michaelm101

~~In 2017, I was traveling about 30mph when a car bumped my bars and I wiped out. I was out of commission for 6 months. Indeed, it was a hit & run,
but I really don't think the driver even knew they hit me as they were probably occupied by their smartphone. Since then, my riding strategy has changed dramatically.

~~One summer night last August, I was traveling eastbound in the designated bike lane (with front and rear lights "on"), turning right/southbound into a designated bike lane where
I avoided A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH AN ELECTRIC SCOOTER GOING THE WRONG WAY WITH NO LIGHTS ON! I was fortunate that there was no automobile traffic at the time.

I have since contacted the city transportation department about better enforcement and stiffer penalties for selfish idiots who have no regard for others.

Times have changed and so have humans. Modern “smartphone culture” has created a new breed of driver who is too easily distracted by the world at their fingertips every waking minute of the day.

New battery technology has created noiseless cars, and spawned a new breed of electric locomotion; electric bicycles, scooters, and skateboards.
Moreover, they’re adding a new breed of traveler to our already crowded roads.

Many of these new “travelers” are unskilled, or ignorant of the rules of the road and the safety of others, or all of the above.

Regardless, all of these things make it extremely hazardous for everybody who shares the road.

skidder

You should come to my area and ride in the pre-dawn hours. Plenty of folks on scooters, pedal bikes and electric bikes going against traffic with no lights and wearing dark clothing. You've got to keep your eyes on the road and look for their silhouettes in the little bit of light provided by the streetlights. Also a warning for electric bicycle riders that right-turn at corners without looking.to their left for traffic of any sort; pedal bicyclists do it too, but their speed is slow enough where I can avoid them. Its crazy out there.

ironwood

You can add that cars are going faster now, especially since the end of the COVID lockdown, and SUVs and pickups are bigger and their front ends are higher and more lethal,.

indyfabz

There’s an A&S forum for this sort of thread.

delbiker1 

The whole world has become more hazardous for everyone. I think it is likely just going to get more so. It seems we human are determined to destroy ourselves.

2ndtimeAround

Often people ride here with a fishing pole across the bars . Gotta watch for that , what a surprise in the dark.!

Troul 

the general pop just is getting more & more selfish.

CAT7RDR

I suppose we all have our "tried and true" routes that focus on safety.
I am fortunate to have a commercial free zone city next to me where I do most of my fitness rides.
Even so, it only takes one bad actor to permanently devastate a family.

Maelochs

I would say cycling is becoming less hazardous .... I have not been hit by a car or forced violently off the road in quie a long time ...

Of course, I ride smarter now.

How often the answer seems to be "Simply do better yourself."

indyfabz

LarrySellerz

Electric bicycles, scooters, skateboards etc are great, less people in cars is better for you

drlogik 

I think it was more dangerous, in general, riding back in the 1970's. Granted there were no cell phones back then but bike riders basically were regarded as having zero business being on a road and the motorists made you very aware of that fact.

Having said that, cell phones are and continue to be a serious problem today.

Maelochs

Yes .... I always feel safer if there is only one person in a car which is about to hit me, instead of two or three ....

As for the rest .... ANYTHING can be hazardous. Stupid pedestrians can wipe out a cyclist with ease ... as anyone who has tried to maneuver through clueless people on an MUP well knows.

wolfchild

Aggressive drivers and drivers distracted by their smartphones are a real problem....but so are clueless and selfish cyclists racing along crowded MUPS or cyclists riding 4 abreast and hogging an entire lane and buzzing slower cyclists. Best thing you can do is to be extra vigilant.

Leisesturm

That is one HELL of an assumption to make. Drivers don't hit things at 30mph without being aware of it. Cellphone or no cellphone. Not unless they are driving an 18 wheeler. Give the 18 wheelers lots of unearned respect. And every driver on the road is not on their cellphone. Cyclists cannot blame every single accident they have on clueless cagers on cellphones.

There are plenty of us cyclists who have never been hit by a car. Ever. With decades of accident free miles in our rearview mirrors. We do it by not ascribing malicious or negligent motives to other road users. We monitor the road around us and deal with anomalies as they occur; in the moment, without ascribing malicious or negligent motives to other road users, until the crisis is safely in the rearview mirror. It would take at least one police cruiser for every five vehicles on the road to have a prayer of keeping up with the myriad cut-off's, stupid left turns, sideswipes, jackrabbit takeoffs, etc., etc. ... enforcement? Seriously? I don't know ... Josephine County has decided to go without any law enforcement whatsoever after the last bond measure failed. No law enforcement because people don't want to pay for it. In a year or more, not much has changed. It was never about enforcement. Ride aware. Ride safe.

mschwett 

disagree. every scooter or ebike rider is likely a car off the road. (those people were unlikely to be walking - maybe in transit rich areas they'd be on a bus or train). although i'm sure it's happened, and some may have personal anecdotes of mortal danger, i have yet to hear of a cyclist killed or seriously injured by an e-bike, or e-scooter. the same can sadly not be said for vehicles, which have indeed gotten much bigger, heavier, faster, and probably less safe for everyone except their occupant.

Random11

I don't know whether cycling has become more hazardous, but people driving cars just don't see bikes. They are not looking for them. Today I was riding through a residential neighborhood and someone backed out of his driveway directly into my path, causing me to do some heavy braking. His window was down and when he did see me right there on top of him, he said "I'm sorry," to which I replied "no problem" and rode on. My point is, he wasn't trying to pull out in front of me and was sorry when he did. He just didn't see me. You always have to ride as if you are invisible to motor vehicles, because lots of time you are.

wolfchild

One positive thing that has happened over the last 20 years or so is an improvement in the infrastructure, A couple of new bike routes which didn't exist back then really make cycling a lot more pleasant. I have a 60 mile route which involves off road bike paths and some lower traffic secondary roads with paved shoulder or painted bike lane and lower speed limits. It does take a little more time to get to my destination than if I was to take a most direct route but at least I can avoid high traffic roads. Way back many years ago I didn't have such option.

Maelochs

Drivers have always been oblivious .... I have seen drivers forget they were driving in stop-and-go traffic .... basically, stop, wait fifteen seconds, hit the gas, and forget in three seconds they were driving and hit the car in front of them. Brilliant.

I have had that happen to me. Totaled my car.

Cars pulling out of driveways and side streets without looking is common and always has been. Cars not seeing things they don't expect, also. Ask any motorcyclist.

I don't see any of that being worse.

In fact, I find cycling safer, as many drivers have become accustomed to "Share the Road" messages. As Wolfchild notes, back in the day it was,. "You don't belong here and whatever happens, you deserve it." Throwing things at cyclists or swerving "just to scare them" was also acceptable behavior. Things are a Lot better---IMO.

Chuck Naill

I probably misremembering, but I don't recall drivers running red lights and stop signs in my area as they do now. Distractions are surely more common. Speeding and reckless driving is as common as ever.

michaelm101

Indeed, you are correct in saying that they are a "car off the road," but it doesn't negate the fact that these entities are unskilled, ignorant, selfish and /or all of the above...

mschwett 

actually, the vast majority are just trying to safely and quickly get from point a to point b. at least here that’s true - and i’m pretty certain we have more scooters and e-bikes per capita than just about any other major city.

confirmation bias maybe? or just bias bias?

selfish is choosing to exclusively put yourself in a 4,000lb vehicle to go a few miles. i often take my littlest daughter to school on our boosted rev (scooter.) it’s fast and easy and fun for her. sometimes i even use it to pick up takeout from nearby places when i don’t feel like riding or paying uber eats / doordash / etc. or i might even ride an e-bike. the horror!

michaelm101

Only drivers who are avid cyclists actually see bikes on the road. The avg non cyclist driver is programmed to only see cars and nothing but cars...This has been documented in studies.

michaelm101

Putting oneself in a 4,000lb vehicle to go a few miles is inefficient and stupid. Selfish (and perhaps stupid) is riding the wrong way in a bike lane at night without lights.

michaelm101

Irrespective of the advances in transportation departments making inroads (no pun intended) toward making roads safer for cyclists ---- Then take all of the obliviousness and drivers' "non-acknowledgement of bikes" from the past... Can you say that you're actually safer in light of cell phones and crazy electric locomotion coming out of the woodwork?