[Reactor]

Three months ago a young lady runs me over while I'm riding in the bike lane. Today I stop behind one woman at a stop light and another hits me from behind. She gets out of her car and says "did you suddenly have to stop for something?" "No, I was stopped for about five seconds, at the red light"


What is up with these drivers?

 

[stinkyboy]

1 800 The Eagle

I almost got hit by one of those boxy Mercedes SUV's the other day, and my first thought was: One broken leg equals:

 

[Reactor]

1 800 The Eagle

I am suing the first one, she nearly killed me. And she ruined my bike, it's personal. She was in tears for good reason.

But the second one, geez she's all in tears and shist. Oh' I don't know how this happened (big clue, you weren't paying attention, red light stopped cars...), I've never done this before (don't drive much do you?), I don't know what to do....(it's a bumper, call your insurance company and they put a new one on).

 

[Polandspring88]

Cell phones involved? Or was it just womanly talent?

 

[ioscope]

Oooh SNAP. Women drivers..
DWA!!!

 

[OGRipper]

I got hit from behind last year on the Bay Bridge. Someone stopped short in front of me and I was barely able to stop in time. As soon as I realized I stopped in time I looked in my mirror only to see someone coming at me at about Mach 10. They smacked me around 270 degrees into another lane, so I was sitting there facing oncoming traffic, on the Bay Bridge, in the rain. Never felt so helpless, people were swerving all over the place to miss me and luckily they did. That spot on the bridge still gives me the shivers...

 

[Reactor]

I got hit from behind last year on the Bay Bridge. Someone stopped short in front of me and I was barely able to stop in time. As soon as I realized I stopped in time I looked in my mirror only to see someone coming at me at about Mach 10. They smacked me around 270 degrees into another lane, so I was sitting there facing oncoming traffic, on the Bay Bridge, in the rain. Never felt so helpless, people were swerving all over the place to miss me and luckily they did. That spot on the bridge still gives me the shivers...

Bay bridge sucks. For a few months I had to get on from treasure island, man that was a terror fest in a four banger.

 

[Heidi]

Well I'm glad to hear you weren't hurt badly. You could be dead like the lady in Australia

 

[Reactor]

No kidding, that puts it in perspective.

 

[rpk1988]

I hate how drivers feel about bikers. If I see a biker riding on the side of the road with no shoulder, I will basically pull an England to give him enough space.

 

[IronJim]

damn women drivers neaky:

 

[DH Diva]

I got put into the curb the other week by a moron that apparently found it more interesting to play with his radio, cell phone, or drive down the road looking under his floor mats for change. Whatever he was doing, he wasn't looking at the road, veered into the bike lane, I saw him just in time and had to ditch it in the sidewalk. He didn't even stop even though I was laying on the sidewalk crying/wrything in pain because I nailed my knee cap and my elbow/funny bone at the same time.

When I realized what was about to happen I guess I panicked a little and I got the foot away from the sidewalk unlipped first, coupled with the fact that he pushed into the curb, my wheels pretty much got swept out from underneath me and the foot closest to the curb didn't get unclipped in time.

Ouch.

 

[sanjuro]

Three months ago a young lady runs me over while I'm riding in the bike lane. Today I stop behind one woman at a stop light and another hits me from behind. She gets out of her car and says "did you suddenly have to stop for something?" "No, I was stopped for about five seconds, at the red light"


What is up with these drivers?

I would never get directly behind a car at a stop. I would squeeze over or ride around so I am in front of the stopped car.

My strategy is to use a car for a shield. If I am pulling out into a 4 way intersection, I ride next to a moving car.

One place to ride is in a car's blind spot, the right rear. While I would never drive in another driver's blind spot, it is a safe spot for a cyclist if the car is already in the rightmost lane. The driver cannot merge any farther over, and you have the whole car to shield you. As long as you know the possible right turn locations, you can ride safely there.

 

[beestiboy]

I would never get directly behind a car at a stop. I would squeeze over or ride around so I am in front of the stopped car.

My strategy is to use a car for a shield. If I am pulling out into a 4 way intersection, I ride next to a moving car.

One place to ride is in a car's blind spot, the right rear. While I would never drive in another driver's blind spot, it is a safe spot for a cyclist if the car is already in the rightmost lane. The driver cannot merge any farther over, and you have the whole car to shield you. As long as you know the possible right turn locations, you can ride safely there.

I have done this as well with success (i havent been hit yet) a couple of close calls as a kid but now I try to avoid the heavily trafficed areas.

 

[chicodude]

It's nice to live in very bike friendly city. I think chico was rated the #1 biking city by some magazine a year or two back.......I love it

 

[firetoole]

I got tapped by a semi truck last year while sitting at a stop light didd't get hurt but he scratched my vintage colnago I had just finished restoring and when he got out he was all like bikes shouldn't be in the road and stuff and I told him he owed me a paint job cus it was pretty bad and he lauged and drove off
well I called the police gave them his plate # and got him charged with a hit and run and got the money for my bike from his insurance

 

[Reactor]

I got tapped by a semi truck last year while sitting at a stop light didd't get hurt but he scratched my vintage colnago I had just finished restoring and when he got out he was all like bikes shouldn't be in the road and stuff and I told him he owed me a paint job cus it was pretty bad and he lauged and drove off
well I called the police gave them his plate # and got him charged with a hit and run and got the money for my bike from his insurance

Hell yah!, I like hearing about a biker winning one for once.

 

[firetoole]

Hell yah!, I like hearing about a biker winning one for once.

nobody hit's my colnago and gets away with it

 

[Reactor]

It's nice to live in very bike friendly city. I think chico was rated the #1 biking city by some magazine a year or two back.......I love it

The Phoenix area cities claim to be bike friendly. Phoenix does things like paint sub-standard bike lanes, like on Ray road in awatukee there is one that's like 3 feet wide, including the gutter pan. You can get around the burbs O.K., but if you have to cross the city most of the bike lanes disappear.

There is one major E-W bike lane downtown (Washington) , and they are tearing the crap out of it for "utility relocation" for a new light rail system. When they are done they leave a bike lane so FU'ed you need a 5" trail bike to ride in it. I actually go to another major street, without a bike lane, to get around the torn up section.

You also have the option of riding the irrigation canals, but you really need a mountain bike for that, and you still have to get away from downtown to hit one.