Cyclist Rear Ended at 55mph
#51
Senior Member
Are you in Witness Protection or something? Why are you 'unfortunately' moving to an area you know will be hostile to your cycling centric lifestyle? None of my business. Your life. I wouldn't do it. I've seen many of your posts and you have racked up an impressive amount of negative interactions with motor vehicles already. What gives? Not why you are moving, that's obviously personal. Why you seem to be such a magnet for road rage, that's what I am genuinely curious about.
Yes, I have racked up a number of bad 'interactions' with motorists'. I am a magnet for road rage around here. Because the attitude of drivers'. Is one of needing to be somewhere, yesterday. And/or implied seniority. Because of the drivers' mode of transportation.
I was out last night on a six-lane arterial coming back from Costco. After getting my relative's medication. I was in the middle lane. Because the outside lane merged right, onto the interstate. The driver in the merge lane congenially asked me why I was not on the shoulder. I had explain state traffic, specific to bikes to him. There are even signs up in the county that say 'bike(symbol) May Use Full Lane'.
15yrs. ago, when I was living in Duluth(MN) off of Lake Superior. I made the major mistake of staying in the lane to the entrance ramp to the interstate. I ended up on an interstate route that goes from Duluth where I was living. Down to Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border. That really scared me. I promised never to make that kind of mistake again.
There is a consistent example near me(DC-Metro region), of the ongoing 'yesterday' attitude. It is a two-lane road going through a neighboring city center. It has on-street parking on both sides. Numerous times drivers' have tried to pass on the road in question. Causing me to have to ride in the 'door zone', unless I don't move. The speed limit is 30mph. But when I am going 20mph, there is no reason for a driver to try to squeeze by me.
#52
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I approached a crossing earlier, and a sports car stopped for me. I didn't want the sports car to stop, I'd have preferred it if the sports car had just gone past, so it'd have been clear for me to proceed quicker and without confusion.
Yeah, this didn't happen. I'm just pointing out how tacky, long-winded and unnecessary it is to call a car an SUV. It's a car. And your car is a car.
And it's especially a car when it's a Toyota Camry.
Yeah, this didn't happen. I'm just pointing out how tacky, long-winded and unnecessary it is to call a car an SUV. It's a car. And your car is a car.
And it's especially a car when it's a Toyota Camry.
#53
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A news article also indicated he needed facial reconstructive surgery:
https://www.kyma.com/news/cyclists-r...own/1079075565
https://www.kyma.com/news/cyclists-r...own/1079075565
Beware ... these pictures make it clear that "facial reconstructive surgery" is not an exaggeration. It looks like his surgeons did good work, but ... I imagine he's going to be disfigured for life, and I can't tell if he lost an eye or not.
Also, the ride where he was hit is also on his Strava, so you can see exactly where he was and how fast he was going (about 20 mph, it looks like.)
#54
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Chris. If you are going 20 mph in a posted 30mph there is every reason for a driver to try to squeeze by you ...
Last edited by Leisesturm; 09-06-19 at 02:08 PM.
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#55
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See the link I shared. If you put yourself in the driver's focus, they might choose to pay attention to you.
The road is apparently US-95 in AZ. Not an interstate highway, but part of the US route system. Interestingly, AZ apparently does not ban bicycles from the interstate highways if there is no suitable alternative route. This is a state highway.
The road is apparently US-95 in AZ. Not an interstate highway, but part of the US route system. Interestingly, AZ apparently does not ban bicycles from the interstate highways if there is no suitable alternative route. This is a state highway.
Lots of risky and/or ridiculous things are allowed. Motorcycle riding without helmets is allowed in many places. I'm not even going to pull that road up on Google. I don't want to find out there was a side road the victim could have used instead. I would no more use US-26 in my area to go east/west than I would use US-101 to go north/south. Both are allowed. Just because a thing is ... allowed. Sometimes you have to use your own common sense foresight because hindsight is a _______ (rhymes with smother).
Last edited by Leisesturm; 09-06-19 at 02:06 PM.
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#56
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Are you claiming, I can't go 20mph? On a road that is in a business district and/or, has a clear sight line of less than .25mi. and/or has small curves/hills, nope.
#57
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I hope this is an ironic comment. There is almost never a good reason for a driver to squeeze past if you're going more slowly than him/her. Squeezing implies a very close pass and no-one's time is so important that a handful of seconds is more important than someone else's life
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I'm obviously not obligated to do this, it's just common courtesy IMO, with an added bonus (hopefully) of instilling some positive sentiment towards cyclists.
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I hope this is an ironic comment. There is almost never a good reason for a driver to squeeze past if you're going more slowly than him/her. Squeezing implies a very close pass and no-one's time is so important that a handful of seconds is more important than someone else's life
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#60
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You're being obtuse. Obviously you're within your rights to go 20mph (not sure where you came up with the idea he suggested otherwise), but you would also be going significantly under the posted speed limit, and a vehicle driver would have every right to "squeeze" around you, (within reason, obviously). As a cyclist, you're PART of traffic, you don't own the road and have a perpetual,universal right-of-way. If I realize I'm holding up a string of vehicles, or even a single big truck, I routinely pull over and wave them around.
I'm obviously not obligated to do this, it's just common courtesy IMO, with an added bonus (hopefully) of instilling some positive sentiment towards cyclists.
I'm obviously not obligated to do this, it's just common courtesy IMO, with an added bonus (hopefully) of instilling some positive sentiment towards cyclists.
Also, As I previously mentioned, drivers' around here. Behave like cyclists' are in their way. But also, that they had to get something done, yesterday. Sort of like, to drive in this region. You have to be qualified in, committing road rage daily.
Five years ago. I was in a merge lane. When a driver behind me. Suddenly went from the merge lane, to the outside thru lane. Then back into the merge. He did it so fast that, when he suddenly realized the merge lane was ending. He spun out into the thru lane traffic. Coming to a rest, facing the opposite direction in, the inside lane. That was on a six-lane divided arterial. All because he did not want me in front of him.
I am not going to risk, being in their blind spot. When they want squeeze by me.
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#62
Senior Member
Quoting G.K. Chesterton in this respect. Is going entirely by the vagueness in the traffic law. Ignoring one's own safety. In MD, 'May Use Full Lane', is superseded by 'as close as practicable. There is no addendum to either. Providing further clarification. Because of that ambiguity in the law, I 'take the lane' consistently.
#63
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Yes, it does. I had watched the video the night before and commented on it in the morning and should have reviewed it again, except it was too disturbing.
#64
TeeOhPea 2tha DeeOhGee
Should have been right of rumble strip.
if you have to take the lane for some reason, always go BIG and just f-ing take it. Watch yer back and get in and out as quick as you can, but unabashedly OWN it while you’re in there. It’s counterintuitive that it’s safer. Force them to see you, stand-up, ignore any horn as you do what you gotta do to get in and out and have a safe ride.
This guy dabbled in a gray zone and got burned. Vid doesn’t surprise me at all. If I rode like that I’d half expect to get nailed.
if you have to take the lane for some reason, always go BIG and just f-ing take it. Watch yer back and get in and out as quick as you can, but unabashedly OWN it while you’re in there. It’s counterintuitive that it’s safer. Force them to see you, stand-up, ignore any horn as you do what you gotta do to get in and out and have a safe ride.
This guy dabbled in a gray zone and got burned. Vid doesn’t surprise me at all. If I rode like that I’d half expect to get nailed.
#65
Cycleway town
#66
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Your life is in THEIR hands. People screw up all the time. There is no solution to fixing THEM. Would you set up a lawn chair inside the fog line of a busy highway and watch YouTube vids on your phone as traffic passes inches away. No? Why not? Would that be dangerous? Basically the same thing as biking there.
Don't play in traffic, or go for it and take your chances. <--Here are your two choices.
Don't play in traffic, or go for it and take your chances. <--Here are your two choices.
#67
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Would you set up a lawn chair inside the fog line of a busy highway and watch YouTube vids on your phone as traffic passes inches away. No? Why not? Would that be dangerous? Basically the same thing as biking there.
However I must admit I find your lawn chair analogy a bit flawed analytically, since a lawn chair does not have pedals. Or wheels.
#68
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That's where I would have been.
I agree as a general principle except in this case, because if he'd taken the whole lane he'd have been hit square and would've gone under the vehicle (or maybe over it). The problem wasn't his position in the lane, it was being in a lane when drivers were blinded by the sun.
And yes, it's still the driver's fault for driving unsafely. If you can't see, you gotta slow down.
if you have to take the lane for some reason, always go BIG and just f-ing take it. Watch yer back and get in and out as quick as you can, but unabashedly OWN it while you’re in there. It’s counterintuitive that it’s safer. Force them to see you, stand-up, ignore any horn as you do what you gotta do to get in and out and have a safe ride..
And yes, it's still the driver's fault for driving unsafely. If you can't see, you gotta slow down.
#69
Cop Magnet
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Your life is in THEIR hands. People screw up all the time. There is no solution to fixing THEM. Would you set up a lawn chair inside the fog line of a busy highway and watch YouTube vids on your phone as traffic passes inches away. No? Why not? Would that be dangerous? Basically the same thing as biking there.
Don't play in traffic, or go for it and take your chances. <--Here are your two choices.
Don't play in traffic, or go for it and take your chances. <--Here are your two choices.
#70
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Perhaps tow a ramp-shaped trailer behind the bike?
This is CGI, but you get the picture.
And, a real stunt ramp.
This is CGI, but you get the picture.
And, a real stunt ramp.
#71
Senior Member
The saddest part in this video is how self-centered the driver is. The moment he/she sees the cyclist, he/she starts crying for him/herself. I don't even think he/she tried to help the dude one bit. Just burst into tears thinking "oh what's gonna happen to me now?". This kind of attitude makes me hate mankind even more than i usually do.
#72
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The saddest part in this video is how self-centered the driver is. The moment he/she sees the cyclist, he/she starts crying for him/herself. I don't even think he/she tried to help the dude one bit. Just burst into tears thinking "oh what's gonna happen to me now?". This kind of attitude makes me hate mankind even more than i usually do.
Yes, you can assume the driver was probably panicked and distraught and likely unable to think or function normally: however it's a real stretch to extrapolate this assumption to a cold, uncaring, self-pitying reaction.
Yes they do. They're called recumbent trikes!
Last edited by Moe Zhoost; 09-07-19 at 06:11 AM.
#73
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I find these discussions parallel Paulo Friere's assertions in "Pedagogy of the Oppressed": If you use the language of the oppressor culture (in this case, auto-centric), you give legitamacy to their colonization of traffic....
In Memphis, civil rights era, sanitation workers carried signs asking: "Ain't I a man?"
I often think we need that on the back of our vests/jerseys....
In Memphis, civil rights era, sanitation workers carried signs asking: "Ain't I a man?"
I often think we need that on the back of our vests/jerseys....
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#74
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Also, a rear-view mirror is a lot more useful than a rear facing camera, although not nearly as illustrative after the fact. I doubt that car would have hit me. I would have bailed with about 2 seconds to spare. Been there, done that.
#75
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…Rumbles? If I heard them 50 feet behind myself, they would be a strong wake-up.
If the closing speed is 50 mph, that gives you 0.68 seconds to get out of the way.
...Your cat-like reflexes are much better than mine...
"Cyclist Rear Ended at 55mph"
Thanks to @JW Fas for posting this video. I have posted about learning safety either by experience or vicariously, and this is the best training video I have seen about “bailing out.”
I’m an ardent mirror advocate. Many naysayers disparage the use of the mirror for the rare event as depicted above, just to avoid a rear end collision. IMO a mirror is more frequently used, and more valuable to monitor and anticipate road hazards:...
So as a bailout training video, I have to consider how I would react to [such] a quickly upcomimg car, and make the decision to bail, especially with an inhospitable shoulder.
Thanks to @JW Fas for posting this video. I have posted about learning safety either by experience or vicariously, and this is the best training video I have seen about “bailing out.”
I’m an ardent mirror advocate. Many naysayers disparage the use of the mirror for the rare event as depicted above, just to avoid a rear end collision. IMO a mirror is more frequently used, and more valuable to monitor and anticipate road hazards:...
So as a bailout training video, I have to consider how I would react to [such] a quickly upcomimg car, and make the decision to bail, especially with an inhospitable shoulder.