First Scary Experience on a Bike

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2009-07-01 10:56 PM

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Rochester
Subject: First Scary Experience on a Bike

So I sometimes ride on a fairly busy road, but after about mile 3 I have a nice wide 4 foot shoulder for most of the ride.  Today, coming back I was on a rough section of shoulder so was riding close to the white line and someone decides it would be a good idea to pass a car (coming towards me)....the car was literally 2 feet from me doing 70 mph...  what are people thinking? do they not even see us out there?  there were NO cars coming from my direction, so they surely could have waited another 5 seconds.... i just can't begin to understand this.......

2009-07-01 11:00 PM
in reply to: #2257407

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Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike
road cycling is dangerous in:

inner cities
country roads
flats
hills
morning
night
mid day

i've had my fair share of close calls, drivers are just idiots and care more about getting to work/home 1 minute faster than being a safe driver
2009-07-01 11:11 PM
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Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike
for some reason so many people don't see us.. I swear we are quite visible, but still many can't see us...
2009-07-02 1:00 AM
in reply to: #2257407

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Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike
My first experience on the bike, first time ever to ride a road bike might i add, and i went to look over my shoulder to swich lanes, and when i looked i jerked the handle bars and my bike started to swerve, I lost control, went of road into some gravel, my bike turned sideways and flung me off in the air and landed in the gravel. I was scabbed over for a while. First time experience i won't ever forget!
2009-07-02 6:40 AM
in reply to: #2257407

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Townsville, Australia
Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike
two very important things when riding a bike :

1. trust no-one
2. do not take anything for granted.. ie a driver can do anything at anytime 
2009-07-02 7:27 AM
in reply to: #2257407

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Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike

It seems that many drivers are just unaware of anything outside their bubble. I have heard of some police officers that will try to write tickets for improper passing when they buzz a cyclist but I am not sure how well that works for them.

 I know that I try to always wear my bright neon green jersey when I ride it helps a little I like to think to it makes me more visible but I have been buzzed by mirrors several times.  Biking or running is just inherently dangerous these days as drivers pay less and less attention to the road and more to all of crap inside of their vehicles.

2009-07-02 8:34 AM
in reply to: #2257407

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Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike

Probably just didn't see you.  Most drivers, though they may show some irritation, at least see you when coming from behind.  Most of the roads I ride on are heavily cycled, so they're looking for us that way.  However, they don't always tend to notice when coming toward you.  I guess it's sort of like how people can turn into motorcyles.  They don't see them because they're looking for oncoming cars.  If it isn't as big as a car, it almost becomes invisible.  Basically, just assume they can't see you, because even if they should, they might not.

Anyway, I've had that happen before as well.  I just bailed to the side of the road.  I'd rather take my chances going down on a gravel shoulder than getting hit head on by a car.

2009-07-02 9:13 AM
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Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike

Part of the reason I ride in the ride side of the lane rather than the shoulder is to make myself more visible to motorists (plus it gives me the space to my ride to move IF I need to). 

I'm going through this with my teen-agers (learning to drive).  I'm teaching them that they should not be looking for cars when they change lanes, rather they should be looking for space.  "Is it a clear space that I can move into?"  Why, because if you're looking for "cars" you're more likely to overlook the cyclist or motorcyclist because they aren't "cars." 

2009-07-02 9:18 AM
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Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike
abstract1 - 2009-07-01 10:56 PM

So I sometimes ride on a fairly busy road, but after about mile 3 I have a nice wide 4 foot shoulder for most of the ride.  Today, coming back I was on a rough section of shoulder so was riding close to the white line and someone decides it would be a good idea to pass a car (coming towards me)....the car was literally 2 feet from me doing 70 mph...  what are people thinking? do they not even see us out there?  there were NO cars coming from my direction, so they surely could have waited another 5 seconds.... i just can't begin to understand this.......



When there is a stretch of road where I know cars WILL drive close to me to share the road... I take up the lane.

Next time, move into the entire lane and ride to the far right, until you can safely ride on the wide shoulder again. That way, the car won't be able to pass you and almost kill you.

If you trust the person in the car to make the right choice, they won't.

I believe in sharing the road and letting cars pass on the left, when the situation allows for it.

For example, on a route we do, there is a section cut down to one lane. It's a short section but I take up the entire road when I go down it. I know if I ride the curb, cars WILL share the lane with me. All it takes is one person in a SUV, texting on their phone to take my life. Although there are usually not cars behind me... but when there have been... they just have to go slow behind me. I also make sure to quickly move over to the right once the road goes back to 3 lanes.

Thank goodness you weren't seriously injured or killed. Next time, take the road.
2009-07-02 9:35 AM
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Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike
My first scary experience happened about 5 doors down from my house. I have good 4 mile loop arround my neigherborhood where I can where I am at speed wise. Well one day on my 3rd time arround (going about 25 mph on a slight downhill) I hear a clicking noise down by the crank so I look down for a second but something tells me to look up quickly and when I do I am about 10 feet away from a car that backed out of the driveway right in front of me. I just missed the car by less than 6 inches. I still think the driver never saw me even after I passed by the drivers door.

Lesson learned Never Ever take your eyes off where your are going. Stop or check it out later.
2009-07-02 9:41 AM
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Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike
I havent been riding a tri bike that long, a matter of weeks. I come from MTB riding my entire life, so my scary moment was actually my first ride. It wasnt like learning to ride all over again, but holy crap was it different. I like to think everyones firs ttime on a road or tri bike is like that, but I could be wrong. I was freaked out going super fast down hill on a county road with a speed limit of 55 (and people go 70).

As far as drivers not seeing bikers, I think those of us who do ride, tend to notice other bikers more often than not. When I was looking to purchase a bike, I really started to notice all the bikes around my area. Not just that they were there, but also the type and different brands of bikes.

I hope that my only scary experience continues to be small and somewhat insignificant, but as the saying goes... You can hope in one hand.....

2009-07-02 9:46 AM
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Subject: RE: First Scary Experience on a Bike

Last summer I was riding in a bike lane, and was going faster than traffic.....or at least similar speed.  At one point this guy drove next to me whose side window was folded in and wanted me to flip it out for him while I was riding--at this point it was probably 15-16 mph!!!  Yep, dude, I'll grab right onto your truck, no prob.  Whatever.  I just shook my head and rode away.

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