tenmileradius

So I pick up my new-to-me commuter bike from her tune up tomorrow. Been reading and reading, have a rear rack being installed as part of the tune-up, have helmet, gloves, shorts left over from old cycling days, a Vaude Cycle 28 pannier/rucksack on the way, 2 bright lights, a U and chain lock, and emergency repair supplies.

I have to admit I'm getting a bit nervous about getting hit by a car- it seems like it happens to everyone and people accept it as part of commuting. Obviously I know the risk is there and one must ride safely... Drivers are crazy in this town. I plan to adventure out when I pick her up in light traffic tomorrow evening to get a feel for road riding in my general radius of travel... Also want to find neighborhood route to avoid a very busy, pot-holey, "35 mph" racer road. I will be riding to work at about 6:15 am, where bright lights and light traffic should keep me pretty secure. Plan to leave early and enjoy the ride, not race. Little worried when I leave work late and am dealing with angry tired motorists trying to fly home.

Reassure me please!

Who has managed to avoid tangling with a vehicle?!

mhifoe

I have been commuting for 8 years, for a total of about 30k miles and have never been hit by a car.

I have fallen off twice due to ice. After this happened I bought studded tyres for winter and haven't crashed since.

IMO, the most important thing is lane positioning. Stay out of the gutter and cars will observe you to be actual traffic.
When you have an altercation with a vehicle, as well as shaking your fist consider if your behaviour could have an influence.

For example, I regularly used to get close overtakes on a bend on a narrow road. By riding out 1 foot more, the cars naturally held back until after the bend.

scroca

To date, I have commuted 36,325.737 miles by bicycle without getting hit by a car.

I always try to choose a longer route if it is safer -- less traffic and/or more room for me away from traffic.

I encourage you to be highly visible. Give them a fair chance to miss you.

Johnny Mullet

I only been commuting this year so far, but never been hit.

rhm

I've never been hit by a car.

I can only guess how many miles I've ridden, but it's a lot. When I was 17 and most kids my age were learning to drive, I got a ten speed bike and started riding everywhere. I'm now 53. Still don't own a car. Biking 5000 - 6000 miles annually. I ride in midtown Manhattan every day and, depending on the time of year, either suburban NJ or Long Island.

I have fallen off the bike maybe ten times that I can remember; once from hitting a cat, once wiping out on sand, once from fooling around, once from rear ending a car in the rain, once from hitting uneven pavement in the dark, two or three times from getting sticks involved in the spokes and fenders, and maybe a couple times wiping out on ice. I've hit cars a couple times, never hard enough to hurt the bike, though one time I cut my hand so bad that I needed a bandaid.

MikeRides

Ride defensively and always be alert, and you won't have any problems. Welcome to commuting!

I've been riding for transportation for a bit over 24 years and have never been hit by a car. As a matter of fact every "crash" (or fall) was all due to my own negligence. Speeding on wet / loose surfaces, riding drunk or extremely tired for instance.

alan s 

Never been hit. Why do you think so many people have been hit? My sense is the percentage is very low, and much, much lower than car-to-car collisions.

Leebo

I have been rear ended 4 times in my car, never hit by a car on my bike. I would recommended a mirror as well.

Bug Shield

I've been an active to very active commuter, recreational cyclist, and bicycling tourist for 15-years and have never been hit.

Tractortom

EVERYONE has close calls...but not everyone gets hit. At least I can say that about me. I'm in my fourth year of commuting on my bike, and have had some VERY close calls, but have never been hit by a car. I have dropped the bike a couple times to avoid an accident, meaning I stopped so fast that I couldn't unclip in time and get my foot out, but I have not been hit. Grant you, I think about it, and am enough of a realist to tell myself that I WILL get hit one of these days, but not by anything I can see coming. I watch the drivers, and the cars, and do my very best to eliminate being in a position where I am in danger.

Best wishes with the commute!

Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL

Hypno Toad

I ride over 5,000 miles a year, commuting year-round in Minneapolis on ice and snow and sub-zero temps in the winter.... never collided with a vehicle [knocking on wood]. I've commuted by bike for roughly 15 years.

I am a defensive driver (rider), always expecting the worst from the other road users. Therefore, when somebody does something dumb/dangerous, I'm able to react without being 'surprised'. I ride with front and rear lights on day and night, ride 'predictably', never put myself at risk for the 'convenience' of cars, and follow applicable laws.

I've had a fair share of stressful events and near-misses, a key to the near-miss, don't leave yourself to think about it while riding, get your mind back in the present. If your replaying the near-miss, you can end up in a new dangerous situation.

Please be reassured, bike-commuting does not have to involve a collision with car.

I hope you enjoy your commute!

spare_wheel

After 35 years of mostly daily cycling and ~150K miles I've only been slightly nudged at ~10 mph in a parking lot. On the other hand, I've hit pavement at 20+ mph more times than I can remember but in every case I was riding in a high risk manner (e.g. cornering near the knife edge of control).

wphamilton

Not while commuting, 2,200 trips. For me, other dangers have been more significant. Road hazards, gutter drop-off, ice and mud, rain-slick paint, etc. I think you can avoid tangling with the vehicles, but please don't let it distract you from the other dangers.

FBinNY 

A year ago I broke an almost 50 year streak when I was hit from the side at extremely low speed, resulting in bent wheels and wounded pride. I consider riding in traffic extremely safe if the rider is aware of his surroundings and alert. There's little you can do about the risk of being hit from behind, but IME drivers manage to avoid me quite well. The greater risks are from crossing and turning traffic, where you can be more in control of your destiny.

Ride alert, be seen and predictable, and ready to make adjustments to circumstances and you could match or beat my 50 year streak (I was shooting for a lifetime).

BTW- riding seems more dangerous than it really is because those who have accidents talk and post about it, but we never hear from the vast majority who don't have accidents. How many times do you hear "I was walking down the street with my kids and this massive pit bull just sat there and watched us go by".

lostarchitect 

I have never been hit as an adult. I got hit once as a kid, but it was pretty much 100% my fault.

10 Wheels

Get used to Horns from the vehicles.

It is a Good Thing as they see you.

60,00 miles never hit but many horns.

Marcus_Ti

Yup.

All my run-ins with cars...happened near/within driveways that cross roads or MUPs. Our MUPs around here have many, stupid design decisions. The biggest place where people are distracted and can't see well are driveways, either their own personal driveway-or those leading into/out-of parking lots. The driver-brain is conditioned to be looking like mad for a hole in car traffic in road lanes, not be on the lookout for the cyclist already legally crossing said driveway as the car races to the gap (they'll look right through/past you).

Round here, a cyclist in the road gets lots of attention, because there aren't many of them there. Be well lit anytime other than broad daylight, and DO NOT wear black kit.

RaleighSport

I've had some close calls but I've never been hit by a motor vehicle.. I did hit one once.. or rather fell on it as I was joining club "tombay".

LokiWolflord

I've been commuting for 3 years. I've never been hit. On my commute there are two 55 MPH roads and several more 45 MPH roads which to CA drivers translates as "as fast as you want to go" in the first case and "I should probably top out at 70" in the second.

I use a combination of the as far right as possible techniques where there are bike lanes and vehicular cycling where there are not. I try to be as predictable as possible. I always clearly signal my intent to do something different (e.g. - move from the bike lane to the left turn lane). It seems to work out well.

It seems obvious, but with the VC extremists around, it is worth mentioning: riding a bike is not like driving a car. I'm not discounting VC techniques, as I mentioned above, I do use VC tactics every time I commute. Use your common sense, stay aware of the traffic around you, and you should be fine.

Welcome to commuting!

illusiumd

KARMA. If you ride fast, angry and aggressive you're going to have issues. If you ride alert, relaxed and somewhat patient you'll be fine. The energy you invest into the street is what the street will pay you.

bovine

I ride very defensively. I always fully stop, even when my wife yields through stop signs on rides together. I've commuted ~15 years and I have been hit once. After stopping completely at a four way, I went through and a women on my right simply went straight through the stop sign and t-boned me at about 5-10 mph. I rode her hood for about ten feet then flew off it when she hit the breaks. Got out light with a 8" bruise on my calf and a broken fork.

People implying that you'll be fine if you ride defensively seem to be victim blaming here. MOST LIKELY you will be a-okay if you observe the rules of the road, ride defensively, and don't get angry/combative with drivers. But, yes, you can be hit even being visible and responsible.

Edit: oh, I've also endoed after hitting an unleashed dog. He, I, and the bike were fine.

RidingMatthew

that is deep! Seriously. riding alert, relaxed and patient makes it a lot more fun too. Less of a race and more of enjoying the ride.

squegeeboo

I've been commuting since '06 and I've only been hit once(cops wouldn't even write up a report due to no damage), happened this past winter, there's a video of it somewhere on this site. Stay in your lane, don't hug the curb, and you'll be fine.

kickstart

Same here, I basically t boned a van because I was looking back at my father.

locolobo13 

Since I started riding again in '08 I've never been hit. Lots of seemingly close calls. But I think half of those aren't as close as I thought they were.

However, in the 70s & 80s I was hit 3 times while riding and twice while walking. Only one of those times requiring a ride to the hospital.