rickrob 

I saw this video on the news last night. I'm really glad the cyclist is OK, it sure could have been worse. I hope they find the driver and press charges.

https://whdh.com/news/state-police-s...ver-in-boston/

mr_bill

Red 2002/2003 Subaru Impreza Wagon with pre-existing damage to passenger side front bumper, probable passenger side rear quarter damage, and steel wheels.

-mr. bill

rumrunn6

man that looks like a rough rotary to navigate on a bike






waaaay worse than the Concord rotary on Route 2 that I sometimes ride thru

Chris0516

It is a round-a-bout. But I am splitting hairs.

Some people love them. But I hate them, for exactly what happened in the video. There is one near my house, and I hate going through. People drive through/enter it, too fast. I totally agree with the need for traffic lights.

TheLibrarian

I thought the whole point of roundabouts is to replace traffic lights. Boston is one of the old citites where roads developed naturally from horse trails being small winding and having messed up intersections.

mr_bill

Colnago Mixte

Playing devil's advocate, you could say she failed to react, a bit like the woman who got her car crushed by the tanker truck. You can't just sit back and expect vehicles to always do the right thing 100% of the time, sometimes you need to correct other people's mistakes for them, but in any event you need to react to dangerous situations like that, no one is gonna do it for you.

mr_bill

Colnago Mixte

Yeah, BIKE not car.

I'm arguing, I mean the devil only is arguing in favor of some basic defensive skills. Right of way is irrelevant in life or death situations, sort that crap out later. Save it for your lawsuit against the broke drunk deadbeat driver who hit you.

mr_bill

MikeyMK

Here, that sign wouldn't be yellow. Ours are blue. And they don't have just a walking man on, there's a walking man and a bicycle. The cyclist wouldn't have been on the road in the first place, he'd have been on that path. Our motorists drive like nutters, the roads here are no place for cyclists.

Colnago Mixte

And additionally, everyone would be on the wrong other side of the road. That is if they were on a road at all. Which they wouldn't be.

GamblerGORD53

Jim from Boston

Cyclist struck by hit and run driver in Boston
I frequently encounter “traffic circles” here in Metro Boston, and I am actually acquainted with the cyclist in that video; she’s doing OK.

My strategy is to remain on the outer circumference of the rotary from my entrance to my exit. In particular (but not just for rotaries),

trailangel

Looks like a 50-50 responsibility there, and a bad intersection.
But shame on that Subaru driver for not stopping......Share The Love....not

NewATBikeComute

Not only did the Subaru come from behind the cyclist, and essentially right-hook her, while the cyclist stayed in her lane, then the driver had to swing rapidly to the right to avoid the stopped car in the left lane.


Clearly going too fast for the circumstances, and nearly a more serious accident. Unable to conclude whether the driver was distracted, stupid, intending to harm, under the influence, because there aren't enough facts (for me) to make conclusions, but sure glad the cyclist was not injured more seriously.


That is a tough area; have driven through there, and don't like it during/near rush hour in a car. I would not feel comfortable going through on a bike; this is NOT a criticism of those who are comfortable but an expression of my skill/comfort level.

rickrob 

That's what I thought too-- Seemed to me there was plenty of time to see the cyclist in the rotary. The driver then swerves around the stopped car and hits the brakes just behind the second cyclist that had exited the rotary.

Colnago Mixte

Driver was probably just trying to avoid the bike, at least in their own mind. That's probably what they will say if they're ever caught. I'm not excusing them at all, they created a very bad situation for themselves AND the bike, and should be taken off the road ASAP.

mr_bill

northernlights

For the life of me I don't see how the driver was at fault. The cyclist appears to come out of nowhere and swerves/rams right into the drivers blindspot, in an almost deliberate, suicidal manner. Very strange.

Colnago Mixte

Normally when you slam into the side of someone else's car, you are considered "at fault". I don't see how being on a bike should give automatically a person a pass. If anything, a bike steers and stops much quicker, so slamming into the side of a car becomes even more inexcusable.

* slams into side of a car later on today *

Brocephus

It's stories like this that make me thankful for the lightly trafficked rural roads I ride on (with some stretches being very,very lightly trafficked!).
On a related note, I used to know a Canadian guy back when I lived/worked/raced down in Cozumel,Mexico, that traveled around the world, riding and even racing, well into his 50's (and maybe 60's). Well just recently, while surfing through Facebook, I found out that he had been hit by a driver and killed, a year earlier.
Also, while shopping in Harbor Freight a couple weeks ago, I stumbled across a local bike mechanic I hadn't seen in ages. He'd been hit by a driver years ago, spent some time in the hospital, and when he got his insurance settlement, used the money to buy a partnership, and job, at what's probably the best bike shop in the area.

Colnago Mixte

Rural roads can be dangerous too, people go faster and are not expecting to see anyone else, especially someone on a bike. Don't get lulled into a false sense of security.

I like urban riding because I like racing cars, sprinting for lights, avoiding obstacles, pounding on the side of cars, trucks and buses that almost hit me, you feel like you've been in battle after a day of that, nothing like it, provided you survive to ride another day.

Aaapops

Just want to add a few quotes from MA driver manual:
Rotary Traffic Rules:
... Use your turn signals in the same way as any other intersection. Travel through the rotary and, when you are ready to exit, use your right turn signal.
... For a quarter-turn, or to continue straight ahead, enter the rotary from the right lane. Stay in that lane, and exit onto the right lane.
... In a multiple-lane rotary, there may be traffic on both sides of your vehicle. Do not attempt to move out of your lane until it is safe to do so. If you miss your exit, don’t get upset. Check the traffic around you. If it is safe to do so, go around again and position your vehicle to properly and safely exit the rotary

As a motorist in the presence of bicycles:
• Do Not Cut-Off After Passing: When passing a bicycle traveling in the same direction that is on your right, you must not return to the right until you have safely passed the overtaken bicycle. (Chap. 89, Sec. 2)
• Do Not Make an Abrupt Turn After Passing: When passing a bicycle near an intersection or driveway where you want to turn right, you cannot turn unless you are at a safe distance from the bicycle
• Watch for Bicycles on Your Right: Bicycles can legally ride to the right of motor vehicle traffic. The law says it is not a defense for a motorist causing a crash with a bicycle that the bicycle was to the right of other traffic. (Chap. 85, Sec 11B)

rumrunn6

zactly, jump to 1:07