Driver awareness, divine intervention, and anti-lock brakes
10-01-19, 07:28 AM
#26
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Out for a ride this morning along the roads through my favorite corn fields, thinking deeply about a dear friend I have just lost. I recall seeing a car stop at a cross road about 100 yards up the road, and recall thinking about stopping, but when I got to the intersection I simply kept going without stopping. I recall looking for traffic and noting some about 200 yards to my right and one red truck to my left, and recall thinking of stopping, but for some reason I didn't stop until half way into the intersection after seeing the red truck to my left in a deep nose dive with the anti-lock brakes chirping the front tires.
Popped out of both pedals at the same time, and shrugged as I had no conscious clue the truck was there. The look on the driver's face was one of anger and terror. Thankfully he was aware of what was going on, as clearly I was not. There I was standing in the middle of his lane, looking at the truck coming to a sudden stop, and feeling this force, or hand, or something between the front of the truck and myself. I felt safe for some reason.
Thankfully the driver was aware, the Lord was watching, and someone invented anti-lock brakes.
Popped out of both pedals at the same time, and shrugged as I had no conscious clue the truck was there. The look on the driver's face was one of anger and terror. Thankfully he was aware of what was going on, as clearly I was not. There I was standing in the middle of his lane, looking at the truck coming to a sudden stop, and feeling this force, or hand, or something between the front of the truck and myself. I felt safe for some reason.
Thankfully the driver was aware, the Lord was watching, and someone invented anti-lock brakes.
10-01-19, 07:45 AM
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Wasn't your time to go. I bet a person could spend an entire day, trying in vain to get hit by a car, and fail miserably time after time. I have a feeling that it's much harder to get hit by traffic than it looks. It generally takes a major confluence of events / bad luck for anything really catastrophic to happen on the roads, I suspect.
You'll have to try harder! Place yourself in unexpected places at unexpected times, so an unsuspecting driver is caught by surprise. Extra points if you dress up like a Spanish cardinal!
Seriously, stepping in front of a vehicle without giving the driver time to react is all it takes.
10-01-19, 07:52 AM
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Try intentionally driving your car off the road sometime. You can't do it, your self-preservation reflexes will take over and stop you at the last second.
I think that between the "suicidal" pedestrian's own hesitation, and the driver's reflexes, intentionally getting hit by a car in city traffic would prove very difficult. Though probably not impossible, just difficult.
I think that between the "suicidal" pedestrian's own hesitation, and the driver's reflexes, intentionally getting hit by a car in city traffic would prove very difficult. Though probably not impossible, just difficult.
10-01-19, 08:43 AM
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Try intentionally driving your car off the road sometime. You can't do it, your self-preservation reflexes will take over and stop you at the last second.
I think that between the "suicidal" pedestrian's own hesitation, and the driver's reflexes, intentionally getting hit by a car in city traffic would prove very difficult. Though probably not impossible, just difficult.
I think that between the "suicidal" pedestrian's own hesitation, and the driver's reflexes, intentionally getting hit by a car in city traffic would prove very difficult. Though probably not impossible, just difficult.
10-01-19, 09:12 AM
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Bikecrate, that is a scary situation to be in. Have not been on the bike since this happened last week. Just not feeling like my situational awareness is where it should be. Need to weed out the preoccupation with my thoughts before I hit the road again. As it is October tomorrow, the ride time is limited for the rest of the year and until spring, so I am good with it.
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10-01-19, 07:43 PM
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I can be pretty militant with drivers who endanger my life - I will yell, shake my fist, even chase them down to yell a bit. I’m not proud of it, but the adrenaline takes over sometimes. Also, I want them to know that they’ve screwed up.
On the other hand, I’ve also chased down a couple drivers after I have made mistakes that forced them into evasive maneuvers - so that I can apologize. Fair is fair.
On the other hand, I’ve also chased down a couple drivers after I have made mistakes that forced them into evasive maneuvers - so that I can apologize. Fair is fair.
10-01-19, 07:57 PM
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Wasn't your time to go. I bet a person could spend an entire day, trying in vain to get hit by a car, and fail miserably time after time. I have a feeling that it's much harder to get hit by traffic than it looks. It generally takes a major confluence of events / bad luck for anything really catastrophic to happen on the roads, I suspect.
10-03-19, 12:50 PM
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I've been the driver in this scenario before. Came to all ways stop sign intersection of 2 one way streets. Stopped and watched traffic go on the other one way street, then my turn came up and I started to go...a bike then appeared out of nowhere coming through the stop sign without stopping. Luckily I was able to stop. Scared the sh*t out of both of us and then he looked at me like I did something wrong. If saving his life for doing something stupid was wrong, I guess I can live with that.
10-04-19, 08:57 AM
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10-04-19, 08:59 AM
#36
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I, of course, have never, ever been distracted and done something dumb while on a bike. 
Well, this week.
Mostly because I haven't been riding (tweaked knee).
Well, this week.
Mostly because I haven't been riding (tweaked knee).
10-04-19, 08:35 PM
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Wasn't your time to go. I bet a person could spend an entire day, trying in vain to get hit by a car, and fail miserably time after time. I have a feeling that it's much harder to get hit by traffic than it looks. It generally takes a major confluence of events / bad luck for anything really catastrophic to happen on the roads, I suspect.
I worry about getting hit by a car just walking the dog through the neighborhood.
