awunder

So I'm out on the "new" route (which sucks, by the way), and I get onto the major street and exiting one of the side streets is another commuter. Great!

But as she merges into the main street she's going kind of slow-ish, so following a check of my mirror confirming I've got room, I swing out to pass her. As I'm moving out into traffic, I have a moment of panic and so I check the mirror again, and just to be safe, do an "Autobahn twist" (quick glance over the shoulder before merging) and when I look back in front of me, she's cut out in front of me, slowly moving into my line!

I slowed down fast, made eye contact but held my right of way, and then passed a moment later (and said good morning). Checking my mirror again, I saw she was trying to cross the street.

Okay, fine, but WTF?! There is no way she didn't see me coming. I can't believe she misjudge my speed that badly (I'm not that fast). But if I hadn't slowed down, I would have broadsided her.

Didn't have enough time to really check out the bike, but from a quick impression, she wasn't a newbie. And even so, WTF? It almost seems like she hurried her merge to get out in front of me before slowing down to cross the street and assumed I'd just slow down for her to take her own sweet time. Which is exactly the kind of thing I see cars do all the time.

I guess bike commuters can be self-absorbed d*******g's too. Go figure.

lil brown bat

Heh, I had one kinda like that...her in the bike lane, riding slow and looking a bit tentative. I pulled out to pass, and just as I came about even with her rear wheel, she started to turn left. No signal, no head turn, nooothing to indicate she was going to turn. I stood on the pedals -- can't really say if it was the right instinct or not, except that there was no way I could have stopped -- speeded up and got past with nothing more than her left handlebar smacking my right forearm. A quick comment ("Pay attention!") and on I went. She didn't go down -- looked like I just nudged her back into the bike lane. I hope I put the fear into her, though. Heaven's sake, what if I'd been a truck? Instant tomato paste.

oboeguy

Doesn't this happen to everyone all the time? It's even better when you alert someone with a "on your left" or some such thing and still get cut off.

timmy!

What's the big deal? She made a mistake. Not all mistakes are malicious, and all bikers are not error free.

Cycho

Be happy you saw another commuter on your route. On my 15 miles, I'm the lone rider. Sometimes I feel like I'm the last man on a bike.

dguest

Yes we all do make mistakes, but most accidents and injuries are from mistakes. Do you not think it would be important to avoid making the mistakes.

unkchunk

I'm telling myself this as much as I'm telling you. But don't expect anyone to move in a direction that's convenient. Best to check if it's clear to pass before you get into the zone where her change of direction can affect you. A bell or "on your left" might help, but don't count on it.

Anyways, if you take that route and see her again, I'd proceed on the assumption that she'll make a turn there again.

cdalefan

Not to revel too much about my childhood or anything--

I know that there are three other commuters that ride some of the same roads that I do. Some days I find myself scanning the horizon, front and back, just looking for one of them to ride a mile or two with. Alas, in solitude I pedal along.

BassClef

If you were in a truck or a car, we would be calling you a murderous a-ho.

timmy!

Sure most accidents and injuries come from mistakes, but you're never going to eliminate them, and all the mirror checks, on your lefts, coming to complete stops in the world aren't going to prevent everything.

"I guess bike commuters can be self-absorbed d*******g's too."

I don't think that's necessary, and I dont think it's correct. She made a boo boo. Accident averted. Get over it.

uke

+1.

ndbiker

Sounds to me like she needs lessons in signaling. A simple hand out to the left would have alerted you to her intentions and you could have reacted accordingly. Alas we have no way to be assured our fellow cyclists are even aware of the rules of the road as they pertain to cycling. Unfortunately, it weakens our arguments with those we share the road with that we deserve to be on the road.

Wanderer

Just maybe, she was trying to "meet" you!

rugerben

Meh. Although I'm usualy pretty good, I've made dumb mistakes as well. Everybody does.
Heck, this past sunday I was out for a ride with my GF on the MUP. We were riding along and I looked at her as she was talking. I accidentally drifted a little bit into the left side of the MUP and almost ran some poor old guy on a road bike into the gravel on the side. All because I got distracted and drifted. I apologized profusely and felt like a total idiot.
It happens.

capejohn

That stuff happens. It make us better riders.

TheLifeOfBryan

Or the first.

Boston Commuter

Did you ring your bell before beginning to pass her? Bells tend to get a good response, both from cyclists and pedestrians.