CHARLOTTE BROUGHTON: Sometimes I'm afraid while out riding my bike

OPINION

Recently I’ve been thinking to myself: am I safe out on my bike? There was pro rider Alex Richardson’s awful episode in Richmond Park the other week, where his bike was stolen from beneath him by machete-wielding criminals, and of course the tragic deaths of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa.

I tend to ride by myself but in rural areas, passing through the occasional town. Thankfully things seem to have been OK recently but I have previously had some unpleasant occurrences that have made me very fearful.

Previously, I thought maybe it was just anxiety and me overthinking, but looking back I was well within my rights to be afraid, especially while out riding on the road by myself. Or even while I’ve been on a run during my winter training.

At times I’ve had people beeping at me in a disgusting manner; I’ve been wolf whistled at numerous times while being passed; and on one occasion someone tried to reach out of their car window and smack me.

Why can I not just go out and not have to deal with this sort of behaviour? I appreciate that this is not everyone, and thank goodness it’s not, but it only takes one unlucky encounter to end a person’s life.