jart

I was on my way home from a 20(ish) mile ride today, with a game of disc golf at the midpoint. I was a little on the fatigued side, due to a lingering chest cold and whatnot. As i was cruising by a shopping center on a busy street (with a bike lane, which i was in), a car just HAD to get to the grocery store RIGHT NOW a pulled out from behind me and cut right in front. Despite my effort to not hit the car, I still ate it. I happened to fall right in front of a bus stop, with the bus following politely right behind me. Everyone at the bus stop came over and made sure I was ok, which was awesome. Even the bus driver got out of the bus and offered the use of his first aid kit. I'm not injured and only have some minor road rash. All in all, i've taken a number of spills in my time, and have managed to not get seriously hurt or maimed, for which i am grateful.

This is not a specific 'clyde' issue, but i feel it's an issue that all cyclists deal with. How do y'all deal with a**hat drivers showing such blatant lack of care for someone on a bicycle? I know it's part of the gig, but sometimes I wish there was something I could do, which in the heat of the moment is usually best left undone. As i said, i'm very thankful for my lack of serious injury, but i know it's coming eventually. That's not gonna stop me, but I hope the jerk who's driving the car that does it pays until he's living in a box under the bridge.

Tom Stormcrowe

Good to hear you weren't hurt. Yeah, it's part of the risk, we call them JAM's (Jackass Motorists).

Barrettscv 

I've come to assume that at least 10% of motorist think that cyclist don't belong on roads and that makes us fair game. These same drivers also cut-off other cars and generally lack empathy towards anyone or anything.

BigPolishJimmy

Some people suck, yet others are awesome...

Glad you're ok

Pamestique 

Glad you are OK - that's what matters.

I don't tend to get mad... as a motorist at times myself, I have done stupid things - I almost hit someone walking in the crosswalk last night; it happens. The lesson to me as a cyclist is to ride cautiously and assume the motorist cannot or does not see me. His focus is on the road (or maybe his cell phone, lunch or kids), not watching for bikes... again, glad you are OK.

JoelS

I also think that a lot of motorists look at bicycles as toys and not a vehicle. They often have no idea how fast we're actually going.

I've nearly been hit the same way as the OP. There's one spot on a descent nearby that goes by a strip mall. I often ride it at 25mph, sometimes higher. It's amazing that a car will zip by me and turn into the parking lot, nearly causing me to T-bone them. I've been super careful here more recently, looking around and back for traffic and that's saved me a few times.

As a cyclist, you need to be hyper aware of what's going on around you.

beingtxstate

I'd say most of us deal with JAMs everyday we ride, I know I do. I used to get really angry at them, but as of the last couple of years I just wished them well, and kept on riding. If I catch up to the JAM, or see the car parked in a lot, I keep a few of these in my bike bag to hand out. Actually, I tend to want to hand them out to my fellow college student cyclist also

Nola_Gal

I think JoelS hit on it. I think a lot of people haven't been on a bike since they were kids (if then) and assume someone on a bike can stop on a dime. They can rationalize being rude but have no clue how dangerous what they do actually is.