Years of biking in heavy urban and suburban traffic, and also alongside major highways (70 mph posted speed limit.) As with driving, or walking, or living in general, in almost every case you can driver or ride extremely defensively and ride absolutely anywhere and be fine. Every now and then you are going to meet with a driver so stupid there is no escape. But then, cars have hit houses, so even staying home is not safe from really bad drivers.

Glad you were not more hurt and your bike was not more damaged. I cannot count the number of things you will learn from this wreck, but I am pretty sure your safety factor will increase markedly ... and if anything else should happen (and it shouldn't) you will be less freaked out and better prepared to deal with it.

Bad that it happened, but good that it happened in sort of the best possible way. Stay calm, and pedal on.

I have an approach to this that is guaranteed safe and works in all traffic conditions. I tested in on a ride this afternoon in town - this works and I guarantee it!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2z11uch9ly...inner.jpg?dl=0

dave

Originally Posted by coominya
Many many. Of all the vehicles on the road bicycles are the most dangerous without a doubt. Riders must keep this in mind at all times.....!


No I disagree. Many people get killed on motorcycles that's true, but inherently they are safer because of their superior braking and acceleration abilities. A motorbike can keep in the stream of traffic or get out in front of it, out of harms way. Bicycles on the other hand are a log jam to traffic, you sit there near the verge trusting that every car and truck coming up behind you will see you and move over enough to safely pass. And this is just normal straight line cycling without intersections or corners. The biggest risk group on motorcycles is the young. I had 3 crashes when I was under 20 on my motorcycles but none since then and I'm in my fifties now. The statistical risk of motorcycling also drops dramatically, but with age.

As far as statistics go It would be hard pressed to make a case anyway since bicycles are not registered. How many are actually on the roads compared to how many accidents?

Not a problem for me. I'm happy to live in a world where we can disagree on stuff without each needing to prove they're right.

The fact is that, I'm not all that interested in the relative risks of various vehicles. I believe bicycling to be relatively safe in the general scheme of things, and I'm not alone in that. Life insurers routinely offer preferred rates to cyclists, while penalizing for many other activities, including scuba diving.

On a personal note, some years back I was refused the lowest preferred rate on a large policy because I was a recreational scuba diver. I appealed, and was given a more detailed questionnaire to fill out, followed up by a phone call from the underwriter to flesh out details. In the end, he approved the lower rate, based mostly on the fact that I was a lifelong road cyclist, which was enough of a statistical plus to offset the diving.

So, IMO, those who scare people away from bicycling aren't doing them any favors.

FWIW, this one looks like it will come to a reasonable end. I was about to get some info back to my insurance agent so she could file a claim with their insurance (total $600), when the driver's insurance company contacted me directly. They asked for my statement and sent me a way to get the bike repair bills in their hands. So they are taking responsibility here.

FWIW, I drove by the accident location (after my last post in this thread) and got out to take a look for no particular reason. It is obvious to me that I had not even reached the stop sign when I got hit (see pic in post #71). I have no idea what kind of 'sustainable riding rules' would have avoided this accident. Sometimes stuff happens.

I can think of one set of "sustainable riding rules" that I could have used. I do a good bit more riding around town than I 'need to'. I often do errands on my bike (rather than in my car) and take a certain pride in the fact that I consistently put more miles on my bike than I do on my car. And I do NOT need to do this so I am no longer going to run around town mailing letters, picking up a pound of ground beef at the grocery store, etc (when I got hit I was running an errand coming back from the local guitar shop). It is 0.6 miles for me to 'get out of town', and other than those 0.6 miles there will be no more riding in town.

If riding around town was unavoidable for me I guess I would continue to ride. But I am lucky that it is avoidable in my case. Yeah - I'll probably get hit by some kid in a pickup truck on Rummage Pack House Rd :-) And yes, there is a Rummage Pack House Rd. where I ride. It is near Pappy Rabb Road.

dave

ps. Will still probably put more miles on my bike than on my car unless my whacky knee goes more whacky than it currently is.

Happy to hear that it's turning out OK and you feel you're being fairly compensated.

However, as I read your reaction and planned changes, I was reminded of a passage from The Maltese Falcon. You might find it interesting, and maybe a bit insightful. Worst case, you'll have enjoyed a nice read from an American classic.

The story of Flitcraft

Interesting, FB. I have (for decades) had this idle fantasy of abandoning everything and just living as a nomad on a bike. Maybe Flitcraft will be my inspiration.

dave

That sound like pretty short rides in town.

Most of my rides in town to the grocery store, perhaps the bike co-op or a few thrift stores, and I can end up with 40 miles RT.

The exception is riding to the post office which I prefer the small town country post office, so about 10 miles RT.

Simply riding from my house (out of town) to Mom's house (out of town) comes to 16 miles or so, but that involves cutting through the middle of town. To avoid town, would mean a 100+ mile ride each way, 20+ miles of gravel, a questionable "private road", and a few roads and intersections that would be far more dangerous than simply riding through town.

Anyway your photo of the accident location looks like a very quiet small town street, and wouldn't phase me a bit (other than the narrow road shoulders).

Just use some caution, pick up the pieces, and keep riding. No need to drive 1/2 mile to the post office

That sidewalk, if it was 1 or 2 feet wider could be a MUP???

Even though we are in plain sight, some people don't see us. I have noticed people looking right at me and I can tell they don't see me because it's not something they expect to see.