about a month after getting my first recumbent i was hit by a car on my commute and fractured my pelvis. i've been commuting for about 2 and a half years. this guy just didn't see me and i think he would have hit me on an upright. my question is: are there more accidents on recumbents or was i just unlucky and shouldn't worry about it.

thanks in advance,

adam

I have 25-30,000 miles of cycling under my 59 year old saddle, the last 7-8,000 on recumbent trikes. I always ride in a bright, construction worker colored, neon lime green jersey. I think I am much safer on my recumbents than I was on my wedgies. I may be a bit lower, but I am also a bit wider, and a bit stranger looking. That's my take on it, anyway.

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from southern Minnesota

Hi Adam,
I have always been noticed on my LWB recumbent (noticed, whistled at, hooted at, cheered), and the only accident I have had on it was my own stupid fault - got distracted, lost control and came off rather too fast. Spent four months on crutches.
There will of course be far fewer recumbent accidents than standard bike accidents, simply because there are far fewer recumbents on the roads. Bear in mind though, that many people who have recumbents travel many miles on them (some don't have a car) and are also rarely children (the group most likely to have an accident, at least in the UK). All things considered, recumbent riders are probably on average more experienced, older, wealthier, go further and travel faster than the average upright (or upwrong) rider. Don't know whether that helps.

I was living it up at the local bar, and later almost squashed a recumbo flat taking a right turn.

I would say yes, they are more dangerous.

Just kidding.

Actually they are just as safe, but it all depends on the moment of visual contact.

If the vehicle establishes a visual as it is passing you, you are fine. They will not soon forget the image of a recumbent cyclist, and take your flightpath into consideration.

A right turn by a vehicle is the potential snag. Changing your speed after they pass to execute a right turn (vehicle, not you) can have you flying headfirst into a newspaper machine (true story).

Bumper to bumper city traffic? More dangerous on a recumbent, I would say. Course correction, and altitude of your screaming mug will make a difference.

I would have to say they are safer.
mostly because it (the bike) gets peoples attention

Recumbents produce a very unique profile that doesn't fit any of the mental conscious or unconscious profiles or cookie-cutter shapes that people have. I have had far fewer problems on recumbents, and they've all been low recumbents in 6 years than I had in a single year on a DF. It also depends on the attitude of drivers where you live and/or ride. They're pretty reasonable and polite around here - I count myself lucky.

If a clown is going to run over someone, I really don't think it matters what you're riding. They're either paying attention or they're not. Size is often completely irrelevent. People run into trucks, cars, buses, building, trains, planets . . . doesn't matter.

I'm not a recumbo rider, but I did have a close call with a recumbo, in the parking lot of my LBS of all places. I drive a full size pickup truck and I was parked between two SUVs. This LBS sells a model of recumbent trike that sits really low. A lady was taking a test ride and was riding right along the parked cars and trucks. I had started my truck and put it into gear when I noticed a little orange flag in front of me. Had I not seen the flag for some reason, there would have been a flat bent and rider. Had it been fall, when the trees are all shades of orange, yellow, and red......

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