JoeyBike

You guys are going to love this.

First attempt was pretty typical. I saw the vehicle in my helmet mirror long in advance, heard the disk brakes engage next to me, knew there was no other vehicle in the far lane, and took evasive action.

The second one I rode right into like an amateur. The sun was directly in my eyes, I was wearing fairly dark sunglasses (because every day I bike directly into the rising and setting sun both ways during my commutes), and the early model vehicle had sadly dim turn signals - I thought my 500 watt flashing headlight was reflecting on them. Until I watched the video I thought she had not signaled at all.

I am using a wide angle lens. These vehicles were REALLY close to me.

Alright folks..have fun!

https://vimeo.com/70010913

Wanderer

Yikes, and you were even in a bike lane!

mr_pedro

This type of behavior is what I had to get used to when I started riding bicycles in the US. In the Netherlands you are drilled during driving lessons to look at the inside mirror, outside mirror and over your shoulder before starting to change direction, then when you see it is clear you turn on the turn signal and then you start steering where you want to go. If during the exam you would make a turn without performing these steps it is a fail, even if you don't hit a cyclist in the process.

Here in Maryland most people driving a car got their license by riding around the block in a car with automatic transmission and a parent next to them and then went on to take the driving exam that consisted of driving around an empty parking lot with cones.

JoeyBike

I knew you would love it! My gift to A&S.

However, giving a turn signal does not me you can just turn no matter what. If I were in that SUV, I would not have done that. Just sayin'.

rumrunn6

good thing you have cat-like reflexes. if I had seen those directionals on the monster truck I would have braked.

dude, you're an awesome rider but your videos freak me out! keep 'em coming

cyccommute 

Although I deleted my post before you replied but I'll respond. The SUV passed you and had plenty of room. She slowed, signaled and made her turn. She did absolutely nothing wrong. If I were in the SUV, I would have not expected someone to pass illegally on the right and if I had been on the bike, I would not have attempted to pass a vehicle that was signaling a right turn after passing me...especially one that had a gap of that distance coming to an intersection and was using brake and turn signals.

You were in the wrong, not the driver.

TomCat_Ford

I agree.

Dwayne

Glad you came out safe, both of those could have been nasty accidents, especially the second one where the truck had enough ground clearance to easily get you underneath rather than bouncing off. Good call and proactive avoidance on the minivan. I wonder if either of the drivers were also using a cellphone at the time.

dynodonn 

I've discussed this issue with Joey a while back, about using his brakes further in advance, and keeping an incident to a minimum, but to no avail.

Zephri

One of the reasons as a driver and a cyclist I have a great hatred for red turn signals, quite frankly they should all be standardized yellow which is far far easier to make out if they are on.

Pedaleur

Disgruntled triathletes?

nudave2005

What's that saying? The bigger the truck, the smaller the...

Pedaleur

Edit: I think you're talking about the second vehicle, yes?

First vehicle: minivan
Second: Truck with a camper that we're calling an SUV?

genec

Jeeze and these are on what I would consider fairly safe non arterial roads... although traffic on the last road appeared to be moving at about 35MPH or so.

That truck driver didn't care at all... he came from behind and then made the turn right in front of you... IDIOT!

genec

No, the driver was in the wrong... they passed the cyclist while knowing they were about to make a turn up ahead... The motorist should have merged behind the cyclist in destination positioning manner, rather than speed ahead and then attempt the turn.

Oh I will admit that Joey had warning... but the motorist KNEW they were going to turn (as indicated by the signal) and yet tried to "outrun" the cyclist.

dynodonn 

One would think that with all the riding experience that Joey has, that he would have read all the signs of a pending right hook in the second incident. The truck driver wasn't the only one not caring.

Mr. Hairy Legs

The second one looked deliberate.

joshuatrio

Haha.. that's what I was thinking !

Alex Lahoda

What camera do you use?

JoeyBike

That's a good point. I am out there in traffic many hours every week, week after week. Things are bound to go wrong sooner or later - like every day. And in my mind i am ALWAYS at fault soon as I toss my leg over a bike and venture out to play with motor vehicles. Everything from the first turn of the pedals is my fault.

That being said, I did not see the turn signal on the second vehicle. The sun was coming in right over the top of the truck and EVERYTHING was flashing up ahead due to my flashing front light. The vid does not do that justice. What I thought was making me safer [500 watts of white light flashing] was actually fooling me. Even if my eyes saw those pathetic flashers my brain translated the flashing into "just my headlight".

And all this "passing on the right" jazz. The bike lane is MY lane. That vehicle made a left hand turn from the right hand lane across my lane. That is perfectly legal when all is clear - the bike lane becomes dashed near the intersection for that purpose but it is still THERE dashed or not which means, by law, that is MY lane if I am there. Giving a signal does not make it legal to turn.

Am I interpreting bike lane ethics incorrectly? Because if I am, bike lanes are just a hazard. Without that lane I would have been keeping up in the flow of traffic and easily passed the truck on the left at their turn.

Tell me more. You are the safety experts.

wphamilton

It's easy to say we'd never rush up on that second right-hook van, but it's also very easy to miss seeing it develop when we're out on the road. Good job in getting out of the way.

JoeyBike

Awesome!

Contour Roam

cooker

For the second one, she was away ahead of you when she started the turn, and was at the "merge" portion of the line where it gets dashed, before you caught up to her, so in effect she has a right to merge into your lane and turn, but you tried to pass on the right. You had plenty of time to see her signalling and braking and could have gone around her left side, like you did with the first one.

At 1:08 she's signalling her turn and you are well back. At 1:12 she is merging and you have moved up into her blind spot.

Basically we should never pass a car on their right as they are approaching or entering an intersection or even approaching a driveway.

jerseyJim

So many vehicles pass going straight near intersections that it is easy to let the one that turns into you get you.

I don't use a blinking front light. I wonder if you are better off with a steady on front light. Missing turn signals because of the blinkie seems like a problem. I am curious. What do other blinkie users think? Is this a major issue when using a front blinkie?

squegeeboo

I feel like for the second one, if he had just merged into the bike lane like he should for a right turn, you'd have been able to move around him no issue, like with the minivan. Instead he slowed down/braked in the 'main' lane and totally screwed you over.