Advocacy & Safety - Look into my eyes...

I'm a newbie rider. I have spent some time reading up on safe riding habits. I take my lane, am aware of car doors, dress properly, obey traffic rules, and am pretty much aware of the general situations as they arise.

However, one safety rule I can't seem to get is the eye contact thing. Some of these folks have their windows tinted so darkly that one can't see their faces much less than their eyes.

Anyone notice this? What can we do?

Common sense is dying a rapid death.

We're in the handbasket and on our way...:D

I'm a newbie rider. I have spent some time reading up on safe riding habits. I take my lane, am aware of car doors, dress properly, obey traffic rules, and am pretty much aware of the general situations as they arise.

However, one safety rule I can't seem to get is the eye contact thing. Some of these folks have their windows tinted so darkly that one can't see their faces much less than their eyes.

Anyone notice this? What can we do?

Common sense is dying a rapid death.

We're in the handbasket and on our way...:D

There's really nothing you can do... if not for the dark tinting on windshields, these folks would be wearing dark sunglasses... and either way you won't see what they are looking at.

On the flip side, I have had motorists appear to look right at me only to soon figure out that they were looking through me...

Your best bet is to try to make that eye contact, but then learn to watch the front tires for movement... the front tires will telegraph any decisions the driver is making... if you see them turn or start to roll, then that is your sign to act accordingly.

Some of these folks have their windows tinted so darkly that one can't see their faces much less than their eyes.... What can we do?

tinted glass can be cleared away quickly and easily with your u-lock...

Just like when you drive a car (if you drive, that is), always pay attention. Scan your surroundings continuously, when possible make eye contact but still pay attention to what the driver is doing, as well as what other drivers (and cyclists are doing).

You can avoid a lot of accidents and close calls by paying close attention to your surroundings. Sometimes it's best to slow down and let the jerk in the car make his right on red without stopping then risk getting hit. It's especially important when you can't see the driver of a car, or where they're looking (through tinted windows, sunglasses, etc). Sometimes it isn't worth life or limb around poor drivers. Be careful and pay attention

*I use one of these to get the drivers attention http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/lights/5a47/. Once they start to scream and wave their arms around blindly, I know I have their attention and can now safely proceed.

http://ledmuseum.candlepower.us/sixth/pgliiia6.jpg

*note, I really don't do this. Nor would I condone these actions. Please don't try this at home.

May the Schwartz be with you.

-Kurt

eye contact is good... unless you are riding in a public restroom.

Eye contact is over-rated. Sometimes the motorist is looking, but not seeing. To be more precise, looking, but not PERCEIVING. Sometimes, they do indeed perceive, and just don't care.

Making eye contact is a fine recommendation but drivers are programmed to expect cars not bikes. If you are close to an intersection they may be scanning past you looking for another car, not a bicycle. Even after making eye contact, watch the cars wheels, if they start to move assume the worst.

I don't depend on eye contact. I wear dark polarized sunglasses in the daytime so nobody can see my eyes, and it would be impossible at night anyway.

Recently I (thought I) saw a motorist look at me, smile and say "go ahead", and wave me through an intersection with 4-way stop signs. Turns out she was talking to someone else (back seat? bluetooth mind-control earwig?) and her wave was just swatting flies. She went first, which was appropriate because she was on the right.

+1. Eye contact is a lot less reliable, IMO, than looking at what the driver's front wheels are doing.

http://ledmuseum.candlepower.us/sixth/pgliiia6.jpg


Jack Bauer really let himself go to pot after Season 7

I tend to stare/glare at drivers when they inch forward around me and it seems to work, but I'm still watching them in case they do something stupid.

yesterday, a car was inching forward at a stop sign, and then floored it just in time to make me into a hood ornament. Fortunately, they realized that was about to happen and stopped. I said "you can stop" in a normal voice. Apparently they took my advice, since they passed me more than 5 minutes later. I think the driver must have been on the phone. I don't rely on eye contact at all. They can be looking right at you and still not see you. Had that happen one too many times. It's a far better indication when they were rolling the stop sign and then brake when they look in your direction.

i was behind a motorist who was texting and making a (otherwise legal) right on red. i noticed the driver was looking at phone 90% of the time, then occasionally would glance up (she was holding phone parallel to driver side window) over phone to look for oncoming traffic. every time she glanced up she also took foot off brake and moved forward 1-2ft, then slammed on brake as she noticed oncoming traffic. she repeated this 3-4 times and was a good 4ft into intersection (fortunately the road has a bike lane to give some buffer space) before there was a gap and made her right. stupid thing is there were gaps large enough for her to have turned into if she had been paying attention at the right times.

Relying on eye contact is a good way to get hit. They may be looking past you.

Yes, relying on eye contact is a good way to get hit. Many drivers look but don't see. I had a guy look right at me TWICE at a stop sign and then procede to put his foot on the gas pedal and almost hit me.
Also eye contact is a cultural thing, I know some places in Europe if you make eye contact the guy realizes you see him so he doesnt give you the right of way, if you don't make eye contact he assumes you don't see him and he lets you have the right of way.