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There's one big company I pass on my way to work whose employees regularly right hook me at a stop light. Today, it happened again. But this time I keep my eye on the driver until she pulled over and parked. I waited about 20 feet behind her to minimize any chance she would see me as a threat (I was wearing a ski mask). When she got out, I told her (in a calm voice) that right hooks can kill bicyclists and that I regularly have the same problem from her co-workers. She apologized and said she didn't realize what she had done. We both went on our way.
I don't know if I changed any behavior, but the talking-to had to be more effective than a middle finger.
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Drivers do not see motorcycles or bicycles. She did not realize what she had done because she did not see you even if she was looking right at you. When you are driving you have a mind set and you are looking only for cars.
Drivers do not see motorcycles or bicycles. She did not realize what she had done because she did not see you even if she was looking right at you. When you are driving you have a mind set and you are looking only for cars.
I might have to start owning the whole lane on this one-block stretch of road.
There is a spot in my town, where there is a wide shoulder, but you will get right hooked at a merger to a road to the right. I have found the best thing to do is take the lane and avoid the right hook. After having a fella right hook me while I was signaling for a left merger, BTW I was wearing blaze orange gloves. So don't give me any of that crap about not being seen! :eek:
Most definitely take the lane. I wouldn't hesitate to take the lane if there was a section of my commute where drivers would put me in danger. Here in Chicago, I often take lower Wacker, and that's like taking your life in your own hands if you're headed eastbound especially, and I often find myself taking the lane because people down there drive like maniacs, and there are a lot of blind spots created because the road constantly curves and you can't see anything ahead of you since it's around a big bend.
Koffee
Well done.
It's nice to see someone reacting in a way that might have a positive effect instead of creating more people convinced that cyclists are the scourge of the roads.
I might have to start owning the whole lane on this one-block stretch of road.
Take the lane. Nothing wrong with that...
I was in the middle of a right lane one time and the driver behind me yelled at me to move to the curb so he could pass and turn in front. I stood my ground, didn't say or do anything. Light turns green, I go, then he went, tires screaming all through the turn.
I was in the middle of a right lane one time and the driver behind me yelled at me to move to the curb so he could pass and turn in front. I stood my ground, didn't say or do anything. Light turns green, I go, then he went, tires screaming all through the turn.
When I am in front at a red light and notice a driver behind me, I look for a blinker. If the driver wants to turn right-on-red, I move to the far left of the lane and motion the driver to go by. It doesn't slow me down and it builds a little goodwill. This only applies if I am going straight or turning left. If I am going to turn right, the driver will just have to wait his turn. And if a driver started out by yelling and honking, I'd probably stand my ground and make the obnoxious jerk wait.
<snip> BTW I was wearing blaze orange gloves. So don't give me any of that crap about not being seen! :eek:
http://psyche.cs.monash.edu.au/v5/psyche-5-03-mack.html
doesn't matter what your wearing assume no one sees you even if they are looking right at you! otherwise you'll end up dead. fact is they probably don't see you.
few weeks back someone posted about two groups of people wearing different colored shirts and shooting hoops. (can't find the link.) object was to count how many baskets were made by a certain group. after 30 or 45 so odd seconds into the activity a guy in a gorilla suit walked out onto the floor and i think the statistics were that 75% of the people watching the film missed seeing the gorilla waving his hands. if someone else knows where that post went please repost it. thanks. but it does prove that people out there in their steal traps DON'T see us. assume no one ever sees you and if they do see you they are out to kill you, uciflylow. be safe out there.
cheers
kat
I was in the middle of a right lane one time and the driver behind me yelled at me to move to the curb so he could pass and turn in front. I stood my ground, didn't say or do anything. Light turns green, I go, then he went, tires screaming all through the turn.
I'm with DailyCommute on this one. If you're going straight, there's no need to block the lane for right-turning drivers. (For any overseas readers, it's legal to turn right at a red light after stopping in most US states...)
Is there any reason why you didn't just stop further to the left of the lane so he could fit through? His yelling at you to move is poor form, but a bit of courtesy to drivers is helpful for all cyclists in the long run.
I'm with DailyCommute on this one. If you're going straight, there's no need to block the lane for right-turning drivers. (For any overseas readers, it's legal to turn right at a red light after stopping in most US states...)
Is there any reason why you didn't just stop further to the left of the lane so he could fit through? His yelling at you to move is poor form, but a bit of courtesy to drivers is helpful for all cyclists in the long run.
Oh perhaps I misunderstand the situation. I always nudge up when the lite is red and I am the first one in line to allow cars to go rite on red. But if traffic is moving and I am doing like 20mph or so in a city environment I always take the lane. This prevents the driver that passes you and immediatly turns right either not seeing you or thinking that you are on a bike and bikes only go 4 mph. Know wat i meen?
Oh perhaps I misunderstand the situation. I always nudge up when the lite is red and I am the first one in line to allow cars to go rite on red. But if traffic is moving and I am doing like 20mph or so in a city environment I always take the lane. This prevents the driver that passes you and immediatly turns right either not seeing you or thinking that you are on a bike and bikes only go 4 mph. Know wat i meen?
Agreed... if the light is green, I'll take the lane to stop any drivers around me from passing me and turning across me, thus putting my life in danger.
The post from townandcountry said "light turns green, I go", suggesting he/she was positioned in the lane at a red light so as to stop anyone turning right behind/beside.
Taking the lane is definitely the only effective way of dealing with the right/left hook. However, I have serious doubts about the effectiveness of talking to drivers. Around here it's been repeatedly demonstrated to be a complete waste of time. Of course, in all likelihood, the drivers in your area are smarter than the drivers here, so it might be worth something after all.
If someone comes up behind me wanting to turn right on red, and I'm going straight, and there's room to my left (and we're not on the tandem, which is about impossible to move laterally), I'll do a lateral shift to the left to allow her to turn. But if you encounter that situation and move to the right, you're creating a collision course of two paths.
If a motorist comes up to an intersection wanting to turn right, and there's someone in the right lane going straight thru (and it's legal to do so, that is, it's not a right-only lane) in front of her, she has to wait for that person, whether that person is in a car or on a bike.
Oh, and here's the thread about the Sci Am article about the basketballs and the gorilla (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=45756). Note, BTW, that it says "a gorilla enters the room...", not "a guy in a gorilla suit enters...". And they call themselves scientists!!...
If someone comes up behind me wanting to turn right on red, and I'm going straight, and there's room to my left (and we're not on the tandem, which is about impossible to move laterally), I'll do a lateral shift to the left to allow her to turn. But if you encounter that situation and move to the right, you're creating a collision course of two paths.
I do this too. The only situation one has to watch out for is when a problem can occur on a 2-lane road where the driver behind the driver signalling to turn right tries to go around by passing in the oncoming lane and then attempts to get back over.
There's one big company I pass on my way to work whose employees regularly right hook me at a stop light. Today, it happened again. But this time I keep my eye on the driver until she pulled over and parked. I waited about 20 feet behind her to minimize any chance she would see me as a threat (I was wearing a ski mask). When she got out, I told her (in a calm voice) that right hooks can kill bicyclists and that I regularly have the same problem from her co-workers. She apologized and said she didn't realize what she had done. We both went on our way.
I don't know if I changed any behavior, but the talking-to had to be more effective than a middle finger.
Have you considered taking the issue with the cops? They are always helpful.
Have you considered taking the issue with the cops? They are always helpful.
. . ;) . .
Drivers around here freak out when they see someone on a bike, this makes them retarded momentarilly, where one of two things happens: I get hooked, and have to chase the person, or the person gets frustrated with the fact that i am riding at 18-20 mph, and gets 2 feet from my back tire. I really hate the hook worse, though.
There's one big company I pass on my way to work whose employees regularly right hook me at a stop light. Today, it happened again. But this time I keep my eye on the driver until she pulled over and parked. I waited about 20 feet behind her to minimize any chance she would see me as a threat (I was wearing a ski mask). When she got out, I told her (in a calm voice) that right hooks can kill bicyclists and that I regularly have the same problem from her co-workers. She apologized and said she didn't realize what she had done. We both went on our way.
I don't know if I changed any behavior, but the talking-to had to be more effective than a middle finger.
You are really the calm-and-collected type, I highly commend your approach. You are right, motorists (which most of us are) are often unaware of the possibility of right-hooking a cyclist. They are thinking, "right turn ahead, slow down, execute." Almost none bother to look in their mirrors for a cyclist.
I've resigned myself to accepting this lack of awareness for my own safety. I really feel for your problem. Motorists are not educated about transportational cycling.
When I am in front at a red light and notice a driver behind me, I look for a blinker. If the driver wants to turn right-on-red, I move to the far left of the lane and motion the driver to go by.
I generally do the same thing, or sometimes I'll just pull the bike up onto the sidewalk and let all the right turns pass me (depending on how many cars are in the lane to my left, and how close I'd be putting myself to those cars). If the light is green and someone wants to make a right turn behind me, they can wait until I'm in the intersection, I don't move THAT slow (and I'm usually in as much of a hurry as they are, even if I am on a bike, I just don't let myself get all road-rage and honk my horn like an idiot because I'm running 30 seconds late).
As far as "right hooking" goes, I agree with pretty much everyone here. Always assume motorists can't see you, no matter how visible you make yourself. If someone passes you and looks like they're going to make a right turn in front of you (even if they don't signal), slow down and let them make their turn, it's not worth dying over who has the right of way.
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