vol

When I rode yesterday evening I had 3 taillights and 2 headlights, either on steady or slow throbbing, nothing annoying. That should have made myself very visible. But on two occasions, a car and a van passed me with not more than 1" from me; the van actually touched me because on my right was a slow-moving bus, and I have no escape, sandwiched between the two, and nearly fell---should I fall I could have fallen under the wheels of the bus, so was a close call for me. I couldn't turn to the left to "take the lane" before the van came, because I had been riding on the right-most lane, then encountered this bus before me which may have just left a bus stop.

These happened when I was on a wide avenue, and there was room for the car/van on their left so they didn't have to be passing me so close. So, I'm guessing, maybe my lights caught their attention and they are either chasing my lights, or wanted to tell me "hey, you don't need so many lights!"

10 Wheels

This You?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThwjZ...layer_embedded

MMACH 5

Some drivers hate cyclists - period.

vol

My lights didn't flash like that.

EdgewaterDude

That's awesome! I'm pretty sure that dude rode off into 'the grid'.

Fargo Wolf

Could be an overly curious driver too. If they can't tell that is a cyclist, or make out what is going down the road, drivers will unintentionally move closer trying to get a better look. From the cyclist's (in this case, you) perspective, said curious driver appears to be a bike hating *******.

Nitram612

This. I think it was just a coincidence that you happened to be rocking so many lights when it happened. I can go many months without even a honk, and then sometimes I'll have multiple hostile actions by drivers in one day. Some people are just jerks, and sometimes you run into a lot of jerks in a day.

unterhausen

I don't think it had anything to do with your lights. Many people are mindless drones behind the wheel, and I blame that for most close passes. The psychopaths that pass too closely on purpose are out there, but they are few and far between. If you catch them looking at you in their mirror, they did it on purpose.

Chris516

I don't know how a motorist could hate a cyclist with a lot of lights. Because, The driver would not only get an idea of where the cyclist was. But also possibly gaining an idea of the area around the cyclist.

dynodonn 

I don't think it was the lights, but just another motorist carelessly passing a cyclist. I'm still wondering how somebody overlooked something as big a bus, and letting themselves get "pigeon holed" between two vehicles.

I've lost count on how many times I had to slam on my brakes to avoid a "squeeze play".

vol

I had been riding on the right lane all that time. Occasionally it became a "bus lane". That lane is less crowded than the left lane. I don't remember, but maybe I was expecting the bus to have already left by the time I got there so I would be following it, but it either stopped or was very slow, that's when I needed to pass it on the left. Maybe I should have got off and wait?

Chris516

Last week I got into a situation slightly similar to yours. I got in the middle lane(three lanes) of the direction I was going, in order to remain in the 'right' lane of a two-lane left-turn. It was a little unnerving. Next time I take that turn, I am just going to get in the left lane of that turn, so I make another quick left-turn.

Chris516

I forgot to ask in my original reply, how many lights do you have, and where are they located?

I have a 6-mode red light on my seatpost, a 2-mode red light I wear on my back, and a 2-mode red light attached to my bike helmet. Do you have more than that?

yep202

I think your lights are fine. I wear a 50 lum. Flashing light under the seat post along with a super flash. I was thinking of adding a vis 360. Which would give me a total of three lights oj the rear and three light on the front.

gcottay

With a slow moving bus ahead you chose to swing to the left and pass it with minimal clearance, trusting other vehicle operators to adjust by swinging out further to the left.

FrenchFit 

Some people hate light distractions, like me. If the road isn't totally dark, I shut off my front light. If you passed me lights a'blazing I might be tempted to get along side an give you a little shoulder shove...just saying.

I'd like to see the whole world tone it down a little.

Keith99

Depends. I hate some to the newer cars with 'excellent' lights, because 'excellent' translates as bright and covering more area, including into the eyes of oncoming drivers. I could see a cyclist doing the same kind of thng, but unless they were a total idiot that would only anger oncomming traffic.

silmarillion

I know the Super-Flash tail light I have has gotten some poor reviews from passing motorists. I love it! Means they see the darn thing.

Some drivers DO hate cyclists because we hog up THEIR road...

Doohickie

If there is not enough room to safely operate a car and a bicycle beside each other in a lane, TAKE THE FRIGGIN LANE. Then if the cars buzz you, you can shift a little to the right without worrying about falling under the bus. If you don't take the lane in the conditions you describe, it's only a matter of time until you get HIT.

If you don't want to take the second lane, wait behind the bus.

Dale_S

I don't use any flashing rear lights at night. The reason the CHP does not use flashing lights at night is according to them some drunks hone in on the flashing lights and run into them. Had a Deputy tell me the same thing, as well as some City cops. I figure they have more experience in this. During the day I will run it flashing, at night, steady only.

MMACH 5

How many drunks do you think they surveyed to find this out? (Officer: "Why'd you run into that cyclist?" Drunk driver: "I couldn't help but drive at the blinking light.")
It's a theory - an unprovable theory and nothing more than that. People espouse this crap to try and sound like they have some ground-breaking insight that nobody else has figured out. Just drivel.

The more visible you are, the less likely you are to be hit.

cabledawg

As a motorist, I dont like super bright headlights or taillights. Bike or car. It's unsafe as it messes with your night vision and if its even slightly foggy or raining just a little, the bright lights reflect all the water droplets and makes it very difficult to see anything else.

Like Doohickie said, next time take the lane and if nothing else, it gives you that "escape route" if you get buzzed.

david58

So, what would you expect in response to a shoulder shove? Any ideas what you might actually get...just askin'?

vol

I have two headlights on the handlebar, one taillight on rear rack, one taillight on each seat stay (position rather low). They are all the regular $20 something lights. The taillights on seatstays were radbot 1000 on slow throbbing. One headlight and the rear rack taillight were on steady. A couple of the lights were running out of batteries. So overall they were far from being annoyingly bright.

You are right--what you say is very pertinent to my situation. By the time I was blocked by the bus it was too late to change lane. I think I should have stayed behind the bus and waited.

Although I came off unscratched, I definitely will avoid a similar situation. Had I or the bike been slightly more off balance I would be right under the bus before the left rear wheel. One of the worst things about big buses is that the driver will not even be aware the rear wheels run over a person: they'd continue driving.

LemondFanForeve

Beat me to it..."lights" or not.