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Incident with cyclist while driving

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Incident with cyclist while driving

Old 09-25-20, 06:03 AM
  #26  
MntnMan62
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When I am riding on roads I always take great care to be aware of the cars around me. When I maneuver into the lane of traffic while going around people walking or other obstacles like leaf piles or debris, I always turn my head to look behind me before making my move. When I ride on roads with little or no shoulder I do my best to stay close to the edge of the macadam. This morning after I dropped my son off for his ride to school I was heading back and there were quite a few bikers out at 7AM. I found it interesting that several of them were riding out in the lane of traffic even though there is a big shoulder. He was crowding me making it difficult for me to pass him without me veering into oncoming traffic. I've read too many posts from other bikers on these forums who actually think it's their responsibility to "train" drivers to share the road by unnecessarily riding in the traffic lane even though they could be riding on the shoulder. I always give other bikers a wide berth as I go around them while I'm driving out of respect for the fact that often I am the one on the bike. But when I see a biker who has no reason to be in my traffic lane it makes me feel that that biker is trying to prove a point. I have no desire to hit anyone, but one day those same bikers may not be so lucky. Why do some bikers take that risk and make things so difficult for drivers in cars?
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Old 09-25-20, 07:07 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by pcunite
Did he have a rear or front daylight powered light?

I see a lot of cyclist putting themselves in unnecessary danger. Cars are 3K to 5K lbs vehicles. Drivers are not looking for tiny slivers, they are looking for other cars. Be prideful all you want, and be dead too. I'm a cyclist too, I don't expect cars to be looking out for "my rights".

And that in a nutshell it what is wrong with the world...
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Old 09-25-20, 08:29 AM
  #28  
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Here's the deal with this one, it's still your responsibility pulling out.

If you can't see, you creep up until you can, then you go.

Someday, instead of an electrical box blocking your view it could be a tighter city block with a building on the corner. Good luck telling a garbage truck to "move over far enough that I could see you or you could avoid me".

I'm just trying to point out that placing the blame on the cyclist here won't work for your when it is a motor vehicle and a different object blocking your view. Given that, why would you alter your behavior by placing an extra expectation on the cyclist that you wouldn't receive from a motor vehicle?
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Old 09-25-20, 10:00 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by vespasianus
A cyclist appeared? So he was going in the same direction as you and with no traffic, you failed to see him and pulled out in front of him? And you think in a situation like that he should move into the road further?

Think about how you would feel if you were the cyclist and that happened to you?


No, the cyclist came from the left, and I made a left turn from a cross street at a T intersection. There's also a crosswalk with pushbutton flashing lights, a school, and sometimes a crossing guard for schoolkids.
I've made this same turn practically daily for over 20 years, and done the cyclist's route on a bike countless times. My extra long van was already in the intersection when the cyclist got there, and he kept his line and passed behind me after braking.
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Old 09-25-20, 10:15 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by Iride01
I've had similar stuff both with me as motorist and with me as cyclist. It's great that you thought to check later to see why you missed seeing them. Not sure that you could relate that to any other person that can or would make something happen with respect to the view being blocked.

All we can really do is just be thankful that circumstances had a good outcome and hopefully taught us another way we must look out for those that won't look out for themselves. Maybe the cyclist will notice the issue too that you were trying to explain and change some of their habits.

I too feel I should make myself seen when I ride.
I completely agree with you. Thanks for your reply Could you tell us more?
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Old 09-25-20, 11:50 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by woodcraft
...
No traffic either direction, so I pulled out, and a cyclist appeared, & had to slow & go behind me.
There was traffic from one direction: the cyclist.

It sounds like a non-event except for the cyclist chewing you out, and while he is foolish for riding carelessly at dusk with no light, don't you agree that he does have some grounds for complaint?
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Old 09-25-20, 12:31 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by MntnMan62
When I am riding on roads I always take great care to be aware of the cars around me. When I maneuver into the lane of traffic while going around people walking or other obstacles like leaf piles or debris, I always turn my head to look behind me before making my move. When I ride on roads with little or no shoulder I do my best to stay close to the edge of the macadam. This morning after I dropped my son off for his ride to school I was heading back and there were quite a few bikers out at 7AM. I found it interesting that several of them were riding out in the lane of traffic even though there is a big shoulder. He was crowding me making it difficult for me to pass him without me veering into oncoming traffic. I've read too many posts from other bikers on these forums who actually think it's their responsibility to "train" drivers to share the road by unnecessarily riding in the traffic lane even though they could be riding on the shoulder. I always give other bikers a wide berth as I go around them while I'm driving out of respect for the fact that often I am the one on the bike. But when I see a biker who has no reason to be in my traffic lane it makes me feel that that biker is trying to prove a point. I have no desire to hit anyone, but one day those same bikers may not be so lucky. Why do some bikers take that risk and make things so difficult for drivers in cars?
This post would be gold as its own thread in A&S.
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Old 09-25-20, 01:03 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by AlmostTrick
This post would be gold as its own thread in A&S.
I wanted to give you a like or plus 1 on that, but I'm not quite sure how to read manner and tone in which you said that.

If you meant because it exemplifies that "I always do right and I never make a mistake", then you get a
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Old 09-25-20, 01:06 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by AlmostTrick
This post would be gold as its own thread in A&S.
I get it. You focus on one small part of my post where I say "my" lane of traffic. Interesting how you don't highlight the fact that I always give bikers a "wide berth" when passing them. Nice way to take something out of context and ignore the rest of the post. And I stand behind my statement. The MIDDLE OF THE ROAD is the not the domain of bikes unless they have nowhere else to go. That is how I ride and how I expect other bikers to ride when I'm driving. Yes, let's make it it's own thread then. Have at it.
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Old 09-25-20, 01:07 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Iride01
I wanted to give you a like or plus 1 on that, but I'm not quite sure how to read manner and tone in which you said that.

If you meant because it exemplifies that "I always do right and I never make a mistake", then you get a
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Old 09-25-20, 01:18 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by woodcraft
No, the cyclist came from the left, and I made a left turn from a cross street at a T intersection. .
Seems to me if he was on your left and you turned left you would be going head-on, so how could he have passed you later.

Did you perhaps mean you made a right turn?

Not trying to pick nits, just a little confused.
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Old 09-25-20, 01:30 PM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by MntnMan62
... the MIDDLE OF THE ROAD is the not the domain of bikes unless they have nowhere else to go. .
That is in fact exactly the law in almost every continental state (I have only ridden and and thus researched 2/3 or 3/4 of them, but since it is the law in Every state I checked, I assume it is the law in the rest.)

The law says "As far right as is practicable" in all those states. The law also allows cyclists to take the lane, but lists a host of possible justifications, among which "training drivers to wait behind snotty cyclists" is not one.

Some cyclists seem to think "Share the road" means, "If I deign to, I will allow cars to use My road" instead of thinking "Let's all cooperate so we can all get where we are going with maximum safety and minimum inconvenience."

But I think I have wasted enough paragraphs on debating "Take the lane" versus "Share the road."

In this case the driver cut off a cyclist he didn't see. No harm, no foul, and a good reminder to look more closely .... but we all have our off moments. When we mess up and no one gets hurts, it is a good learning experience. Instead of saying, "I made an error but I never do anything wrong and am considerate so this error cannot be correctly identified as an error," why not just say "Oops. Glad he saw me when I didn't see him. Good wake-up call."?

The fact that a driver pulled out into oncoming traffic without being completely sure that there was a safe opening in traffic is the fact with which we are dealing. The driver Failed to see an oncoming cyclist---which is "traffic"--and pulled into traffic in a slightly unsafe manner. No huge deal---unless the driver denies the facts.

To say he would not do anything differently is ludicrous. Why wouldn't the driver take Greater care at that intersection in the future, knowing as he now does that there is a blind spot which can hide approaching traffic?

What, the driver will keep pulling out into oncoming traffic until he finally hits and kills a cyclist?

Makes no sense. ("Didn't work once, why not do it again?")

OP, you screwed up, in a very minor and understandable way. You pulled out into traffic without taking sufficient care to make sure it was safe. if you keep denying that .... well, it is your life to ruin through dishonesty. Hopefully you don't also ruin some cyclist's life by doing the same thing again and hitting him or her.
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Old 09-25-20, 08:08 PM
  #38  
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Now that we've finished moralising everybody read that article I posted about saccades.
Once you know why you miss things, even when you think you are alert, it's easy to take steps to see better, whether riding or driving or flying a fighter plane.
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Old 09-25-20, 09:25 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by Trevtassie
fascinating article, thanks for posting.
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Old 09-25-20, 10:13 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
Seems to me if he was on your left and you turned left you would be going head-on, so how could he have passed you later.

Did you perhaps mean you made a right turn?

Not trying to pick nits, just a little confused.

This was my position before I turned left. The cyclist was coming from the left. Since one already looks as far left as possible for approaching traffic, I don't think it was a matter of a blind spot as discussed in the article.


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Old 09-26-20, 10:33 AM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by woodcraft
This was my position before I turned left. The cyclist was coming from the left. Since one already looks as far left as possible for approaching traffic, I don't think it was a matter of a blind spot as discussed in the article.


Originally Posted by woodcraft
Last night at 7:00, I was crossing the main street coming in to town- 2 lanes, bike lanes, no parking, traffic 25-30mph, driving my large white & heavily loaded van. This is blocks from my house so a maneuver that happens almost daily, and where I also ride regularly.
No traffic either direction, so I pulled out, and a cyclist appeared, & had to slow & go behind me. .
if you were crossing the hear lane and turning left, and the cyclist was coming from the left, how would the cyclist "go behind" and end up following you and then passing you? Did the cyclist do a U-turn just to chase you down? Also. I don't see a bike lane.
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Old 09-26-20, 11:15 AM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
if you were crossing the hear lane and turning left, and the cyclist was coming from the left, how would the cyclist "go behind" and end up following you and then passing you? Did the cyclist do a U-turn just to chase you down? Also. I don't see a bike lane.

Yeah, I pulled out, he passed behind me after I was in the intersection, made a U turn, and we conversed where I stopped in front of the church. Between the broken white line and the curb is the bike lane.


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Old 09-26-20, 11:41 AM
  #43  
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Thanks.

You were still at fault, but I always want the clearest possible understanding if I am going to comment.
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