The big lie
 

One of the biggest lies is always told by car drivers when they hit a cyclist. I didnt see him!!! That wasnt the reason. How many times do drivers run over a dead skunk on the road. That dead skunk is probably only 2 inches high but drivers alway avoid running over them. Cyclist even on the lowest trike or low racer bent is much higher.

I think the big problem is the they truly "don't care"! There seem to be MANY folks out there that if what YOU do inconveniences them in "anyway", then YOU are the problem and whatever it takes to get "RID" of you is justified! I've been told what, LOSERS we are since we don't own a car, "must be something wrong with them, "their crazy", must be down and out or maybe they've got past DWI's, ECT!! No matter what the LAW states, "THEY" have made up their mind and sadly it seems a lot of "Law Enforcement" is more of that bent of mind. We are truly a "minority" with no real representation, which is a bad situation at best. SAD. :(

You generally can't smell a cyclist from a mile away, though.

Well, OK, I can think of some exceptions...

I have to disagree - I don't believe they see bicyclist because they don't LOOK for bicycles. :twitchy:

As a former truck driver (and talk to any truck drivers that you want and you'll hear the same thing) I always was AMAZED with the fact that cars could not see the 75 ft long, x 8.5 ft wide x 13.5 ft tall 80,000 pound huge chunk of potential rolling death coming towards them! :eek: I used to joke with other drivers that the StarTrek cloaking devise was stuck in the on position. But, I expected to not be seen and was prepared for stupid car drivers.

They did not SEE me because they were not LOOKING for me - even though I was very obviously easy to spot. Unlike the typical bicycle, which can be much harder to spot. And now, with everyone on the cell phone and texting all the time it has gotten even worse.

I enjoy my bents because around here I stick out like a sore thumb. People don't know what I am so they move as far away from me as possible.

I got hit a week ago by a woman on a cell phone. Inattentive drivers are the worst.

this one is much better Electrik I had already seen that one.

I've seen quite a few dead skunks on the road that looked like they had been run over a great many times after the initial impact. Wouldn't really want to depend on this theory for my safety.

Fair enough, but when I was a driver, it seemed that no one saw me unless I was in front of them taking a loooong time pulling away from a light and just had to zip around me (takes a bit to get 80K rolling) - OR - as soon as I put my turn signal on to change lanes...folks would hang out in the lane until they saw that light start flashing, then they HAD to be in front...ALL of them! 'Course to be fair to them, they also did see me when I would put a set of duals in their lane, so they would then decide to back down...funny how their aggression backs off when they realize that they do, in fact, have some skin in the game...

It's actually is an admission of guilt. Properly translated into legal terminology it means; I definitely wasn't paying attention. bk

It's just to bad the police don't take it as a "admission of guilt"!! Seems more like it's a excuse to be let off easy, from responsibility of being an "aware" auto driver. Oh you didn't see the bicycle rider, with blinky lights and a strange contraption of a bicycle, too bad, how sad, ok go home, have a nice day! SIGH :(

Recently while riding down a side street, a person on the sidewalk called out "Get off the road"....I ride a Catrike Trail with an E-BoB trailer, I'm sure the response would have been quite different had I been riding on the sidewalk.....not sure why some people feel they need to put down someone enjoying themselves.

This one caught my eye because I have been on both sides of this. I ride a motorcycle and am constantly amazed at the people that don't leave themselves an out. They ride right up on the side of a vehicle approaching the back of another vehicle with a divider wall to the other side. A vehicle misses them in a blind spot and ends their riding. Not many people ride defensively anymore. I always love to see the guys on the highways doing wheelies at 60mph. Darwinism at its best. Gotta weed the stupid out of the gene pool.

Bicycles are a different story because they are usually being overtaken. I have very little sympathy for the people that filter to the front of a light, then expect cars to switch lanes to go around them. The next town over from me, the large local bike shop quit doing rides when a pack of over 30 bikes were pulled over and riders issued tickets for riding more than 2 abreast. (local law) There were neighborhood complaints of 2 lane country roads and bikers five across where noone could pass. I think people around here are either starting to give respect because they themselves bike or they cant stand bikes on the roads due to the idiots that seem to always be present on the roads that have no business being there. I have seen groups of 40 people make a lane change like a school of fish across 3 lanes of traffic forcing traffic to stop to accomodate.

The other end of this argument is that I have missed an SUV for a reason I can only think was due to bagpipes. Yes bagpipes. I had a case that I kept in the passenger seat of my vehicle. A large black rectangular case that was there for over a year. I just looked right and the large black SUV didnt even register. Accidents do happen. That is why my insurer collects my money every month.

Ride defensively! Obey traffic signs. Always look at a drivers eyes as you prepare to cross their path and make some contact - especially if they are on the phone. Wave at them, it could save your life. Use your tail lights whenever you ride to help with overtaking vehicles observance of you.

^^^This. My favorite quote about this is " 'I didn't see him!' isn't an excuse, it's a confession."

+1

The reason many people get killed on a rail road crossing by just a engine is because they are looking for the whole train and not just an engine. Same thing when a car hits a motorcyclist. Most people are looking for a car or truck not a cycle.

The woman who hit me last month said that the last thing she expected to see was a cyclist. That is especially true when you are on your cell phone.

1. Are you seriously claiming never to have seen roadkill???

2. Most accidents happen near busy urban intersections. In such cases cyclists aren't seen because the driver was distracted or stressed out, or because the bike was in a blind spot. (A good % of these accidents are side slams.) Skunks don't tend to make much use of such roads.

So she drives with cyclists at the bottom of her "last things to look for list?" Did you ask her to move you up the list? Maybe add some subs higher up on it of what you will be wearing on Monday-Sunday. Man, what's she gonna do if there is something in the road that she's never seen before, or knew even existed? If I were your lawyer that would give me something to work with.

Bob

By this line of thinking -- you are saying that automobile drivers see bicyclists and hit them anyway??

I can't stand the "get off the road" comments. Smile, wave, or just go on your merry way... Why the snide remarks? Even when I'm going for an evening walk with my wife (far from the road) we get the occasional honk & holler. I realize these are probably just teenage kids but nonetheless it's irritating.

Regarding people assuming you can't afford a car... it's funny b/c my wife and I have more invested in our bicycles than our old, cheap compact cars.

I like that and I hope i never have to use it.

I saw the gorilla beyond easily. Did not notice one change in the other video. Yikes!

I ride with people that think it's ok to ride 2-3 abreast and the wonder why people in cars get mad. I just shake my head.
Same thing with riding on city streets. If you run red lights and stop signs, expect people not to give you much respect....or room on the road.
If you are a mountain biker in Teluride, Co and you purposely give someone on a dirt bike incorrect directions, because you don't like dirt bikers, expect them to ride you to the edge of the road ;)....yup, I certainly did that to a fellow-biker for being a bigot. Teluride is full of bigots that think they aren't bigots.

If you are a recumbent rider, don't ride in rush-hour traffic like the guy I see every day. It is sheer lunacy where this guy rides.

Many times WE are our own worst enemy.

Was she riding it like a witch rides a broom?

Where did you get this information? Around here at least the opposite seems to be true. Most car-bicycle collisions are out on rural roads or freeway service roads outside the city.