mwandaw

Yesterday I rode to Seal Beach along the San Gabriel River Trail. The trail was busy, as usual on the weekends, so I was being careful. Sometimes, however, careful isn't enough. I had a close call that scared me, and I caught it on video.

https://youtu.be/VW1xctEbWtU

Dunbar

Those are the worst kind of close calls because they're completely unpredictable. I once had the same runner make a 180 in front my me on two separate occasions without bothering to check behind him. I always go as wide as conditions allow around people and other cyclists. You were constrained to your lane by the oncoming cyclists.

calamarichris

Oh I dunno... taking out an inattentive pedestrian in the worst possible way still beats being taken out yourself by an inattentive motorist in the best possible way.

I ran (while running) into a stupid teenager who darted into my path without looking--I didn't have time to even say "guh" or turn my shoulder into him, or even put up my hands to protect myself; knocked him flat on his back in the bikelane in Carlsbad Village with my sternum, gave a look back to see his jack@$$-wannabe friends all guffawing at him, and just kept going.

Dunbar

I had a small kid run into the side of my bike on a beach path. He had no mass though so he just kind of bounced off of me and both of us were unharmed. Riding on MUP's is a good way to gradually lose your faith in humanity.

Rick@OCRR

Looking at the video it seems like you rode down Coyote Creek to intersect with SGRT . . . which is what I usually do. Haven't had any close calls yet but I always try to expect the unexpected and be wary of all other MUP users.

Be careful out there!

Rick / OCRR

mwandaw

I’ve done a lot of thinking about this incident since it happened two days ago. After all, if the timing had been a tenth of a second different, two people (one of them me!) could have had a very painful trip to the hospital. That thought has led me to ponder what I could have done differently.

First, being able to foresee what might be coming next has saved me from countless crashes on my bike, motorcycle and car. My foresight didn’t work this time. If there had been a child on one side of the path and a parent on the other, I certainly would have foreseen that one might unexpectedly cross to the other side. In this case it was a woman walking on one side and her boyfriend or husband on the other. Next time I will try to foresee that one might unexpectedly cross the path in order to walk along with the other.

Second, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth my driver’s training instructor used to tell the class, “Always leave an out!”. In this case there were pedestrians on both sides and bikes coming from the other direction. I had absolutely no where to go if something went wrong. I should have hit the brakes. Even if nothing had happened, slowing down would have only delayed my arrival in Seal Beach by a few seconds.

Live and learn. (I hope!)

mwandaw

You're right, Rick. I've attached a RideWithGPS.com screen print with most of my route.

Maybe the light traffic on Coyote Creek lulled me into a false sense of security. As usual, the SGRT was much more busy, and this incident took place just a few seconds after I merged onto the SGRT.

longbeachgary

Great job avoiding a disaster. If you don't get out there early on the weekends it's like rush hour.

marquhar

quote:I've attached a RideWithGPS.com screen print with most of my route.

Nice route. You made the left turn into North Gate off SB Blvd. Its pretty easy to do?

Do you ever notice aggressive stalking behavior from a rider that posts at PCH & the SGRT
trail? He is about 35 y.o. and never has a complete Roadie setup. Last time he had a Bridgestone Steel frame with running shoes, running shorts, small backpack, and traps. He will post at Anderson & PCH or PCH & SGRT, then aggressively draft off the long distance Roadies (like you). IOW he waits for a Rider to come along, then follows them, finally doing a silly sprinting move to pass.

I've seen this guy at least 5 times in the last 6 months.
He reminds me of the dog, `Eddie`, in the movie `American Flyers`.

Tycho Brahe 

I always go slow around pedestrians when using a MUP. I always expect them to do something stupid. And I cannot stand dogs.

I once had a girl run into me while I was on my commuter bike. She had to cross 2-3 lanes and I was on a dedicated bike lane. She saw the cars coming so started running ... right into me. We both crashed (I had a cruiser, so I was not going fast) and then she got up and ran away.

mwandaw

I was actually going the other direction, so I turned right onto Seal Beach Blvd from North Gate. That's a right-hand turn, so of course it's easy. However, I have gone the other way and turned left off of Seal Beach Blvd onto North Gate. The traffic on Seal Beach Blvd can be heavy, and it definitely moves fast. I have had to wait along the right-hand curb until there was a break in traffic before I made my move into the left-hand turn lane. With some patience, I think it can be done safely, but I try to avoid it.

I'm glad to say I haven't seen that guy! (I'm probably much too fast for him to draft me... ha ha!)

trailangel

I thought this was a bike path, not a multi-user path?
Why are there walkers and runners on this path?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Ga...ver_Bike_Trail

bikeme

I wonder if she just steps off of curbs into traffic too, lol? Do you have both front and rear facing cams?

hsuehhwa

I know an older guy in his 50s in his steel bike with no helmet or clipless pedals does that. He would take Coyote Creek + SGRT to Seal Beach in the afternoon all the time.

mwandaw

I have almost made the same mistake. Once traffic passes from one direction, humans seem to be tempted to assume it's OK to cross. Of course, what we forget is that there may be traffic coming from the other direction, too. Be careful!

Yes, I have two GoPro Heros. They are the inexpensive $130 models that are still available, but apparently will soon be discontinued.

calamarichris

This sounds like a fun way to spend a Saturday or Sunday. What color's his Bridgestone?

Dunbar

What I do in situations like that is speed up or slow down to create the right gap (so I can go well wide of other cyclists or pedestrians.) I hate having to squeeze through a small gap when passing for exactly the reason illustrated in your video. I used to have the attitude that I slow down for nothing but I had way too many close calls. I feel like I've seen it all but then some person or cyclist will do something so stupid it boggles the mind.

TrojanHorse

Phew, I had this bad feeling that your video was going to feature me, but no. I rode down to Seal beach from whittier and back (all on SGRT). I can't stand coyote creek, seems like I always get a creek on that thing.

Close calls seem to be a way of life on that trail, I had one on Sunday too. Get a bell, that seems to be the only thing pedestrians can figure out without wobbling into your path.

TGT1

Cept they won't hear it over the ear buds and cell phone.

TrojanHorse

Yeah, I stopped warning pedestrians a long time ago.

americanrecluse

Damn!

mwandaw

Sorry, but I'd be glad to make arrangements if you'd like

marquhar

When paramedics/EMT have to access the SGRT:

4 years ago, about 200 yards south of the spot of your incident, there was an injury crash that required MedEvac. I was coming up from College Park Dr. bridge when I noticed an EMT Van parked in the last turn-out before the first freeway underpass. They had to drive on the path to get there.

We slowed to 5 Mph, and there were the 4 paramedics in the underpass pushing their gurney with some gear, headed to give medical aid. Sure enough, up ahead there was a rider down, barely conscious, almost no blood, but hurt enough that someone ordered medical aid.

I couldn't tell what happened, but in that spot it could of been serious with all the granite boulders off the shoulder of the trail. This was almost exactly where is the delta or fresh/salt water boundary.

I've seen 2 other riders down in nearly the same area, but both got up OK and carried on.

Beachgrad05

That was close! Whew.

I noticed the pedestrian was completely oblivious to how close she came to being hit. Not exactly the most aware individual. I live along SGRT and typically get on at Del Amo by Rynerson Park.

I (knock on wood) have only had one really close call and that was a few years ago with a fellow cyclist who was not aware of trail pathway near El Dorado Park. I was aware of him behind me thankfully as he kept going straight when the trail takes a left into the park a bit to go under the overpass. He thought trail continued straight somehow. He tried to go straight to my left and of course I went left following trail. He fell as he had to avoid hitting me. I don't know what I could have done differently other than maybe signal the left tho that is not really a left as that is where the trail takes you.

Nachoman

I hate when that happens!