Almost Lights-Out ! .. close calls..

Last night on my way home.. i almost became one with the road.. in more ways than imaginable...

I'm going up St George Blvd at aprox 35 km/h, in the bicycle lane, and yes.. i admit it.. i was going Against traffic.. not with it.. but there is a good reason for this, been doing this route for 10 years now.. i know it well.. and if i ride on the other side with traffic flow i have to cross 4 lanes of 100 km/h traffic .. 2one way.. 2 the other.. = bad...

So..

I'm going straight, on my left is a big half tonne pickup truck that comes to a complete stop at a merge.. i'm aprox 40 ft away.. he has plenty of chances to merge in traffic but he's not moving... i assume he's waiting for me to pass him....

As soon as i get within 10 ft of his front bumper.. he steps on it !! .. i swere right... into on-comming traffic.. clear his bumper by about an inch with my feet way up in the air waiting for the impact... miraculously i clear the bumpter and swerve HARD left to avoid the on-comming car who is now drifting into the other lane getting close to another car....

My heart just about stopped... well.. actually.. it did stop for a bit...yikes...

I get one of these per year usually... and my monthly " not as close call " .. anyone else ? or do you all ride like Xyster ?

Ypedal said:

or do you all ride like Xyster ?

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Riding as much as possible off the beaten track, I face a different set of risks. I'd rather get bumped-off by a crazy squirrel, whacked by a tree branch, or ride off the edge of a cliff, than get squashed like a bug on a windshield by an idiot/incapable/homicidal/distracted driver.

I voted monthly. About once a month, someone tries to drag race me to a turn when I'm riding with traffic. I don't know how many times I almost hit the back of a car or truck (anyone that's seen my videos have seen this first hand). I just wish I had a big steel bumper so I can "bump" them at low speed just to ding up the back of their car for being impatient

I've had my share of close calls with both cars and critters. Hell, even component failures can be deadly.

Knightmb needs to mount a MK19 on the handlebars

fechter said:

I've had my share of close calls with both cars and critters. Hell, even component failures can be deadly.

Knightmb need to mount a MK19 on the handlebars

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Hmmm... kinda bulky... two hands....

RPGs can fire with one hand:

Yes, that's much better. So light you could carry two.

There must also be a way to generate an EMP using the batteries on the bike. The problem is how to keep your own controller from frying. I should have that worked out by next week.

wooooo... i'll take 2 !!! dozen !

I selected yearly.

I don't have issues with cars, having developed a kinda ESP-like knowledge of traffic. Sometimes I'll bump or kick them though. Usually when something bad happens it's because I can't brain that day - I have the dumb.

EG: "I wonder if I can pop this 2 meter gap between the road and the overpass with construction garbage and machinery all over the place, and an orange plastic hedge fence right in the middle of the gap, with my massive 50lb tank of a bike that has two racks & a lightly loaded milkcrate up front, that I've never seriously tried to jump stuff with before" = ruined front wheel, ruined frame bent behind the headtube... Ok, so I was so drunk I could barely walk, probably explains why that must have seemed like a good idea at the time.

Well, you get the idea...

Yearly, I think.

Most recent: Bastard pulled blindly into the crosswalk. Half a second later and he would have shoved me into four lanes of traffic . I hit the brakes hard and endo'd into his car 8).

As a motorcylist for over a decade on Sydney's roads - with 2 bad "offs" caused by car drivers - I thought I had seen everything. Well... that was before I started riding bicycles - the sheer disregard & annimosity shown to a bicycle riders is to be frank - frightning! From being spat at, glass bottles tossed at you from a car taveling 100kms an hour - to simply being run off the road. On a motor bike - 1. a driver would not dare pull these stunts & 2. if they did "accidently" nearly kill you - they quicky roll up their windows & have eyes front when you polietly tap an armoured knuckle against their window as the next set of lights.
It just goes to show - that you do not know what you do not know. I now have "no go roads" & even suburbs on my commute - it takes longer but I have a better chance of getting to my destination in one piece & with my nerves in tact. Needless to say the little ladie & co - are blissfully unaware - which keeps me pedaling...

A few months ago, I was cruising happily in the bike lane towards a shopping center. Lady in driveway pulls out, sees me, and pulls out further, so I have a clear lane. Nice lady, I think.

Then, I guess she had second thoughts, because she lets her car roll back into the bike lane, just as I'm about to cross her. I swerve right, and slam into the front of the car behind her.

I wish I'd hit her car, because I made a big dent in the guy's fender. Let it not be said, however, that there are no nice people left in Los Angeles. The guy was an angel. First, he asked if I was ok, then he dismissed my apologies and offers to pay for the damage. Said his car was a wreck anyway, popped his side marker on, asked once more if I was ok, and then headed off.

Nearly got pwned TWICE in one ride a little while back.

Guy pulls out, I see him, and hit the brakes. Not too bad.

Little later, I go to cross a driveway (very dangerous to actually be on the street on this road), and a guy pulls up way too fast (15mph +). I clip his license plate with my pedal pretty hard. Probably broke some plastic off. I didn't check, though.

After that I'm like, "Screw this, I'm going home for the day!"

Link said:

Nearly got pwned TWICE in one ride a little while back.

Guy pulls out, I see him, and hit the brakes. Not too bad.

Little later, I go to cross a driveway (very dangerous to actually be on the street on this road), and a guy pulls up way too fast (15mph +). I clip his license plate with my pedal pretty hard. Probably broke some plastic off. I didn't check, though.

After that I'm like, "Screw this, I'm going home for the day!"

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Reminds me of one my guys walking to work (he a "walker" go figure - I think he misses the concept of technology sometimes - but each to the own ) - he's walking along the foot path & a mum with kids in back- with cellphone jammed in her ear almost takes him out permantly - but manages to "just" to clip his leg in her suburban SUV as she powers up her driveway. Apparently after he gets up & dusts himself off -accepts the a plenitude of the usual sorries - "I did not see you ..really !!!" claims on offer - it clicks this assailant is a MILF..a quick 180 Q&A = she's divorced! So playing the sympathy card - he gets a "date" for a coffee. Feeling very pleased with himself - he gives me a call & tells me that he will be running 15 min late etc. Shaking my head & pondering a young buck's luck - I get back to work. Within 5 minutes I have another call - this time it's my guy howling in pain for an ambulance (apparently called the last number he dialled) - he'd been waving goodbye to his new found friend & got taken out by a reversing "people mover" at the very next driveway. :lol: It was'nt funny sorting out the worker's insurance - but I still smile when I think about it - he really should have "struck while the iron was hot " - booked off & spent an after noon with the 1st acquaintance - rather than 2 weeks off work - recovering. I know - I'm bad... but this was just plain funny in hindsight.

nitecheck said:

but I still smile when I think about it - he really should have "struck while the iron was hot " - booked off & spent an after noon with the 1st acquaintance - rather than 2 weeks off work - recovering. I know - I'm bad... but this was just plain funny in hindsight.

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Maybe he got "nursed" for two weeks by the dame?

fechter said:

Yes, that's much better. So light you could carry two.

There must also be a way to generate an EMP using the batteries on the bike. The problem is how to keep your own controller from frying. I should have that worked out by next week.

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You could use a voltage multiplier (or even a modified camera flash circuit) to charge a capacitor to a thousand volts or so, then discharge it through a thin wire, making it explode. The collapsing magnetic field should be sufficient to fry anything within range. Don't know why I didn't think of this before.

I believe a Faraday cage would protect your controller admirably .

...

Does anybody else find it odd that I just kinda knew this off the top of my head?

Link said:

Does anybody else find it odd that I just kinda knew this off the top of my head?

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No... DoctorBass' sig-file has got wannabee terrorists eating beans and playing with flatus tubes.

Okay, good. It's not just me .

I've seen two motorcycle accidents. First one: motorcycle gets cut-off by garbage truck. He lays it down and motorcycle hits garbage truck, rider just skids on pavement. He gets up looking at his hands. Second one: (last week) motorcycle slows down and tries to go around a stopped car that was waiting to turn left. Somehow a bus is already in that lane. He ends up in between the bus and car and crashes into the side of car going down. He sits on the ground holding his hand as an ambulance arrives.

I've noticed that as you approach intersections, it seems to narrow and any room for a bike is gone. If there is traffic I just go on the sidewalk to get out of the lane. I know most bikers will probably just take the lane risking it but seeing how easy it is for motorcycles to go down, I try to be safe and at least eliminate that part of it. I'll cross the street in the crosswalk and not think I'm bad ass sitting in the "car" lane. This always pisses drivers off.

WHOA... i almost had my " yearly " this morning !!!!!

Construction going on near my house, and they have those " CAUTION - MEN AT WORK " signs on wooden stands every 100 ft on the side of the road... . yeah...

One side is painted bright orange, but the other is just bare aluminum.

I'm late for work as usual( well.. more like .. " just in time " for work ) and i'm blasting along at 28 mph.. on the wrong side of the street.. yeah. i know.. but traffic was backed up on the other side so i was using the empty lane to my advantage....

I looked to my right and checking for a gap in traffic so i could get back on the proper side of the road when i look forward again.. yep.. there we have it .. nice big aluminum sign... right .. there.. no time to react.. i just lifted my left foot and held on tight to the handlebars...

CLANG... clipped my left pedal.. hard.. but i kept it upright !!!!

damn that would have sucked.. in a body cast for my 3 weeks of vacation starting in 7 hrs from now !!!

Ypedal said:

<snip>
CLANG... clipped my left pedal.. hard.. but i kept it upright !!!!

damn that would have sucked.. in a body cast for my 3 weeks of vacation starting in 7 hrs from now !!!

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+3 for keeping it together. Enjoy your VaCay, Y. -S

Not too close a call today, because I was paying attention.

(In Colo Springs we bicyclists are instructed by the Police to use the sidewalks whenever we feel it is the better traffic choice, which is often, if you know Acadamy Blvd)

Taking the super sidewalk on Acadamy Blvd in Colo Springs, I had just stopped at a light and cross another 8 line road, then going about 8 mph when an Escalade Cadillac SUV, brand new to boot, pulls right onto the side walk exiting a gas station and stops, blocking the side walk. Me wearing BRIGHT ORANGE shirt, loud orange and yellow helmet, about 6'2" and 225 lbs, barely stops in time to not hit the SUV.

I start yelling " Whats wrong with you, Didnt you see me?" the SUV driver rolls down the passenger glass and leans over and laughingly says.. "Are YOU yelling at ME? Do you know what you would look like if I rolled over you with this 6ooo pound beast?"

Now just before this happened I saw this guy pullling out from a gas pump and trying too look like he did'nt see me, looking the other way. I thought something might be up, it being a big July 4th holiday and all. so I was somewhat ready for a traffic hassle, but not for an idiot conversation.

I ignored his 6000lb question and just responded with " If you didnt see me what do I have to be visible, if you did see me why didnt you stop?" and his response.... "I didnt have too," laughing again, and drove on in a huff.

I guess the SUV crowd-- the ones that think endless $1.50/gal gas is a God given right-- Does not care for the idea that some of us think that conserving scarce resources by getting a little exercise is a reasonable transportation alternative.

Now if I had enough money to drive an Escalade and keep it full of gas, I certainly would not be making myself a target for lawsuits by driving like an idiot, and, If I had that money, nothing like that would be making problems for my day.... my days would be going verry well.

Wait, I still do not make myself a target for lawsuits, hardly any thing ever does spoil my day, most of my days do go quite well, and I dont have to drive like an idiot or waste precious resources to be happy. hmmm.

deardancer3 said:

I start yelling " Whats wrong with you, Didnt you see me?" the SUV driver rolls down the passenger glass and leans over and laughingly says.. "Are YOU yelling at ME? Do you know what you would look like if I rolled over you with this 6ooo pound beast?"

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If he was talking to you out the passenger window then not only were you on a sidewalk, you were riding counter-flow to regular traffic.
You were a vehicle out of place. IMO, the onus was on you to avoid collisions, as you wisely did.
I ride for enjoyment or to get somewhere, not for the environment.

.

Hi all...A car driver clipped my front hub (very hard) - the usual story - apparently cyclist do not have a right to ride on the road & car drivers may simply muscle the cyclist as as they see fit. In my case -the elderly "gentlemen" who hit me (apparently I was going a little slow for him - so he decided to try to push past me & failed) - fled the scene with many a look in his rear mirror ...leaving me negoiate the pot hole ridden busy intersection with a warped rim.....
This intersection was always a little suspect - but now joins my list of "no go roads" - adds another 3km to commute not happy...

Eh. This like... hasn't happened yet. The closest I've come across is me descending a hill at undoubtedly 25+ mph in a residential area and a white truck insists on passing me at 35 within a foot to my left when there was clearly more room to move over. While he's at the stop sign at the bottom of the hill... he just waits... and waits... and I think "Oh, he's going to go." so I just sail down... haha... wrong, so I pull on the brakes and I stop within a comfortable distance of 5-10 ft.. Immediately after I stopped, he hammers the gas and then pulls to the left. Ehhhhh... I don't know if it was intended, but it would've been very aggravating if it were.