rwt12

Due to extreme luck, a potentially fatal accident was avoided. Since the near miss, my enthusiasm for riding has been directed to a stationary bike. Being relative new to cycling, the cyclist laws and rights are not all that well known. Live in the Monterey Bay are of ca. Is there a book or paper that deals with the cyclist rights and obligations?

The near miss that occurred recently brought to the forefront the need for motorist to be aware of bike riders. Have got markings and stripes on the county road where I ride, wear safety vest, helmet, light on helmet, have flag and lights on bicycle and do not ride at night. Think all of this helps to make motorist aware of my presence, but is there any thing else that can be done like talking with public officials, getting road signs, etc.?

If anyone has other ideas, please don't be bashful? My direct email is klby@comcst.net

10 Wheels

Get back out on the roads.

joejack951

A couple of suggestions:

First, do a search for the California Vehicle Code and read all sections that apply to bicycles and slow moving vehicles (sometimes but not always considered to be in the same class). Read the laws thoroughly and ask for help with interpretation when something seems vague. Keep in mind that being on a bike doesn't remove any of your rights to the road.

Second, do a search for John Allen's Street Smarts and read up on some techniques for safe cycling. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between adding all sorts of colors and flags to yourself and actually integrating yourself into the traffic on the roadway. The former will sometimes work assuming someone is bothering to pay attention to an area of the roadway that normally needs no attention (the bike lane/shoulder) while the latter ensures that you and other road users are looking out for each other like traffic normally does.

Roody

Welcome! This is a public forum so we don't usually list emails. People will respond to you right on this thread, and it will be like a slow motion conversation.

Roody

Excellent ideas.

California DMV Bicycle Rules & Safety

Street Smarts

wahoonc

Motorists are just like cyclists...they don't always understand OR obey the law. The best you can do is be aware of the law and ride like you are invisible...because to many motorists you are. FWIW I run the basics on my bike as required by law; head light, tail light, and factory reflectors, I do add a flashing tail light to the mix and usually wear a reflective vest and possibly the helmet.

Aaron

rwt12

1 Bicycle is wrecked
2 Until such time that appropriate preventative measure are taken or the cause is removed; NO. I am not suicidal!

Agree with your basic philosophy. That is exactly what I did after a couple of previous accident that did not involve a motor vehicle.

rwt12

Thanks joejack951, Roody & wahoonc for the constructive advice

joejack951

Given that you are alive to tell your side of the story, if you can bear the potential BS-fest that occurs when accidents are discussed here, you might stand a chance to learn how to prevent such an occurrence in the future. Most accidents are preventable by one of the two parties involved changing their actions and it's usually easier to modify your own. All of us certainly would like to see you back on your bike and enjoying it as soon as possible but I can understand if you'd rather not discuss it here.

Roody

Of course you can talk to officials. Find out if the incident occurred within a city or village and talk with the appropriate officials. If it wasn't within an incorporated area, you'll deal with county officials. You might want to talk to a local bicycle advocacy group and see what they suggest.

What do you think was wrong with the road or the signs at the location of your accident?

rwt12

joejack915 At times, speed in learning is not my best suit. BS on here is something one endures through life. It is good in the way it makes you stronger and is a strong encouragement to focus on one's objective. A brief description of the incident will follow in my next post

rwt12

Roody The road has at least two major faults: 1 The shoulder are not properly maintained: potholes at the edge of the asphalt due to no shoulder or natural erosion of the shoulder. 2 No speed limits or caution signs for pedestrian and cyclist.

The accident. I was on my afternoon ride(Thursday 29 Jan 09) when a speedster coming toward me was spotted. Being aware that a three wheeler will loose badly if it confronts an auto, I got over very close to the edge of the asphalt. In fact, I got too close to the edge because one wheel dropped and ended up in the ditch upside down. It was a relative soft landing in mud and grass. The accident was directly related to the speedster.

Now, the strange part. While being off the road from the accident, picked myself up and up righted the bike. At this instant, a truck came from behind me and almost hit me. If I had been on the road, there probably would have had another funeral about now. In a way, the speedster kept me out of harms way.

Took my ride today on the stationary bike.

hotbike

Did you have a rear view mirror? Would it have helped?

You didn't give many details.

I sense a contradiction, because in your original post you said it was a "near miss" , but latter you said your bicycle was wrecked.

hotbike

Sorry about the overlapping reply.

I figure the speedster passed the truck a ways back, but that's just speculation.

I always pull over to let large trucks go by.

You by now must realize why three-wheelers are unpopular?

I hope you can learn to ride a two-wheeler.

joejack951

Potholes and poorly maintained shoulders are a fact of life on the road. Learning how to deal with narrow roadways is something that is addressed in John Allen's Street Smarts and, in my opinion, is an essential skill (though I hesistate to use that word because it really is such a simple thing) for any cyclist. Specific caution signs for cyclists and pedestrians are as unnecessary as caution signs for deer are here in the northeast. Roadways users should expect to encounter other traffic, whether pedestrians or cyclists, when using the roadway. If every road which allowed pedestrians and cyclists had a warning sign (which is most roads), everyone would get so used to seeing them that they'd be meaningless.

I may be wrong but given the way the bolded statement above is worded it sure sounds like you were against traffic on this road, otherwise why would a motorist coming towards you on the opposite side of the road have any effect on you. What lane were you using?

cudak888 

Yep - another wrong-way rider with a very poor notion of how to handle their machine.

-Kurt

Roody

rwt12, I hope you're checking those California statutes because one very important thing you'll find is that you have to ride on the RIGHT side of the road. This is the safest place for a cyclist to ride. Also you aren't required to ride on the edge of the road. As you discovered, when the pavement is bad, the edge is not a safe place to ride.

I think you're overly scared of getting hit by a car. Yes, you have to be careful, but that doesn't mean to be paranoid. Why do you think that that truck would have hit you? It sounds like you're extremely visible. You have to assume that the truck driver will make reasonable efforts to avoid hitting you. If you hadn't been in the ditch, he would have moved over to avoid you.

Just remember that drivers expect bikes to be on the RIGHT side of the road! This is very important! I'm not being critical, but you do have an obligation to learn the basic rules of the road BEFORE you ride on the road. Study the material that's been provided. If you prefer books, the library should have books by Robert Hurst and John Forester. Both are BF members, and their books will help you a lot.

hotbike

Here's how I handle the situation. I ride a Ladies Bike, with a step-thru frame so I can easily dismount at any time. I carry a red flag (on the floor near the bike in this picture) in the handlebar basket. When I see the speedsters coming, I wave it with my left hand.

Why don't you try that?

Jonahhobbes

You could also read Robert Hurst's book on urban cycling : https://www.amazon.com/Art-Cycling-Bi...3603344&sr=8-2 I found this a couple of years ago and found it really helpful.

It's not so much car drivers being aware, as you have no control over what other people may do, it's about minimizing your risks and increasing your awareness of what's going on around you. (also ride on the right side of the road, with not against).

Cycling safety training is also good way to increase confidence.

edit: whoops Roody missed the last bit of your post on recommending Hurst's book.

rwt12

hotbike<
02-01-09 04:09 PM
hotbike Sorry about the overlapping reply.

I figure the speedster passed the truck a ways back, but that's just speculation.
No, the speedster approached from the front. The truck from the rear. Reread the original post.
I always pull over to let large trucks go by.

You by now must realize why three-wheelers are unpopular?

I hope you can learn to ride a two-wheeler.
02-01-09 04:02 PM
hotbike Did you have a rear view mirror? Would it have helped?
Yes, I do have rear view mirrors. They do not help when you off the bike and they are not aligned properly after you have crashed.
You didn't give many details.

I sense a contradiction, because in your original post you said it was a "near miss" , but latter you said your bicycle was wrecked.
Like stated earlier, you need to reread the orginal post carefully. I like you idea about waving a red flag at a speedster.
02-01-09 03:59 PM

rwt12

hotbike>>>>>>>>>>>>
Sorry, thought this was in original post:

Anyway, I was on my afternoon ride(Thursday 29 Jan 09) when a speedster coming toward me was spotted. Being aware that a three wheeler will loose badly if it confronts an auto, I got over very close to the edge of the asphalt. In fact, I got too close to the edge because one wheel dropped and ended up in the ditch upside down. It was a relative soft landing in mud and grass. The accident was directly related to the speedster.

Now, the strange part. While being off the road from the accident, picked myself up and up righted the bike. At this instant, a truck came from behind me and almost hit me. If I had been on the road, you probably would have had another funeral to attend. In a way, the speedster kept me out of harms way.

AndrewP

If this was a road with a single lane in each direction, you should have maintained your position in your lane for the car coming in the opposite direction. I use a helmet mount mirror, but for a three wheeler I suppose mirrors can be mounted like car mirrors. If you see that the truck coming from behind isnt moving over or slowing down, then the ditch is probably the safest place. That idea of waving the flag is pretty good. Get your friends to ride their bikes, because the more cyclists are seen by motorists, the more the motorists anticipate cyclists in the traffic mix. Montreal has lots of cyclists (most just riding to the convenience store for their beer), and I cant remember the last time I was cut off by a car.

djnzlab1

HI,
I first road on bike lanes many are pretty long and have very little contact with cars.
I now only ride in very rural settings , I put my bike on a car drive to the launch site and ride some 20-30 miles in the country far from the traffic, its very pleasent and pretty safe for bicycle riders, cause most rural people seem to enjoy contact of the bike riders in their rural setting they don't get impatient when we turn taking a lane many ride their horses on the same roads., they stop at stop signs and see if we are crossing.
If you can find a bike freindly area where you live your will really enjoy ridding.
Doug

JusticeZero

We are reading the post, but there are some details we are working out. Now. From what I understand of the description, either the road you are talking about is

1. a SINGLE LANE ROAD (and by this I mean, a strip of dirt or pavement which is maybe barely wide enough for two cars to squeeze past each other if they both slow and carefuly maneuver, and not posessing a center line); you went to the edge to allow the speedster to pass and thus gave the truck room to pass after it had passed the speedster
2. a standard, two lane road, upon which the speedster was driving illegally in the wrong lane, or
3. a standard, two lane road, upon which you were riding illegally in the wrong lane.

I personally would not have suggested you move so far over as to create a danger of going off the edge of the road. While moving over is polite, moving over so far as to create a hazard does no-one any good. Cars are much more reasonable when you are moving predictably, and you, crashing, is not predictable.

Roody

now I'm really confused. OP has not said where in the road he was.