Glad to hear you're ok!
Originally Posted by
andydreisch
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I'm of the mind that drivers simply cannot see a cyclist because they're instead on the lookout for a rather large steel container with wheels. I've had drivers look right at me with my gawdy yellow jacket and blinking lights and all -- and still act as though I did not exist. Or when they do see us, they fail to account for the speed we can attain (since their idea of cycling is 5 MPH ride in a park trail with a Wal*Mart bike). This, in my view, is the root cause of many a right-hook -- they just can't believe we're where we are after they passed us just a moment before.
In any event, bikers must be alert for these likelihoods as you apparently are. Glad to hear all is well.
Andy
Absolutely agreed. Drivers often just don't see bicyclists, or motorcyclists for that matter. Best to ride defensively and assume that they don't see you.
And, as you point out, I don't think they have any idea how fast we go sometimes. There's one descent that's part of a regular ride and it passes by some strip shops. More than once I've nearly T-boned a car turning into the parking lot. I just don't think they expect a bike to be moving at 30+ mph in the bike lane, even after they pass.