first close call with a car

[jrtalon]

Just went out for an hour, about 200yards from home and my last stop sign. lady next to me was going straight, girl on the opposite side of the street had her blinker on to make a left. Waiting for the traffic to clear, it finally does push off the curb clip my other foot in and the damn car makes the left right the **** in front of me...slam on the brakes throw my heels out to unclip. Shouted asshole or whatever at them. The other car didnt go, I'm thinking she was paying attention to the car next to me and that car must of waved her through....didnt even think about poor me on my 20lb bike. I sure as hell didnt wave her through, I never do that...ur in a car u can wait a few seconds while I go through. Wish drivers were educated more on pedestrian rights, we own the road as much as they do. I mean I ride along and people pulling up to stop signs look at me like I should have to stop and let them through...even though I dont have a stop sign. bah.

 

[sogood]

Defensive riding is even more important than defensive driving. There's no sheet steel to protect you...

 

[astroluc]

sorry that had to happen to you...
...a similar thing occured to me about a year ago while I has travelling down a busy road at speed (sunny day, bright jersey... ie. very visible); a person in a jeep coming in the opposette direction turned left accross my lane... normally this is fine, but I was right there! I locked up my rear wheel and slid sideways; THankfully I did not fall but I screemed a lot! I thought I had tacoed my wheel... no harm done... just a rapid heartbeat and I finished my ride in record time!

Defensive riding is even more important than defensive driving. There's no sheet steel to protect you...

I gotta agree, here. Ever since that incident with me I am extremely wary of drivers. Even with bright colors and staying visible, many drivers are oblivious or do not care. Too many times I've been passed by a car to then see it hug the curb when they stop at traffic control, or have a car pull out of a parallel parking spot without looking or signaling.

 

[AmpedCycle]

The worst is when you get a "deer in the headlights." Either a person or a car, they see you coming, and they freeze... oblivious to your obvious trajectory and momentum. They think that by stopping in your direct path they'll avoid being hit.

 

[meehs]

Get used to it.

 

[Java Junkie]

I gotta agree, here. Ever since that incident with me I am extremely wary of drivers. Even with bright colors and staying visible, many drivers are oblivious or do not care. Too many times I've been passed by a car to then see it hug the curb when they stop at traffic control, or have a car pull out of a parallel parking spot without looking or signaling.

I'm not a fan of the driver who pulls over to the side of the road and opens their door without looking. Drivers generally have no thought of cyclists or pedestrians for that matter. Indicitive of why we live in a overweight society.

 

[avmanansala]

I live in a new development in Rancho Cordova, CA. I was out last night riding down the main street. All side streets that feed onto this street have stop signs. Some moron in nice expensive MB sedan, on his cell phone blew through the stop sign and slammed on his brakes just in time to avoid hitting me. I swerved, stopped, just about in front of him, unclipped and stood there yelling "Hey, butthead (not the actual term I used), I don't see a stop sign going MY way but I see one right there! I live here, too. Get off the (expletive) phone and pay attention! There are kids that ride their bikes here, too!" He didn't respond and I pedalled on my way. Jerk.

I think I should carry an air horn just to let them know that they're dumb.

 

[Rockslayer]

Sorry to hear, Unfortunately in the world today most car drivers are focused on getting around and mainly concerned with anything equal or larger size on the road easy to see. Ignorance is not an excuse on their part. yes..Defensive riding is the way these days. There are bad examples of both drivers and riders which doesn't help our cause.
Drivers go through minimal training/testing to aquire a license these days the roads are busier. Certainly awaresness of other vehicles and road users is generally overlooked by many car drivers who don't participate in any other road transport like cycling.
Some people are plain clueless and it would make no difference if it spelt it out to them that they are in error as they are only thinking of themselves. The time I do spend on the riding on road these days I treat every car as potentially a risk especially at intersections where most accidents occur.

**there was a recent study done and suggested that male cyclists between 30-39 were most likely to be involved in a accident with a vehicle. maybe it is the larger demographic of cyclists on the road. Worries me being in that group!!

 

[rayhuang]

yeah like the lady who passed me on an open road last ride-didnt bother to move an inch!!


I am trying a new tactic-I give them the move over hand signal-I yell at them to move over next time, but I leave out the expletives. not because I am afraid to use them, but I hope a stern yelling at might make an impression, but insulting and name calling, flipping the bird could fuel an even closer call for the next cyclist they come upon.

Ray

 

[robsurge]

I hate people who don't pay attention behind the wheel however last week I got payback in a big way. I was cruising down a 2 lane with a right turn only and a straight lane. I was in the straight lane while traffic was backed up about 1/4 mile in the right turn only and suddenly this **** in a saturn aggressively pulls out of the right turn only into the straight lane to try and get ahead. Of course he didn't see me and sent me into the oncoming traffic lane so I stand and sprint to get back and procede to go through the green light- low and behold there is a cop directing traffic standing right in front of with his white gloved hand stopping traffic so I grab my brakes as not to go through intersection and put my nice slick road shoes to the pave and make a nice skidding stop. I was looking at the green light and didn't notice him hence the panic stop and thankfully for the compassionite officer he realized what had just happened so he points to the saturn and pulls him over and begins to berate him as he stills has traffic at a stand still telling the guy"don't you move I'm not finished with you yet!!!!" Then the officer approaches me as I stand at the light with blood dripping down my leg and a torn up saddle and makes sure I'm OK and even asked if I needed the first aid kit!! He then waived me on and proceded to I can assume write the guy a ticket. There is justice I guess except my butt cheek is still a little sore and I now have a ripped saddle- could have been much much worse I am very grateful.

yeah like the lady who passed me on an open road last ride-didnt bother to move an inch!!


I am trying a new tactic-I give them the move over hand signal-I yell at them to move over next time, but I leave out the expletives. not because I am afraid to use them, but I hope a stern yelling at might make an impression, but insulting and name calling, flipping the bird could fuel an even closer call for the next cyclist they come upon.

Ray

 

[LIKESBIKES716]

Just went out for an hour, about 200yards from home and my last stop sign. lady next to me was going straight, girl on the opposite side of the street had her blinker on to make a left. Waiting for the traffic to clear, it finally does push off the curb clip my other foot in and the damn car makes the left right the **** in front of me...slam on the brakes throw my heels out to unclip. Shouted asshole or whatever at them. The other car didnt go, I'm thinking she was paying attention to the car next to me and that car must of waved her through....didnt even think about poor me on my 20lb bike. I sure as hell didnt wave her through, I never do that...ur in a car u can wait a few seconds while I go through. Wish drivers were educated more on pedestrian rights, we own the road as much as they do. I mean I ride along and people pulling up to stop signs look at me like I should have to stop and let them through...even though I dont have a stop sign. bah.

The road will catch up with that lady someday and you'll probably be riding by when it happens.

 

[willocrew]

Just went out for an hour, about 200yards from home and my last stop sign. lady next to me was going straight, girl on the opposite side of the street had her blinker on to make a left. Waiting for the traffic to clear, it .............................ride along and people pulling up to stop signs look at me like I should have to stop and let them through...even though I dont have a stop sign. bah.

Heads Up.

 

[KellyT]

Just went out for an hour, about 200yards from home and my last stop sign. lady next to me was going straight, girl on the opposite side of the street had her blinker on to make a left. Waiting for the traffic to clear, it finally does push off the curb clip my other foot in and the damn car makes the left right the **** in front of me...slam on the brakes throw my heels out to unclip. Shouted asshole or whatever at them. The other car didnt go, I'm thinking she was paying attention to the car next to me and that car must of waved her through....didnt even think about poor me on my 20lb bike. I sure as hell didnt wave her through, I never do that...ur in a car u can wait a few seconds while I go through. Wish drivers were educated more on pedestrian rights, we own the road as much as they do. I mean I ride along and people pulling up to stop signs look at me like I should have to stop and let them through...even though I dont have a stop sign. bah.

At least you are in the US. Can't you just carry a gun or something? Over here everything is banned, except running over cyclists. The 'Abergele' incident seems to suggest that you can run over cyclists because of defective equipment on your car, and negligent driving, and not even get a custodial sentence.

Personally I think cyclists should be allowed to carry UZI's to even up the 'mass balance' issue on the road.

 

[sogood]

At least you are in the US. Can't you just carry a gun or something? Personally I think cyclists should be allowed to carry UZI's to even up the 'mass balance' issue on the road.

Do these "equipments" come at different levels based on weight, bearing construction and titanium/CF content? Being cyclists, we should be cognizant of the weight of everything we carry or install!

 

[ovalbackmarker]

Maybe it's just a problem with cars and anything on 2 wheels. I have had just as many cars ignore me on my motorcycle as on my bike.

 

[Cyclist14]

I have spent a lot of time on the road since I started Cycling at 14, I am now 16 and almost a Cat. 3 and I hope to get to the 2's next year.

I have never had an EXTREMELY close call, although I have had close calls. Unfortunately, as some of you may recall, one of my teammates was killed in an accident with a car. From this I have learned that you can never be to careful and you must always stay aware, I always give cars the right of way in a turn and at a stoplight I move DIRECTLY behind the car in front of me and I DO NOT pass them on the side because then if they are turning you won't see their signal until the last second. I have noticed that I seem to get more respect in my area now and that cars give me a wider berth ( most of the time) when they see that I am courteous and try to not hold them up. Another tip, ALWAYS make eye contact with the drivers at a four-way stop and when your signaling. NEVER make obscene gestures at drivers no matter what they do, because most of the time they don't even know they have endangered you.

 

[brad g]

Maybe it's just a problem with cars and anything on 2 wheels. I have had just as many cars ignore me on my motorcycle as on my bike.

I've been riding motorcycles for 15 years without incident. I don't know if it's because I'm a defensive driver, or maybe it's because my bikes are very loud. Whatever it is, I haven't had very many people pull out on me. In fact, I can only think of one incident where it was a close call. I was on an interstate in Nashville and a woman in a car changed lanes right onto me, but I swerved to miss her and went on. Back to the point, since I've been cycling (about 4 months) I've been nearly hit at least a dozen times by uncourteous and inattentive drivers, so in my opinion, being on a bicycle is more dangerous than on a motorcycle simply for the fact that you can't keep up with traffic at highway speed.

 

[poweredbysweat]

Defensive riding is even more important than defensive driving. There's no sheet steel to protect you...

+1. It's sad, but true. They're a lot bigger than we are. Just shrug it off, and take pride in the fact that you're doing the right thing!

 

[bigkev]

i was hit my first time by a car doing about 120kmph when i was 19 police said hit me from behind as i was turning i went over the roof of the car the car stoped about 200mtr down the road got out came back kicked me 3 times told me to stay of the road and took of a couple of people helped and i was taken to hospital my bike went under the car we got the rego number found out wrong plates for that car police could not do anything the driver was about 50 or so i am now 38 and been hit 2 other miner times car drivers need to ride a bike and find out what its like .

 

[sogood]

i was hit my first time by a car doing about 120kmph when i was 19 police said hit me from behind as i was turning i went over the roof of the car the car stoped about 200mtr down the road got out came back kicked me 3 times told me to stay of the road and took of a couple of people helped and i was taken to hospital my bike went under the car we got the rego number found out wrong plates for that car police could not do anything the driver was about 50 or so i am now 38 and been hit 2 other miner times car drivers need to ride a bike and find out what its like .

Gosh, are you travelling at 120mph right now?