The increase number of Cyclist Accident are quite concerned

[alienator]

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.

Talking on a cell increases the risk of an accident to about the same level as for a drunk driver. Texting while driving can exceed that level by up to 4x or so, or so says some recent studies.

 

[An old Guy]

As a group new drivers tend to have high accident rates. Over time they learn when they need to pay attention and when they can relax a bit. And their accident rate drops.

The same happens with bicyclists. If you ride on the roads, you learn a lot. Then you get better.

I have been driving for over 40 years. Bicycling on the roads for over 30. I know what I can do to increase my safety.

---

As I get older I realize that I no longer have the strength necessary to ride in traffic as I did when I was young. Back then I could ride with the traffic. Now I just try to get out of the way of traffic.

 

[64Paramount]

Originally Posted by An old Guy .

snip.........I know what I can do to increase my safety.

Is that something you would care to share with the rest of us?

 

[Eichers]

Originally Posted by danfoz .

... 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.

Yes there are but fortunately they are a minority ... fortunately

With texting, or more exactly stopping texting, perhaps the solution is that while the vehicle (any vehicle - car, truck, motorcycle, even bicycle) is moving the phone cannot be activated ... something like that is needed, to be sure

 

[baker3]

Some drives like to play games and pass to close, I've often wondered how many of the hit from behind accidents are a result of this.