My understanding has always been that a right hook necessarily entails actually being hit by a right-turning vehicle. Common usage on BF however seems to favor close calls and other such non-hitting-of-cyclist-able type events.

So what's a right hook anyway?

I think if you would have been right-hooked except for the fact that you took emergency evasive action, then you've been right-hooked.

I think when most people use it, it means almost right hooked, but does it really, ultimately matter? Is there such a different meaning between the two?

^^^This. If you didn't have to do anything except maybe stop pedaling, then it's not a right hook. But if any braking or turning is involved, you were right hooked.

There's being right hooked, and then there's a collision as the result of being right hooked. See Fend off the "Right Hook" in Wayne Pein's Road Vogue.

violation of a bicyclists' ROW by an overtaking vehicle turning right. Contact not required, evasive action or braking yes.

motorists don't care about your road position, sometimes hooks happen when you are fully controlling the outside lane.

"the bumper lateral" is a hook evasion technique.

Car, you, side by side, motorist turn signal, slowing and moving right, turn just ahead?

slow, lateral directly behind the bumper, ride on left of car, curse or wave at motorist.

If you would have been hit if you did not take avoidance measures... it's a right hook.

If it is merely a close call... then they were just rude.

I vote for the "close call" thing, you have to actually be hit, people just like to call it right hook because it sounds more dramatic, and A&S is about the drama yo.

To take evasive action but not actually hitting them is what the rest of us in the vehicular world call "being cut off".

There's no such thing as a right hook; only cyclists who aren't paying enough attention.

Sorry if i'm getting on your nerves, but I seriously doubt dutch/danish cyclists pay any attention to cars trying to turn right across their path.

Can you elaborate on this?

being cut off with a right hook, correct.

that's truly the most idiotic thing I've seen on BF. You win.

I have never been hit during a right hook. What happens is that a motorist will be passing, and before completing the pass, will inexplicably slow down. At this point you better be ready to turn right or you are going to be under the rear wheel.

I draw the distinction between being cut off when all I have to do is brake and I can go around to the left. To me, a right hook means that the driver is too far back, and is going to hit you if you don't do anything.

A "right hook" is a driver making a right turn anywhere in the presence of an A&S poster.

And thanks for asking!

Right hooks are employed by motorists trolling for cyclists.

Whether you take the bait (get hit) or take evasive action they've still thrown the hook in the water. Therefore the right hook exists whether you get caught on it or not.

With proper vehicular cycling, it is impossible to be hooked by anything but the thrill of cycling like a vehicle.

Nevermind. I went back and read some other posts from uke and got my answer.

incorrect.

I didn't vote because I'm not a boxer.

But I'll be excited to hear what's to be done with the poll results.
Wiki? Urban Dictionary? I'm on pins and needles.

Why? There's a pretty reasonable expectation that right turning cars will yield to them, so they have no issue passing on the right. (Not that there's a problem with that in that context)

Generally being "cut off" means continuing in the same direction of travel.

Often, to avoid being right hooked, means making a sudden right turn, thus an involuntary change of direction.

The difference between a "right hook" and being "cut off" is that nobody runs to "carforums.net" to whine about getting "cut off".

It happens every day...people are rude, ignorant, etc. regardless of what they or you are driving/riding...you move on.

+1

You mean that drivers never get angry when another driver cuts them off?

I don't consider any of these 'right hooks' Some are close to being such.

Fast Right Turn in front of cyclist

Cyclist passes on left to avoid possible Right Hook

Motorist stops short of a right hook, cyclist does too

Right turning motorist cuts corners sharply while turning right in front of right turning cyclist who was turning from BL to BL