Almost killed a cyclist tonight, saw another side swiped
03-20-15, 12:38 PM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,549
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,581 Times
in
2,342 Posts
03-20-15, 12:40 PM
#27
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,629
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3871 Post(s)
Liked 2,568 Times
in
1,579 Posts
I was nearly sideswiped on my way home yesterday. There's a T intersection where the side road is at a diagonal, and I'm on the main road both ways. Only the side road has a stop sign. The return route is when I need to watch for people entering or crossing my lane from the side road, and I had gotten right into the center of the intersection when the car on the side starting moving in as well. I had to swerve well to my left to avoid them, and I'm not sure they were ever aware of my presence. Just a reminder that I can never be too vigilant, and I would probably do well to claim a more prominent spot in my lane and perhaps weave a little to make myself more visible.
03-20-15, 01:34 PM
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 15,280
Bikes: Nashbar Road
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2934 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times
in
228 Posts
It (10 million serious accidents) does sound too high to me. Maybe a matter of definitions, but there were only 2.6 million injuries in 2012 (NHTSA 2012 Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview), and I would take that as the baseline for "serious".
03-20-15, 02:01 PM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kent Wa.
Posts: 5,332
Bikes: 2005 Gazelle Golfo, 1935 Raleigh Sport, 1970 Robin Hood sport, 1974 Schwinn Continental, 1984 Ross MTB/porteur, 2013 Flying Piegon path racer, 2014 Gazelle Toer Populair T8
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 396 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
Besides that, one must ignore the fact that even eliminating the motor vehicle wouldn't significantly change those numbers as the need to be mobile would still exist. For all we know, if bicycles totally supplanted motor vehicles the fatality rate could even go up.
03-20-15, 04:14 PM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,972
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1364 Post(s)
Liked 1,677 Times
in
827 Posts
About 6:20 this evening I was pulling up behind a car in the left turn lane at a traffic light. As I got closer I realized that there was a cyclist about 10' behind the SUV in front of me. No lights. Only reflector was a rear one but her angle kept it from doing anything. She was wearing black pants, dark green sweatshirt, and a Giro helmet. She completely disappeared behind the SUV in front of her. All of it's lights and chrome shown through her. My heart is still pounding how close I came to killing her.
About 10 minutes later the car in front of me sideswiped someone riding just on the right of the white line. Their mirror hit the cyclists shoulder. This one had a bright strobing blinky and a bright white front light. The driver swerved left just after and then came back in their lane and pulled over to check on the cyclist. He said he was OK. Driver was extremely apologetic.
About 10 minutes later the car in front of me sideswiped someone riding just on the right of the white line. Their mirror hit the cyclists shoulder. This one had a bright strobing blinky and a bright white front light. The driver swerved left just after and then came back in their lane and pulled over to check on the cyclist. He said he was OK. Driver was extremely apologetic.
03-20-15, 04:32 PM
#31
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NA
Posts: 4,267
Bikes: NA
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
7 Posts
I personally witness motorists come very close to hitting pedestrians at 25+ mph multiple times a week. Simple math certainly seems like exaggeration to the innumerate and/or insensible.
Last edited by spare_wheel; 03-20-15 at 05:13 PM.
03-20-15, 04:34 PM
#32
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NA
Posts: 4,267
Bikes: NA
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
7 Posts
250 million licensed drivers. 10 million serious accidents. That would be one serious accident for every 25 drivers, each year.
It (10 million serious accidents) does sound too high to me. Maybe a matter of definitions, but there were only 2.6 million injuries in 2012 (NHTSA 2012 Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview), and I would take that as the baseline for "serious".
It (10 million serious accidents) does sound too high to me. Maybe a matter of definitions, but there were only 2.6 million injuries in 2012 (NHTSA 2012 Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview), and I would take that as the baseline for "serious".
https://www.census.gov/compendia/stat...es/12s1103.pdf
Serious accidents are accidents that are reported to NHTSA by local authorities. Obviously many accidents, including minor fender benders, are not reported and are far more common.
Last edited by spare_wheel; 03-20-15 at 05:23 PM.
03-20-15, 05:08 PM
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 15,280
Bikes: Nashbar Road
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2934 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times
in
228 Posts
I'm afraid that it's not obvious to me. I was under the impressions that all accidents involving motor vehicles were to be reported, and one falling through the cracks would be the exception.
03-20-15, 05:12 PM
#34
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NA
Posts: 4,267
Bikes: NA
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
7 Posts
I've had 5 or 6 fender benders (all more than 20 years ago) and not a one was ever reported or even written up. Here in PDX the police only respond to injury accidents. People calling in fender benders and non-injury accidents are asked to exchange insurance info and stop bothering law enforcement.
03-20-15, 05:21 PM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 15,280
Bikes: Nashbar Road
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2934 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times
in
228 Posts
I've had 5 or 6 fender benders (all more than 20 years ago) and not a one was ever reported or even written up. Here in PDX the police only respond to injury accidents. People calling in fender benders and non-injury accidents are asked to exchange insurance info and stop bothering law enforcement.
I've never seen one that didn't have police responding, ticket given in the cases I know about - I suspect that your area is somehow exceptional. In any event, it's still not clear that there are many more minor accidents that are not reported, or where the 10-12 million accident number comes from. NHTSA data includes accidents with no injury, so they are reported.
03-20-15, 05:27 PM
#36
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NA
Posts: 4,267
Bikes: NA
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
7 Posts
PDX is the International Airport in Portland? Or do you mean the area generically?
I've never seen one that didn't have police responding, ticket given in the cases I know about - I suspect that your area is somehow exceptional. In any event, it's still not clear that there are many more minor accidents that are not reported, or where the 10-12 million accident number comes from. NHTSA data includes accidents with no injury, so they are reported.
I've never seen one that didn't have police responding, ticket given in the cases I know about - I suspect that your area is somehow exceptional. In any event, it's still not clear that there are many more minor accidents that are not reported, or where the 10-12 million accident number comes from. NHTSA data includes accidents with no injury, so they are reported.
03-20-15, 05:36 PM
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,968
Bikes: '09 Trek 2.1 * '75 Sekine * 2010 Raleigh Talus 8.0 * '90 Giant Mtb * Raleigh M20 * Fuji Nevada mtb
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thank you very much for sharing this with us. I'm going to forward the warning to my kids. Often enough a car will get rear-ended when stopped, and I really try to avoid being the bug between 2 cars.
__________________
FB4K - Every October we wrench on donated bikes. Every December, a few thousand kids get bikes for Christmas. For many, it is their first bike, ever. Every bike, new and used, was donated, built, cleaned and repaired. Check us out on FaceBook: FB4K.
Disclaimer: 99% of what I know about cycling I learned on BF. That would make, ummm, 1% experience. And a lot of posts.
FB4K - Every October we wrench on donated bikes. Every December, a few thousand kids get bikes for Christmas. For many, it is their first bike, ever. Every bike, new and used, was donated, built, cleaned and repaired. Check us out on FaceBook: FB4K.
Disclaimer: 99% of what I know about cycling I learned on BF. That would make, ummm, 1% experience. And a lot of posts.
03-20-15, 06:36 PM
#39
Been Around Awhile
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Burlington Iowa
Posts: 29,969
Bikes: Vaterland and Ragazzi
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Liked 1,532 Times
in
1,043 Posts
03-21-15, 01:45 PM
#41
one life on two wheels
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 2,552
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 18 Times
in
15 Posts
You give me little reason to believe anything you post here. So you sometimes almost see pedestrians maybe almost get hit by a car sometimes? Well, that's a convincing argument if I ever heard one /sarc.
03-22-15, 09:12 AM
#43
Senior Member
Thread Starter
True. Though both are far more dangerous in the U.S. than in Europe (3 to 4 times more dangerous for driving and about 7 to 10 times more dangerous for bicycling) and thus far more dangerous than they should be.
03-22-15, 09:14 AM
#44
Senior Member
Thread Starter
OP, I'm curious as whether or not the setting sun might have play a role in the second incident. That brightly lit background (the SUV's lights) and lack of lighting on the cyclist, is what caused the first. Before the time change, part of my evening commute put the sun right where you don't want it. In traffic, I find that one of the scariest situations to ride in.
03-22-15, 09:26 AM
#45
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I've thought many times about how small the profile of bicycle riders are from behind and how easily we blend in to surroundings day or night. In this case she completely disappeared.
03-22-15, 09:38 AM
#46
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Crashes between bicycle riders result in lots of apologies and everyone goes on their way, crashes involving cars usually result in injuries and sometimes death.
03-22-15, 09:43 AM
#47
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Here it is only those involving injury and if LE or Fire are busy even these will sometimes get a bunch of questions about how critical the injuries are and if response is really necessary. Those involving a car hitting a bike rider appear much worse in statistical accuracy since many bike riders will macho up, say they're not hurt, don't call police, etc. We've found numerous times where statistics indicate fewer car-bike crashes in a city where we know the actual number is higher based just on specific incidents we know about (from bike club statistics, etc.).
03-22-15, 09:50 AM
#48
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Kent Wa.
Posts: 5,332
Bikes: 2005 Gazelle Golfo, 1935 Raleigh Sport, 1970 Robin Hood sport, 1974 Schwinn Continental, 1984 Ross MTB/porteur, 2013 Flying Piegon path racer, 2014 Gazelle Toer Populair T8
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 396 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
And just to be clear, I don't mean to imply its ok, or that we shouldn't try to improve safety.
03-22-15, 10:18 AM
#49
Senior Member
Thread Starter
How so? If I'm 3 to 10 times as likely to be killed in the U.S. than in Europe that would seem individually and personally significant. If we had the same fatality rate as Europe then about 25,000 people (of 33,000) who were killed last year would still be alive today. That seems individually significant to them and to their friends and family (and to the drivers who killed them?).
03-22-15, 10:51 AM
#50
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NA
Posts: 4,267
Bikes: NA
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
7 Posts
How so? If I'm 3 to 10 times as likely to be killed in the U.S. than in Europe that would seem individually and personally significant. If we had the same fatality rate as Europe then about 25,000 people (of 33,000) who were killed last year would still be alive today. That seems individually significant to them and to their friends and family (and to the drivers who killed them?).