mayukawa

Incident#1: riding on road and light turns red, so stopped and then decided to slowly cross at the crosswalk (have the green light in that direction). A guy in a big truck wants to turn right into me and then stops to ask me if I wanted to die...and then drives off. I know I was riding (very slowly), but don't I still have the right of way?

Incident#2: about half a block from the red light, a car just stopped (and signaled to make a left turn). The guy behind him suddenly swerved right into my line of travel (no signal, no indication that he was going to cut me off...and I'm sure he didn't even look because his side windows are all fogged up). I had to brake hard and swerve to avoid hitting his vehicle. I had the feeling to knock out his mirror, but I think he realized what he did...because he look like somebody who's about to get his butt kicked. He could have literally just waited 2 seconds for the guy in front of him to make the left turn, but he didn't. And I don't understand why he was in such a hurry to get to the red light... Took a deep breath and moved on.

Incident#3: some woman at a T-intersection stops to check for oncoming traffic. I was approaching her at 22mph and I thought she had seen me, but I guess not...she pulled out right in front of me. Of course I always assume they don't see me so I braked ahead of time.

Have had several thousand incident-free road miles...so maybe I'm due for some road lacerations?

Phantoj

Regarding incident #1, being on the right (not "correct") side of right-turning traffic is just about the commonest way of getting hit. I think you should have waited at the light with the rest of the traffic.

Regarding the other incidents, sounds like you did the right thing... staying alert and aware let you react to danger (boneheaded moves) in time to avoid an accident.

rapidcarbon

it's the sign so you should stop riding for 1 month

mayukawa

I think the the guy was probably annoyed because I was preventing him from making a right turn w/o having to stop... Actually I was going west and then the light turned red, so I stopped, then slowly bike south (green light) at the crosswalk. He was coming north and making a right (to go east).

SDRider

Why were you crossing at the cross walk? That sounds more dangerous to me than just staying out in the lane with traffic. I always stop at lights in the right side of the right lane with room to my right for cars turning right. If there are two right turn lanes I take up position behind the last car in the left most turn lane (assuming that lane can either turn or go straight...there are many of those around here) and wait my turn.

One place I avoid like the plague are parking lots. I think that is about the most dangerous place you can ride a bike. I almost never cut through parking lots but I see people do it from time to time. The only exception is an AM/PM on my way in to work that has a huge empty lot around the back so it is actually safer than going up to the light since the bike lane only goes straight and there are frequently 18 wheelers turning right at that light.

mayukawa

I was actually going to make a left turn at the intersection, but because I was on one-lane roads, I figure I'll get out of the way so cars can turn right (I thought I was doing drivers a favor)...but I guess I'll just make them wait in the future... It seems most of these kinds of incidents happen when drivers try to shave a few seconds...or not being attentative (see many drivers with cell phones).

CastIron

Maybe it's the hot weather. My commute yesterday was riddled with one yutz after another seemingly wanting a piece of me. Up until July 4th weekend it seemed drivers had been exceptionally--almost freakishly--considerate. Now, not so much. I need to hire a cement truck to escort me.

Cypress

Fogged windows in mid July?

CastIron

Only after we land on the windshield.