One week later I get into a bike/car collision for a second time riding home tonight

Some of you will remember I wrote last week about escaping death when a car pulled a u turn unannounced in front of me.  Tonight I got hit or more accurately my bike did.  I am fine  but shaken.

I was riding west on Lawrence and stopped at the stop sign @Kenmore. A car then arrived going east bound.   I was first one at  the intersection so started going through. Suddenly the driver made a left turn, for which I was totally unprepared. Seeing this car come at me I kicked it in and he squarely hit the Orlieb bag on my left rear tire. The bag went flying but I stayed on the bike and was not hit.  

At least the young driver pulled over and apologized profusely.  I checked my laptop and it was fine.  I had a bag with power adapters and accessories in my orlieb and I believe that took the blow.  I didn't even ask for the guy's  info as I was so pleased he waited to see that I was OK.  Noticed on my ride home that my tire was flattened due to the collision.

I should point out that I had no headlight on tonight  as the batteries died yesterday and I mistakenly brought the wrong sized replacements to work today.  . But that's no excuse for him rushing the turn. I don't believe he had his lights on. I did have my helmet on and a blinking tail light.

After last week's incident I did order a light for my helmet but it didn't arrive yet.

This definitely spooked me. All I can tell everybody is that these incidents  happen very fast and you have little or no time to react.  So you must be highly visible and watching all nearby drivers.

I may not ride next Friday night.):

Views: 682

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by PK RPR on October 2, 2015 at 11:21pm
Friday night rush is always a little bit of twilight zone

Be careful out there
Permalink Reply by Shawn Evans on October 3, 2015 at 10:13pm

4 way stops are problematic. When a bike is there, cars tend to wait, so who goes first? And how can anyone (car or bike) make a left turn (crossing traffic in both directions)? So much uncertainty.

So at 4-way stops and streets with no left turn lane, I'll cross the street I'm on as I approach the intersection (cross when it's clear of traffic) and ride 'the wrong way' on the other side until I get to the intersection, then cross that street when traffic from the opposite side moves, as those cars block the cross traffic. It's faster than crossing the first street, than waiting and crossing the second. Plus, it eliminates all that uncertainty.

Permalink Reply by David P. on October 5, 2015 at 4:58am

"And how can anyone (car or bike) make a left turn (crossing traffic in both directions)?"

The same way they always have - the rules for four-way stops are uniform and have not changed for decades. Everyone theoretically learns them when they learn how to drive, though experience suggests most people forgot them by the time they were 21.

-Traffic that arrives earlier has the ROW over traffic that arrives later, regardless of direction of travel through the intersection

-For traffic arriving simultaneously, the vehicle to the right has the right of way

-When two vehicles arrive at the same time and one is turning left with a path that conflicts with the other vehicles, that vehicle must yield to the other one.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 5, 2015 at 5:05am

This is a pattern that drivers are not expecting.  It's not a legal movement, and could create liability problems for you if you get hit.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on October 5, 2015 at 4:08pm

Can you explain this again? Is this when you are making a left or going straight?

Permalink Reply by Filka Bean on October 8, 2015 at 3:37am

oof, I see this maneuver plenty on the south side and I'm always relieved when the cyclist doesn't get hit.  Personally if there's gonna be any stress I opt for the box turn and waiting (straight across, stop, straight across to the left).  But Shawn's move is faster, probably saves a whole minute sometimes! 

(I think/hope Shawn's whole comment might have been tongue-in-cheek?  The re-iteration of "uncertainty"...)

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on October 5, 2015 at 7:08am
When in doubt, I just give the other person the right of way, car, bike or pedestrian. I view a cheerful wave for a car to cross first as a gesture of peace. A little bridge-building doesn't hurt.
Permalink Reply by David Barish on October 5, 2015 at 7:17am

+1

When in doubt wave them through. If they are waving  back at you  to insist that you go  it is ok to do so but I am still waving to make sure everybody knows I am going. Just because one driver is waving me through does not mean everybody else at the intersection knows that I have been waved. I always find it best for me to play traffic benevolent traffic cop where I am giving the commands but letting them through. I will even do this if I seen  an actual officer until the time he/she takes command.

Permalink Reply by Maurice on October 5, 2015 at 11:46am

I used to do this, but it usually turned into a waving contest, wasting everybody's time.  Now, I just put my foot down and look away (often pretending to adjust something) until the person with the right away finally goes.

 

If it's a pedestrian, I'll smile and say something friendly while they pass by, but I've had drivers swear at me for simply acknowledging that they have the right away.

Permalink Reply by Apie (11) on October 5, 2015 at 9:07am

I haven't had any issues for months then last Thursday I had 2 close calls on the way home! SAME DAY! Almost got doored from a rear passenger-side door, there were about 10 cars in line NB Milwaukee at Central Park.  You don't see a door open on that side too often.  Stay alert my friends!

Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on October 5, 2015 at 9:32am

First of all, I'm glad you weren't injured.

I have had several close encounters with cars turning left on a 4-way intersection and almost getting hit.

Most of them think that they could be faster than the bicycles and cut us off, not realizing exactly at how fast we're travelling.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on October 5, 2015 at 4:06pm

Thanks,...your explanation makes sense. I had no idea why he did that.

RSS

Groups

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service