A member of our cycling group was hit by a car today.

puffbrat

I'm so sorry for your friend! I'm glad she came relatively unharmed.

Cyclists get run over by cars so often where I live that I mostly refuse to ride in the road except for a few short exceptions, and doing just that makes me really anxious. I increasingly only want to ride on the bike path that follows the river with no parallel streets and only a couple of underpasses. There is another nice path in the eastern part of the city parallel to a major road, but it has so many intersections and drivers don't watch for pedestrians or bikes even though it is an extremely high traffic multi-use path. The numbers of times I have seen a car come flying down the hill and barely stop entirely on the crosswalk before glancing at car traffic and then turning without any thought for pedestrians and bikes....

lorrpb

mom23mangos wrote: »

I'm so sorry that happened to your friend. I've also been hit and was lucky enough to walk away with just some alignment issues. I try to make myself as visible as possible with bright reflective clothes, flashing lights and even a vest that signals what direction I'm going or if I'm stopping. I always tell my kids...NEVER cross in front of a car stopped at a light if you haven't made eye contact with the driver and received acknowledgement that they have seen you. Even if you have the right of way. Cars coming up from behind are a whole nother ballpark and I try to let them pass me as much as possible unless I have a lot of room between them and me to ensure they see and know what I'm doing.

What is the name of this vest?

mom23mangos

It's this:

https://www.ihuniu.com/products/led-turn-signal-light-reflective-vest-sport-outdoor-waterproof-for-night-cycling-running-motorcyclesafety



This isn't the site I bought mine on, I don't remember where it was. But it works great. I bought two, but I lost the fob for one of them. One had a grey middle and the other green. I thought the grey would show the lights better, but the green is actually brighter.

hesn92

That's unfortunate. Seems like it would be too scary to cycle on the road. I like riding bikes but I think I'd only do it on trails if I had a legit bike. When I run and I'm crossing a street I always stop and wait for cars to drive by because you never know if someone is going to turn and just didn't feel like putting on their signal.

funjen1972

I can relate from a runner's perspective. We cannot become complacent as we risk injury or death. I was 4" from being hit just a few weeks ago and it is terrifying. Middle of the day, wearing flashers and light colored gear, using the sidewalk, no adverse weather, but the driver just wasn't looking for pedestrians as they turned into a drive. Luckily I caught a glimpse and jumped aside...enough so the driver could squeal to a stop just 4" from hitting me. Absolutely terrifying.

Remain vigilant, my friends. It doesn't matter who is at fault if you are incapacitated.

mom23mangos

For anyone interested in buying one of the vests, I serendipitously got an email this morning from the site I bought mine from with a discount code. It's bicyclegearshop.com

25% off code = DEC

icemom011

I'm sorry that your riding friend got hit, glad she's mostly ok. I think about it often, how small accident on the road can become huge tragedy for cyclist. I've experienced some close calls, but hearing about yet another one of us getting killed is definitely messing with my head. This incident in Florida where two died, it's close to me. The lady plowed into a group of riders and claims she didn't see them, wtf! I'm so tired of drivers treating us as an obstacle on the road, forcing us off, driving so close that one can feel their mirror practically touching you. I was talking to someone from England, and she said there's a government run ads on tv about safety around bicyclists, how to safely share road. I'm in US, there's nothing like that. I get honked at, being told to get off "their" road or lane, go onto the sidewalk, get into bike lane where's there none! I wish people were nicer and more educated. So tired of putting my life on the line for a simple joy of riding a bike. How do you guys cope, does it get to you?

OldAssDude

Sorry to hear this and glad she is ok.

I only ride my bike in parks just for the reason that there are way too many distracted drivers on the road these days.

CSARdiver

Happy to hear she is fine.

I've been hit 3 times and luckily able to walk away from each with my bike relatively intact. One driver had the nerve to send me a repair bill for scratches in a hit that was his fault.

I rarely ride on the road anymore and stick to trails. The law is not on the side of cyclists.

sijomial

Thought of this thread when I was approaching a junction today - used my mirror to judge if I had to choose to come out early or tuck into the kerb and let a car pass that was going to arrive at the junction at the same time as me.
I struggle to understand why more cyclists don't use a mirror, they are a huge planning and safety aid. I wouldn't drive a car or ride a motorbike without one and having danger approaching from behind is far more commonplace while cycling.
We can't control our entire environment but if you can't see what's happening all around you then you can't plan and influence other road users, a snatched glance over the shoulder simply isn't enough on its own IMHO.

Glad your friend isn't badly hurt and her helmet did its job.

PS - this too from @lorrpb "Its also a good reminder to wear hi vis clothes and flashing lights even in daylight. I just can’t get over all the cyclists I see dressed all in black when I’m the one driving. "
There's so many riders in stealth mode, dressed in dark colours, no lights or reflectors even in the winter gloom, after sunset it seems to be mostly youngsters. My local school kids add the bizarre habit of hanging their helmet on their handlebars rather than wearing them. Bonkers!

icemom011

"My local school kids add the bizarre habit of hanging their helmet on their handlebars rather than wearing them. Bonkers!"

Ha, @sijomial , my kids used to hide their helmets in our hedge right around the corner when i couldn't see them anymore. Wasn't cool, apparently. And even last year my adult son was laughing at me for wearing one. He changed his mind at some point hearing guys at the lbs telling stories of lifes saved by them. Now he wears one too.

sijomial

icemom011 wrote: »

"My local school kids add the bizarre habit of hanging their helmet on their handlebars rather than wearing them. Bonkers!"

Ha, @sijomial , my kids used to hide their helmets in our hedge right around the corner when i couldn't see them anymore. Wasn't cool, apparently. And even last year my adult son was laughing at me for wearing one. He changed his mind at some point hearing guys at the lbs telling stories of lifes saved by them. Now he wears one too.

@icemom011
I walked away from this head on assault by a distracted / not concentrating driver with the remains of the front of my bike in one hand and the rear half in the other hand but when I saw the crush damage to my cycling helmet that really shook me up.