CoogansBluff

Was riding today on a pretty straight country road, and two cars are coming in the opposite direction. One, a pickup truck, decides to pass the other, clearly not seeing me, but with time for me to react. So I ease over to the grass, continuing to pedal forward, and the three vehicles (car, car & bike) arrive at pretty much the same time, three-abreast. The ''middle'' (aka passing) car was probably going 50-60 mph.


I could see it unfolding in plenty of time to make other arrangements, and I had a convenient escape route instead of a ditch or worse, so it didn't make me that nervous. But hours later, I'm thinking 'Holy Crap!' Wonder if either driver wet his pants for a split-second.


I guess there's no question in this. Maybe just needed to share it somewhere since I doubt my wife would enjoy hearing about it. Or to remind folks to stay alert to their surroundings and the unpredictability of motor vehicles.

Polaris OBark

I had a similar experience recently. The passing vehicle (also a pickup) driver clearly saw me when I flipped him off. He had the temerity to start honking at me. Clearly I was road scum impeding his progress, nothing more, and I didn't know my place in the pecking order.

The message is clear: Get the hell out of the way or die.

CoogansBluff

Wow, that's just sinister. Wish more of these criminals could be held accountable. In my case, I'm assuming the driver didn't see me. But who knows.

DeadGrandpa

You just made the case for having a forward facing white (flashing or non-flashing) headlight. I'm partial to using a flashing headlight, myself. That way, oncoming drivers will definitely see you.

79pmooney

I saw that a few years ago. No shoulder. A ditch. Just before the car got to me, I came to a 24' widening of the pavement for a farm dirt road turnoff into a field. Moved over. Car passed me (doing more like 70+; a hot Camaro type passing a long line of traffic ahead of him). Whew! Then "the ditch!" Yanked the front wheel back onto the road despite it being in gravel. Bike made it nicely. (I'd just mounted probably the best ever tires to make that sudden turn.)

Somebody was looking after me. I had no idea that wide stretch was there until I had to get off the road.

Polaris OBark

I have one I use on every ride (along with a Garmin Radar tail light).

The guy clearly saw me and did it anyway. That isn't uncommon at that location (which is the intersection of a road and a gravel fire-road which is the collective trail-head for a state park on one side and a certain university of CA on the other side, so loads of mountain bikers, kids, etc., who piss off drivers that think they own the road and happily drive 75 mph in a 40 mph zone.

CoogansBluff

Hadn't thought of that. I've actually got one but hadn't been using it.

Polaris OBark

Unless someone is a sociopath, it will give you a great deal of extra protection. (So will a tail light, especially the radar version). I purchased the little cubic Bontrager one, which turns on automagically (along with Viara radar) when I turn on my Garmin 530. I ride a lot under the redwood canopy, so it is essential, even during the daytime.

Spandex_fairy

The best is when they intentionally attempt to clip you to "teach you a lesson"

MoAlpha

We are talking about prevalence estimates for the full-blown Axis II disorder of 0.5–3.5% of the population, so there's a chambered bullet or two out there on every ride.

Kai Winters

"I'm in a big hurry to go somewhere very important and I'm more important than everyone else"...typical of many drives...most are middle aged adults, not kids...very few police around so they get away with it...not much you can do...even if you catch it on video the police generally don't do anything unless they see it themselves.
We've devolved into a world where a holes get away with far too much...

easyupbug 

We have summered in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains of WY for 43 years and the riding is remarkable. The only way I can explain it is to guess the locals dodge a lot of deer and other wildlife so pay attention and take care. With perhaps a couple of exceptions in what has to be thousands of passings when passing on a narrow two lane or even a wide highway they move as far left of me as they can in the oncoming lane. I have twice notised in my rear view mirror a car/truck coming up on me slow down behind me on a highway as an oncoming car/truck, the one behind me and I were going to be close when they passed. Thus allowing the vehicle behind me to pass as far physically left of me as the highway would allow.

CoogansBluff

I've got the tail light w/ radar. Can't imagine that I rode for a time without one. Best bike purchase I've made.

Chuck Naill

I use a forward-facing white flashing light always.

Koyote

Which explains why the OP's experience has happened to me quite a few times, even with a daytime headlight.

Don't know if it's the best bike purchase I've made, but it's pretty great. I've never seen a post from someone who's tried it and didn't like it.

rumrunn6

maybe add a front light?

Polaris OBark

In my example, it is near an academic institution, on a road leading to where many faculty live, so the estimate of 3.5% is an order of magnitude too small.

MoAlpha

Oh, the stories I could (and do) tell!

wheelreason

Happens semi regularly I'm sorry to say, it's almost always a pickup around here, and it's usually not unintentional...

CliffordK

I've had this happen to me from time to time.

I don't have a daytime light. But, I always wave my arm so I should be visible. I've never had a car give up and pull back behind the vehicle they're following. Fortunately the roads it has happened on have had good enough shoulders.

The worst I've had was around Crater Lake. Car passing uphill bound bicycle. I was headed downhill at about 40 MPH. Rough road and sheer dropoff to my right, and no shoulder. I was taking the lane. So, cars passing the uphill bikes decided they should lane split, assuming I would move out from the middle of the lane. I found it to be extremely uncomfortable.

DeadGrandpa

Unfortunately, as related above, daytime lights only make sure you are SEEN, not avoided. There are definitely drivers who don't respect your right to be on any road. The only way to diminish your risk is to ride in a very rural area (fewer cars) but even then, it's still risky. I ride with front/rear lights on rural and remote roads, but I've ridden dedicated bike paths and gravel roads; they are definitely safer. We make our choices and minimize the perceived risk, but we're still taking a chance.

znomit

It's about the only time I ever flip anyone off.

Chuck Naill

I don't flip anyone off. People carry guns or other implements that could be used as a weapon against a vulnerable human on a device requiring balancing to remain erect.

Where I used to ride was in a very rural area with two lane roads and no shoulder. I felt the people who drove without regard toward me might have thought I wasn't their neighbor. A friend once told me a race director complained to him that his driveway gravel was on the road and he needed to be removed because she was planning a road race. He told her she could borrow his shovel.

I know these bothers some and I know we have a right to use public roads, but have you ever had to follow a group of 15 riders on a rural road for five miles?

Spandex_fairy

If it weren't so inconvenient, I'd carry while riding. It's amazing that seeing a cyclist on the road can trigger people's psychopathy.

Chuck Naill

I am not going to carry. I have never in 68 years felt I needed one on my hip.