Getting hit by a car, is it a matter of time?

Swampguy

Had not riden a bike in twenty years and rented bikes for the family to ride on the beach and bike paths at Hilton Head Island, SC. Didn't think I needed helmets even though at home I won't let my grandson ride without beening helmeted. My grandson rode in front on me and cause me to hit his back wheel and my bare head hit the sand.
I have since gotten several bikes and several helmets at least one for each house. I won't leave the house ridding with out a helmet and eye-covering. Got hit in the face by a bumble bee today. Just missed my sun glasses. Had laser eye surgery to keep from wearing glasses and now I realise that eye protection is just as important as a helmet.
A good horn is another important piece of safety equipment. A large bugle horndoes wonders for making one be seen.

jtfleming

Two words: Tractor-Trailer....they seem to forget the trailer is wider than the tractor. Last week I had to lean to the right when I was on the shoulder to get the necessary two inches of clearance that allowed me to return home sans body bag.

Near the same location less than a week before a sand and gravel tractor trailer decided he had more power than me so he left the stop sign as I turned the corner. I was not one foot from whacking my noggin on the rear one third of his trailer before being crushed like a bug under his wheels. His timing was poor though...he had to stop for traffic, and so did the police sergeant going the other way...so I had him stopped and warned.

And then there was a time when I was a kid...I am chuckling at this one...riding with another kid on the back of my bike down a steep hill, and couldn't stop at the bottom. Right into the door of a Mercedes (built of bricks, I am still sure of this) over the top of the car, landing on a fire hydrant across the intersection. Fortunately, 10 year olds are made of rubber!

Obone7171

Hey,

I communte to work by bike. Haven't been hit yet. Came close several times. I do agree that it is only a matter of time.

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Ron

Memphmann

From what I have read or been told. Most of the time, I type most not all, the drivers who hit cylists are more concerned about how this affects them. Not how this accident affects the cyclist. This is so typical of North American fast paced, all I care about is myself attitude. These drivers should be shot and left for dead. They are useless to society. Then again I believe in what goes around comes around. If they hit a cyclist and care little. Then one day hopefully a drunk driver or something similar shall hit one of their loved ones. Pay back is a b!tch.....

Memph

If ever in Toronto & notice a cyclists beating the tar out of a driver, then say "Hi", it's probably me..

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Lonewolf, the pack hunter....

R J Smith

I recently got hit by a car for the first time in 25 years of riding. The car failed to stop on the approach to a roundabout and drove up the inside of a car which was correctly giving way as I was on the roundabout. Luckily I was not badly hurt, but this meant that the Police weren't interested. When I called to report it, the operator asked me to ride down to the nearest police station! As my back wheel was broken and helmet cracked I suggested they could send someone out. This was a quiet Sunday afternoon. The good news is that they are going to put traffic signals on the roundabout.

HellonWheels

There is, on this site, some amusing comments from cyclists about experiences with ignorant car drivers.

http://www.cars-suck.org

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"He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior"--Confucius

joeydude

There are two types of riders in this world. The ones that have been hit, and those that are about to.

Memphmann

What about the ones who have already been hit but continue to spend hours everyday out there? We are the unlucky few that shall be hit more then once....

Memph

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Lonewolf, the pack hunter....

gemini

Most interesting reading. Suppose luck and caution (even if it means stopping and walking part of the way) are the only factors to rely on. Find early morning cycling has its hazards with milkfloats, taxis and hellbent motorists

skssca

Have: Flipped over the handlebars and cracked the back of my helmet. Run over a puppy: it got up and barked at me as I lay in the road. Gone over the hood of a car. Hit a patched pavement hole on a descent, came down in the flat of the intersection and fractured my pelvis. Most recent, finishing a 20 m. ride, 1 block from the house and hit another patched hole, have some nice beef jerkey going on.

Conclusion: stupidity and that most cyclling injuries are self inflicted. Was built for speed at one point but slowing down a bit.

Memphmann

You have some bad karma happening there. Hitting a puppy, atleast it wasn't a nun walking the puppy.....

Memph

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Lonewolf, the pack hunter....

MikeyOz

Had many close calls but I am one of those expect the driver to do the worst you can imagine and you usually manage to get by, had my closet call the other, it was scary.

early sunday morning, dark, tight corner, heard a car approaching very fast from behind, so I slowed down, that slowing saved me from being in the path of the car as it hurtled out of control across the road, hit a parked car, bounced and spun 3 times before ending up on the other side of the road facing the wrong way.

I turned back and went home, decided this was not my best day for cycling.

I think just be aware at all times as soon as you are not concentrating thats when something happens.

good luck on the roads
Mikey

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MOz

Cheesy

I live in Japan where most people ride on the footpath, which is the most dangerous place to be - cars coming from a side street will drive straight across the footpath before stopping or looking.

I was hit a couple of months ago, going down a hill on the straight, on my mtb so fortunately was only at about 45-50km/h, when a car overtook me (so must have seen me), then turned sharp left without indicating. I hit the side of the car, and did a nice little somersault over the bonnet & onto the ground. Then the driver gets out and starts yelling at me (while I'm lying on the ground with a bit of blood splashed everywhere). Fortunately no major injury, worst was the rearview mirror collected me in the leg, soft tissue damage made walking difficult & painful for a few weeks.

On the roads in Japan though, it's generally not so bad, the traffic moves slower than in Australia (where I'm from), and coming down steep, windy mountain roads where a bike can travel faster than a car, I've actually had cars pull over to let me pass!

ronytrombone

An EGG ! I got hit by one of those as well, I thopught I was pretty unique, are there any more of us out there ? -at the time I thought it was an apple - it was only when I got off and looked I realised - must have been the speed of the impact that made it seem heavier.
On a safety note - I have a rather nasty roundabout to negotiate, fast moving, very busy, and some exits going on to a motorway - I try to move quickly but always assume that any motorist has not seen me until I have made eye contact with them. This is a good rule to follow although not always an easy or practical one.

QUOTE]Originally posted by Guest
I, too, find that a little anti-motorist bigotry is an extremely useful safety device.  I'm not talking about trying to physically attack drivers or anything extreme like that, but I take the "stupid until proven otherwise" view.  Being prepared for the worst-case scenario is a good idea when it happens.

I have actually been hit three times by cars, and once by an egg thrown from a car (good thing I was wearing my helmet on that one, at least I know I can be seen at night, now), but I've never suffered so much as a bruise as a result.  Maybe I've just been lucky.

However, I don't subscribe to the theory that bikepaths are necessarily the answer.  My (admittedly limited) experience of them is that they are more dangerous than any road I have ever ridden (and I've ridden the supposedly dangerous Burringbar Range quite a few times).  I've also read statistics from the US indicating that cyclist death rates are three times higher on bikepaths than on the road.  

Roads with good shoulders please, but bikepaths...  I'll pass on that one. [/QUOTE]