Long term bikers...

Most everyone I know believes that it's only a matter of time before a biker gets hit by a car. If you bike long enough, you'll get hit- that's the belief. Thoughts? After 15 years of biking I was hit last summer... I think there's a good chance the driver was texting or using a cell phone, as I've seen it countless, countless times while out and about. I was in the bike lane, moving in the direction of traffic.

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Permalink Reply by igz on February 29, 2012 at 10:40pm

i expect to die in a plane crash, my chances increase every time i fly. i used to fly 2-4 times a week for a while.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles on March 1, 2012 at 5:33am

I managed 47 years before I got hit. My attitude changed from 'if' to 'when' before I hit the ground.

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 1, 2012 at 6:51am

There are two sides of the coin.

The "inevitable" camp is over-stating the issue a little bit. But I feel that once a person slips out of the constant vigilance that comes with the belief that a car will eventually get you they become even more likely to get hit by one.

Once you start believing that it can't happen to you -it will.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on March 1, 2012 at 7:44am

Never been hit but have wrecked several times avoiding being hit. Stay safe.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on March 1, 2012 at 8:06am

1. I absolutely believe that it can happen.

2. I don't believe it's inevitable.

3. If someone believes it's inevitable, I'd question why they do it.

4. Because of 1. above, I try to minimize risks within my control.

5. I've never been hit by a car.

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Permalink Reply by igz on March 1, 2012 at 8:25am

#4 is the key in all this.

Kevin C said:

1. I absolutely believe that it can happen.

2. I don't believe it's inevitable.

3. If someone believes it's inevitable, I'd question why they do it.

4. Because of 1. above, I try to minimize risks within my control.

5. I've never been hit by a car.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Ciskey on March 1, 2012 at 9:46am

This is not actually how probability works. Although you could argue that the airlines are getting lax, and that's why your chances are increasing. But one in a million odds are always one in a million odds; it doesn't mean you're gonna definitely die on your next flight if you've had 999,999 successful ones.

iggi said:

i expect to die in a plane crash, my chances increase every time i fly. i used to fly 2-4 times a week for a while.

I've been right hooked but managed to ride out the turn braced against the SUV and stayed upright. I'm not sure it's inevitable that I'll be hit again, but I've had enough close calls that could have been worse if I hadn't been attentive and proactive. Or if my brakes weren't in good working order.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on March 1, 2012 at 10:20am

I was hit once, but really, I hit the car. I had just bought a road bike in 2007 and wasn't so comfortable breaking and simply ran a stop sign. I was fine, and the bike was fine. Not sure if that counts.

I assume I'm going to get hit sometime, but I think my chances are just as high (if not higher) getting in a crash in a car or as a pedestrian. I am nervous every day my boyfriend and family get in their cars and drive 60+ MPH on the highway.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on March 1, 2012 at 10:33am

The only time I'm scared when I ride is when I've put myself in a position where I have to rely on someone else to make a good decision to keep me safe.

Jeff Schneider said:

I've witnessed a number of cyclists suffer serious injuries. Sometimes it was technically the fault of the cyclist (e.g. losing a front wheel because the QR was not closed or blowing through a red light), while other times a driver or passenger was technically at fault (e.g., failing to yield right-of-way on right turn on red or opening doors into traffic). But in every case I've seen, the cyclist did something I would not do - e.g., rode very close to a stopped taxi, assumed a driver would see him and yield, etc.

Clearly there are some situations where we are really at the mercy of drivers, where there's nothing we can do to stop them from hurting us (it sounds like your incident was one of those). But my personal experience over the last 35 years is that the risk of serious injury is quite low if you ride carefully and defensively.