Thanks for starting this thread Papa Tom! I'm always thinking about these things. Like Tls, I also hyper concentrate. There was one time I thought I was going to get hit bad. God had it where the car braked and missed me.
I was crossing a 4 lane intersection (2 lanes west and 2 east) going north to south. It's the only 1/10 mile of my 12.5 mile commute that I take the side walk and used to cross on the pedestrian walkway. The light for pedestrian crossing turn white, after checking my left for no cars, I proceeded to cross. The thing with this crosswalk, is that it's way recessed down the road, you could stack two cars from the curve to the crosswalk line. Cars comming from an interstate 65-75 mph to a 45mph road, and some turning right at the intersection, with a lot of curve to go fast on the turn.
So, as I take a second look for the second lane crossing, I see this jeep coming fast on the turn so fast he was opening to the outer lane, and thinking, stop and he hits me, go faster and he hits me anyway, so I brace for impact and went into a ball (more of an aero tuck) and close my eyes, I open my eyes to see his grill stoped as I my rear wheel clear the tip of his fender. That's the closest I ever come to been hit!
I thank God for his protection over me thru the years! I been bike riding in traffic since I was 13 years old (54 now). Have been in different countries, city and country ridding and I think I should have been hit by now, but my only explanation is that the Man upstairs have some plans for me that have not been fulfilled yet!
I now cross the intersection differently. I go with traffic and peel off on the opposite side to then cross on the crosswalk on the other side. Or if the traffic is stopped, I cross north to south, on the crosswalk, and later salmon the intersection on the other side, east to west at the shoulder. As orthodox as the latter sounds, I feel it's safe and quicker than waiting for the crosswalk sign on both side (north to south and east to west). Seen other riders do this latter one after I thought about it and executed it, giving the maneuver more validity.
Double O