Got tagged this morning

[Signguy-Everett]

I got tagged today by some dumbash in his truck. How can you NOT see a bicyclist in the bike lane in a glow in the dark yellow jacket with reflective all over it??? Grrr.... I have a jacket like this

I was in the bike lane with my 4-5K lumen headlight. My tail bag got hit and scratched up where my controller is. Seemed to be ok since I could ride the rest of the way to work. I just gut shoved to the side a bit but kept upright. I should have turned around and reamed the dude out but I was still upright and in semi shock. Now I wish I would have. How have you folks handled these situations. I know it could have been much worse.

 

[ambroseliao]

All-in-all, you are VERY lucky!

What time of day did it happen and did you have a bright tail light?

 

[gogo]

Glad you're ok. Did he notice you after he hit you?

Some people just aren't looking, so they don't see. Others are looking for the movement of something large. I can be on my super loud 100cc motorcycle, revving it at 8K to take off from a 4-way stop, and some people don't see me because I'm not moving and I'm not a large object.

 

[Signguy-Everett]

It was about 4:45 AM this morning. I was near a major intersection and gas station. Lots of light. I was going towards traffic in this section as the other side of the road didn't have a bike lane (I switch over at the next stop light where it starts). The person could only see my headlight, jacket (with reflective), reflective leg band, helmet with reflective. I'm sure I have other reflective on my bike. They couldn't see my back end which I have a nice strobe. I'll put my other strobe on the front for tomorrow - sheesh, some people.

 

[MadRhino]

You just can't count on all of them to see you, even if you had a full lit christmas tree on your bike. We have to see them, to be conscious of all the vehicles and obstacles aroud us at all time, and be prepared to evade any situation.

Riding is a survival game where you need to be fast...

In your head and eyes at least
In your balance and reaction
In your acceleration and braking

 

[Ykick]

You just can't count on all of them to see you, even if you had a full lit christmas tree on your bike. We have to see them, to be conscious of all the vehicles and obstacles aroud us at all time, and be prepared to evade any situation.

Riding is a survival game where you need to be fast...

In your head and eyes at least
In your balance and reaction
In your acceleration and braking

THIS...

Wearing bright clothing and/or using bright lights is often a "false hope" and can actually increase rider likelihood of becoming a traffic casualty.

Old rider wisdom sums it up like this - if you're not operating something that can kill/harm them, the majority of car/truck drivers (Oscar Gropes) DO NOT CARE. They're much more interested in their phone, daydreaming, etc.

This is why Truck sounding Air horns make excellent retaliation - one blast and Oscar Grope suddenly realizes they might've ignored an 18-wheeler bearing down on them. Love that look on Oscar's face.

However, that blast from a badass horn is only an afterthought marker of a potentially dangerous traffic event. It does not PREVENT anything, that can only be accomplished by training, honing and polishing that "safety device" between our ears...

 

[Signguy-Everett]

I've ridden motorcycles for 45+ yrs and can read 99% of the igits on the road. This guy didn't have a signal on or anything and I knew he was gonna turn before he/she did. I started my swerve outta the way before he started. Yes, ya just have to think you are invisible and everyone is out to get you, ride defensively and some other stuff.

As much as I like airhorns and watching the lady that just pulled out in front of me slink down in her seat when I blast them (on my motorcycle one time) I just don't want to add that on my bicycle. After this happens a few times I just might. :wink:

 

[Punx0r]

Coincidentally, I read the quote below last night in a humorous article titled "International Driving Standards":

"And then we get to California. You are in the middle lane of an interstate and signs are saying your turn-off is a mile away. So, you indicate to let the chap on your inside know you need to move over. He doesn't notice. Or he does, but chooses to do nothing about it.

So you start to ease over a bit and he doesn't respond to that either. When the turn-off is inches away, you are forced to act and he responds as though you've goosed his wife and assaulted his dog. He goes mental. This is because when an American is in a car, nothing at all happens outside. That's why, in LA, you can buy laptop cradles which attach to the steering wheel."

 

[MrDude_1]

This is why Truck sounding Air horns make excellent retaliation - one blast and Oscar Grope suddenly realizes they might've ignored an 18-wheeler bearing down on them. Love that look on Oscar's face.
However, that blast from a badass horn is only an afterthought marker of a potentially dangerous traffic event. It does not PREVENT anything...

on the contrary... I have an airhorn on my jeep. I have had TWO occasions now where someone was about to run the redlight.. both times I am nothing more than a bystander sitting at the light, but by blowing the horn, I got them to suddenly realize they were going to run the red light (and get creamed by a non-existent truck).. so they slam on the brakes.. usually stopping inside the middle of the intersection, or just past it.
One of those two times... I MAY have stopped an accident. the car that was about to enter the intersection on his green, also slammed the brakes when I pulled the horn. the guy running the redlight slid infront of him, wheels locked... I guess his ABS didnt work. LOL. they probably would have hit if they both continued without intervention.


as a side note, I very much recommend air horns on any car with room for a compressor system Not only do they work great, but you can run air tools on the side of the road.. makes tire changes as easy as working in a shop. Not to mention you can air down and back up for offroad/beach use.

 

[The fingers]

Regular daily use of a horn is required for Cali roads.

 

[Ykick]

Lemme put it this way - I will never, ever, allow myself to be in a traffic position in which the only "hope" of avoiding collision is a horn, bright clothing, lights, etc. That's all great and nice to feel good about but defensive rider training with constant vigilance is what keeps us alive out there. Relying on anything else is foolish and not an option IMO.

 

[Alan B]

Glad you weren't seriously injured, maimed or killed.

So you have a 5,000 lumen bicycle headlight? Perhaps the driver couldn't see you from short term blindness?

Car headlights are about 1,000 lumens, and they have a pattern that blocks light above the horizon. Bicycle lights have terrible patterns and (nearly all of them) throw lots of light where it does not belong, right into oncoming driver eyes. Car drivers often complain about not being able to see when bright bicycle headlights are oncoming.

Is there a chance your headlight is part of the problem here?

 

[mat h physics]

Did you get a picture?
Was it in ink or paint?
Stay safe.

 

[Jasonv8z]

Lucky. I've been hit from behind 2x from cars trying to pass me. One time, I was literally knocked onto the hood of a Cadillac that kept on driving. It wasn't going fast, so I just got some scrapes. The next time, I was clipped by the passenger mirror/door and the driver drove off while everyone else stopped to investigate. Fortunately, I had health insurance, but a trip to the emergency room and X rays still cost me $100 out of pocket. I had a 3rd near miss from a BMW where I actually was able to bang on his hood as he drove by.

Many drivers don't have a good idea of where their bumpers are and will try to pass a cyclist while staying in their own lane instead of moving over to the next (especially if there is a car in the passing lane)

I've started filming my rides with a sony action cam on my handlebars. I will probably get a 2nd camera for the rear so I have a chance of prosecution if this happens again.

 

[MadRhino]

Lucky. I've been hit from behind 2x from cars trying to pass me...

Build more power, 8)
or stay out of their way.
Else your camera will record your death.

When a car will come to hit me behind, I will hear it way ahead for it's gonna have a big motor and a foot to the floor.

 

[Jasonv8z]

Yeah, this was all in my pre-motor days. Now, I do 35 and don't have a problem.

 

[dogman dan]

Glad to hear you made it through that ok. My motto, which can be hard to really do, is no vehicle passes me from behind I did not eyeball. Always ready to dive for my life if I must. People are just not looking out the windshield of cars anymore. They are looking at the phone, the gps, the radio, etc.

Sounds like you have the experience, but maybe need some better, or any mirrors on the bike if you ride a commute. Search out the lower traffic count route if at all possible. It might be way out of your way, but well worth it.

 

[Alan B]

He was on the wrong side of the road heading toward the traffic with a super bright headlight so the drivers probably could not see him, his bike, jacket, helmet or judge his speed correctly, if I read the scenario correctly in the first several posts.

 

[MrDude_1]

Yeah, this was all in my pre-motor days. Now, I do 35 and don't have a problem.

and now you're wearing full motorcycle gear, right?

 

[dogman dan]

I missed that bit, blinded by your light, hard to say what the driver saw.

Improve your route I'd say.

 

[cal3thousand]

I missed that bit, blinded by your light, hard to say what the driver saw.

Improve your route I'd say.

This is part of the beauty of ebikes that sometimes gets lost. Take a longer safer route.

On days when I feel like riding fast and being ultra vigilant, I take 40mph roads keep with the cars. On other days, when I feel like taking it easy and enjoying my surroundings, I take a longer and much less trafficked route. This also helps get the 'grin' back since I'm not velocitized to just 40mph roads all the time

 

[Alan B]

Yes, taking a safer and differently optimized route for ebikes is a great capability. It doesn't need to be the shortest, fastest or the most common way. It can take advantage of the electric bicycles various abilities and produce a safer more relaxing transport than other vehicles. Back streets, bike lanes, traffic blocks, lower speed streets, etc.