I had a real close call this morning. I thought I was either going to go over a hood or into the driver's door window.

Please excuse the cursing. I did not have my presence of mind for a few seconds.





.

I thought you were relatively calm Doug.
That seems to be the thing nowadays.
Pull out and then look later.
Glad you were paying attention, since the idiot wasn`t.

you have to be even more careful in sac now. on saturday one of my good friends got tattered while coming out of a target parking lot.he was on his motorcycle. totaled the bike. hes walking but he wasnt doing so good on sunday. (concussion, road rash on hands and up his arms, legs bruised to hell.) the guy that hit him tried to flee.....with the bike lodged in his hood.

quote Originally posted by outlawfiero17: you have to be even more careful in sac now. on saturday one of my good friends got tattered while coming out of a target parking lot.he was on his motorcycle. totaled the bike. hes walking but he wasnt doing so good on sunday. (concussion, road rash on hands and up his arms, legs bruised to hell.) the guy that hit him tried to flee.....with the bike lodged in his hood.

I am so sorry for your friend. That really sucks.

One reason I ride my bicycle instead of a motorcycle is because the speed is slower so if there is an accident then I am less likely to die. Also on a bicycle I can use dedicated bike lanes and paths. With as many close calls as I get on a bicycle, I would be scared to ride a motorcycle. People just don't see you like the lady in that Audi didn't see me at all even though I have a flashing headlight, high visibility gear and I within 20 yards of her as she was pulling up.

I also swear that some people think that if you are on a bicycle, you are practically standing still. I was going 23 mph in that video which is not as fast as a car, but a lot faster than casual cyclists. She may have looked left, saw me, then looked right and started pulling out assuming that I would be nowhere near her. I don't know for sure what she was thinking but that would not surprise me either.

I hope your friend recovers soon. Did the police catch the guy that hit him?


.

[This message has been edited by Doug85GT (edited 07-14-2011).]

quote Originally posted by Doug85GT: One reason I ride my bicycle instead of a motorcycle is because the speed is slower so if there is an accident then I am less likely to die.

What gear do you wear when you're on a bicycle vs a motorcycle? Road rash is more likely on the bicycle. How much of the impact can either bike take? Bigger horn and lights on the motorcycle.

quote Also on a bicycle I can use dedicated bike lanes and paths.

And it's easier to park. I know many that park them in their office.
Not to mention the health benefits.

One of the reasons I stopped riding my bike. Too many close calls from the idiots driving and not paying attention.

You might want to get your brakes checked. If someone pulls out in your lane, you might want to stop. It looked to me that you would have been just as much at fault for riding in front of a moving car.

Was that a bike lane you were ridding in?

quote Originally posted by avengador1: Was that a bike lane you were ridding in?

That is what a bike lane looks like.

quote Originally posted by Gokart Mozart: What gear do you wear when you're on a bicycle vs a motorcycle? Road rash is more likely on the bicycle. How much of the impact can either bike take? Bigger horn and lights on the motorcycle.

I always were a helmet and gloves. That is nowhere near the protection that motorcyclists have with their helmet, armored jackets and gloves.

There is no question in my mind that motorcycle gear provides more protection. I was just commenting that I have observed a lot more news stories of motorcyclists being killed than bicyclists. I believe that speed plays a big factor in it. In this particular instance, the speed limit is 35 mph and I was traveling 23 mph on my bicycle. In terms of kinetic energy a motorcyclist has twice as much energy at 35 mph (1225) than I do at 23 mph (529). Kinetic energy goes up exponentially since speed is squared. This is assuming the rider is the same weight and not counting the weight of the bicycle or motorcycle.


.

[This message has been edited by Doug85GT (edited 07-14-2011).]

Sounds like you just called it as you saw it. He/She was a F*****g idiot! Glad you are ok. Could have ended much worse.

Jim

quote Originally posted by Old Lar: One of the reasons I stopped riding my bike. Too many close calls from the idiots driving and not paying attention.

X2 – I use to be a triathlete and would log 150 miles a week. I got really tired of people throwing bottles and stuff at me… not to mention all the close calls of almost being flattened like a pancake.

quote Originally posted by Doug85GT: People just don't see you like the lady in that Audi didn't see me at all even though I have a flashing headlight, high visibility gear and I within 20 yards of her as she was pulling up.

Well see there is the issue, pretty cut and dry if you ask me. Shame to say it but when I'm riding I'm at 200% situational awareness when I'm around certain drivers and women, especially in high end cars, are near the top of that list.

Glad you are alright.

~ Derek

While you are clearly in the right in this video...I generally HATE people that ride bicycles on the street....they want the same "rights" but do not follow the same rules of the road. How often do you see one pass 10 cars at a stop and then go right through the light or stop sign.

quote Originally posted by cherokee 140: While you are clearly in the right in this video...I generally HATE people that ride bicycles on the street....they want the same "rights" but do not follow the same rules of the road. How often do you see one pass 10 cars at a stop and then go right through the light or stop sign.

No they HAVE the same rights to use the roads.....but just like many car drivers and motorcyclist, the rules of the road are often bent ot ingnored.

I would agree, if they had to pay a roadfund tax, and compulsory insurance
Having said that, I am always very careful around cyclists here; they really act like they own the road. Even when they are riding in a lane where cars are not allowed to cross the white dividing line to pass them, they just ignore any vehicle behind them, and continue to ride 2 or 3 abreast. Sometimes the white line can last for 2 or 3 miles, and it seems to me to be very selfish, and not a little dangerous, to not move into single file to allow cars etc to pass safely. Cyclists are ten a penny here in Spain at weekends, and they cause a lot of resentment against cyclists by this behaviour.
Unfortunately, cyclists who ARE careful, and aware of the fact that cars can and do travel a lot faster ,and politely move over, are classed in the same category. Not fair at all.
I am surprised you didn't go back and remonstrate with her
Keep safe, and I hope people will treat you with the same respect you give them.

[This message has been edited by fierofetish (edited 07-14-2011).]

I hate cyclists around here. They definitely act like they are above everyone else, and seem to think motor vehicles should go out of their ways to accommodate the cyclists, but the cyclists don't pay to use and maintain the roads, they don't bother to follow the rules of the road, they don't show common courtesy. There are times when cyclists will scrape a parked/stopped car with their handlebars and keep on cruising, or pull in front of a car and act like it was the cars fault.


In this case, the Audi driver was clearly in the wrong, but I think you should also learn to use your brakes. Death doesn't care who is in the right; if you ride in front of a car because you know they are SUPPOSED to stop, you will be just as dead as if they weren't supposed to stop.

Put an air horn on your bike.

quote Originally posted by TommyRocker: In this case, the Audi driver was clearly in the wrong, but I think you should also learn to use your brakes. Death doesn't care who is in the right; if you ride in front of a car because you know they are SUPPOSED to stop, you will be just as dead as if they weren't supposed to stop.

Learn how to use my brakes? I was traveling at about 23 mph. The car started crossing the sidewalk at 0:06 and I was about 15 yards away. At 0:07 the car was already completely blocking the bike lane and I was on top of the car. I was braking as hard as I could without losing control. At 0:08 I was past the car and moving at a crawl.

So I slowed down from 23 mph to 3 mph in 2 seconds. If you can do it in 1 second on a road bike, then make a video and post it.


.

quote Originally posted by TommyRocker: I hate cyclists around here. They definitely act like they are above everyone else, and seem to think motor vehicles should go out of their ways to accommodate the cyclists, but the cyclists don't pay to use and maintain the roads, they don't bother to follow the rules of the road, they don't show common courtesy. There are times when cyclists will scrape a parked/stopped car with their handlebars and keep on cruising, or pull in front of a car and act like it was the cars fault. In this case, the Audi driver was clearly in the wrong, but I think you should also learn to use your brakes. Death doesn't care who is in the right; if you ride in front of a car because you know they are SUPPOSED to stop, you will be just as dead as if they weren't supposed to stop.

Yea. I had a drama seeking woman call the office on me today because she was riding while txting and swerved in front of my truck. I hit my horn. She got scared and fell. She called the police and said I must have been drinking and my office. The cop calls the office gets my cell number and calls me. He meets up with me I tell him what happened we both laugh about how women cant even ride bicycles without screwing up. She wanted me charged with a number of things. She got a ticket for disrupting traffic. A lady running also ran right in front of me today. I hate people on bikes in general. They ride down the middle of the road in groups and totally do not realize they are in the way. They run red lights dont obey stop signs yet argue when you cut them off or get in their way saying they have a right to be on the road. If they want that right then they should have plates registration, inspection and insurance. Unless then get the hell out of my way.

quote Originally posted by Doug85GT: Learn how to use my brakes? I was traveling at about 23 mph. The car started crossing the sidewalk at 0:06 and I was about 15 yards away. At 0:07 the car was already completely blocking the bike lane and I was on top of the car. I was braking as hard as I could without losing control. At 0:08 I was past the car and moving at a crawl. So I slowed down from 23 mph to 3 mph in 2 seconds. If you can do it in 1 second on a road bike, then make a video and post it. .

I don't know, I can't see your speedo or your controls, I just know I was watching the audi flying at the exit and thinking, "Jeez, why isn't he stopping, there's a car coming!?!?" Then the car nails her brakes, then you nail yours. I guess, ultimately, both parties saw the other party later than they should have, but you had right of way.