SMIDSY is an all too oft used term in cycling circles.
SMIDSY is an acronym for Sorry Mate I Didn't See You, and it's used by cyclists to describe many motorists. Sorry Mate I Didn't See You is all to often the reaction of motorists having hit or had a near miss with a cyclist. A SMIDSY caused a rather ugly crash between a truck and one of my Dulwich Hill club mates recently, and it damn near killed her. She got off "lightly" with a broken nose, collarbone and pelvis.
My club mate is no red light running madman on a bike (if you're wondering). Quite the contrary. She's 56, incredibly sane and is about as far from a cycling daredevil as one gets. She rides a bike that is lit up like a Christmas tree. How anyone missed seeing her is stunning.
I can only guess lycropia was at play. I did another post on lycropia recently - basically that's my logic as to why people don't see cyclists. In short, they don't see them because they are not looking for them. Hit the link and watch the video.
It's simply not good enough. The SMIDSY involved in my mate's crash has been charged. Not that it helps my friend's pelvis, but it last it shows police will no longer accept SMIDSY as an excuse for hitting a cyclist (about time!). Hopefully this proves a turning point for the matter moving forward.
