I've had it with the right hook

In each of my last 2 rides I have been right hooked by a car. I don't know if it counts if I don't get hit, but they were too close to call. Whether it counts or not, it's an incredibly dangerous and selfish move that seriously injures or kills. I am not sure if it's illegal to right hook around a cyclist, but I am so fed up with it that I want to call my state rep to suggest that it becomes illegal in Illinois.

Is it possible well-intentioned people aren't aware of how dangerous it is? Should there be an ad campaign to educate people?

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Permalink Reply by mike w. on October 23, 2018 at 11:06am

Having the right-of-way won't protect you from jerks, unfortunately.

i've seen this kind of behaviour far too often. Damn.

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on October 24, 2018 at 5:44am

In my experience this is actually more of the rule than the exception when it comes to both intersections close to highway access, as well as where on-ramps themselves break up the sidewalk.

It's just sick. IDOT continues to fight every reasonable bike/ped safety improvement in these cases, claiming that "access" to the highway trumps all. One of the more interesting dynamics I'm seeing right now is related to the Belmont Blue Line work. The westbound Belmont bus can't turn into the terminal to drop off and pick up, so it is using a temporary stop on the west side of Kimball. The immediate result I've seen is that with a critical mass of people needing to cross Belmont and Kimball to get to the subway, motorists have actually been forced to respect the traffic signals and pedestrian right-of-way. Combined with the bus itself not mucking up traffic in all directions as it makes several sharp left turns, this has ed to the larger intersection being much more mellow and pleasant to navigate. It is very unfortunate it's temporary, as apparently CTA, CDOT and IDOT are completely unable to behave cooperatively to serve the greater good.

Permalink Reply by BikeScnhook on October 27, 2018 at 12:35pm

You mean like this, which I had to deal with last night?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZHFMAyRzTg

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on October 27, 2018 at 9:20pm

Video from Mass Bike, 'Protect yourself from right-turning vehicles' (2:45)

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154590449688084&i...

Permalink Reply by BikeScnhook on October 28, 2018 at 4:57am

Curious as to how many of those truckers used turn signals.

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on October 28, 2018 at 6:14am

https://youtu.be/1yVFmAilK9U  (1:37)

Stay away from clueless drivers like this. 

Permalink Reply by mike w. on October 28, 2018 at 1:52pm

Made the mistake of reading the comments... i recommend skipping them.

Permalink Reply by Ernesto Lube on October 28, 2018 at 12:32pm

oh oy! Geesh!

 

Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on October 28, 2018 at 2:48pm

Re; Tom AK's video-

 Driver signaled their intent to turn right. That would tell me to slow down, take a look and likely swerve into the lane left and go around them. Or, you know, perhaps just stop if need be. (Crazy, I know, right?)

 It's not a velodrome, it's a public road. Lance was in the drops and didn't really slow until it was too late to correct for his momentum and the change in conditions. 

 Hazards are a near-constant everywhere and our survival is job #1 at all times. I truly wish it didn't have to be this way but it's a sad fact of the life we chose as bicyclists.

 Statistics prove that intersections are where the majority of collisions occur. So, why not live to ride another day?

Permalink Reply by mike w. on October 28, 2018 at 5:34pm

i'm not entirely sure that the rider ever saw the turn signal. Sometimes while riding at speed, one tends to have tunnel vision. He was probably only aware that the car was overtaking him, depending on his peripheral vision while keeping this eyes on the road surface and concentrating on holding his line. It looks to me that the driver underestimated the speed of the rider and overestimated the distance between them as they started to turn.

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