Avoiding Accidents On The Road



Corzhens

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2015
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In a guideline issued by the Fireflies ( a big group of cyclists based in Metro Manila) one item that caught my eye is the non-use of the bicycle during a traffic stop. It is common for 2-wheeled riders to move and squeeze themselves in any space that they see on the road. That is a no-no, said the guideline because you may hit a vehicle and grazing a new car would obviously involve expenses. I feel good with that one because that is the primary problem of car drivers.
 
I can definitely see the logic behind this guideline, especially in places where the traffic conditions are bad. The possibility of grazing and damaging a vehicle is definitely a concern, but I think it can also be dangerous for the cyclist. If you're squeezing through stopped traffic it makes it hard for drivers to predict where you're going, and it increases the likelihood of drivers not noticing you.

I may be a little over-cautious about commuting with traffic, but I've always thought that this seemed like a dangerous thing to do.
 
By obeying the road rules you agree to keep yourself off trouble. By sandwiching yourself between two moving vehicles you risk being hurt. A small mistake might even result to a very fatal accident. You also risk being fined heavily if you do not obey road rules.
 
I can totally understand these kind of guidelines.

If you are driving a car and seeing a cyclist very close to you or even touching your can, you easily think about that your car can get scraped in any way. And also it is not safe at all, can lead to dangerous situation, because once you are too close to the car the driver cant possibly see what are you up to.
 
Nice to see that new cars are more important than safety of bike riders. Seriously, I've seen few videos (definitely not judging the whole system on it) from Manilla where crossroads seem like lawless jungles and bikes squeezing in between cars definitely seem like a really common thing. I definitely agree that there should be some rules, but enforcing this guideline because your car might get scraped is just crazy.
 
Most places you're classified as operating a vehicle, not as a pedestrian. However I know there are some differences in the rules of operation. For in-town cycling I just treat it like I'm on a motorcycle. Although when nobody is around I have been known to break local bylaws and go on the sidewalk, but that's only when there is nobody else walking.
 
This is a sensible rule after the bicycle is a form of vehicle so riders should follow the rode code just the same. This will help to prevent accidents because riders tend to thing they can skip their way out of trouble sometimes but it does not always work.
 
Most answers here refer to obeying the rules. I'm glad to read those reactions. However, riders here are not that obedient and sometimes they are like stunt riders who are rushing to the front of the traffic stop. So what happens when the bike would hit a car? I think the bike lane should be installed in all main roads for the protection, not only of the riders but also of the vehicles particularly the new cars which are prone to dents and scratches that may cause by riders.
 
I think the new rule is for the safety of the riders and that is it. I must admit that I had been guilty of what was mentioned above. Sometimes I can not control myself getting impatient about the traffic and the need to find a way out.
 
Keyan said:
I think the new rule is for the safety of the riders and that is it. I must admit that I had been guilty of what was mentioned above. Sometimes I can not control myself getting impatient about the traffic and the need to find a way out.
Clap, clap for being honest. That's also what I see in some bikers, they get impatient during traffic stops that's why they tend to move forward even if only inch by inch. That is a sad fact that bikers are adventurous and would try anything on the road just to alleviate their impatience. Anyway, that is the common attitude of people on the road - being impatient to the traffic stop - be it a rider or a vehicle driver. What's worse here is the tooting of the horn when the traffic becomes unbearable.
 
I understand there are probably in-depth investigations for serious accidents, especially with any physical harm or property damage, but aren't cyclists held accountable in certain situations? I mean financially responsible for damages if they were deemed to be operating inappropriately?
 
Seems logical enough, and cyclists shouldn't be offended since that is the best thing to do for their own safety. I'm a cyclist and I know that cycling between cars is quite dangerous in the first place.
 
I know people that completely dismount from their bike at a traffic stop. I think that is carrying it a bit far but I understand why they would do it. It is probably better than the people that weave into and through any space they can when traffic is stopped.
 
I can understand these guidelines and I partially agree with them.

Too many times I've seen some cyclists (not saying all, just some) in cities weaving through traffic and also going on the inside lanes when cars have been turning off. I think it's a good thing to save some from themselves if anything. I mean sure they might gain a few seconds on the journey but that will mean nothing when in accident and emergency waiting rooms
 
By obeying the road rules you agree to keep yourself off trouble. By sandwiching yourself between two moving vehicles you risk being hurt. A small mistake might even result to a very fatal accident. You also risk being fined heavily if you do not obey road rules.
I also don't think that we should be aggressive while riding. I know that patience pays. If we experience it at first time then we should avoid such situations. I don't like riding in traffic jams, it is possible to change the route.
 
I think there should also be a defensive bike riding much like a defensive car driving. So this guideline is on point for this, Metro Manila drivers are the worse, not all but most of them. They say if you can survive driving in Metro Manila, you can drive anywhere. And that's true because drivers there are aggressive, reckless and selfish, again not all but most of them. And many motors, I say motors not bikes because I rarely see bikes on Metro Manila anyway, squeeze their way into vehicles without even looking at their side mirrors when turning right or left. It's scary to see them drive that way.
 
In regards to not moving your bike through stationary or slow moving traffic, I'm not sure if I agree on that or not.

In a way its just filtering, like even motorcyclists are allowed to do and so I'm not sure stopping that will cut down on the number of accidents to be honest.
 
The most important thing you need to avoid road accident is to follow the traffic rules. Most people don't care about the traffic rules but you should follow them. Most of the main roads have separate lanes for different types if vehicles. You should ride on the cycle lane. I always follow the traffic rules and I have not yet faced any accident issue.
 
I take your point that not all cyclists follow the rules of the road, but sometimes even when you do you still cant stop yourself from being involved in accidents. sadly, as I've said before, you can ride as carefully as ever but it only takes one mistake by you or more than likely the other road users around you to cause an accident.

Cyclists over here in the UK can see themselves as victims a lot and while i don't agree with that, a lot of the time they are involved in accidents that aren't always necessarily their fault.
 
Well thankfully I do not see much of the traffic stop movement from cyclists as I do not really live in a large congested city, which is where I am assuming this happens the most. It is dangerous though, and it is not really fair to motorists so I can see why this is causing some strife between the two. There are plenty of things that motorists do that anger cyclists too though, so it goes both ways.
 
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