you're ok too, brother! 😉🤙

[@CamNicholls]

haha, machine always comes first! Cheers mare. Cam

[@connieback7577]

The incident you describe explains exactly why I run the best lights I can afford for daytime riding. So happy to hear your injuries are not severe.

[@CamNicholls]

Hi Connie, that is the way to go. I am sorting myself out with some high quality lights not! Cheers, Cam

[@cyclingstock4930]

Bloody gr8 stuff m8 on mental health, well said!

[@CamNicholls]

Thank you mate

[@harleyguy7]

Really good advice mate. I cycle and ride a motorbike looking at people makes a huge difference as well I always do that on the motorbike as alot of motorist sadly do not look or pay attention

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers mate and thank you for sharing. Cam

[@BadGrrmmr]

Also, motorcycle riding taught me to keep an eye on the cars front wheel. It's the first thing that you can see moving.

[@petecampbellzwift]

Great message today being open about mental health struggles. Thank you for taking the time to share with your viewers. I think most of us have had our struggles over the years and I know for me, cycling has been a huge help. Cheers.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Peter and thank you greatly for sharing on the thread. Much appreciated. Cam

[@markp353]

Thanks for sharing Cam, glad you were not injured too badly. Wish you a speedy and full recovery. I had a collision a little while back and I believe my learning point was take a defensive/ready mind set. Assume that the car did not see you or is going to turn in front of you and reduce your speed, cover your brake etc. You only have to be complacent once. I am a strong advocate for day-time running lights front and rear. I have a go-pro mount under my wahoo to which my front light is mounted and hides. So it is out of my vision when I am riding, I only see my wahoo and looks tidy when I look at my bike. All modern cars run day-time running lights so they can be seen. We are kidding ourselves as cyclists if we think we should not use them. We as cyclists should put safety above vanity and aero gains.

[@CamNicholls]

Thanks Mark, and your bang on re running lights. Appreciate you sharing your story. Cam

[@julietwhiskey6501]

Thank you for talking about your hard times. Especially in business. Its not an easy thing to do. I wish I had come to your channel last week so I could have been a part of the man ride. I need to get on my bike again, even if its only over the Hornibrook and back. Great channel mate.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Justin, and absolutely. It’s one step at a time when you’re getting back on the bike. Cam

[@unrealshots]

Most important thing is that you came out of it the other side, Cam. I'll have to look into the Man Ride, haven't heard of it before, thanks for spreading the message, like a lot of blokes, I've been though my share of dark days, and cycling for me was the best way to get myself back on track!

[@CamNicholls]

Awesome Andrew, I really appreciate you sharing this on the thread. Great to hear. Cheers, Cam

[@basedgodstrugglin]

I can add to this video with my own crash. If you are riding in bumper to bumper traffic just peek that head up and try to see if somebody is trying to make that same right (or left in my case) turn. If you keep pushing through an intersection you might very well end up hitting the side of a minivan at 18 miles an hour.

[@CamNicholls]

Sorry to hear about your incident mate, and thank you for sharing your story. It's good to have these on the thread. Cam

[@basedgodstrugglin]

Cam Nicholls of course Cam, you’ve taught me many lessons and I hope I can add to what you’re bringing

[@glennoc8585]

I have to be extra cautious when the suns going down when ruding ir driving as ive had a few close calls. I wesr hiviz colours too plus flashing light. Giving away earned money on youtube, yes you've earned it, is a selfless act. What uve started to di is make eye contact and sometimes i point to show im going ahead.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers mate, thanks for sharing too. Cam

[@ayowser01]

Great message about mental health 👍 Did you have a front-facing, flashing light when you had the accident? I use one for the specific reason you outlined in your crash report. I also use a Garmin Varia radar on the rear. I won't ride without either. Glad you're ok.

[@CamNicholls]

Thank you mate, no I didn't. Something I should have brought up in the video. I know there are some really good tech lights out there at the moment that are even designed to capture motorists' attention! Thanks for sharing what you use, I'll look into that. Cam

[@sprice0609]

Cam Nicholls the Bontrager lights have an interrupted flashing pattern which Trek funded research with Clemson University. They also pair to Garmin head units and you can program them to turn on when you start your ride, and they adjust to the daytime light. Whilst they are expensive, I think they are well worth the money.

[@richardmoeller7296]

I really enjoy your videos, and look forward to them being posted.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Richard, I appreciate the comment. Cam

[@durianriders]

If you were wearing neon helmet or jersey the shade would have made you stand out really well. Your dark kit essentially is road camo.

[@CamNicholls]

Good points you make there Durian. Thanks for sharing. Cam

[@drjwbriand]

glad you're ok mate- always a scary scene! i have just come to the point where i expect people to turn in front of me. as a matter of fact it happened today despite having a 1000 lumen strobe blasting away on my bars! your words hit home with me-very familiar. you'd think that an ex nfl pro football player, ex nationally ranked track racer and successful eye doc would be set for life and eternally happy-wrong! i dealt with many of the same issues as yourself and the only real weakness is to not deal with them, so hats off to you for shedding some light on the subject so rock on mate! btw-you're too good of a presenter to not have this work out well!

[@CamNicholls]

Thank you mate, kind words in there. And thank you for sharing albeit a little scary. It’s important though as it gives awareness to others. Cheers, Cam

[@sirairness24]

As always great content! Glad you are alright! I got clipped by a car a few months ago and fortunately I was alright as well! I do apprecaite that you use cycling as a great way to get so many positive messages out to the public! Keep the vids coming!

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Ethan and sorry to hear you were clipped also. Glad you've come through without serious harm. Cam

[@kevwells]

Glad your ok mate, I have to say I have been really liking my Garmin Varia radar. Would not have helped you but when I'm concentrating on looking forward it will tell me something is behind me. So I can keep an eye on car doors, or pot holes. It is really useful and well worth the $$$. I find I'm sitting more out from the edge of the road and just give a bit more room when I know there i a car coming. Great when it is windy too, when yo may not hear a car.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Kev, and thanks for sharing. I am going to look into that Garmin 👍

[@alexanderwalter2700]

another fantastic video mate, appreciate you putting yourself out there with topics like crashing and the man ride. Seems like Noosa has some really great local bike shop service too! I really liked the discussion with Giant Noosa bike shop about checking your bike post crash, I wouldn't have thought to check the seat after a crash. Thanks again mate.

[@stuartfreedman6242]

I think this is my favorite of your vids. Absolutely a bright unevenly blinking headlight and taillight set is a must. Bontrager is my choice - small, yet powerful. But no substitute for constant attention and evaluation of potentially dangerous moments. Glad you're ok. Thanks for the content about men's mental health. Food for thought.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Stuart, much appreciated. Also great insights re your Bontrager lights. I will looks into them! Cam

[@durianriders]

Pull your fork out and have a good look at with the torch in a dark room. Look inside it as well. Take off your seat cap and check the ISP tip for any cracks inside and out.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers mate, I might pull something else out and have a look at it in a dark room also! Leave the torch behind. Cam

[@cpproctorpro8750]

hi cam hope you well , i managed a 15 mile ride today with my son round , where i live eastbourne , and eastbourne beach , and did a 3 mile walk as well , so thanks fro your vids that helped me do the ride and also your words of support . going out again monday if weather ok . regards

[@CamNicholls]

Awesome to hear mate, thank you for sharing.. Step by step. That's the way we need to look at it. 15 miles, becomes 20. 20 becomes 30, and so on. Keep up the great work. Cam

[@gourami7]

Glad to hear you're relatively ok. 10 years cycling in Oz and only just now hit is pretty good. Sometimes especially at night I slow right and let cars turn right first. Stay safe

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Charles, thanks for sharing. Cam

[@philipyourno7540]

Amazing job promoting the ride and I'm glad you're ok. You're clearly smart, articulate and have an outstanding channel. Wherever life takes you, I think you'll ultimately be successful - as defined by you. I'm a 53 year-old ex-bike racer who still wants to train like a 28 yr-old. I'm a career changer who continues to take professional exams (almost done!), who has been divorced (x2) and is now happily married with an 8 month old baby. This chapter was unexpected, yet here it is. It's the most beautiful time of my life. It's never too late to change your narrative. Never. Peace brother.

[@CamNicholls]

Ah, great stuff Philip. Thank you for sharing that. I actually listened to a great podcast on this topic you may find interesting. I appreciate your kind words too. Cam kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6iwipmNl8mNZ8k

[@philipyourno7540]

Thanks, Cam. I'll definitely check it out.

[@craigwilson118]

Good video bringing attention to tricky lighting situations (showing the driver's view too), and the benefit of being open with each other about difficult times. Was surprised the mechanic did not mention fork/headtube damage. Especially with stronger carbon rims that do not buckle, that force is getting transferred back into the fork/steerer/frame. I guess you can never be 100% certain without a scan but worth dropping the fork out and looking for cracks, bulges, haze, especially where the steerer joins the crown.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Craig and thanks for bringing up this insight. Makes sense. Cheers, Cam

[@tough5089]

Very good point about light/shade perspective. Similar to the light on in a window and it being dark outside. Thx!

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Saba, Cam

[@jpoodle]

New to the channel.. Was thinking at first that maybe you were a new rider and that you had made a mistake. And then you said you've been riding for 10 years (same as I) it can happen to anybody. Never happened to me luckily. I would also recommend you a daytime flashing head/tail light :) cheers!

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers mate and welcome to the channel. Agree with you 100%, something I should have mentioned in hindsight! Cheers, Cam

[@perrymcguire3806]

Great video on a number of levels. Cycling is - to keen cyclists, very important but so too is one's health - physical and mental.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Perry.

[@eilrach299]

Most important, glad to hear you didn't sustain any serious injuries. And your bike doesn't seem to have suffered much either. As a cycle commuter I have become very wary of other motorists/pedestrians, their movements and (as another viewer mentioned) engine/gear sounds. Alas, there can be times when all the years of experience don't prepare you for an incident. Keep spinning and keep safe!

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers mate and thank you for sharing. I am sure as a commuter you have to be hyper aware! Cam

[@cliffordchaperon6795]

Great Vlog cam - watching your vlog reinforces how mindful I need to be when riding. I am running front & back flashing lights day or night as well as reflective or Fluro tops. I will take more care at intersections from now on. Thanks for the advice.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Clifford. Cam

[@derekcravenPT]

Good to have you back, glad you & the bike are ok.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Derek 👍

[@RobertLendvai]

Hi Cam. Just discovered your channel and you now have a new subscriber. We lost one of our group members in a similar situation here in Toronto. The driver got off by claiming he didn't see the group because of "sun in his eyes." As a result, our group and many other clubs in Ontario have now made daytime front and rear lights mandatory on all rides. As I ride captain, I have regularly uninvited cyclists from our rides for showing up without lights.

[@CamNicholls]

Thanks for supporting the channel Robert. Sorry to hear about the situation, very sad. You've made the right call though on how to progress in a safer manor. Thanks for sharing on the thread. Cam

[@JibbaJabber]

Cam, as per usual great content from a great guy👍 Can I just reiterate a couple of things. Firstly, daytime running lights - please do a video on this!!! I always go out with them - trust me they do make a massive difference. I've seen plenty of car drivers "correct" themselves at critical moments! Take a look at car drivers and especially motorcyclist - daytime lights are becoming the defacto standard. And as for the benefits, the stats don't lie! Secondly, brilliant work on stepping up and discussing mental well-being. I truly salute you on this. Our western culture is extremely skewed, and creates incessant unecessary pressure with no natural release valve. Humans are social animals and in order to thrive we need positive emotional contact. I'm glad you're reminding people of this. "A problem shared is a problem halved" Keep up the fantastic work - we're all behind you! (Just remember to keep on pulling on the front, we'll come through when we've recovered😉)

[@CamNicholls]

Thank you mate and well said. The front and even rear light discussion was something I overlooked but every important. Ironically I did a video on this on Bike Chaser a couple of years back. I definitely need to make some more content about it! Cheers, Cam

[@WheelersAtLarge]

Thanks for sharing! Lots in this video. I'm a great believer that you can only control what you do and some situations on the road require extra awareness. Glad everything worked out okay and your injuries have cleared up.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers mate and well said. Cam

[@ianpfeffer1503]

Another great video. Excellent tips post crash. Can’t agree with you more that as all road users, we need to be aware of our surroundings. Good plug the the Man Ride - I will be doing it this year for the first time.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Ian and nice one. Enjoy it out there tomorrow. Cam

[@graemepinchbeck9142]

Hi Cam , I too ride in Noosa and have recently been hit by a car . I ride a hybrid on road and have front and rear lights , I also have a mirror and consider it essential . Whilst it may look a bit daggy on a road bike , if you are run down from behind you are in big trouble . I also have clear glasses so I can make eye contact with drivers . Despite all this , I love cycling . See you around Noosa !

[@CamNicholls]

Hey Graeme, sorry to hear about your misfortune also. Sounds like you’re well covered in terms of safety. Sometimes there’s little we can do, except get back on our bikes and keep riding. See you out there 👍

[@donalmahon]

Excellent and very sobering thoughts, without playing the blame game. I cycle daily around a busy city. I assume nobody sees me, particularly pedestrians where i try to anticipate some unpredictable moves. In relation to cars crossing my path and at junctions, i make sure that there is eye contact before crossing their path.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Donal, and thank you for sharing. Cam

[@brendavane9148]

Defensive riding is a must. Sun is a real problem. Also agree with all the comments about making eye contact and waving. There are plenty of places where you can do your efforts and go slower around traffic.

[@CamNicholls]

Well said Brenda, thanks for sharing. Cam

[@stevelong9178]

Glad your ok. Great insight of checks on your bike. Also a big reminder to get insurance for your bike. That covers you as well.

[@CamNicholls]

Yes, agree Steve, thanks for mentioning on the thread. Cam

[@paulhowell7103]

glad your ok mate you can never assume or second guess someone else"s actions i always give way to traffic and have had a accident free 35 years of happy cycling best wishes cam

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Paul, and wow - 35 years without. That says something! Well played. Cam

[@michaeljorgensen6474]

This was very insightful. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Michael, much appreciated. Cam

[@Guexican]

Great information. Just glad you weren't seriously hurt or killed. 👍👍

[@CamNicholls]

Thank you mate 👍

[@MrFornicater]

Thanks for your honesty mate, it does have a positive impact on everyone that watches your videos. Glad you came out relatively unscathed int the crash. People have given some good ideas regarding safety, I just have a couple of points that haven't been addressed. From the extensive research that Poc has done, the two biggest things that contribute towards safety is a bright helmet and socks. One is in direct line of sight and the other is a moving visual cue. Orange is the clear winner in drawing attention, way better than fluoro yellow. Wearing dark kit is not that big of deal if you have these two ends sorted. Running daylights is a given of course. SeeSense make brilliant lights that have a distracting pattern just for this purpose. Apologies for the essay :)

[@CamNicholls]

Great essay though mate, thanks for sharing on the thread. I’ll look into those lights. I have used Exposure Lights in the past. They are actually awesome and I need to get them back out. Interesting to hear re socks and helmet. Makes sense. 👍

[@donbushek]

Im surprised by your claim that orange is better than fluorescent yellow. Since colors at the red end of the spectrum become invisible quickly in poor light, and since orange seems closer to red than yellow, I've always assumed yellow is a better warning color than orange. I need to look into this further. I hope I don't need to replace all of my yellow socks!

[@MrFornicater]

@@donbushek Yeah I was surprised as well. However, there is a reason that traffic cones are orange and not yellow. Also, bright fluoro orange like what POC uses covers day and low-light visibility.

[@PuneethBedre]

Cam, day light running lights. This what you need and what every cyclist should have. Like helmets being mandated, I would go as much to say that an operating day light running light on both the front and back should be made compulsory at all times while using a bike. There is a good chance the motorist could have seen you if you had a bright and blinking light on the front. As a cyclist, we are perhaps the most vulnerable bunch of people on the road.

[@vascofaia6154]

Really nice video. Glad you are OK 👍🏼 Life is hard, no doubt about it, all we have to do is to be strong... And to be strong, sometimes means to realize that we are weak and powerless when we face bumps on the road of life.

[@CamNicholls]

Well said Vasco, thanks for sharing. Cam

[@andrewroe2]

Excellent insight to what can happen and to be aware of your ridding conditions at all times 👍

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Andrew. Cam

[@bikerbud3903]

A bright rapid blinking head light and tail light makes you much more visible in those situations during the day.

[@CamNicholls]

Yes agreed. A point I overlooked! Thanks for sharing. Cam

[@ecopennylife]

Glad you're ok. Good advice. I wear a hi vis vest & have lights on Day & night also.

[@CamNicholls]

Thanks for sharing. It's the smart way to go and I will be joining the party! Cam

[@richardharker2775]

It is relieving to say it could have been a worse outcome. But as you say some analysing and better awareness in a similar situation can avoid it completely. Live and learn.

[@gerrygeegee1435]

Hi Cam, Great video! I started watching your vids recently and have found them to be entertaining, keep it up. You mentioned you are 38 yrs old, would you be able to put up a vid on staying healthy in terms of cycling, diet, etc.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Gerry, thanks for supporting the channel. I have something in the pipeline coming that aligns to this, so stay tuned. Cam

[@jasonsmith7345]

You need to run your lights with a strobe during the day man. You would think Stevie Wonder can see that paint! Don’t know anyone who can stare at the sun 🌞though. You’re right about shadows being like camouflage. Especially if you’re riding something like your Allez that has the flat black paint. Glad you’re ok. Thanks for reminding us about staying visible. It’s important during these times when the sun is low in the sky.

[@CamNicholls]

haha! Very good Jason. Great points you make. Cheers, Cam

[@cannon1156]

I had an accident with a car where the only noticeable damage was broken handlebars. The bike shop wrote a letter saying the bike seemed fine but they could not guarantee that there was not damage to the carbon frame that couldnt be easily seen. The car insurance company was approached and they basically replaced the entire bike minus the undamaged groupset. Lesson is dont risk riding a frame that has been in a heavy accident

[@CamNicholls]

Thanks for sharing Greg and glad to hear you came out the other side! Cam

[@sonderfall1979]

Same thing happened to me this summer and ended in a whiplash injury. The car driver didn’t see me and I was riding with a speed of 55 km/h. It could have ended much worse, thank God I’m still alive 🙏🙏🙏.

[@CamNicholls]

Sorry to hear but as you say, glad you're still with us and in one piece. Thank you for sharing. Cam

[@maranatha3333]

In addition to flashing lights, I recommend riding with a loud horn. I use an Airzound horn, which produces a 115 decibel blast that definitely gets a driver’s attention. The Airzound can be mounted sideways just under the brake lever for easy access to its button. Its air reservoir can be mounted under the down tube on larger frames, or perhaps under the top tube. The air reservoir can be filled using a bike pump with a Shraeder valve adapter. I feel strongly enough about riding with mine that I brought an extra one with me on a recent trip to Australia to mount on a rental bike. Link for more info: www.amazon.com/Delta-Cycle-Airzound-Hooter-Rechargeable/dp/B07YYDNCRQ

[@jameshardison6025]

Hello how are you doing today? Thank you for sharing this, a couple of years ago I was hit by a car on my way to work. It was worse my rear wheel was bent from the impact (thankfully I was able to walk the pain off). I'm glad you wasn't severely injured and the TCR is ok. I have 3 Giants: Escape 3, ATX, and the Contend 3 great bikes! Live life to the fullest extent possible! I love watching your videos, I wish I could participate in the man ride but unfortunately I live in Indianapolis Indiana and don't have the funds for the travel to Australia... but nobody knows what the future has in store for me Maybe one day oh yeah definitely! I have also had by bouts with severe depression that I can relate to definitely. We need to keep pushing for success in our lives !

[@CamNicholls]

Hey James, I am well thank you. I really appreciate you sharing on this thread. Sorry to hear about your incident also, but glad you came out the other side. You can actually apply to host the Man Ride in your city. Maybe something for next year! You would be a great candidate to lead a ride like this. Cheers, Cam

[@tommycallum]

Great to hear you're safe Cam. Been waiting a while for the latest edition to be posted. Thouroughly enjoy the channel and appreciate the sincerity that shines through each time. The Family look like they are an absolute credit and complete reflection of your wife and your own efforts. Your wife still needs to get her own wheels though. And. probably cook you breakfast more often. Probably a head massage wouldn't be too much to ask for either...... All the best.

[@CamNicholls]

hahaha, classic. I will pass this on Tommy as I 100% agree re the head massage. Cam

[@jersut]

Hi Cam I am glad you are ok. I believe blinking front and back light would help been seen by other.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Jerry and yes agreed! Cam

[@devonteller2140]

Glad your ok though!

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Devon. Cam

[@frederickstaana1269]

good to see your fine man.. spread safety and awareness 👍

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Frederick. Cam

[@17cream]

Great video fella. Ironically In July I had the exact same incident with oncoming traffic turning right. My TCR was written off. 3 days in hospital

[@CamNicholls]

Ah Andrea! That's terrible to hear. Glad you've come through the other side though. Although the TCR! No! Did you get insurance? Cam

[@17cream]

Cam Yes, I’m in the process of getting compensation. Driver is being prosecuted by Police, so no question about liability. Been riding a long time and normally I’m very aware of my surroundings! I’ve since started using daylights as a precaution!

[@stuartdryer1352]

Thanks for posting this. Hope you're ok. All warnings about these kinds of dangers are good for us. I always use a flashing daytime light (mine is a Cygolite). It helps with this.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Stuart, definitely a smart move to be running daytime lights. Something I should have mentioned in the vid! Cheers, Cam

[@stuartdryer1352]

@@CamNicholls A few weeks ago my light stopped working. During the period I was waiting for Amazon to deliver a new one, during rides I noticed cars were seeing me much later. I could tell from the way they behaved at intersections, sometimes my presence surprised them. It makes a big difference, especially if the driver is dealing with glare or shadows.

[@10067498]

Great vid Cam and glad you're ok. I usually wave at any motorist who stops for me and often get a "toot" in return. Mutual respect but as you say you still need to be vigilant. Nice work with Jesse. I'll have to remember to "rib" him next time I see him! 😉😉 Cheers Peter

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Peter. 👍 ps - Alice said she saw you the other day! Gyndier hill repeats

[@10067498]

@@CamNicholls Yes, I ran into her on Gyndier Drive. I had to let her go......couldn't keep up! 😉 She looks like she's riding really well. Should do well in her upcoming events. ps. Good news about your house! 👌👌Cheers.

[@kazloveswhoopie]

Great video. I really respect your courage and conviction to pursue a career that is in line with your mental health well being and passion.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Karin, much appreciated 👍

[@domestique3954]

My training bike has a Son power hub,80 lux in the front plus led backlight. Added a mirror on the bar end. And a air pressures horn that makes cruise liners proud.... Ready for the traffic 🚴🏽💦

[@CamNicholls]

haha! Thanks for sharing mate. Love it. Cam

[@sprocketrockets4419]

When training solo near dawn or dusk I have started using a small flashing headlight. I have noticed a big difference in motorist behavior. Great video thanks:)

[@CamNicholls]

Thanks mate and yes - that is the smart thing to do. Something I overlooked mentioning in this video. Cam

[@triathlon9045]

Cam cyclist over hear in England have been trying to get the Dutch Reach (look it up) put out there to drivers, which involves turning your head as you undo your seatbelt forcing you to look over your shoulder to the outside of your car and see any cyclist about to go past you.

[@CamNicholls]

The hard part is getting to drivers! And then them listening. What's your experience with that? Cam

[@triathlon9045]

@@CamNicholls non effective when speaking with them about the Dutch reach they go blank or think you are talking about a porno manoeuvre.

[@dominicward3523]

Thanks Cam for sharing your story. I hadn’t heard of Man Ride so have suggested to some mates that we do it next year

[@CamNicholls]

Nice one Dominic, I'll be all over it next year too. Cam

[@bengt_axle]

Good video. My tip: whenever riding in an area of heavy traffic, dense foot traffic or a dangerous intersection, simply "turn off" the fast ride until you are on the open road again and know you have cleared the traffic and other dangerous situations. This may take some time to get used to, especially if you are someone who is obsessed with stats like average speed for a ride, but realize that it is a mental transformation. Sometimes I slow down to just 10km/hr on a bike path if I'm approaching a kid on a bike path when I could easily pass faster, 99 times out of a 100. But remember that it is the one time that there's an accident that will never compensate for the other 99 times. Ride hard, but in the right place.

[@CamNicholls]

Good call mate, thanks for sharing. Cam

[@StephenLaneRealEstate]

Cam, your channel is awesome mate. I have my channel that I love and I really love your channel and enjoy your openness. Thanks mate.

[@CamNicholls]

Thank you for the kind words Stephen. Cam

[@jpdleon01]

glad your ok , I don't agree with the last comment about checking your helmet after an accident. think the golden rule is replace your helmet

[@CamNicholls]

Thanks Jose, and I agree with you. Put it in the bin or see if the manufacturer would be kind enough with a replacement. Cam

[@marcus_velo_9970]

good stuff mate, my advice. You ride as if you’re invisible - particularly to other road users. So approaching that car your internal conversation would have been: they won’t see me, what are my plans of evasive action? In your incident, you had a few options, 1. Bail out (turn) to left to avoid car (this is the flow rule, watch traffic in Asia ... (of course no good if you're in TT mode), 2. Move onto main part of the road for higher visibility (behave like a car would - road space wise), and with this move you’d have an option to go behind the turning car. Of course, benefit of hindsight and we shouldn’t have to be this hyper-vigilant but a collision for us is potentially a serious injury or death. I'll also mention something about the psychology of a driver, when they say they didn't see you, they did see you, it's more that you're not in their paradigm of recognizable objects - think about how their minds are conditioned, trucks, cars, etc, square objects, you're not in that paradigm as a cyclist. Google the 'invisible gorilla video' for an example of what I mean. You have a family and why not do the bulk of your Ks off road - strength, stamina, bike handling off road translates very well on road, you really should consider a gravel bike, much more challenging climbs and great being in nature and once you get your skill-set up, you rarely fall, the most important part being that the risks are all within your realm where on the road, a rear hit for example can’t be negated with skills and experience.

[@CamNicholls]

Good points you make there mate, thanks for sharing. Cam

[@randel-peepallik1676]

Im sorry to hear about your crash, but happy, that you are ok. In my experience, it is always better to assume that I cannot be seen. I always use these strong and powerful, but small strobes/pulse-flashing lights, and when I ride in an area with more people (pedestrians or cyclists), i have also a small bell on my handlebars. While in the city, in the middle of cars, I also have a small strobe in my helmet. We cyclist, need to make ourselves more visible, otherwise it can be painful (as you unfortunately have already experienced)! :)

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Randel, and thanks for sharing. The pulse flash is definitely the way to go during daylight. I will be getting onto it! Cheers, Cam

[@Buckblacket]

Keep up the good work mate, you have my respect and admiration!

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers mate, much appreciated. Cam

[@domestique3954]

After frontal forces on a bike ALWAYS take out the full carbon fork and search for any cracks or damage. These are not made to withstand frontal forces,so we often see damaged head tubes

[@CamNicholls]

Good point, thanks for sharing on this thread. Cam

[@craigdonovan4277]

Cam check out the Knog Blinder mini niner light set from 99 bikes (currently 30% of). Still a bit expensive but the lights are amazing.

[@juliangronow9266]

Not sure if timing still ok and you can take your TCR to Melbourne with you, but Raoul at Leuscher Teknik is an expert in carbon ultrasound inspections. Not cheap I guess but a good friend of Shane Miller and Cycling Maven (who have covered his expertise on their channels) and Raoul has his own You Tube channel where he is really serious into detecting defects in manufacture and post-crash insurance work. Hope this helps if you have any further doubts about the frame impact. Pleased to hear that despite a nasty collision both you and the bike appear to have been relatively lucky. Great video btw, Cam. 👍

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Julian, I have actually seen that episode of Mavens. I am on the lookout for a Leuscher equivalent in QLD! Cam

[@mysho6317]

YIKES...........SO sorry to hear about the car induced crash. It's probably the #1 classic risk for Motorcycles (learned in a Safety course many years ago) and bikes too. The environment (Sun angle & shadows) just magnifies the risks for Riders. For TOO many Drivers, their brain (usually on "auto-pilot") based on experience is ONLY looking for a car's / truck's frontal area. So a Motorcycle moving at 2 or more x faster than a Bike even with their Headlight on are often never recognized by the Driver who turns directly in front of them. Same with a Bike. They either don't even recognize the Bike coming or totally mis-judge the closing speed and if the Intersection is very busy or surrounding vehicle speeds are higher - the Driver often feels pressured to make a move which makes picking up anything other than a car/truck nearly impossible for too many drivers. Plus the times where a car passes a Bike and immediately makes a turn directly in front because they don't have a clue that the Bike is moving much faster than they estimate, if they even saw the Bike when they passed it. As a Rider (Bike or Motorcycle) the default defensive approach has to be - they probably don't see me & there's a big chance they will turn in front of me. Lights (saw previous comments) certainly help & should definitely be used but are no guarantee against Drivers, so we can get complacent / too comfortable on any ride. Unfortunately, that's the sad reality on too many roads. Gravel riding is becoming so popular and this is one example why. ..........Cam, SO glad You escaped without serious injury.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers mate, thanks for sharing too. Much appreciated. Cam

[@Davepool_TF-69]

Glad to see you're in one piece. The same thing happened to me a few years ago.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers David, glad to hear you came out the other side too!

[@JamesSocialCycling]

I run day lights to help with these situations and am cautious. But then these things happen and glad you did share the incident, as always think it won’t happen to us, glad your well and bike fine. I’ll check out Man Ride, not heard of it and specially with my moto, Cycling to combat Anxiety and Depression. Thanks again for the info🙄

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Andrew, and thanks for sharing. Great moto. Cam

[@JamesSocialCycling]

James😊👍🏻

[@sureshchinnappa2290]

Good call to slow down Cam. I agree! I got hit from behind; shook the crap out of me. Took a chunk out of my helmet. What could I have done more to prevent what happened or least give me a chance. Be safe mate.

[@CamNicholls]

Wow, thanks for sharing Suresh. That would have shook the crap out of me too. Thanks for sharing and glad you came out without serious harm. Cam

[@cliffcox7643]

Glad you're OK, Too scary riding here in Kali on the road.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Cliff, and I can understand that! Cam

[@hayabusa27]

I just got into an accident about 3 weeks ago. A car made a U turn, took over a bit of the bike lane where I was to make the turn. The car ran. And I was left on the floor. Looking back, I remember feeling aggressive while following the car decided to pass it thinking it will not go over the bike lane. Driver was driving rather erratic possibly deciding when to make the u turn. My advice to everyone is: if you see a car in front of you slowing down, let the car do its thing and wait behind it. Don't pass it right away assuming its ok. This worked wonders for me weeks after when a similar scenario almost happened. This time I was prepared. Stay safe everyone!

[@CamNicholls]

Good point mate, and thanks for sharing. Glad you come out the other side! Cam

[@michaelpullen9966]

I echo Rajesh's & vincern's comment, and would recommend running lights on the back even in daylight. Additionally Bright clothing and helmet should be worn (Cam didn't mention colour of clothing he was wearing).

[@CamNicholls]

Thanks for sharing Michael. I was wearing my InForm kit. A dark colour which would have been hidden in the shading, external to the fluro yellow bike. So a good point you raise. Something I missed. Cheers

[@markcavandish1295]

Glad you faired okay brother.

[@jamesb.2064]

As a motorcycle rider and bicycle rider, I can relate. In the motorcycle world, here in the USA, a car turning (left, in the USA) in front of a rider, kills more motorcycle riders than any other accident.

[@CamNicholls]

Wow, that's a serious and real stat. Put's this even more into perspective. Thanks for sharing James. Cam

[@MrStormrider1000]

Super informative video on bike safety, Cam. See you at Man Ride Brisbane?

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Elliott, I was keen to get there but to be honest I've got too much happening at the moment. We're about to move and I am flying down to Melbourne next week for a business hand over! Crazy times. I will definitely lock in the calendar for next year though. Keep me posted on how it goes. Cam

[@doublett4193]

I think it's a reality for us riders. We are not perfect amd be alert all the time. I crashed not long ago by the road and two cars went passed and never stop to check up on me. Nothing to be ashamed of. I think it's good to talk about it and remind ourselves and our fellow riders specially here in NZ that it's not a cyclist friendly country.

[@CamNicholls]

Thanks for sharing Tommy, and glad to hear you're OK after your fall. Cam

[@doublett4193]

@@CamNicholls bruised ego.. And it seems like I crashed when I don't wear my pads on. 🤔😅😅😅

[@dtchua]

Hi Cam.. maybe you can use flashing bike lights next time for both the front and back as daytime running lights.. it should increase visibility..I always turn mine on while riding during the day and night 😉

[@CamNicholls]

Yep, agreed 100%. Cam

[@oschoa]

thanks for the video bro. glad you're ok.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers Oschoa 👍

[@lylearendse1885]

Awesome video - the dark times are something that affects many people, but nobody wants to talk about.

[@biglampar556]

very good point to share - thanks cam.

[@CamNicholls]

Cheers mate. Cam

[@Mububban23]

Glad you're okay. Sadly, I know how much it hurts (collision video on my channel). The guy that hit me was also an apologetic motorcyclist (driving his car at the time) who's always telling people to look out for those on two wheels. He felt pretty bad, but not as bad as I did after hitting the bitumen! No amount of hi viz, flashing lights and obeying the road rules will protect you from a driver not looking carefully enough, and not slowing down at a give way or turning across traffic etc. Police stats in UK, USA and Oz show 80% driver at fault in car vs bike, but that doesn't make you feel better in hospital or the morgue. Getting hit has made me even more hyper vigilant at every intersection. I'm glad you're intact and were able to return to your family.

[@CamNicholls]

Thanks for sharing mate and sorry to hear. You make good points, and I hear you about becoming hyper sensitive with cars post incident. Be safe out there, Cam

[@dbo4506]

Ocean drive Mudjimba/twin waters!! Mate an xr8 missed my back wheel by millimeters last month at that same turn. FYI My neon helmet, bright red top and strobe didn’t do jack.

[@CamNicholls]

Ah shit, sorry to hear mate. It's a tricky intersection there in the mornings. Glad you're ok.