Cyclist Death

chivalryder

Allow me to paint a picture in your mind: You're driving home after a long day of work. It's getting dark, there is rain falling on your windshield, and the air is filled with a misty fog. You're approaching the final intersection, signal to turn right. You see the blinding lights on on-coming cars, a truck rolls to a stop on the street you are about to turn into, you see no pedestrians on the corsswalk or on the sidewalk behind you... The road is clear, so you turn into the street when suddenly there is a loud crash on the nose of your car, and you hear a scream...

You had just hit a cyclist.

She had appeared like a ghost. She had no lights, no reflactive gear, and she was riding on the sidewalk.

This nearly happened to me. Tonight, in this exact scenario, I entered the street on which my house lies, and as I turned into the street, a cyclist suddenly appeared in front of the truck I had mentioned. She had to take evasive manouvers to avoid me because, by the time I saw her there was nothing I could have done to avoid her. Had she been 3 feet further ahead, I would have hit her.

I'm not saying as a driver, you should be more aware. As cyclists, I am sure we are all alert and good drivers. This cyclist, in the conditions I was driving in, was completely invisible to me until she appeared in the headlights of the truck in front of me.

I'm writing this message to cyclists: Imagine yourself in the shoes of the woman I nearly struck and could have killed. Please, ride with lights and reflectors on your bicycle, and do NOT ride on the sidewalk. Both of these are laws (in Ontario), made for your own protection. The most dangerous place you can be in a bicycle is on the sidewalk. Cars will not necessarily see you and will strike you as you cross an intersection. How many times do you see a car pull right over the cross walk as they prepare to turn right, even around blind corners?

Use lights so cars can see you as well. Through the chaos of lights from all the vehicles, shining in the dark rain, if the cyclist had a bright light, I would have seen her sooner.

The saddest thing about this instance is the cyclist chose to yell at me for nearly hitting her. I can't blame her, she nearly died. However, if I had hit her, then she would have been the one at fault. The laws clearly state this. She is not a pedestrian, she is a vehicle, and vehicles belong on the road. Be alert, be aware, and do your best to be seen.

jgnatca

My son introduced me to the USB rechargeable light. Once the snow leaves in the spring, I'm gonna get me one.

https://www.serfas.com/products/index/lights/usb-lights

My son rode across a pedestrian intersection (which he is not supposed to do) and was hit. He required hours of reconstructive surgery to rebuild his shoulder.

I think the ultimate solution is dedicated lanes.

And the reflective/safety gear, of course.

chivalryder

I currently use the Light & Motion Vis360, but I plan on putting lights onto my bicycle as well, as the Vis360 mounts onto your helmet.

http://www.lightandmotion.com/choose-your-light/vis-360

I disagree with dedicated lanes. They're a flawed system for numberous reasons:

Cars (illegally) park in them, forcing you into traffic.
They aren't cleared as well in the winter, and they get covered in giant piles of leaves in the fall.
You may still have the issue of cars pulling out in front of you.
They give you a false sense of safety. Just because you're not in the same lane as the cars are, doesn't mean you won't get struck by a car from behind.
Cars don't drive through them, so they get filled with all the road debris that can puncture your tires, sticks that can get caught in your spokes, stones that can kick out your tires and, if you're an inexperienced rider, cause you to fall.
If they are next to parellel parking, a car may open a door on you.
If you ever leave the lane, drivers will get mad at you entering "their space."

The best, though unviable solution, would be segregated bicycle "roads" that run parellel to "real" roads. They are common in Europe, and they include their own signs, lights, etc.

However, in North America, this is a little unealistic (though I have seen a couple in Toronto, sort of).

What will really work is proper education. Mandatory education for drivers to help them be more aware of bicycles (wouldn't have helped this woman in my case), and mandotory education for cyclists so they know the rules and laws of the roads, and so they know how to be safer out there.

amcook4

First thing I did when I bought my first bike (1.5 weeks ago) was to get safety gear and read up on my local cycling laws. I don't plan to night ride for a while (not comfortable with that yet) but when I do I will make damn sure I have lights where I need lights.

One of my biggest fears of being a new rider is being hit, I've almost hit a few cyclist in the past, all of whom weren't following the laws or any safety guidelines at all, (I live in a neighborhood with a lot of people who use bikes as their main method of transportation) Just the other night someone turned right in front of me, at night, with no lights or reflective gear on, I had no idea he was there until he was in my headlights. If it is night time, if you are on the sidewalk without lights and pop onto the road, the best I can do is slam on my brakes and pray to God that they stop the car in time.

chivalryder

amcook4 wrote: »

First thing I did when I bought my first bike (1.5 weeks ago) was to get safety gear and read up on my local cycling laws. I don't plan to night ride for a while (not comfortable with that yet) but when I do I will make damn sure I have lights where I need lights.

One of my biggest fears of being a new rider is being hit, I've almost hit a few cyclist in the past, all of whom weren't following the laws or any safety guidelines at all, (I live in a neighborhood with a lot of people who use bikes as their main method of transportation) Just the other night someone turned right in front of me, at night, with no lights or reflective gear on, I had no idea he was there until he was in my headlights. If it is night time, if you are on the sidewalk without lights and pop onto the road, the best I can do is slam on my brakes and pray to God that they stop the car in time.

That's great that you bought all the right stuff and read up on your local laws.

Aseide from what you have already done, the best thing you can do to be safe is to plan your route before you leave. There are numerous websites you can use to plana safe route, away from the busy streets and roads.

maps.google.ca
ridewithgps.com
osmand (android app)

Those are just a few examples.

Also, a mirror is a good thing to have. It lets you see if there are any cars approaching you, and then you can tell if they are bing safe or not by their behaviour. You can also use it to help "control" the traffic behind you, making it an even safer environment for you, but those are some more advanced skills.

47Jacqueline

In mid-October I took a shortcut home, riding the wrong way on a one way street, a block from my apartment. A car was coming out of a rental driveway and we ran into one another. He was going about a half mile an hour and was looking in the direction of the car traffic.

I hit the hood of his car and ended up going to the emergency room with a broken leg. I was very lucky and only had a hairline crack on my tibia with no soft tissue injury.

Last week I got off my crutches and am cleared to do everything except high impact workouts or outside bike riding for another month. I don't have to go to pt.

However, I will not take shortcuts in the future. During my recovery, I bought a mirror for my helmet and a bell you can hear a block away. I already have adequate lighting and I wear reflective clothing at night. Even going the right way, I want to be as prepared as possible.

I look at it this way, if you ride a bike in the city, the right way and even on designated bike lanes, you're going to have an accident sooner or later. You can either take it in stride and do what you can to minimize your chances, or stop.

I love bike riding and I live in the city. I can't wait to get back on the street.

chivalryder

47Jacqueline wrote: »

In mid-October I took a shortcut home, riding the wrong way on a one way street, a block from my apartment. A car was coming out of a rental driveway and we ran into one another. He was going about a half mile an hour and was looking in the direction of the car traffic.

I hit the hood of his car and ended up going to the emergency room with a broken leg. I was very lucky and only had a hairline crack on my tibia with no soft tissue injury.

Last week I got off my crutches and am cleared to do everything except high impact workouts or outside bike riding for another month. I don't have to go to pt.

However, I will not take shortcuts in the future. During my recovery, I bought a mirror for my helmet and a bell you can hear a block away. I already have adequate lighting and I wear reflective clothing at night. Even going the right way, I want to be as prepared as possible.

I look at it this way, if you ride a bike in the city, the right way and even on designated bike lanes, you're going to have an accident sooner or later. You can either take it in stride and do what you can to minimize your chances, or stop.

I love bike riding and I live in the city. I can't wait to get back on the street.

I know people who have been riding all their lives and have never been hit by a car. I understand your reasoning for taking the wrong way, but on a bicycle, to the law, you have to follow the same rules as the cars, and what happened to you is exactly the reason why.

I'm glad you got away fairly unscathed. Lessons learned, and I'm sure you'll never do it again (and you won't let the people you know do it either.)

You just have to do everything in your ability to minize risk. It's your life that is in danger, not the driver of the car that hits you. That being said, even walking on a sidewalk is a dangerous thing to do these days.

ninerbuff

It's not uncommon in my city to see cyclists getting tickets. Whether it's riding on the wrong side of the rode (every major street has a bike lane), riding at night without lights and reflectors, or just riding unsafely (speeding through shopping centers on the sidewalks).
The auto will ALWAYS win. It's just common sense to not take risks when you can avoid them.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

chivalryder

ninerbuff wrote: »

It's not uncommon in my city to see cyclists getting tickets. Whether it's riding on the wrong side of the rode (every major street has a bike lane), riding at night without lights and reflectors, or just riding unsafely (speeding through shopping centers on the sidewalks).
The auto will ALWAYS win. It's just common sense to not take risks when you can avoid them.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I can't say I've ever seen a cyclist get a ticket, though I have heard of it happening... I've seen a driver get a ticket from a cyclist though!

chivalryder

buckshot500 wrote: »

As a cyclist you do need to make sure the driver's can see you. or stay out of the road.

And off the sidewalks, where you're even more likely to get hit by a car (or hit a pedestrian).

lishie_rebooted

It's cyclists like that that drive me nuts. I also don't consider them cyclists but bikers.

It's so common in the city I'm in now to have bikers/cyclists/pedestrians in the dark. Too many of them ride on the sidewalk and/or without reflective/blinky gear.

My ex almost hit a lady and her dog in my car about 6 weeks ago since our city doesn't have a lot of trees, she was in all black, and her dog was dark.

I saw a lady walking the other night on the sidewalk with a reflective vest and headlamp on. And it looked like her dog had a small light as well. I smiled because she's smart and safe

chivalryder

603reader wrote: »

I saw a lady walking the other night on the sidewalk with a reflective vest and headlamp on. And it looked like her dog had a small light as well. I smiled because she's smart and safe

It makes me happy to see this as well. Around where I live, there are a lot of people walking their dogs, or out for early morning runs. Nearly every runner I see wears reflective clothing, some even have blinky lights on their heads. People with their dogs often have reflective coats or blinky lights on their dogs. Very smart people!

I do, unfortunately, see a LOT of cyclists riding without lights, reflectors, reflective clothing, and no helmet (I'd rather not get into the helmet/no helmet debate. This isn't the place for that). However, I'd rather see an invisible cyclist riding on the road than one the sidewalk. Even without anything to help be more visible, they're more likely to be seen when riding in traffic than when off the road, and crossing the road.

Noogynoogs

See this a lot. My hubby wears a motorcycle hat on his bike for extra protection

laurasuzie3

Whenever you are a cyclist or a pedestrian, you should just automatically be cautious and assume cars can't see you, even if it's the middle of the day. Be smart and aware.

SGM_Adonis

Apparently cyclists like to read long internet paragraphs.

chivalryder

Noogynoogs wrote: »

See this a lot. My hubby wears a motorcycle hat on his bike for extra protection

This is actually more dangerous than a regular bicycle helmet. Motorcycle helmets are meant for impacts with high velocity. They're tight around the entire head, but are padded are and extremely strong and smooth. They're designed to "bounce off" or whatever they hit, with as little destruction to the helmet as possible.

Bicycle helmets are made of a soft, weak foam material that is designed to break apart on low velocity impacts. It takes energy to break apart a bicycle helmet. By doing this, the helmet is taking away the energy that would otherwise be transmitted to your head and brain.

If he wants to protect his entire head, he should invest in a downhill mountain biking helmet. They are full face and are designed for the speeds that bicycles travel at.

JustinAnimal

Hitting a bicyclist and being found at-fault is one of my greatest fears. I also have three elderly pedestrians in my neighborhood who like to go on walks with their black dogs in all black clothing at the *kitten*-crack of dawn, which is to say, before it's even light out. So many times I have almost hit them and it's because they are crossing the street without wearing clothes that help me to see them or they just choose to walk IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I know that's ridiculous and probably not as common as the scenario you mentioned, but goddamn, wear so lighter clothes, please. If you're a cyclist, be in the road; if you're a pedestrian, GTFO out of the road. I'm all for cyclist and pedestrian rights, but when someone almost kills you, it doesn't just affect you.

SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage

I live in Vancouver where it's dark and rainy for most of the winter, and where cyclists think they own the roads. Almost every day we hear about a cyclist or pedestrian accident. They usually don't end well. I don't know how many times I've been driving and, despite me being careful and very aware, I've had close calls.

I shake my head when I see someone walking or riding, all in dark clothing, ear buds in, no reflective clothing at all. You may have the right of way, but right or wrong, if there's an accident with a car you're not winning. Be smart and be alive.

Maitria

chivalryder wrote: »

buckshot500 wrote: »

As a cyclist you do need to make sure the driver's can see you. or stay out of the road.

And off the sidewalks, where you're even more likely to get hit by a car (or hit a pedestrian).

It's not illegal to use the sidewalk here. I walk a lot; cyclists going at a reasonable speed aren't hazardous to me at all, I just step to the side to make sure we both have clear passing. However, I have had several near hits from people zipping along the sidewalk and coming around curves quickly. (Not surprising, the people riding reasonably usually thank me with a hand wave or a spoken thank you, while the ones that almost hit me never acknowledge me in the slightest, even afterward.) Maybe there should be a sidewalk speed limit.

chivalryder

Maitria wrote: »

chivalryder wrote: »

buckshot500 wrote: »

As a cyclist you do need to make sure the driver's can see you. or stay out of the road.

And off the sidewalks, where you're even more likely to get hit by a car (or hit a pedestrian).

It's not illegal to use the sidewalk here. I walk a lot; cyclists going at a reasonable speed aren't hazardous to me at all, I just step to the side to make sure we both have clear passing. However, I have had several near hits from people zipping along the sidewalk and coming around curves quickly. (Not surprising, the people riding reasonably usually thank me with a hand wave or a spoken thank you, while the ones that almost hit me never acknowledge me in the slightest, even afterward.) Maybe there should be a sidewalk speed limit.

It's illegal to ride on the sidewalk here because 90% of the car + bicycle incidents that happen here are when the cyclist is on the sidewalk. Also, there have been numerous pedestrian deaths that were caused by the cyclist hitting the pedestrian and knocking him/her over, s/he hit her head, and died. Most often, it's an elderly or a child who was hit.

TheRoadDog

Portland, Oregon, where I live, is cyclist heaven. We have a lot of trails, lanes etc. Devoted to cyclists. I walk the trails everyday. Sharing them with cyclists, runners, other hikers and the homeless. 99% of the time everyone is considerate of the other. When a cyclist or runner approaches from behind, an "On your left" is expected and usually given. But, as in every other endeavor, it's the inconsiderate 1% that cause all the commotion.

It's that 1% that rides on the wrong side of the trail or lane, fails to obey the rules of the road and, when they cause an accident or get hurt, are the most vocal. It's called Natural Selection. Nature's way of weeding out the numbskulls.