I gotta vent
11-20-19, 09:29 AM
#26
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11-20-19, 09:30 AM
#27
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So, @Happy Feet, you are suggesting that when I see and sense that someone I am perpendicular to appears not to be coming to a complete and full stop at their stop sign that the wise move for me is to accelerate into the intersection and toward him and into his path anyway? That this display of confidence and assuredness on my part will somehow convince him to stop? I suppose that is possible. My problem with this, though, is, what if I am wrong about that? If I hadn't 'hesitated,' as you describe it, I probably would have eaten his front end. Game possibly over. At the very least, probably a destroyed rather expensive bike.
As I say, I have been hit before. Not my first rodeo. I do know my town and it is abundantly clear that cars routinely blow stop signs and red lights here. Routinely. There is zero question that I would have been hit again by now if I didn't ride as I do. That is 100%. So, I guess I'll take the 'hesitant' label and run with it. If 'hesitant' keeps me out of the SICU, I'm good with that. At least I still have my bike.
As I say, I have been hit before. Not my first rodeo. I do know my town and it is abundantly clear that cars routinely blow stop signs and red lights here. Routinely. There is zero question that I would have been hit again by now if I didn't ride as I do. That is 100%. So, I guess I'll take the 'hesitant' label and run with it. If 'hesitant' keeps me out of the SICU, I'm good with that. At least I still have my bike.
Let's just look at it from the drivers perspective, taking your personal feelings out of the equation as he can't know them:
I get to a cross street where I have no stop and no light. I am to go. There is a Lexus SUV perpendicular to me to my right approaching his stop sign... I hit my brakes anyway... He slows way down as he approaches his stop sign... It looks and feels like he is going to stop. Looks like he's stopping. Good... I begin to pedal, somewhat reluctantly... I am now looking right at him, because he still hasn't totally stopped... He turns and looks directly at me... Then he hits the accelerator and screams through the stop sign, while looking right at me!. By then, I had just stopped.
Maybe he is slowing because he knows you have the right of way, wonders why you would stop if you have the right of way, slows and is waiting for you to go, wonders why are you not going, see's you look at him slow down and still not going even though you have the right of way and finally just decides you don't know what you want to do and goes.
Can you not see where your actions create the confusion there? Imagine the chaos if everyone drove that way.
Or...
Cars drivers always bad - Bicycle riders always right. Take your pick.
Last edited by Happy Feet; 11-20-19 at 09:43 AM.
11-20-19, 09:48 AM
#28
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I can see that the OP's hesitation may have been a bit frustrating for the driver. I get confused if the person who has the right of way doesn't take it. Still, if there was a stop sign, the driver was supposed to stop whether anyone was coming or not.
11-20-19, 10:58 AM
#29
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Let's start a thread telling bicycle riders they should stop at all stop signs and see how that goes...
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11-20-19, 11:08 AM
#30
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I frequently post about my my “safety aphorisms” that come to mind when I encounter a situation where unseen or unanticipated dangers lurk. As a flip side of the situation where the driver at night apparently did not see the cyclist, I remind myself at intersections or driveways, “When riding at night, look for cars, not just headlights.”
I fear getting lulled into a sense of security since car headlights are so obvious. I think that drivers without headlights at night, though may be inadvertent on well-illuminated roads, might be more likely to be inattentive.
I fear getting lulled into a sense of security since car headlights are so obvious. I think that drivers without headlights at night, though may be inadvertent on well-illuminated roads, might be more likely to be inattentive.
I once heard a sheriff comment that in his experience with such crashes, they always occur in the left lane of the freeway. He thought that although the intoxicated driver got on the freeway via an exit ramp, they are at least cognizant enough to drive on their right (but incorrect) side of the road, truly the left lane for normal travel.
So when no preceding cars are in sight, he advised driving on the correct right side of the road, lest a wrong way,un-illuminated car is approaching on the left. FWIW.
11-20-19, 01:31 PM
#31
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I was riding home today from work later than normal in the dark. I have a 1000 lumen head light on high and I even tipped it up a little bit to shoot the beam farther and be seen. Not once but 2x some one started to pull out in front of me at an intersection that I didnt have a stop sign. Just saying.
I assume that nobody sees me - and that they are all about to do something that would be dangerous to me. And that includes joggers, dog walkers, and other cyclists.
11-20-19, 02:55 PM
#32
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I was riding home today from work later than normal in the dark. I have a 1000 lumen head light on high and I even tipped it up a little bit to shoot the beam farther and be seen. Not once but 2x some one started to pull out in front of me at an intersection that I didnt have a stop sign. Just saying.
I run a front strobe during the day when I ride through town, because people are frequently looking for parking spots rather than at where they're going, so if my strobe catches at least some eyes, it's a benefit. Purely anecdotal, of course, but I watch "cars trying to pull out" like a hawk, and if I see a front wheel start to roll, I yell "WAIT!!" as loud as I can - seems to work (but ready to hit the brakes in case it doesn't).
11-20-19, 03:20 PM
#33
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That's what I was thinking. It's not at all unusual for motor vehicle drivers to underestimate how fast a competent rider is going.
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11-20-19, 04:55 PM
#34
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This kind of thing happens to all of us. And everyone is entitled to making dumb choices. We're human. I'm glad nothing happened to you.
Next time, own your space and don't even look in the direction of the person whose supposed to be waiting at the sign. Just ride your line. Because I swear, it's like some game people get off on to see if they can intimidate other road users at intersections and roundabouts.
Best thing you can do? A warm sincere smile once you're passing them doing your legal thing. Sort of a.. confirmation that things are alright. (But not before. Timing is everything)
Next time, own your space and don't even look in the direction of the person whose supposed to be waiting at the sign. Just ride your line. Because I swear, it's like some game people get off on to see if they can intimidate other road users at intersections and roundabouts.
Best thing you can do? A warm sincere smile once you're passing them doing your legal thing. Sort of a.. confirmation that things are alright. (But not before. Timing is everything)
