Ever hit or nearly hit a cyclist?

[CycleSteve]

I'm a roadie (about 5,000 + miles a year) and have had my share of narrowly avoiding crashes with cars. So the other night I'm out driving and nearly clobber a roadie. It was a well lit intersection, but out in an area where there are not any lights beyond the intersection, so everything is pitch black just past the area that's illuminated. I was in the left lane, had green, and had started making my left turn when I caught a motion ahead and just to my left and swerved back to the right. It was a road cycler, coming fast into the intersection, and wearing a dark helmet, and a dark jersey or wind jacket. He had his hand on his brake lever and was turning just slightly, anticipating that I was going to cut in front of or into him. I had sort of mixed emotions about it - scared at almost hitting someone, a bit mad because he wasn't wearing something reflective or at least bright, and sort of sympathetic too because I've had cars cut or almost cut in front of me (even tho I do wear bright clothing and have a white helmet.

Anybody else who's a cycler ever have a close call with cyclists while driving a car?

 

[eric_the_red]

Unfortunately yes, I hit a cyclist, or actually he hit me, years ago. I was turning left and the cyclist was flying down a hill and came straight through the intersection. He had no lights, was wearing all black and was almost invisible. He hit the side of my car and landed about 50-60 metres down the road. The police estimated he was doing about 70 kph in a 50 zone, but it was still my fault as I turned in front of him.
It was many years before I could drive down that road again.

 

[tanggoman]

I always look out, not only for cyclists, but anyone on two-wheels as they are hard to see especially when at night or dark. Even in broad daylight, as if they just came out of nowhere and startle you. So far (knock on wood!), I havent had an incident because of these inherent awareness.

 

[Princess20]

I've had it both ways: I almost biked into a cyclist's path because I was slowly merging left to bike around road construction, and suddenly I hear a "Woah..woah...WOAH!!" I realized a cyclist was behind me and I quickly swerved right and said sorry. I now look behind me and signal more often.

Then a few days ago, I stopped at a 4-way intersection. It looked clear, but as I pedalled forward an IDIOT cyclist with no helmet goes flying through the intersection, not stopping. I had the right of way. I hate cyclists like that. I make sure to yell "4-way!" or "Stop sign!" if people make that mistake.

 

[CycleSteve]

I saw a car hit a cyclist hard once, and the cyclist walked away. We live on a corner where one of the streets is sort of a 'cross-town' route, so it gets a lot of traffic. I neighbor woman, with her two little girls in her car, was on that street, waiting to turn left onto our street, not seeing a biker who was approaching her head on because of the late afternoon sun in her eyes. The woman turned left right into the biker (I was standing about 30 feet away, mowing our lawn.) The noise was terrific. The car's right corner went into the bike's front wheel and the bike and rider spun parallel with the car. The rider's left elbow punched partway into the windshield and his body broke the car's right sideview mirror off, and as the rider went over the top of that side of the car, he also took out the radio antenae, which was on the top of the left rear fender. He was left lying on the pavement as traffic came to a halt and people started running up to the biker. But after a couple of minutes he stood up and when the ambulance arrived, didn't want any help. They finally persuaded him to let them look him over, but he didn't have any cuts or bruises and wouldn't let them take him to the hospital. I talked to him while the police were filling out a report and he said he felt fine. And get this - he wasn't wearing a helmet. But his bike was trashed.

 

[Chester1]

I've had a few close calls, but no collections just yet.

Dark clothing, no lights, and mountain bikes with inexperienced riders..there is a bit of a problem.

 

[tpat3]

I'm a roadie (about 5,000 + miles a year) and have had my share of narrowly avoiding crashes with cars. So the other night I'm out driving and nearly clobber a roadie. It was a well lit intersection, but out in an area where there are not any lights beyond the intersection, so everything is pitch black just past the area that's illuminated. I was in the left lane, had green, and had started making my left turn when I caught a motion ahead and just to my left and swerved back to the right. It was a road cycler, coming fast into the intersection, and wearing a dark helmet, and a dark jersey or wind jacket. He had his hand on his brake lever and was turning just slightly, anticipating that I was going to cut in front of or into him. I had sort of mixed emotions about it - scared at almost hitting someone, a bit mad because he wasn't wearing something reflective or at least bright, and sort of sympathetic too because I've had cars cut or almost cut in front of me (even tho I do wear bright clothing and have a white helmet.

Anybody else who's a cycler ever have a close call with cyclists while driving a car?

I had one hit me several years ago. I was stopped at a red light, waiting to turn right, with my signal on. The light changed, I turned, and the cyclist came fast off the sidewalk to my right and hit the rear panel of the car quite hard judging from the noise he made.

It was entirely his fault but I felt terrible anyway. He refused all offers of help, including a lift for him and his damaged bike.

 

[weyless]

well i have had some close ones but never hit anyone. i have hit someone on a bike while riding my bike.

i was cruising down a side street on my way home from work when a high school kid came flying across the crosswalk right in front of me. i t-boned him and he flew off his bike. i was able to control my bike and stayed up right. i aksed if he was ok and he got back on and rode off.

 

[Olasnah]

A Sheriff's deputy hit a cyclist here in Murfreesboro other day, at about 5:30 am. No word on whether or not he was permanently injured, but someone near the scene of the accident spotted a helmet and a pool of blood. No idea if the cyclist was wearing or had reflective or illumination gear on.

 

[mmpc001]

Yes, I've almost hit one - and it was near a bike shop of all places - with really bad entry/exit off a busy street. Anyway, I never saw the cyclist until he nearly rode into the side of my car and I quickly stopped. Being a fellow cyclist, I think it does make you feel even worse. For me it was "jeez, I'm just another stupid motorist to this guy..." LOL

 

[CycleSteve]

I'd nearly forgotten this incident, but when I was about five years old I was sitting on the sidewalk with a buddy and another kid ran over my leg with his bike and broke my leg. I guess that was my introduction to biking accidents.

 

[DHinrichs]

I've had one very close call. Several years ago I was headed home on a parkway (seperate lanes going each direction with a wide park strip between). It was dark and just as I was starting to move after stopping at a four way stop sign, a bike flashed into my headlights. I managed to stop without hitting him but was FURIOUS at his lack of discretion/intelligence/common sense and screeched the tires in pursuit. He stopped quick and wanted to know if I wanted to fight him. He was a H.S. kid on a bike I don't remember wearing darker clothing and no helmet. I managed to stutter out through my shock and adreneline that no I didn't want to fight him but LORD, think when riding because I almost just killed him! Perhaps I should have been a little longer on the reflexes and taken him from the gene pool thus saving us from future idiots. Nah, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that I'm sure he matured into a sensible being and perhaps started biking more carefully, at least after dark, having nearly been killed once.

I will agree with others that I was perhaps more shaken because I ride a lot myself and have had my own share of close calls despite riding in a generally defensive and safe manner.

 

[Lonnie Utah]

Never hit or been hit on my bike. A bit off topic but...

My second job is teaching skiing at Alta, UT. Once on my skis a 9 year old girl took me out (she was my student). Her helmet caught me right under my chin. I was out for the count. I woke up covered in blood, put my skis on and skied down. I don't remember the trip to the bottom. I woke up a second time in ski school with the patrol and all my ski school buddies standing around. Diagnosis, concusion. Here's what you look like when you use your face as a snow anchor at 40mph....

http://www.skilovers.com/dcf/User_files/3ca7363b87642a9d.jpg

I did, however, get two days off.....

L

 

[The Dubliner]

I collected a guy once when he was going down the road the wrong way, nighttime, no lights (or helmet). I panicked when I saw him bouncing around the bonnet of the car. When I slammed on the brakes, my wife jumped out of the car to see if he was OK. At least that's what I thought she was doing.. she nearly kicked the **** out of him for being such an idiot.

I neverthelesss felt sorry for the guy, stuck him and his bike in the car and drove him home.

When I hear of drivers complaining about 'BLOODY CYCLISTS...' I can see they have a point. I'm sure a high percentage of accidents involving cyclists could / should be pinned on the cyclist.

 

[Olasnah]

I've never hit a cyclist, but I almost hit an f'ing rabbit today, goddamn bushy-tailed b@$tard! Waited until I was passing by before he decided to run out in front of me. I braked, swerved, braked some more, was blessed with some deep gravel on the side of the road that absorbed most of my momentum (which I gouged a 2-inch deep furrow in), had the rear wheel lift just a tad, and planted my two feet quite easily on the grass, straddling my bike. That's the best damned emergency stop I've ever had! .........And then I jumped off the bike and cursed nature and all its creatures for all eternity.

 

[tpat3]

I've never hit a cyclist, but I almost hit an f'ing rabbit today, goddamn bushy-tailed b@$tard! Waited until I was passing by before he decided to run out in front of me. I braked, swerved, braked some more, was blessed with some deep gravel on the side of the road that absorbed most of my momentum (which I gouged a 2-inch deep furrow in), had the rear wheel lift just a tad, and planted my two feet quite easily on the grass, straddling my bike. That's the best damned emergency stop I've ever had! .........And then I jumped off the bike and cursed nature and all its creatures for all eternity.

I nearly got a squirrel yesterday, but he was too quick for me Actually, it wasn't as close as your bunny incident.