MegaTom

You clearly haven't been at this road biking thing for very long.

And, apparently, neither have you.

calRider

I was riding 1-2 feet to the left of the white line. According to the Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide, I really should have been about 3 feet to the left of the white line. If anything I was riding too close to the white line. I don't understand your "attitude" comment, it really doesn't make any sense at all. Also, is there's no way I would ever be on a ride with a guy who wore a neon green jersey with black lettering--that's just tacky.

I earlier made a very similar point about how the law doesn't matter if you're dead.

Clipped_in

Agreed! Glad you're ok. Nice write-up.

MegaTom

Don't try to explain yourself to the idiots, you'll never win.

2-3 feet off the white line on a shoulderless road is exactly where you should be. Not only to force overtaking cars to cross the yellow line, but it also gives you some room to maneuver should some a-hole decide to buzz you (because *******s will do this whether you are 2 feet to the left, or on the line, or even just right of the line on a shouldered road... it simply doesn't matter to them) or if you have to avoid some other road hazard.

calRider

Yeah, that sucks. But it would have been an accident, as long as the guy wasn't drunk or negligent, I'm sure he wouldn't have been charged. There certainly didn't seem to be any intention on his part to scare or kill me. I understand that accidents happen, but this type of accident could be prevented (or at least become less common) with a bit of education. When I was in driver's ed in school, they made us watch these "The Highway Runs Red with Blood"-type movies to scare us, they should include some info about bicycles as vehicles and how they operate on the road, and where a driver can expect to see one (as far as road position), etc.

I think this is a dangerous place to ride, because there are so few cyclists here, and drivers just don't expect to see them.

calRider

Yep.

Sienna19

The guy you ran off the road is a hero, not an attempted murder. The first car was to blame. A sudden lane change leaves little reaction time for a following driver at 55. Two seconds of distance is barely enough to stop a car with ABS let alone a truck with a trailer. Traffic laws and Cyclist's finger pointing don't trump the laws of physics and human's responses to a panic situation. Take the whole lane.

patentcad

Happens.

Tomorrow is another ride.

Runner 1

I guess you haven't either.

Runner 1

If he had been following the second car at the correct distance, he would have had plenty of reaction time.

vettracer

First off I am glad that everyone was okay.

One thing that stands out to me is that you didn't look back or have mirror so you didn't know the situation that was unfolding behind you.

The driver of the car that stepped on the gas to pass you before the oncoming car probably did so because he saw the truck approaching behind and realized that if he slowed down to your speed the truck would likely rear end him. Cince the truck ended up passing you before he stopped this seems highly likely.

By not looking back in and seeing for yourself, you don't have any information and place yourself completely at the mercy of the others. if I was in the situation, would have been looking back to assess the situation for myself at least giving myself the chance at an option such as realizing how fast he truck was going and riding off the road to get out of his way. In bike vs truck the bike always loses. In bike vs grass, you have a much better chance.

On my commute there are several locations where due to multiple turn lanes on a multilane road the bike lane goes between lane 3 and 4 on a 5 lane 50mph road. I ride down those bike lanes looking backward the whole time and it has saved me several times from rushing drivers who are trying to beat everyone else.

Ride safe and don't forget to look

surreycrv 

It was this part that caused me to write my comment.This creates a zig zag pattern on the road. And then no where in your post did you say you had a mirror to see the upcoming traffic, so just how would you know when to zag?

As much as I understand the dilemma, a straight steady course generally offers better odds of not getting swiped by a passing car. Accidents do happen, and for every wacko driver there are a few wacko cyclists (the chucklehead with the letter T-shirt). I tend to operate under the defensive rule, i'd like to meet my grandkids.

calRider

Yep. Sure makes me miss California though.

surgeonstone

I remember a time an SUV passed me with extra wide mirrors. I kid you not-mere centimeters from decapitation. What can you do? Ride on and hope your riding as safely as possible. Out here our farm roads have no shoulders at all, just an inch or 2 right of the white line. I have always tried to ride as far right as I can in hopes of not irritating the driver coming up on me. I understand the principle of 3 feet to the left but worry that it will simply aggravate drivers. One thing I have started doing is riding with the Dinotte 400 lumen rear light on at all times on strobe . The thing is way bright-even on a sunny day and I have noticed cars giving me a much wider berth.

WHOOOSSHHH...

More than likely he was tailgating the car in front that passed you. He saw you at the last second, veered right, and thank goodness, missed you. At that point, his blood pressure shot through the roof at the thought of killing someone, and took it out on the idiot riding his bicycle on a 55 mph road, with no shoulder, during rush hour!! Are you completely clueless? Please invest in some common sense, you must have been absent when it was handed out..

<<<<<<<

WHOOOSSHHH...

MAZDA: Hello Police? This is mazda. I almost had an accident. POLICE: OK?

WHOOOSSHHH...

You have way to much common sense. Please give some to 3/4's of the posters here, including the ones who think taking up the whole lane during rush hour in a 55mph zone, while pedaling along at 12 mph is the best idea....

work4bike

What's your thoughts of riding with a mirror as others have recommended?

I ride with a mirror and have on more than one occasion avoided rear-enders. Not saying that I would have been rear ended without the mirror, but the idea of trusting my fate to drivers just doesn't appeal to me. Your thoughts.

carpediemracing 

A few thoughts from a non-commuter but one that's had a few close calls.

First, I'm glad no one got hurt.

Second, I think the OP missed one critical step - looking back. I ride on shoulder-less roads frequently (in CT there aren't that many shoulders like they have in states like CA). I know that one of the roads I ride on is 22 feet wide, for both sides, because there's been various meetings about making a difference on that road with speed/safety. Anyway, what I'll do is whenever I hear a car coming from behind, especially on a very quiet road, I'll stand and look back. It makes it very, very clear that I am looking back. I'll also, depending on my instinct, "accidentally" move off my line a bit.

Looking back makes the cyclist human, not just a road obstacle.

I'll also get out of the saddle to move the bike around (like on a climb), etc. All this may only take an extra foot of room but it helps to make you seem wider/bigger to the driver.

Third, I'd highly recommend getting a helmet or some other bike cam. I ride all my training rides with a helmet cam. I follow the rules (except maybe speed limits on fast downhills). I stop at stop signs. I don't turn on red when it says "no turn on red". I stay right, as much as practicable. I want to be able to prove this, and video proves this decisively.

It also has some morbid function - if something happens to me, there will be video to speak for me.

I was riding with a teammate in a touristy area one day. I had the helmet cam on for no particular reason except that which I stated above. On a gradual curve, a truck almost hit him. In this picture he's already turned his shoulder away, after the bumper passed close to him.



The camera caught the action as well as the plate number. We reported the near miss to the local police - they shrugged it off until they saw the video. The officer taking down the report said they'd visit the driver and remind him that he should keep an eye out for cyclists. To me that was fine.

In the end cyclists, regardless of the laws, are more vulnerable than motorized vehicle drivers. A cyclist needs to use a combination of judgment and expectations (i.e. rules) to survive.

rumrunn6

thanks for sharing. doohickie has a good suggestion about taking control of the traffic. you're lucky no doubt. but, can you change your route at all for these moonlit nite rides? I tend to ride all strobed up including on on my left drop bar. of course strobes may not have had any affect on your situation.

boogoshea

Bicycling on public roads is dangerous. I'm sure every one of the posters on this forum has a scary car story. Use common sense, it's better to be alive than right.

ladyraestewart

Who let the scum sucking bottom feeder redneck leave Texas? :-)

BillyD

+1

You could be dead right, but that benefits you none.

cato_mcfly

calRider, thanks for sharing this story. Sharing stories like this will all let us learn--please don't let the criticisms get to you. Personally I've learned from this thread, I can see how using a mirror and anticipating the situation to offroad into the grass (before the second truck even saw you) would have been the safest thing to do in this situation.

Hangtownmatt

What makes you think California is any different? I live in the country around Placerville, CA. Mostly two lane roads without a shoulder. I do very little cycling in this area. Almost every time I do I have an incident. Cyclists are rare around here; especially solo riders. It seems most cagers around here either aren't on the lookout for cyclists or they don't think bikes belong on the road. Sad but true.