The increase number of Cyclist Accident are quite concerned

[rafaelfabio]

-Have any of you guys faced any bicycle accident before?

-Do you thnk it is quite dangerous for not able to see any vehicles that are approaching you from the back?

-Do vehicles driver also need to be alert on these kind of situation?

-Are bicycle LED safety light 100% guarantee your safety while riding bicycle at night?

 

[oldbobcat]

Cycling, especially at night, has its hazards and there are no guarantees that you won't get killed. There are no guarantees that you won't slip getting out of the shower, either.

Here's what we do about it. Be visible and ride in as safe a manner as possible. Avoid dangerous roads. You can tell which ones they are just by driving them. Use lights at night and wear light colored clothing, or don't ride at night. Trust that most of the drivers out there are almost as concerned about hitting you as you are about getting hit by them. At least where I've ridden, most people avoid collisions because they either don't want to hurt anyone or they don't want the hassle.

 

[An old Guy]

Being hit ranges for intentional acts to true accidents.

I was hit by an uninsured DUI and badly injured - well over $100K in insurance payments to doctors and hospitals plus $125K of compensatory compensation. If you want to take the risk, there are consequences.

 

[alienator]

-Have any of you guys faced any bicycle accident before?

-Do you thnk it is quite dangerous for not able to see any vehicles that are approaching you from the back?

-Do vehicles driver also need to be alert on these kind of situation?
-Are bicycle LED safety light 100% guarantee your safety while riding bicycle at night?

Where in life do you get a 100% guarantee of safety? No where. Re-read oldbobcat's post. It sums up what you need to know. I've been hit twice by cars, both times during the day, and both times were the fault of the driver, each of them either having their head up there a$$ or practicing for their stroke in a few years. I've pedaled a lot at night. It helps to be familiar with your route, but as always it's essential to be able to see (i.e. have a headlight that allows you to see as opposed to just allows you to be seen), to be seen (bright tail light, reflective bits), to be predictable (ride lawfully, obeying traffic signals; signal turns), and to be vigilant about your situational awareness. I happen to enjoy riding at night when the need arises.

 

[An old Guy]

Originally Posted by oldbobcat . Avoid dangerous roads. You can tell which ones they are just by driving them.

When I was hit by a car ---

Straight road for 2 miles in each direction. Daylight. Great visibility. Usual traffic count of 1 car per 20 minutes. Common route for bicyclists.

Looks are deceiving.

 

[jpr95]

Originally Posted by An old Guy .


When I was hit by a car ---

Straight road for 2 miles in each direction. Daylight. Great visibility. Usual traffic count of 1 car per 20 minutes. Common route for bicyclists.

Looks are deceiving.

Sounds like a "Zone-Out Zone".

Like the others said, there are no guarantees. My father used to put it to me like this: "There IS as such thing as being dead right."

I don't ride at night--no need to, and there are enough drunks and texters out there to make it riskier than I care for.

However, if I was going to ride at night, I would do the following:

Bright headlight to see and be seen.
FLASHING taillight--the more complex the flash pattern, the better. It will attract attention more easily.
Light-colored clothing with reflective accents.
Reflective material on my pedals and rims (not on the braking surface, of course).

I'd probably mount one of those emergency airhorns on my handlebars, too.

 

[alienator]

I can about guarantee that oldbobcat wasn't implying that accidents only happen on "dangerous roads." I think he was merely stating that when riding night, roads that are known to be dangerous should be especially avoided. Of course accidents can happen on any road. That much is obvious. Saying accidents can happen on any road is like saying that it can be dark at night. Oldbobcat pointed out things that really matter and that have been stated by others.

 

[An old Guy]

Actually accidents that affect you happen where you are.

But ...

 

[64Paramount]

Originally Posted by alienator .

I can about guarantee that oldbobcat wasn't implying that accidents only happen on "dangerous roads." I think he was merely stating that when riding night, roads that are known to be dangerous should be especially avoided. Of course accidents can happen on any road. That much is obvious. Saying accidents can happen on any road is like saying that it can be dark at night. Oldbobcat pointed out things that really matter and that have been stated by others.

+1 That was my understanding of oldbobcat's post as well...

 

[An old Guy]

Originally Posted by 64Paramount .

+1 That was my understanding of oldbobcat's post as well...

My objection was that one can tell which roads are dangerous.

My comment about my accident was was that I was on a road that was by all measures not dangerous yet I was hit by a car.

It is foolish to claim that one can tell which roads are dangerous.

---

5 bicyclists were killed by motor vehicles in the past several years on local roads. Broad daylight. Normal traffic. None of the riders would have made any claim that the roads they were on were dangerous. (I would consider one of the roads dangerous because there was no escape route in case something went wrong. But I have ridden on all the roads without any fear.) To this day bicyclists ride on those roads.

Unless you can quantify "dangerous" so that it makes a difference in incidents like these, you are just spreading foolishness.

 

[64Paramount]

Originally Posted by An old Guy .


My objection was that one can tell which roads are dangerous.

My comment about my accident was was that I was on a road that was by all measures not dangerous yet I was hit by a car.

It is foolish to claim that one can tell which roads are dangerous.

---

5 bicyclists were killed by motor vehicles in the past several years on local roads. Broad daylight. Normal traffic. None of the riders would have made any claim that the roads they were on were dangerous. (I would consider one of the roads dangerous because there was no escape route in case something went wrong. But I have ridden on all the roads without any fear.) To this day bicyclists ride on those roads.

Unless you can quantify "dangerous" so that it makes a difference in incidents like these, you are just spreading foolishness.

So, in all of your years of cycling, you have never seen a road that you believed was more dangerous for a cyclist to ride upon than another?

And by your reasoning and experience, all roads are equally dangerous for cyclists, no roads are safer than any other for cyclists?

 

[alienator]

So, in all of your years of cycling, you have never seen a road that you believed was more dangerous for a cyclist to ride upon than another?
 
And by your reasoning and experience, all roads are equally dangerous for cyclists, no roads are safer than any other for cyclists? 

Exactly, and that is the point that was being made. There are roads that are known to have high accident rates for riders and drivers. It is wise to especially avoid those roads at night. We have one such road in Tucson: Grant Rd. It's the busiest road in the city, and one section in particular is particularly nasty because traffic speed is fast and there is no bike lane. I avoid that road and particularly that section at night. Does that mean that I don't consider all roads potentially dangerous? No. Was oldbobcat implying that some roads aren't dangerous? No, that's not what competent reading comprehension leads someone to believe. Only an idiot or would think as much. We might travel some dangerous sections of road during the day that we won't at night. As much seems logical and easy to understand. Right now, in Homs, Syria, people will avoid crossing streets during the day where snipers are known to be, but they've found that some such streets can be more safely crossed at night. Does this mean that those streets at night are safe? No, just that it's likely safer crossing at night. It's called risk reduction, and anyone save for idiots understands what that is. Cyclists can do the same thing. Note that it is not called risk elimination. Is there someone who would actually argue that anyone has claimed that any riding situation at night is "safe"? Short of idiots and trolls, no one is making such a claim or arguing for such a point.

 

[An old Guy]

Originally Posted by 64Paramount .



So, in all of your years of cycling, you have never seen a road that you believed was more dangerous for a cyclist to ride upon than another?

And by your reasoning and experience, all roads are equally dangerous for cyclists, no roads are safer than any other for cyclists?

Many times I have ridden in situations where I was not comfortable. But that feeling was driven by weather conditions not concerns about having accidents with motor vehicles.

Roads are not dangerous. Drivers are dangerous. Neither I nor you have the ability to determine which drivers are safe to be around until after the fact.

On the other hand my wife thinks all roads are dangerous.

So I think all roads are safe. My wife thinks all roads are unsafe. You think you can determine which are safe and which are dangerous.

----

Perhaps you could draw up a map of which roads are dangerous in your area and ask bicyclists if they agree.

I don't have a desire to. I am happy with my opinion.

 

[jpr95]

Originally Posted by An old Guy .


Many times I have ridden in situations where I was not comfortable. But that feeling was driven by weather conditions not concerns about having accidents with motor vehicles.

Roads are not dangerous. Drivers are dangerous. Neither I nor you have the ability to determine which drivers are safe to be around until after the fact.

On the other hand my wife thinks all roads are dangerous.

So I think all roads are safe. My wife thinks all roads are unsafe. You think you can determine which are safe and which are dangerous.

----

Perhaps you could draw up a map of which roads are dangerous in your area and ask bicyclists if they agree.

I don't have a desire to. I am happy with my opinion.

I would tend to agree--car-bike accidents can happen on any road, BUT I would say that they are more likely to occur on roads with higher traffic. If one out of 10 drivers is dangerous, and you're on a road where you only see 2 cars, you might not see a dangerous driver. Get on a road where you see 100 cars, and the probability that you'll encounter someone from that dangerous 10% goes up to an almost certainty. (Whether or not they hit you is a whole 'nuther calculation...)

I'll ride on just about any road if I have to--but for most of my riding, where I'm planning my route ahead of time, or even as I go, I'll avoid high-traffic road as much as possible. Due to poor planning once, I ended up on a state highway, crossing a narrow two-lane bridge, with a short line-of-sight on the approach to the bridge behind me due to a curve and a hill. The speed limit there is 55MPH, so, of course typical traffic is about 65MPH.

 

[alienator]

I would tend to agree--car-bike accidents can happen on any road, BUT I would say that they are more likely to occur on roads with higher traffic.  If one out of 10 drivers is dangerous, and you're on a road where you only see 2 cars, you might not see a dangerous driver.  Get on a road where you see 100 cars, and the probability that you'll encounter someone from that dangerous 10% goes up to an almost certainty.  (Whether or not they hit you is a whole 'nuther calculation...)
 
I'll ride on just about any road if I have to--but for most of my riding, where I'm planning my route ahead of time, or even as I go, I'll avoid high-traffic road as much as possible.  Due to poor planning once, I ended up on a state highway, crossing a narrow two-lane bridge, with a short line-of-sight on the approach to the bridge behind me due to a curve and a hill.  The speed limit there is 55MPH, so, of course typical traffic is about 65MPH.
 

Yes, and there are roads that for whatever reason--design, traffic level, location, and etc--statistically have more accidents than others. All that was being pointed out was that at night it's worth avoiding those roads that have statistically higher accident rates in general or for cyclists. No one claimed that anyone should be less aware or less diligent because a road was not considered "dangerous" because of a study or anything else. Anyone that doesn't think that an accident can happen anywhere shouldn't be on a bike...or driving a car....or likely walking near any road, but that was nobody's claim. Riding at night requires extra diligence because of reduce visibility, as well as because of things like the increased number of intoxicated drivers on the road at night. Avoiding roads that are known for or have high accident rates seems and is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. No matter the road he or she's on, at night a rider needs to be vigilant and visible, needs to be able to see well, and needs to ride predictably and lawfully.

 

[An old Guy]

Originally Posted by jpr95 .


BUT I would say that they are more likely to occur on roads with higher traffic. If one out of 10 drivers is dangerous ...

Your concerns seem to be as irrational as my wife's position that all roads are dangerous is.

There are very few dangerous drivers. Much less than .1%. High traffic rates tend to keep drivers aware of the situation and give dangerous drivers some guidance. One could argue that higher traffic volume is safer.

---

You mentioned being on a 55mph road. Those are the roads, numbered state highways, that most bicyclists around here travel on. Despite the traffic volumes, narrow lanes, and lack of shoulders no one views them as dangerous. Of course, as bicyclists we always tried to assist traffic in getting around us.

---

I once found myself riding thru a resort area (heavy traffic narrow roads) around 11pm (a dark night) looking for a place to pitch my tent. My sole concern was finding a place to pitch my tent before morning. The traffic seemed to be polite. Certainly not dangerous - despite the local atmosphere.

 

[danfoz]

Originally Posted by An old Guy .

There are very few dangerous drivers. Much less than .1%.

Once being an invincible teenager with a high propensity toward pushing the envelope with a slightly lower propensity toward driving under the influence I respectfully beg to differ. Apparently so too does the Insurance Industry, presenting different rates to different drivers against a number of varying thresholds.

 

[grandamn]

lol You're concerned? I saw in the paper a couple of months ago Long Island was rated the most unsafe place to ride a bicycle in the USA. I think it had the most fatalities and accidents per area. I don't even keep reflectors on my bike for the reason being I will definitely, no mater what, ride my bike at night. I love riding down the LIE early Sunday morning with not a single car on the expressway. Be like me and save a couple of grams.

 

[An old Guy]

I guess how one views danger on the roads depends on how well one thinks he drives and bicycles.

I guess if you go out with the wrong attitude and meet up with someone with a conflicting view, someone might get hurt.

---

I would like to say my accident (head on collision) was caused by a DUI attempting to hit me and me trying to evade him, but I don't remember anything from a mile before I was hit until I woke up in the hospital. My powertap indicates I was going 20+mph. While my bicycle parts were all on the wrong side of the road, I hope I would not have gone there intentionally.

 

[danfoz]

Originally Posted by An old Guy .

I would like to say my accident (head on collision) was caused by a DUI attempting to hit me and me trying to evade him, but I don't remember anything from a mile before I was hit until I woke up in the hospital.

On weekend mornings I usually stop for a coffee and scone and then pedal slowly up my one-way block against traffic to my apt. It's tree lined street in a residential neighborhood with the street wide enough for a fire engine to pass a double parked car if needed, and it's unusual to see more than one car every few minutes. I have been doing this particular ritual going on 20 years. Last year I had someone attempt to "teach me a leasson" by trying to run me off the road. He got eye contact and then proceeded to hit the gas as he veered over to my side... missed me by a couple of inches. It's the one time I've turned around and chased after somebody. I saw his panicked face as he noticed me in his rear view and he blew the light at the end of my block in his escape narrowly missing hitting another car. I don't like to thinjk about what would have happened if I'd caught him and it could have ended badly for one or both of us.There are jackasses out there and no doubt adding some booze to the equation can quickly turn a "lesson" into a tragedy. Recent studies indicate that texting or talking on the phone impair one's ability on par with driving under the influence. Although you may not be 100% certain in his attempt, until my own incident I would have been hard pressed to believe that there are drivers out there capable of such behavior - but there are.