tunavic

From the Inland Empire Biking Alliance:


Inland Empire Biking Alliance shared a link

2 hours ago near Redlands

Today was a rough day for cyclist in the area. We had 3 incidents: fatality, critical and one unknown still. Moreno Valley was the site of the first 2. The fatality occurred on Perris Blvd. where the cyclists was hit from behind. The second is under investigation as the driver had a revoked license for medical reasons (fainting spells). She claimed that she never saw him. The third was in Big Bear of which we do not have details other than it was at Big Bear Blvd. and Fox Farm. we will keep you posted on other details. Let's hope that this does not become a norm with multiple incidents. Be careful out there folks. https://blog.pe.com/breaking-news/201...fic-collision/

Lesper4

So now that this has happened to me and it does seem to be more frequent my mom is freaking out. I tell her all we can do is ride per the rules of the road and once we are in the mountains it is some what safer since there are less cars and less intersections. Sure there are more close flybys in the mountains but it seems there is a greater chance in the suburbs. I am not going to change my routes because of this. What is everyone else perspective on this?

Number400

Happened to me to and now read about more here everyday. Prior to my incident, I rarely picked up on the reports. I guess it all depends on your perspective, or new perspectives.

And that "I did not see the cyclist" bull**** is amazing. In my case, the motorist who hit me tried an insane late turn and was headed off the road and crashing anyway. I just happened to be stopped in his path. So I get the police report and what does it say? "I did not see the cyclist". Uh hello, I was stopped at a stop sign right in front of you and in broad daylight and you were about to ride into a 6' ditch. Glad I was there to slow you down with my body.

The sad thing is if you wear lights and a hi viz top and get hit anyway, you still got hit but the driver has slightly less of an excuse.

Rant off, sorry. In poor conditions (rain, sunset, etc...), it is hard to see anything but most people do not slow down or focus any extra attention despite the conditions. One major factor is dirty windshields. It boggles my mind when I see an almost opaque, dirty windshield on a car with the driver moving their head around to see through a cleaner spot. Cops should be able to write tickets just for dirty windshields.

jsigone

The only time I change my routes is near sunset, I'd rather be heading east in the last 30-45mins the sun is up

TrojanHorse

Amen! I definitely think about my routes during commuter hours too.

I got hit by a car and my life forever altered 16 years ago... I was a pedestrian crossing in a crosswalk and the driver didn't see me. Nice knowing you, knee.

I got hit by a car on my bicycle once in an almost amusing yet still extremely irritating way - she pushed me over with the mirror on her car at a light (I was stopped, she was trying to weasel forward)

My blood pressure and HR skyrocket everytime a car does something foolish and I'm riding (which only seems to be really a handful of times a year)

I try not to over think it though, you can't live scared.

Jed19

It just might be time for me to start riding exclusively on MUPs, like the Santa Ana and San Gabriel River Trails. I am slowly coming towards the conclusion that there might just be too many cars and inattentive (careless, drunk or drugged) motorists in SoCal. I mean, it seems like a cyclist gets injured/killed every week down here. I have had quite a bit of close calls, and none was my fault, as I am super attentive and careful out there.

A close friend was recently picked up for DUI, sent to some educational class, and I was astounded when he told me how crowded the class is. This can only be scary for cyclists like me.

This cyclists/motorists tangle is just getting to be too scary. If I do decide against riding on the roads, I'll miss the PCH and the other areas I ride at terribly, but it is getting quite ridiculous out there.

jsigone

^^ time for you to get a MTB my friend. Get to ride all the cool places other then a MUP and not worry about a single car. There are "other" elements to consider but MTB trails are great for night riding and the safest.

Pamestique 

Funny... I have been riding road for next 40 years without a problem but this last 5 or so... I'm nervous; I am uncomfortable... I have seen just too many near misses and we all hear and read about the fatalities... now most of my "road" rides use as much bike path/trails as possible and I tend to avoid busy streets and areas. I've also begun mountain biking more; probably 70% of the time and have to say, although it has its own set of issues, having some chick on a cell phone arguing with her boyfriend and is distracted barreling down on me is not one of them.

I hate to see mountain biking get so popular as alot of my favorite trails are getting crowded but I totally understand why. Cars can kill...

Pamestique 

I have had a couple of car v. bike accidents with thankfully no ill effects but the worse... travelling down Ocean Avenue in Long Beach, just minding my own business... I see this large F250 travel by and start hearing my friends yelling. Before I could turn around, I was hit and thrown off my bike; landing on the sidewalk nearby. Fractured my wrist and had some bad bruises. The truck was towing a boat - the boat was too wide for the lane and it struck me... how many people can say they were injured by a boat!

And Trojan I think anytime I am on the road my BP shoots up - I am riding on full alert the whole time - just not good...

Condorita

If they can fail to see an 8-ft-wide, 10-ft-high, 65-ft-long tanker, they'll miss a bicycle. Yes, I've been hit in trucks by morons in cars who "didn't see" the truck.

lacollins4

I'm new to riding the road and try to stick to bike paths and bike lanes. I don't so much worry about the drunk drivers than i worry about the texters. Its amazing the amount of cars i see swerving in in out of their lanes because of the cell phones everyday. I think i have become a better driver since riding. I definitely pay more attention to the cyclist and teach my 17 year old daughter to be more cautious and aware of them. I also have become more fearful of riding on the road too. Lots of distracted drivers out there.

jmX

I spend 80% of my time on bike paths or up in the mountain roads. Ever since I had my 2nd kid I've been hesitant to log many hours on the roads of Orange county. It's not that I'm scared or worried when I'm out on the road, but simply trying to minimize my chances.

MTB riding can't really be a daily option because I'd still have to ride out to the mountains, and that's via roads.

Lesper4

Yeah I found out the kid who hit me is a senior in high school (I thought he was older) so I wonder if he was texting, but it was in the middle of a turn so probably just focusing on something else.

TrojanHorse

He might have been but kids are just flat out bad drivers. They don't have the experience, they're typically impatient and they ALL think they're better drivers than they are. I distinctly remember how great of a driver I thought I was at 18.

jimxyz

On the weekends it's up to the mountains (GMR, AC or Malibu) where the number of cars blowing by is fewer than most streets. Although the motorcycles are probably more dangerous for us (i'm sure everyone saw the video of the collision on the Rock Store climb) up in the canyons. Weekdays I ride a route that includes some of the SART, but only if I can be home and off the bike by 7 a.m. as that is when it seems to get crazy, especially near any school where parents (like myself) abandon all of the laws of the road and speed, flip u-turns and make sudden lane changes into the bike lane without warning... As a cyclist, I generally feel like motorists see me as one more annoyance that they have to deal with on their roads

CbadRider

The "I didn't see the cyclist" is just an excuse for distracted driving. Unfortunately not everyone sees it that way.

sam21fire

Wow I almost got hit today at Perris X Fir on my way home from work. Only my yelling at her (command voice) kept the dipsh*t from rolling through the red light and hitting me.

I used to drive fire engines and even with that bit of ultimate hi-vis I never trusted other drivers.

TrojanHorse

I got you one better from "I didn't see"...

I was driving to work one morning and t-boned some dummy who basically ran a stop sign. She told her story to the cop and said "I looked left and there was no one there"

Besided me t-boning her that is. She was in a hurry to get in front of a delivery truck going the opposite way from me. 13k in damage to my car... new hood, new lights, new airbags and of course, no resale value because who wants to buy a car that's been in an accident. Bah.

Astrozombie

Avoid main arterials it seems..........if you can't, make it a group ride.

lilpoindexter

I try to stick to paved bike paths like Marvin Braude, LA RIO, etc, but sometimes, it's just really convenient to ride on the streets. I grit my teeth and hope for the best, and hope if I get hit, that it won't be fatal.

Lesper4

I am sure there is close to one everyday in California.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/former...194841213.html

tunavic

And this one from a few days ago. Another hit and run

https://bikinginla.wordpress.com/2013...g-hit-and-run/

https://bikinginla.wordpress.com/

TrojanHorse

There are really two times of day I don't like being on the road - afternoon rush hour, especially if it's near sundown and 2:45 in the morning. There are no good drivers on the road at 2:45 AM.

Another stupid tragedy and it's worse that the kid might have survived the accident if that girl would have had a shred of human decency. Now her life will be ruined too.

Chaco

The Los Angeles City Council, evidently alarmed by the epidemic of hit and run killings, has decided they want to work for statewide toughening of hit and run laws by revoking licenses and seizing vehicles. Long overdue, IMO.

CbadRider

I'm surprised they haven't done this sooner. Anyone involved in a DUI accident has an incentive to leave the scene and sober up before getting arrested because hit and run will only get them a slap on the hand as opposed to DUI.