Originally Posted by
o0adam0o
Well i was hit by a car around a month ago. The driver took and unprotected turn and hit me. I was fine and refused an ambulance. She ended up with a citation and paid for my bike.
Aside from what some have mentioned, i would have to add that speed and route are also big. There are some routes that are more dangerous than others.. i have modified my route to use more neighborhood streets. The safer routes tend to take longer because they avoid large streets and intersections. I have modified my route 3 times in 1yr. I plan on making another change once my i start back up in 2 weeks
Speed is the next thing IMO. Altho you have the right to go the speed limit.. its best to go at a speed that you can stop or maneuver in easily. In my case.. although it wasnt my fault.. if i was going slower i might have been able to stop or swirve around the car. I had a green light and was going with the traffic.. slammed on my brakes as hard as i could but it wasnt enough. So when i start back my commute im going to slow it down.
Honestly im not scared at all because i dont sit and think about it. Cars, planes, sports etc.. are all dangerous. Aside from following the traffice laws.. respect the cars and put your safety before your rights on the road.. thats just my opinon. Finally.. try not to think about it. Thats all i can say.
Ok, I'm hearing you but I'm not feeling all you said... but first, what is an "unprotected turn?". Unsignalled? Where I live and ride there are adjustments that I make to the route to take me off a particular stretch of road for
sanity. If those alterations add distance they do not become part of my commute. My commute is the most efficient route between my home and my job. Period. I run one rear blinkie, one front blinkie and one front headlight. I may wear a reflective rainjacket if it is raining, if it is not my other jackets have the odd reflective stripe or two. If 'they' don't see me after that, they wouldn't see me if I was done up like a construction flagger either. That is my firm opinion. My commute speed will never change in order to accomodate the idiots around me. At that point its time to hang up the cleats and take the bus. My advice is ride predictably, ride in as straight a line as possible, be visible (but not ostentatious) and, if you are doing it right you will be so occupied that you will not have time to be worried about being maimed or killed. It also helps to know your riding environment. If the general perception of your area
among hardcore cyclists is that it is dangerous to ride because of motorist hostility maybe one shouldn't practice vehicular cycling. If otoh the general consensus is that it is a very bike friendly area then I for one wouldn't go out on a bike with slow moving vehicle triangles, multiple rear flashers, yellow fenders and highway worker safety vests all at once. I also would not ride at less than a 10mph average speed. Slower than that and I may as well take the bus.
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Edit: I like the post that snuck in while I was composing. I agree. I see too many terrified riders and I wonder why they bother. It's not worth it. The noodling through the neighborhood is not safer, it just seems that way. Big arteries are safer and faster. It is not usually traffic in the same direction that gets you its cross traffic or traffic that is turning across you, they can't do that if there wasn't an intersection. Minimize the number of
intersections in your commute and you are taking a big step forward in safety.