General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Jerk in SUV almost kills me! Rss Feed  
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2006-09-06 2:43 PM

Subject: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
On Monday I was riding on a road that runs right next to I-75 near Auburn, Michigan. Southbound 75 was bumper to bumper, so some smart drivers decided to drive on 7 mile road (the road I was riding on) So some jerk in an some great big SUV pulling a 5th wheel and a boat behind him was going about 80 mph and didn't move over for me at all! Small gravel sholder + Big ditch= Pain! Trying to aviod becoming a road pizza, I moved over to the very small sholder, but lost balance in the loose gravel and went into the ditch! I'm fine and the bike will be O.K. once the wheels are trued (it wasn't even my bike!)I was being careful, I had my hands on the bullhorns (I think that's what their called) and wasn't going super fast (about 20mph) That idiot could have given me room, there wasn't any cars coming in the other direction, but he didn't! I'm going to replace the helmet even though I can't see any damage. All in all, I just don't understand why some people don't use caution when passing cyclists!

Edited by Guru 2006-09-06 2:44 PM


2006-09-06 2:53 PM
in reply to: #532553

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!

That really sucks, but glad to hear you and the bike are okay.  Hubby and I got run off the road a couple of weeks ago by some dumb @ss in a truck.  From what we can tell he was on a cell phone and came over a hill and either didn't see us or didn't care and we pretty much both wound up "offroading". 

Thankfully most people seem to be pretty respectful and there is only the occassional jerk to contend with. 

2006-09-06 3:28 PM
in reply to: #532553

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
Guru - 2006-09-06 3:43 PMOn Monday I was riding on a road that runs right next to I-75 near Auburn, Michigan. Southbound 75 was bumper to bumper, so some smart drivers decided to drive on 7 mile road (the road I was riding on) So some jerk in an some great big SUV pulling a 5th wheel and a boat behind him was going about 80 mph and didn't move over for me at all! Small gravel sholder + Big ditch= Pain! Trying to aviod becoming a road pizza, I moved over to the very small sholder, but lost balance in the loose gravel and went into the ditch! I'm fine and the bike will be O.K. once the wheels are trued (it wasn't even my bike!)I was being careful, I had my hands on the bullhorns (I think that's what their called) and wasn't going super fast (about 20mph) That idiot could have given me room, there wasn't any cars coming in the other direction, but he didn't! I'm going to replace the helmet even though I can't see any damage. All in all, I just don't understand why some people don't use caution when passing cyclists!
That sucks, and I'm glad you're OK. However, I must say I've never fully understood these posts in general. How did you know the truck was going to hit you? You must have been quite certain he was headed straight for you to bail into the soft gravel shoulder like you did. Do you bike looking over your shoulder(at 20 mph!?!) , or do you have a mirror thing on your helmet? Or, did it just sound like he was going to hit you? What does a truck that's going to hit you sound like vs a truck that will miss you by an acceptable couple of feet? Seriously, if you have an answer, I would really like to know! And, how can you even hear that sound at all at 20 MPH? All I can hear at 20 MPH is wind noise. How do you know he was going about 80 MPH? Again, if not in a mirror, or over your shoulder, were you able to evaluate his speed as you tumbled over you handlebars? Or, did it just SOUND like 80 MPH? Would you be as angry if it were a Prius instead of an SUV pulling a boat? I'm not trying to be a wisea$$. I seriously don't understand how you can have so much time as to take defensive measures when a truck is about to hit you. When I'm riding, I feel like I am 100% at the mercy of the people driving up behind me. I feel like if anyone wanted to hit me, I would have zero defense. How do you do it?Again, glad you're OK :-)
2006-09-06 4:19 PM
in reply to: #532621

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!

immyfish - 2006-09-06 2:28 PM I must say I've never fully understood these posts in general.

Guru - Glad you are OK and sorry to hear about the scary and painful experience.

I have the same questions as Immyfish. If a jerk pulling a 5th wheel and a boat was going to hit me with a 60 mph speed differential, I would definitely be roadkill because there is absolutely no way I would know I was going to be hit in order to be able to bail in time. Even when using my mirror. 60mph is 88 feet per second. Assuming bailing takes me at least a couple of seconds, it would not be doable.

FWIW, I have adopted the following principles to deal with these situations:

1) Always be visible (clothing, reflectors, lights) and take the lane when it is too narrow to share and there is no rideable shoulder. Assume that a driver will not intentionally hit something that said driver can clearly see (as opposed to accidentally hitting something that they cannot clearly see, e.g. an unlit cyclist way over on the edge of the roadway). Either way, if they want to intentionally hit me, I am toast.

2) Practice memorizing license plates on the fly for later police reports. Learn the easiest way to file a police report and the name of a local police officer who is a cyclist or at least sympathetic to cyclists' problems.

3) Have adequate life insurance and go to confession frequently. If someone is going 60mph+ and not even occasionally looking at the roadway in front of him, my number is up.

Edited to add: 4) Always tell the wife and kids that I love them before leaving the house.

No smileys in this post.

-Scotto



Edited by ScottoNM 2006-09-06 4:44 PM
2006-09-07 5:56 AM
in reply to: #532553

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!

Hey Guru,

I hope we didn't scare you off.   I just saw that you're pretty new here, and am hoping my response doesn't keep you away.  I've just seen many similar reports of near misses, and I'm always curious how people can anticipate pending disaster as well as they seem to.  I happened to have a few minutes yesterday to pose some of the questions to you that have been in the back of my mind for a while.  Take care...

2006-09-07 6:29 AM
in reply to: #532553

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!

That idiot could have given me room, there wasn't any cars coming in the other direction, but he didn't!

This is my biggest pet peeve!  I ride on a four lane road kind of often and I am always amazed at the number of people that don't bother to move over to the left lane when there is a ton of room.  Granted, the shoulder is big, but I always get a warm fuzzy when they move over anyway!

I have concluded that those people that don't move over have never ridden a bike and don't realize that missing you by two or three feet still scares the daylights out of you.  In their brain, they think 2-3 feet is plenty...



2006-09-07 7:20 AM
in reply to: #532993

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
jldicarlo - 2006-09-07 6:29 AM

I have concluded that those people that don't move over have never ridden a bike and don't realize that missing you by two or three feet still scares the daylights out of you.  In their brain, they think 2-3 feet is plenty...



Or how about when they don't move over at all and they blare their horn at you even if the road is completely clear in the other direction and they could easily get in the other lane. My heart about jumps out of my chest anytime someone honks.

I also have semis blow by me at full speed the same way. That's very scary.
2006-09-07 3:32 PM
in reply to: #532985

Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
immyfish - 2006-09-07 5:56 AM

Hey Guru,

I hope we didn't scare you off.   I just saw that you're pretty new here, and am hoping my response doesn't keep you away.  I've just seen many similar reports of near misses, and I'm always curious how people can anticipate pending disaster as well as they seem to.  I happened to have a few minutes yesterday to pose some of the questions to you that have been in the back of my mind for a while.  Take care...

You guys didn't scare me off, I started this thread and then had to get offline (Marching band practice)To answer immyfishes questions...I bailed when the SUV was alongside me... not beforehand. He didn't give me enough room to begin with (mirror was about 1 to 1 1/2 feet away) then he started drifting closer until his 5th wheel ran me off the road. I yelled *insert 4 letter word here* and moved to the sholder where I fell. Judging by the size of the dust cloud I saw behind me when I got back up, I think the jerk in the SUV went onto the sholder just a nanosecond after I bailed. Oh, I'm just guessing he (or she) was going 80 mph. Might have been faster, may have been slower... But it was too fast, and to close!I guess using the word "hit" anywhere here was misleading... it was more like "ran off road"
2006-09-07 3:55 PM
in reply to: #532553

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!

I thought it was common knowledge that all people in Michigan were not very smart.  i am surprised it took you this long.  GO BUCKS!!!!

2006-09-07 4:11 PM
in reply to: #532553

Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
GO BLUE!!!!!!!!!!GO BLUE!!!!!!!!!!U of M Baby!!!!!
2006-09-07 4:24 PM
in reply to: #533778

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
buckeye66 - 2006-09-07 1:55 PM

I thought it was common knowledge that all people in Michigan were not very smart.



Funny. Pot meet kettle.


2006-09-07 5:03 PM
in reply to: #533801

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
Wow!That's scary stuff. I've had a couple close ones as well, but not that bad. Seeing him well into the breakdown lane after he had passed was probablt a good indicator that he would have swiped you. This stuff happens way too often. Glad you're OK. Welcome to BT - You'll love it here!
2006-09-07 5:28 PM
in reply to: #532553

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
I have a friend who got rear-ended on his bike in the bike lane on a naval base. He landed on his head (thank god for helmets) and broke his elbow, while the s***head that hit him drove away. He managed to call a friend before passing out unconcious and not one single person stopped to help him- and this is in the middle of the day on a naval base!! I wish he were as lucky as you and knew to bail- but it's a tough call, especially if you are actually in a bike lane! His bodily injuries are recovering, but he has lost a lot of respect for humanity (specifically the Navy).
2006-09-07 7:19 PM
in reply to: #533815

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
coachese - 2006-09-07 5:24 PM
buckeye66 - 2006-09-07 1:55 PM

I thought it was common knowledge that all people in Michigan were not very smart.

Funny. Pot meet kettle.

 

And here comes the left coasters trying to get in on the Big 10 action

2006-09-07 8:20 PM
in reply to: #533957

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
buckeye66 - 2006-09-07 6:19 PM
coachese - 2006-09-07 5:24 PM
buckeye66 - 2006-09-07 1:55 PM

I thought it was common knowledge that all people in Michigan were not very smart.

Funny. Pot meet kettle.

 

And here comes the left coasters trying to get in on the Big 10 action

Purdue Alum here jumping back into the thread.

I won't be trash talking regarding football (at least not this year) but I will stand with my Big 10 brethren!

2006-09-07 10:02 PM
in reply to: #532553

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!

Had one this morning on the Lakeshore Drive.  You know the one next to the lake so you can enjoy the view.  It's narrow with high curbs.  Its 25MPH I do about 22mph guess thats not fast enough as he told me how to enjoy myself, so I told him how to keep his head from tranning.  Idiot.

Sorry about your incident far worse and more threatening then mine.   



2006-09-07 10:22 PM
in reply to: #532553

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
Had one this morning on the Lakeshore Drive. You know the one next to the lake so you can enjoy the view. It's narrow with high curbs. Its 25MPH I do about 22mph guess thats not fast enough as he told me how to enjoy myself, so I told him how to keep his head from tranning. Idiot.

Sorry about your incident far worse and more threatening then mine.


yep. i live here in chicago and lake shore drive is no bueno. i too have had some close...no, make that releasing-my-foot-from-the-clips-and-kicking-the-car-kinda-close-calls sorta thing. after that happens i give them the finger.
2006-09-08 9:36 AM
in reply to: #534062

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
roxcar - 2006-09-07 10:22 PM
yep. i live here in chicago and lake shore drive is no bueno. i too have had some close...no, make that releasing-my-foot-from-the-clips-and-kicking-the-car-kinda-close-calls sorta thing. after that happens i give them the finger.


So if you unclip, stick your foot out toward the car that's too close and scratch it with your cleat, are you supposed to feel bad?

Or are you MAYBE allowed to think, "Serves 'em right!" As they drive off with a gash on their passenger's side door.

Hmmm...I'm going for choice #2...

My dad is just getting back into cycling, and he had some moron cross over into the shoulder and try to hit him HEAD ON! Sure, my dad was riding on the wrong side of the road, but I think attempting to hit a cyclist head on would make me want to get a license plate number.
2006-09-08 10:02 AM
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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
So if you unclip, stick your foot out toward the car that's too close and scratch it with your cleat, are you supposed to feel bad?

Or are you MAYBE allowed to think, "Serves 'em right!" As they drive off with a gash on their passenger's side door.

Hmmm...I'm going for choice #2...

i should clarify. i dont make it a habit to kick someones car. this happened to me once, where someone was deliberatly messing with me in their car. yeah, i was that close were i uncliped and kicked their car while moving. do i feel bad about it? a little. im not a violent guy by any stretch of the imagination, however, i was actually defending myself.
2006-09-10 9:10 PM
in reply to: #532553

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Subject: RE: Jerk in SUV almost kills me!
Not to play amateur psychologist here but I think people like that are jealous because we're either in shape or getting there and they're not. I'd bet money that the guy driving the truck was obese.
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