keisatsu

Not trying to jump on your case, but have you ever ridden a bike in traffic? There is just no way I would be able to get anywhere if I didn't ride next to a car when approaching a driveway, it happens, you just do the best you can to avoid accidents like this.

BostonRoadee

I'm sure I'll either be ignored or razzed, but here goes: Enough with the "short bus" jokes, folks. I work with kids with psychological diagnoses. It's just not funny.

waterrockets 

I've been riding in heavy traffic for 17 years. I draft SUVs, trucks, and buses all the time. I assert my position. I cruise between lanes at backed-up lights. I ride aggressively, and I often get where I'm going just as fast as the cars do. I'll just about guarantee that you wouldn't be able to keep up with me in heavy traffic unless you're a fast messenger or run a lot of lights.

I haven't been hit by a car in 14 years. I've learned what to look for and where to be.

You can't do anything about the cars passing you -- you'll be riding next to them at driveways, but they (presumably) know you're there and most won't turn in front of you. Some will, and you have to anticipate it by reading their body language. I'm VERY rarely surprised by a driver's actions.

If you're taking off at a light, you are going near the speed of the cars in your lane, and you can easily avoid riding next to them at drives. Take the lane, draft them, sprint to stay ahead of the next car, there are many options.

Pharmr

Poor analysis....this was not a car switching lanes to make a right turn from the left lane...it sounds to me as though the OP was possibly in the cars blind spot...he was "beside and slightly to the rear of"...IMO, not a good spot to be in on a bike...I ride both a motorcycle and a bicycle and that is a spot I will NOT spend ANY time in while riding...to easy to not be seen...at least on my motorcycle I'm on the loud side and can be heard, not so on my bicycle...when I read the OP I thought it sounded like the neither party was really at fault, just bad timing and a little lack of attention on both parts.

threeoneseven

big +1. i had similar stuff happen to me all the time living and biking in minneapolis. there, it was mostly people who when approaching intersections and anticipating light changes would cut through corner gas stations to make their right hand turn instead of waiting through the light. of course they wouldn't signal, it would be abrupt, and with parked cars to the right, you would have nowhere to go.

when i started to ride in the middle of the lanes, i had absolutely no incidents in about 6 months of riding. i found i was way more visible to drivers, and didn't have to worry about the type of accident the op had.

waterrockets is right on. you have to look around you and learn to read the entire scene you are riding in.

EvilGoodGuy

I had nearly the same incident happen to me two years ago. I was riding along (in the bike lane) when a car turned right in front of me. No signal, nothing. I was hit, he was 100% at fault. I was with another rider who saw everything. However, if there wasn't a bike lane, it would have been 50/50. You can't pass on the right hand side. I now try to avoid high traffic areas or I ride on roads with bike lanes. There are far to many drivers who take risks or simply don't understand how fast you're going. Last year, I had a driver turn right in front of me in the same way. I could almost touch his bumper. I was riding 40km/hr in the bike lane. He sped up from behind me (I could hear the engine) then turned right in front of me. I didn't have time to touch the brakes. Luckly, I wasn't hit. I think the majority of drivers think all cyclists ride at 20km/hr.

When I occassionally ride in high traffic (i.e., stop and go) areas without bike lanes, I ride in the center of the lane. Drivers seem to give more respect when you take the lane. It's also very important to keep up with the flow of traffic (i.e., keep up with the car in front).

merlinextraligh

I'll agree, it's not a good place to hangout. But it doesn't alter the fact the car turned in front of the bike, across the bikes direction of travel. It's directly analogous.

You can't just turn across another vehicle's lane of travel, whether it's a bike or a car.

Fat Boy

I'm glad you're OK, first.

Second, you were in his blind spot. It's his bad for not signaling (although, you may not have been able to see a signal from where you were) and making a sudden turn, but it's your fault for being in a bad spot.

If you need to be beside a car (like coming up to a light), then be by the nose or front tire of the car. Have your butt stuck right in the driver's face. There's always the question of the next car doing something dumb, but by being a little ways back, you will have more time to react.

Bluechip

How did you get in that position? Did you catch up to the car or did he pass you and then turn in. If he passed you then it would be his fault for the accident. If you came up on his rear too close to stop before he turned then I would say most of the fault would lie with you. He didn't signal so he gets part of the blame.

Bluechip

I guess we said the same thing at the same time. Jinx. You owe me a Coke!

Treefox

I thought that meant that he wasn't allowed to talk until someone says his name? And if he does, you get to give him a dead-arm.

Least that's how we played it when we were like eight.

Bluechip

Well here in the adult world it's having to buy the other a Coke!

yeamac 

Yeah, I'd agree the person who is NOT following the rules of the road is at fault. Does anyone really have trouble understanding this?

A couple weeks ago I was on a training ride, headed north. Came to a 4-way stop ahead of a huge Ford F350 pickup headed west. Since I was at the stop sign about 5 seconds before he reached his, I continued to travel north through the intersection assuming this guy approaching the intersection was going to obey the stop sign. He was slowing as he approached the intersection and then just blew through it. As he went by me I could see he was looking to his right with his head completely turned away from me and didn't even see me! Fortunately, since I was just starting to accelerate, I was going slow enough so that I was able to make an immediate right turn into his lane to avoid being run over by him. That was the closest I have come to getting hit/run over. With the height of the truck I probably would have been knocked down to the ground and run over. After it happened I was pretty shaken up. I thought I was plainly visible to the guy but apparently he never saw me. Due to glare on his windshield I couldn't make eye contact and couldn't see him until I saw him through his side window. Good thing I was riding defensively so even though I had hardly any time to react I was still able to avoid getting crushed.

Fat Boy

Ya, the dead cyclist. It doesn't particularly matter who is right and who is wrong. As a cyclist you have to be able to cover for stupid people in cars, trucks, etc. If you don't, you'll get hit. You can argue the semantics of being 'right' if you want, but the truth is you have to constantly be aware of what _everyone_ around you is doing. Pedaling along in someone's blind spot is putting yourself is a really bad position. Did the car come up from behind, pass, and then turn? I don't think so. Did the driver make a stupid move, yes. The cyclist paid the price. That's how the story always ends.

kylen721

I have ridden in a lot of automobile traffic actually. Commuted to work for several months, but I never put myself in a situation like that. I am not trying to make it sound like the car did nothing wrong, but its pretty obvious that as cyclists we are invisible to cars and that means it is our job to keep ourselves as safe as possible.

OP: Sorry you got hit chalk it up to experience and keep yourself out of a similar situation next time

Bontrager

Glad you're o.k.

Sounds like you were in his blind spot.

Did you call the cops and did they give him a ticket? Did you get medical help?

Hope you're alright tomorrow

Skewer

Plus one. Don't want to be "dead right".

Bontrager

If they were both in the same lane then the OP should have been following far back enough to be able to move out of the way or stop - just the same as if the OP was driving his car.

If the person behind you is on the phone or following too closely, its not your fault if they hit you. If they see your 3rd brake light they should anticipate slowing or stopping.

If a dog or kid ran out and someone had to stop short and you rear-ended them it's your fault.

Bontrager

What about those with psychiatric diagnoses? Can they ride the short bus?

hammond9705

It's hard to tell from reading this who was legally responsible. But the fact is, you could/should have been more cautious. You have to expect that cars are going to do these sorts of things, and ride more defensively.

rruff

I'm with all the people who are saying you were at fault here. If you were behind him and he turned in *without slowing down* you wouldn't have hit him... unless you were overtaking him. It appears that you were either riding in his blind spot, or overtaking him. The shoulder is not a "lane", and drivers do not expect to be getting passed on the shoulder. Few if any of them look before turning right from the right lane... I know I never do. I have plenty of experience riding in traffic, and I know that if I pass cars on the right, it is up to *me* to look out for *them*... and if someone I'm passing turns in front of me and hits me it's my fault. Obviously, I don't do it much and only when going slow. I can't believe so many people on this forum have avoided being killed if they think it's ok to pass cars on the right!

notajetta

Everyone has already lectured you and analyzed this to death....

just glad you are o.k.

Campag4life

Exactly. In fact, if you take a motorcycle training course, you not only become a better cyclist but a more aware cager. You have to ride like they are going to take you out. There are two descriptions for this in motorcycling.
- Ride like you are an island.
- Ride like you are invisible.

Never put yourself in a position where a cager can take you out. Can something still bad happen? Of course...but you have minimized your risk greatly.

j_amie_

its funny listening to everyones opinion

so to clarify i am no noob at cycling i commute 5 days a week year round plus i do big rides on the weekends and am usually quite aggressive in traffic, but where i got hit on my ride home i had a bike lane, so that may have lulled me into a false sense of security, and the fact that i ride it every day with out incident, and i have alot more room than when i'm sharing a lane with cars. i think i was over taking him but he definitely passed moments earlier because traffic was slowing for a light that had just changed and his turn was very abrupt . but i really just wanted to share my story i'm not perusing any legal action my time is more valuable than what it would cost to get him to pay for a wheel straitening and i have no injury so i see no point.

i'm just glad i'm okay and the slide across the trunk probably looked pretty sweet maybe i missed my calling as a stuntman!

Pharmr

if you were in a bike lane....that makes a big difference....they should have noticed you....but still, you didn't get hit....you hit a car....glad you're okay, and that you have a good sense of humor about it!!!....try to keep the rubber side down!!