Originally Posted by
christofoo
Until yesterday I thought I had a pretty good handle on this issue. I think I know how to fix my problem in the future, but maybe you have a better idea (or at least you can commiserate). Here's what happened:
I was riding about 24 mph in the lane on a long straight stretch of road. The road is 5 lanes, narrow shoulders, but usually not very heavily trafficked. Yesterday at around 5:30pm traffic was especially light. This is a stretch of road with no intersections for several miles, but there are a number of commercial buildings with parking lots. It was a overcast, but not dark. The lighting was close to ideal, so my flashers were turned off (and I'm assuming they wouldn't have done any good in the daylight - am I wrong?).
As I approached a drive on one of these lots, I spotted a jeep approaching the roadway from my right. I noticed he was going 20-30mph, and I thought maybe he wasn't planning on stopping. So I hit my bell a couple times, which I now know is worthless for this application. BTW I wear an orange helmet and a bright green reflective vest - I'm hard to miss - or so I thought.
For the next 0.5 seconds I expected him to stop, but he didn't. When the situation became critical I slammed on my brakes and started screaming at him at the top of my lungs ("hey" is my gut word of choice, I know other people pick other words). He slammed on his brakes and skidded into the roadway, and I skidded around him with about 4 feet of clearance. ... and I proceeded to cuss him out, also at the top of my lungs... He made his turn and passed me safely in the other lane, and waved (I assume as an apology), to which I shouted "watch where you're going!" also at the top of my lungs. (Sorry, I was angry at the time.)
Now that it's over, I'm thinking I'll be removing my bell and getting an Airzound, but otherwise I'll stick with my riding tactics. Originally I went with the bell because it's more "polite," which I figured would make me more likely to use it (sometimes I'm pretty sure the driver saw me, but I'll make a sound just to be sure). However, if the choice is between being rude and dying, I'll be rude all day long. Anyways I think a very short toot on a very loud horn is still "polite," and I can save those long blasts for the jerk with the trailer who passed me within a foot.
Still, I don't feel the same in traffic right now. If I can't regain confidence in my being safe, my 3 month stint as a cycle-commuter will come to an end. It would be so easy for traffic to turn my love of biking into hate. I know many cyclists have spent weeks in the hospital from traffic accidents, and others are dead. I chose the best route I could, I studied the issues, I worked out my strategy, but if the risk remains as high as yesterday revealed it to be, the new bike will go back in the garage, and I'll get fat.
Have you had near misses? Have you been hit? What are your solution(s) for turning cars and how well do they work?
Thanks,
Christofoo
===============================
http://cannonblast.net/christofoo
I have had plenty of near misses.
1. I was knocked over gently by a car, when I had a banana-seat bike as pre-teen.
2. When I was 14(1981), I was hit from the side, when I was turning a corner, at the same time that an elderly woman was. Because of my turning too widely and, her turning to sharply, I ended up under her car and, the metal pedal of the bike dug into my foot creating a quarter-sized scar on my foot that I though I would have for life. The medics just dressed the wound and, I walked home. Thankfully, The scar disappeared years ago.
3. When I was 30(1997), I had an accident when a car saw me at the last moment and, slightly knocked me off my bike. That also didn't require going to the hospital.
4. This time was a little dumb on my part. Because, I was going by the states' language in the drivers' manual of, 'as close to the right-hand side of the road, as is practicable'. Well, In 2008 two days before my birthday, I was initially in front of a motorist 'taking the lane' but, they kept hounding my back tire. So I moved close to the curb in the hopes that they would just pass me. Instead of passing me, the motorist stayed even with me while drifting towards the curb. The result of that being, me ending up on the curb with a scratched up knee and, a big repair bill from the bike shop, for the damage done to my bike
Despite my being an adult and, very proactive in my cycling, my parents were begging me to either, not ride a bike or, at least get a:
1. Bell-A motorist can't hear them above the noise of their own car/truck engine and, the vehicles windows end up being a sort of sound buffer.
2. Horn-The same applies to a horn, that applies to a bell
3. Flag-How in the world am I supposed to get on my bike with the flag in the way.
Ever since the accident in 2008, I 'take the lane' without fail. Because, By 'riding the curb' a cyclist just becomes an afterthought to a motorist and, they don't pay attention. By 'taking the lane', the motorist will definitely see me and, know I am there. When a motorist honks at me, to get me out of the way, I refuse to move. Motorists don't like it but, I don't budge. I don't ride 5-10mph. I am usually going 20-25mph. I am not keeping motorists from going around me but, they either, have to go into the oncoming lane or, the passing lane. Because I will not put up with a motorist trying to pass me in the same lane.