Got HIt By a Car

[Barkme Wolf]

Had my first collision with a car. I was in the bike lane, the driver made a right turn into a driveway. She came from behind, passed me, paced me in her blind spot but before I could slow down she turned and THEN put on her blinker. This happened a few days ago and although I did not feel injured at the time, I think I twisted my back a little. Almost a week later, back getting more and more sore.

Next time I will be sure to call the police and make a report. Scolding the driver I don't think was very effective. Like yelling at a cat.

I did order and install the Orp horn and light. It is not as well constructed as I hoped and it has to be removed from the bike to charge (the charge port is under the strap that holds the horn on the bike. Other than that, I like it. Irritating noise but I guess that is the point.

If you order from the site you can get the Orp Remorp (remote button). I have so much stuff on my bars there was no place to put the unit I could easily reach. The remote makes it easy.

I still use my bell mostly for pedestrians unless they are oblivious phone zombies (ride through the Microsoft campus in WA).

On the ORP site there is a code that flashes. SHould give you a discount and a free Remorp

 

[flymeaway]

Like yelling at a cat

Sorry to hear you were hit....drivers rarely understand how dangerous their driving can be. In 1976 I was hauling my butt down a slight incline on Rte. 225 in Bedford mass. I was riding a Fuji Finest road bike probably doing 25 MPH and a guy driving a Ford station wagon turned left into a McDonald literally 30 feet in front of me. I didn't even have time to brake. The next thing I know I'm coming too in the grass with people all around me, blood streaming from my nose and mouth. I had hit the front right fender and flown over the car about 20 feet and (luckily) landed in the grass. If I had been 4 feet shorter I would have landed on the pavement or hit the cement curb. Those were the days when no one wore helmets and at the ripe age of 21 I didn't realize just how unbelievably fortunate I had been....lesson learned. The 18 year old kid driving was coming back home from Cranes Beach and was to busy gazing at his bikini clad girlfriend to watch the road. He admitted that he never saw me until the "thud" and saw someone fly over the hood. To this day whenever I see a car approaching me in the opposite direction and there are driveways or roads to turn into I watch their eyes like a laser beam. There will always be a substantial percentage of people whom either dislike bicyclists "hogging" their road, or are just careless and inattentive.

Court J.

 

[EasyMotion Rider]

no accidents yet but the more i ride the more chances i take i am not as careful as i should be. i need to constantly remind myself to be safe when i ride and not be impaicent with cars and traffic

 

[vincent]

I am very glad you were not seriously injured, that is very scary

 

[Barkme Wolf]

I try to stay behind the rear tire of someone who is next to me so if they do turn I don't go under.

 

[Over50]

Had my first collision with a car...

That stinks. Any damage to your bike? I don't have my ebike yet but from reading these forums it seems one of the biggest dangers comes from drivers not being used to a bike accelerating to 25 mph+ (and turning into the path of the bike).

 

[Barkme Wolf]

That stinks. Any damage to your bike? I don't have my ebike yet but from reading these forums it seems one of the biggest dangers comes from drivers not being used to a bike accelerating to 25 mph+ (and turning into the path of the bike).

I was going up a hill, my speed was not the issue. She had to slow down to hit me in fact.

 

[EasyMotion Rider]

i am constantly being pinched off to the right from cars especially turning right. i really expect it since its is natural for them to be more concerned with traffic to their left than a bicycle coming from behind on the right side. busy intersections are the worst.

 

[Berry78]

In an intersection I always take the lane and drive like a car. Of course the intersections around here aren't as complicated as those in large cities.

 

[Barkme Wolf]

To be clear, I was not at an intersection.
I was going 15 mph up hill in a bike lane with no intersections for over a mile.
Driver completely passed me on the left but once she passed me slowed down to my speed.
She then turned abruptly into a driveway using her signal only after starting the turn.
If she had used her signal before the turn at all I would have avoided the hit.

 

[Barkme Wolf]

Interesting topic. In my particular locale/country (Geneva, Switzerland), the laws about this type of situation are clear but are not well understood by locals and tourists alike. As it turns out, over here the bike approaching from behind has priority.

It's actually a question on the Swiss driver’s exam (translation below):

View attachment 9557


A translation of the answers:

• In order to turn right, I’m not allowed to drive on the bike lane (correct answer)
• In order to turn right, I’m allowed to drive on the bike lane as long as the progression of bicycles isn’t impeded (incorrect)
• Cyclists approaching from behind will have the priority when I turn right (correct answer)

I don't know how that would work with me. If I see someone has their signal on I will not pass until they have turned (provided I am approaching from behind). Too many close calls. Doesn't matter too much because people in my area rarely use their signals.

That stinks. Any damage to your bike? I don't have my ebike yet but from reading these forums it seems one of the biggest dangers comes from drivers not being used to a bike accelerating to 25 mph+ (and turning into the path of the bike).

No damage but my back is sore now a few days later. Likely related.

 

[Berry78]

I'm sorry this happened. Thank you for sharing, it surely will help other cyclists.

 

[RoyL]

On the subject of turning in traffic, these may help,

Indicators,

http://www.cycl.bike/

 

[Douglas Ruby]

I have a set of these and found they are not bright enough in the daytime to really help. Also, I am not sure that auto drivers understand what is being signalled at the end of your handlebars when they do see them.

 

[irenewg13]

Doug, good timing. I was planning on ordering 2 pair of the WingLights, in about 15 minutes. I'm not surprised that the lights don't show up very well in day light, but you don't think that they worth it at night? I was thinking that the lights might at least give a driver a better passing visual, as the go around me.

Not worth the $?

 

[Douglas Ruby]

They certainly work, but I use bar ends and they get in the way of my grip. Since most of my riding is daytime and I wanted to make my hand position more comfortable, I took them off. Tell ya what..I will make you a deal on mine! The Fixed Winglights run $44.00 for a pair shipped to the US. I will beat that deal and send them to you for less. PM me and we can make this happen!

 

[Dunbar]

I was booking it in the bike lane on my Cross Current (doing about 25mph) and pulled out into the traffic lane to pass a car double parked in the bike lane. As I was moving back over into the bike lane this car passes/comes around me going not much faster. The driver immediately realized they were going to miss their right turn so they braked hard and turned right in front of me (classic right-hook.) I had to brake hard enough that I could hear my front tire squirming under the load. I've never had a car do something so dangerous riding my road bikes. I think the driver saw me going fast be 'over-rode' this observation with their preconceived notion that bicycles go 'slow.' Definitely opened my eyes that defensive riding on an e-bike presents new challenges.