savvy523

Yeah aggressive riding is bad for everyone. I forgot who said this I think it was here or another site, but he said we are the traffic haha.

JonnyV

**** 'em if they can't take a joke. That lazy sack of a excrement sitting in the tin can behind me can kiss my spadex clad ass if he/she feels they have more right to the road as I do. I'll do what what is safe for me without putting anyone else in danger and it's the person behind you that accepted the responsibility to do the same when they slid behind the wheel.

Biscayne05

Women on wheels is just the same with Women with the remote control, they just cant make it work.

but thankfully, I hadn't have any close encounters like that with women on wheels...though DUDES on PICKUP trucks STILL CANT DRIVE. I had one close encounter with a pickup truck and it shook the hell out of me.

M_Wales

Passing parked cars is worse to me than being passed by moving one's. Most (not all) of the moving one's see you, but it seems like knowone checks to see if it's clear to throw the car door open...

unterhausen

you don't have to ride too far out to be much safer. I used to hug the curb and found that I got passed way too close by a lot of people. And then you have nowhere to go. If you are a little further out and get passed too closely, you at least have given yourself some room to move towards the gutter. If you are further out, only the sociopaths pass you closely, and there are far fewer sociopaths than clueless people. You don't really have to be too far out. Just ride down the right tire track

cristovao

I don't know what it is about Alberta but I've heard a couple of horror stories here recently.

The first, someone threw a lit firecracker at a group forcing a 50-60 year old to ditch his bike, injuring himself and damaging his bike shortly before a triathalon.
The second was a pickup that swerved onto the shoulder, slamming his brakes so the cyclist rear-ends him, then threatening that because he doesn't pay taxes, he doesn't belong on the road and would kill him if he saw him again.

Thankfully I haven't experienced anything to this level although admittedly, I've ridden the pathway here in Calgary. The worst I've experience was during the Ride to Conquer Cancer here in June when we were passed by a pickup with two kids in the extended cab that yelled at us to get off the road. Classy.

banerjek

All this crap is par for the course. Since the couple tons of steel vs human flesh thing never works out well, you gotta be insane to trust that people will do what they should. Always ride like everyone is actively trying to kill you -- but don't take it personally. The only way to survive is to assume people will do stupid things. Most of the time you'll be wrong, but you'll be right enough of the time that you come out way ahead.

Proof that not all drivers have their heads up their asses. Cyclist rode in the door zone, failed to see an occupant, and got doored. Driver had a fraction of a second to react and took evasive action while alerting others.

Legally, the person who opened the door is at fault but there's no advantage to the cyclist being "dead right."

Machka 

Many new cyclists get nervous about the proximity of vehicles to them, and think vehicles are too close for comfort. You'll get used to it.


Ride briskly ... and predictably ... in a straight line.


Always assume you are invisible. And red is not a particularly visible colour.

And when you come to an intersection, have a quick look around to see if there are cars coming from any direction, or planning to come from any direction. You may need to stop and let the cars turn.

Never assume that anyone will react the way you think they should react.

And if you feel like you're holding up a long line of vehicles, pull over and let them go by. Then continue on.

Machka 

I've ridden all over Alberta for years ... the drivers are the best I've ever encountered anywhere. In places, they're almost too nice.

savvy523

I'm pretty used to cars coming close to me but how that woman in the van came never had that happen before. The lady in the SUV had to wait for my lane to clear before turning because it's a busy intersection. She started going and right when I yelled she stopped. When I turn etc I always look 2 or more times just to make sure it's clear.

Machka 

What about when you go straight ... and when there's a possibility that a vehicle will turn across in front of you?

ilovecycling

Hahaha! I know I shouldn't but that vid makes me laugh. It's a good reminder of why I never ride next to parallel parked cars. I rarely ride in cities or downtown areas, but when I do I take up the lane and haul ass. I find that when I'm going at least 25mph the cars don't seem to mind as much.

Rocksteady Max

A concrete mixer truck : last ride : I had to throw myself in the gravel by the side of a country road.

savvy523

What do you mean? If I am going straight, and a car in the lane beside me wants to go in front of me?

savvy523

If only, today on my way to school waiting for bus this woman was turning on a red light. Such a stupid law in Toronto but hey nothing I can do. She was only looking in the direction in oncoming traffic, not looking around for pedestrians that might be crossing. She just slowly kept going, forcing her way. A lot of people do that, just like my situation yesterday.

DARKSCOPE001

like others said. take the lane (like in the right tire track or a good 2ft from the white line) if you dont people treat that like there invitation to pass you closely. You have every right to the road as they do. Force them to pass safely. yea you will get the a-hole who wants to get his point acrost that he is mad because he cant get to is mistress fast enough and your in his way so clipping you with his mirror is the appropriate action. but most people when given few other options will do the right thing. Depending on the road. sometimes I will ride in the center. (when im coming up to my turn or on dangerous turns/ intersections) Let em honk, scream all they want. just keep this in mind. Its like a little puppy dog. yapping, they just want you to pay attention to them. yap yap yap thats all it is.

Good luck
Sean Scott

Juan Foote

I suggest you get a set of bright blinking lights. It can't hurt.

Doohickie

Yeah, actually the driver taking the video did an amazing job in reaction the dooring. Excellent response.

savvy523

I've got pretty bright ones kinda annoying haha.

savvy523

Yeah, you're right the best thing you can do is smile and wave.

EdIsMe

I was crossing a major intersection yesterday (in the rain I might add) about 3 miles from home (75 miles into the ride) and probably wasn't paying as much attention as I should have. I car came from behind me and without looking, made a right-hand turn into the right-hand lane of the intersecting road. The problem was, I was currently occupying that space. I managed to evade impending doom by standing for a sprint and allowing my rear tire to break loose on the wet pavement. The tire broke loose and hooked to my right, I turned my front wheel to the right, (steering towards what would have been straight), and leaned into the forward-right. Ended up doing about a 10-foot moving drift giving the incoming car just enough room to not hit my rear tire. As soon as the car passed I gave the rear of the bike a swift kick to the left and straightened out.

There was also a car in the turning lane (directly to my front-right)... his expression was this:

True story.

savvy523

Lmao wow that's skill I wish I had saw that, cycling in the rain is too dangerous for me. Once I was going down a hill pretty fast and started braking, but it was more slippery than I anticipated, and my back tire went at an angle I almost fell 2 times. Last time I ride in the rain :S.

EdIsMe

I got most of my bike handling skills from bmx'ing and skateboarding since I hit puberty. When the moment hits, it's funny how much of that comes back subconsciously.

Machka 

You're approaching an intersection. You want to keep going straight, but the car beside you, travelling the same direction as you, wants to turn the corner.

So here in Australia, you would be riding along on the left side of the road, a car is beside you on your right, you're close to an intersection, and the car wants to turn left.

That's the situation you've described back in your first post, right? Your second incident, if I recall correctly.

Unfortunately, some drivers don't look to see if there's a cyclist to their left who is planning to go straight, and who they might run over if they go ahead with their left turn. Therefore it is up to the cyclist to look at the car and see if the car has a signal going indicating that a turn may take place, or to see if the car is showing any other indication that it might turn (i.e. slowing, driver looking left around the corner, etc.). And it is up to the cyclist to slow down or stop (or perhaps speed up in some instances) or otherwise take evasive action.

savvy523

Oh never had that situation yet, usually people just hit the gas and overpass me quickly. I guess giving the signal is pointless in their opinion when they can tap into the horsepower of their car.