txcrash

How does one better get driver attention where they are going the same direction, green light and walk sign trigger at same time?

This morning I almost got hit. My morning commute takes me 2 miles down a MUP, with a couple intersections. All but this one are fairly ok, but a combination of poor design, no enforcement, bad light timing, and just downright terrible drivers make this a dangerous intersection. I'm not a small guy - down to 260 lbs on my 6'2" frame, dressed in bright orange gear, and I'm a firm believer in more lights the better. I have a cygolite on my helmet, one on my handlebars, and a red blinker on the back - combined with reflective orange striping on my wheels.... so I'm not hard to see.

What happens is the light goes green, walk sign triggers, pedestrian/biker goes, car sometimes waits, sometimes guns it. Today the truck that was first in line saw me, gunned it, dick move but it happens. Car behind him slowed in such a way that I thought he saw me, so I continued on my way (mind you, I was screaming at the truck).. guy damn near hit me.

So, police, public works, etc... who do I start with asking for enforcement and possible redesign? This happens in the daylight, at night, solo, on the tandem, GF on her own, on a bike or walking... it's just a terrible intersection.

And what could I do to be safer? Doesn't matter who's at fault if I'm laying on the asphalt in my own blood.

Pics below to help show what I'm up against and a pic of the bike for possible further visibility upgrades.

DrIsotope

We have a couple spots where the local MUP crosses busy streets-- I do not hesitate to take the lane. Hard for that guy to miss seeing you when you're parked directly in front of him.

CrankyOne

The lights are programmed wrong. They should never provide a crossing signal and an explicit left turn at the same time. Find out who has jurisdiction and talk to the engineer to have them programmed correctly.

A permissive left (e.g., driver gets a green ball indicating OK to go straight or turn left) is allowed as permissive implicitly states that left turning drivers must yield to crossing traffic (cars coming from opposite direction or people in a crossing). Since this is a T intersection with explicit left and right turn lanes and associated signals then left turning drivers are getting an explicit left which implies that they can proceed without the need to yield to others. I couldn't tell from the photo but do left turning motorists get a green ball or green arrow?

genec

The most common collision in the US is a rear end fender bender. Think about that.

kickstart

That is a serious issue, having conflicting permissive signals.

I experienced a similar issue at a mut crossing during a construction project, but it was quickly corrected.

DrIsotope

So it is your genuine belief that a cyclist has a greater chance of being struck by a motor vehicle when positioned directly in front of the driver than they would if on the shoulder/ near edge of roadway? Because if this is your stance, and not just rhetoric, I advise you stay clear of all roadways at all times, forever. Lastly, the most common collision between two cars is a rear-end accident. I have very, very, very little fear of being struck directly from behind while riding the bike. That fear is reserved for the right hook, the left cross, and the good ol' "pull out of the driveway right in front of you."

AlmostTrick

Maybe for cars.

mr_bill

Green ball.

Until there's a change there, The only thing you can do with right of way is yield, and since you're the one with skin in the game.... Don't trust, verify.

Also, assume that if one vehicle has failed to yield the right of way, the *following* vehicle(s) will fail to yield the right of way as well. Stay in the *PRESENT* moment, not the recent *PAST* moment.

Do the beg buttons do anything at all?

Long term, if the present simultaneous motor vehicle turns and walk signal aren't working, lobby for an exclusive walk phase, not a leading walk phase. You may be able to use the video footage at the intersection to help you lobby.

(PS - while you are at it, crossing gates where the bike trail crosses the tracks would be more than a little nice.)

Good luck.

(Around here, even with exclusive walk and no turn on red vehicles will ignore the red anyway.)

-mr. bill

wphamilton

I would report it as a traffic hazard to the city. Locally we have a website to report potholes and other hazards, and even if I report in the wrong jurisdiction it gets to the right people eventually. Tell them that the light timings direct traffic into pedestrians and I'll bet they add to the cycle or put up a sign at least.

My guess is that visibility is not the issue there.

kickstart

And motorcycles.
I've been rear ended twice on a motorcycle in circumstances where it could have been a bicycle too.

AlmostTrick

Another option is once you've confirmed the cross traffic is stopped, (or stopping) you be the one to "gun it" and be first. Works well if you're early and quick. Otherwise, just wait.

jeichelberg87

Wth are you using the MUP for, especially with that cool bike? Get out on the road where you are supposed to be and show that bike off!

Otherwise, when you get to that light, DISMOUNT your bike and walk it across when you receive right of way and do not complain.

txcrash

Green ball.

I do gun it, but the drivers gun it harder.

Crossing to the road isn't practical at this intersection, I do that at a couple other crossings along this trail and it works fine.

I'll get on the horn with the engineering department.

jeichelberg87

Yes it is. People are not expecting a bicycle on a MUP...therefore, they are not looking for one.

Now, put a gun rack on that bike and all of a sudden it becomes HIGHLY visible.

Ride naked on the bike and all of a sudden it becomes HIGHLY visible.

txcrash

Haha. I do that for 16 of my daily 22 miles, but my place is right along the MUP, as is the train station - so it's by far the most efficient way to get from home to the station on my always running behind morning commute.

txcrash

There's a reason I don't ride packing...

Jail would suck.

jeichelberg87

Yeah, but so is the road right next to the MUP. USE THE ROAD, NEXT TO THE MUP!

genec

If drivers cannot see and make allowances for objects as big as a car, what makes you think they will see you any better?

wphamilton

I'd guess that the truck that gunned it, did it because he saw the bicycle and wanted to beat him through the intersection. Traffic is stopped at the lights, they see you, they just don't care.

The same thing applies on the right hooks., when they speed up to go around. It doesn't matter how many flashing lights you have because, regardless of their excuse, they saw you in the first place and decided to beat you to the intersection.

jeichelberg87

You may carry a rifle with you in Texas. Even if you do not wish to actually carry the rifle, I would surmise the presence of a rifle pouch on the bicycle would highly increase your visibility.

wphamilton

Lots of reasons to prefer the MUP on a morning commute. It all depends on the particular MUP, the roads and traffic.

jeichelberg87

There may well be lots of reasons to prefer the MUP; however, there appears to be ONE MAJOR REASON to NOT prefer the MUP.

I prefer Colombian to Arabica, but then again, the Colombian is not going to run me over. Looking at the picture of the MUP and the intersection in question...seems like a recipe for death all over...unless of course, you dismount the bike and walk it across the intersection.

I-Like-To-Bike

I wouldn't be surprised if getting hit from the rear was a leading accident scenario for car-bike collisions for the relatively tiny slice of the bicycling population who Take the Lane! in busy traffic. Of course the likely severity of injury for bicyclists involved in rear end collisions is probably markedly higher for those unfortunate bicyclists over drivers/passengers of motor vehicles involved in rear end collisions.

CrankyOne

A green ball is slightly ambiguous (vs a green arrow) though legally I think it would still imply an explicit left in this scenario. Either way the programming needs to change.

Sadly, the same here. For right turns anyway. Extremely rare to see someone attempt a left on red.

CrankyOne

LAB did a fairly in-depth study last year or the year before that concluded that the number one cause of both fatalities and serious injuries of bicycle riders was their being hit from behind by people driving cars. I believe these comprised around 45% of all bicycle rider fatalities.