Accidents that occur from behind

[Tegwyn☠Twmffat]

Hello Folks!

I'm researching a potential new product based on Artificial Intelligence to help prevent cycling accidents caused by car drivers hitting cyclists from behind. If people have got a space 60 seconds, please could they fill out the following questionnaire:

https://goo.gl/forms/WZeqFY2BoI2kCcXi1

Many thanks! (This actually happened to me one day)

 

[dabac]

Kinda messy questionnaire.
Wasn’t obvious if you’re intending to warn the cyclist about the approaching danger or to alert the driver that he’s about to rear-end someone.

 

[Tegwyn☠Twmffat]

A bit of both, I guess. We're at very early stage of designing product and have got the Ai part sussed, but not the rest.

 

[ACyclingRooster]

Hi Tegwyn. Albeit I have been very very lucky over the past 56 years BUT yes - I have been the victim of a full sided side-swipe and ended up in tram lines after manoeuvring across a very very quiet Lime Street,Liverpool on an early morning ride which was intended to get me through the Mersey Tunnel and then meet-up with a bunch of lads that were on their way over to the Welsh Hills;they had gone over on the ferry which I had only just missed.
An early morning tour coach driver on route to collect a party from one of the local hotels was just not paying attention and run me into the tram tracks - I was riding my then 1937 Curly Hetchins on sprints and tubs that ended up resembling some kind of weird puzzle.
How would your intended device help in my type of situation where the front of the coach was past the rear of my bike but ended up in side swiping me ?

Having read through your questionnaire it appears that a touring bike kitted-out like a police motorcycle might be needed.

 

[Chuckabutty]

Hello Folks!

I'm researching a potential new product based on Artificial Intelligence to help prevent cycling accidents caused by car drivers hitting cyclists from behind. If people have got a space 60 seconds, please could they fill out the following questionnaire:

https://goo.gl/forms/WZeqFY2BoI2kCcXi1

Many thanks! (This actually happened to me one day)

I'm in Florida where it's best to ride on the sidewalks. It's legal and where I live I don't have pedestrian congestion. Even riding in bike lanes is risky because of distracted drivers on cell phones who aren't going to be seeing any kind of flashing light on a bike. Solve the talking/texting problem, and you'll see less bikes being hit from behind. Also, solve the drunk driver problem, but that's proving impossible.

I have thought this out about riding on the roads, which is perfectly legal if not safe. I have several cars in a line, approaching me from behind. The first driver can see me, but I'm blocked from the view of successive drivers. One of them is texting and is only about a foot from the kerb. A flashing light or horn isn't going to alert him quickly enough to avoid me.

Florida has many hundreds of bikes being ridden all year round. Then bear in mind it's one of the most dangerous states in the nation regarding cyclist and pedestrian deaths. An article I read, recently, raised the fact that our roads are designed for high speed traffic. I can't speak for other states, but it would have to be some extremely high-tech device that can help prevent cars from hitting cyclists from behind. That's why we ride on the sidewalks, even where there are bike lanes.

I have an advantage in that I rode a motorcycle for many years, and took several experienced rider courses. I gave up the motorcycle and now just ride a bike. I believe my experience serves me well in knowing what to look for, and being able to anticipate a situation. From my observation, though, I see so many cyclists who don't have a clue; they just go, and so many of them ride at night, wearing dark clothing and having no lights on their bikes.

All of this addresses only riding in my county. Riding in a city would be a different matter, but speeds are slower in the cities, and drivers are conditioned to seeing bikes sharing 'their' road.

 

[BrianNystrom]

You forgot to mention that a major contributor to the problem is the huge number of very elderly drivers in Florida who should not be behind the wheel. A friend of mine was recently killed on a group ride when a 91-year-old woman plowed into them at a red light. Until the state gets smart and mandates driving tests when elderly drivers renew their licenses, the carnage is going to continue.

 

[BrianNystrom]

Hello Folks!
I'm researching a potential new product based on Artificial Intelligence to help prevent cycling accidents caused by car drivers hitting cyclists from behind.

It seems that many cyclists obsess about the possibility of getting hit by a car from behind, but it's actually the least likely type of bike/motor vehicle accident at ~5%. In my post above, it wouldn't have made any difference if the cyclist had a warning system as they were stopped and had nowhere to go. That's also true of many rolling strikes from behind. Most bike/vehicle accidents occur at intersections, commonly due to vehicles turning in front of or into cyclists. A solution to that problem would save many more injuries and lives.

That said, the vast majority (~70%) of all bike accidents are self-inflicted, due to inattention, poor judgement or just plain doing something stupid. If you could figure out a way to fix that, you could retire early!

 

[Chuckabutty]

You forgot to mention that a major contributor to the problem is the huge number of very elderly drivers in Florida who should not be behind the wheel. A friend of mine was recently killed on a group ride when a 91-year-old woman plowed into them at a red light. Until the state gets smart and mandates driving tests when elderly drivers renew their licenses, the carnage is going to continue.

That is rare in my experience. The most dangerous ones are the drunks, texters, and illegals with no insurance who hit and run. Drunks often drive the wrong way on highways at night, and end up killing whole families. Of course, bikes won't be out there in the major highways. Then we have teens drag racing. A young woman and her child were crossing at a pedestrian crossing when two drag racing teens hit her, killing her and her child. I don't remember the last case of an elderly person hitting anyone. They usually crash through shop fronts when they hit the gas instead of the brake.

 

[Chuckabutty]

... the vast majority (~70%) of all bike accidents are self-inflicted, due to inattention, poor judgement or just plain doing something stupid. If you could figure out a way to fix that, you could retire early!

I have to agree with you, there, because I see them. I also see a lot of memorial signs posted where cyclists were killed, and I wonder what the cause was, considering they're riding on the sidewalk.

 

[Spunky99]

Hey there! I totally get what you're saying. It's really sad to see those memorial signs for cyclists who have lost their lives. Safety is such an important issue when it comes to cycling. While some cyclists do choose to ride on the sidewalk, it's not always the safest option. Sidewalk riding can be risky because it increases the chances of accidents with pedestrians and obstacles.

In many areas, cyclists are actually required to ride on the road. It may seem intimidating at first, but there are ways to make it safer. Wearing bright clothing, using lights, and following the rules of the road are all good practices. It's also crucial to be aware of drivers and communicate with hand signals to indicate your intended movements.

Ultimately, I believe that promoting cycling safety and education is key to reducing the number of accidents. It's important for both cyclists and drivers to understand and respect each other on the road. By creating a safer environment for everyone, we can hopefully prevent these tragic incidents.

Stay safe out there and happy cycling!