Originally Posted by
daviddavieboy
Like it or not, this is a huge part of defensive driving. You must take the driving environment, your actions, and the possible actions of others all into account. All things considered, was there anything that could have been done to prevent this? I COMPLETELY feel the driver was in the wrong, but if someone was pointing a loaded gun at you would you taunt him?
You are dead wrong---as it applies to this case.
This is not someone pointing a gun at your head. This is a guy setting up as a sniper and shooting random people.
MAYBE if we had seen the five minutes prior to this incident, we might know if there was a safe place for those cars to pass. Maybe if we knew which vehicle blew its horn ... or anything more about the incident.
But ... we have No reason to suspect that the cyclists were trying to instigate the drivers.
The driver in the white truck simply and safely passed. No reason the other driver could not have done the same.
I have to think BillyD's comment was made before he know that the law specifically said bikes could use the entire lane and it was the business of cars to pass when safe.
A I mentioned above, I have decades on the road on bikes. if I didn't know how to coexist I would be crippled or dead. But I have no reason, from watching the video, to assume the cyclists did Anything untoward.
If the law had been as "Far Right as Practicable," then this still would have been Totally wrong and totally the driver's fault ... but I might have said, well, I wouldn't have gone double-file there.
Thing is this is effectively a MUP, and like on any trail, the slower traffic gets the right of way and the quick folks have to slow down. If you don't want to go slowly through the National Park, don't go through the National Park.
It might be the shortest route, but it is still an MUP and you have to accept that you might get stuck behind a cyclist or two.
Think of this: suppose this were a family with a couple kids, and the parents figured this was a safe place to let the kids do some road-riding. They tell their kids "No Matter What, do not cross the double-yellow line. Stay on this side and you are safe."
You cannot expect a younger rider to have the same judgement you or I have ... but they can see a double yellow line. So, cars come up, pull out, pass ... most wave at the nice family. One obnoxious drunk comes up, pulls in behind someone who is patiently waiting for a safe place to pass, and then roars by and clips a kid.
Kid's fault, right? or would you blame the father for taking his kids to a park?
There is ZERO blame on the riders. Even if they were turning back and flashing the finger to drivers behind them---there is ZERO fault to the cyclists. They were on a cycling route.
I am sure none of us except the most deranged and paranoid, expect homicidal maniacs to be out on the road. I know I expect distracted drivers, dumb drivers, drunk drivers, texting, smoking, talking on the phone, yelling at the kids drivers .... but I have No defense against the driver who is willing to try hard to hit me.
Think about it ... if I stay home because I am scared to ride, and die in a home invasion ... is it my fault for staying home?