Cars Do Not See Cyclists and They Don’t Look for Cyclists. So WE Must Be On Guard at ALL TIMES
A good friend of mine was hit by a car this past weekend as he rode the Ironman Wisconsin course. He’s doing OK, but he was pretty severely banged up. And he still doesn’t remember what happened or how the accident happened. He was very lucky.
Another friend of mine in Ok City told me a couple weeks ago about 2 cyclists that were hit by cars and killed within days of each other on his normal training roads.
And 2 years ago, a friend of mine was hit by a car and killed by a truck in my local area.
I’m sure each of us has a story of an accident or a close call with an auto. In most cases the cyclist was not at fault at all – with the exception of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And one thing is for certain when it comes to a collision with a car, truck or other vehicle…………….THE CYCLIST WILL LOSE. 100% of the time.
Let’s face it, we can be hard to see. Couple this with the driver being distracted by talking on the phone, texting, eating or drinking, etc, and it’s clear to see that we are out there in a potentially dangerous situation — every time we ride.
There are certain things we CAN control; such as wearing bright clothing, staying on the shoulder or as far to the right as possible, obeying all traffic rules, riding a straight line, etc. So we must take full responsibility for these and ride as safely as possible.
Because when it comes down to it, the only thing that’s important about the ride – THE ONLY THING — is to get home safely. And we can improve our odds by riding in a safe manner, by thinking ahead and by realizing that most cars do not see us, so we must ride defensively and never assume that a car sees us or will yield to us.
Cycling is a great form of exercise, is an excellent social outlet and a fantastic lifelong sport. Just ride safely, ride defensively and get home safely.
Add your comments below, then GET OUT AND RIDE!
About two years ago my girl friend was hit while we were riding in Scottsdale, AZ. (we’re from VA). She was in a bike lane, cruising up a shallow climb of maybe 2% at 15 mph… The speed limit was 35, so the closing speed should NOT have been > 20 – 25mph. When the car hit her it sheared her bike in half and she suffered numerous fractures and lacerations. While it was a horrible experience, THANKFULLY she’s recovered, and riding better than ever. To your article, I would add; we can help ourselves by riding with the brightest flashing light you can find. Might not help much in bright sunlight, but they’re very helpful when going from bright sun to shade and at dusk… In our case, my girl friend was hit while riding on a long, slightly curving road, with excellent sight lines. So, as you say, we must give drivers every opportunity to see us, and just maybe that little flashing light will catch their eye. BTW, they don’t weigh that much, and most of us aren’t getting paid to ride that fast anyway!
Thanks for this post, Bob. As someone who has “taken the call” from the ER when my loved one was struck while cycling, I have become an evangelist for bike safety. Accidents happen in an instant and can end a season–or worse. “Bikes are cars” is my mantra. This means obeying every rule of the road and respecting the ignorance and inattention of many drivers. Yes, it is our right to be on the road. But as you say, the big guy will always win.
The League of American Cyclists offers courses in how to ride in traffic. One of the most important things to know is where in the lane to ride. You are least visible hugging the right side of the road. Any road too narrow for a car and a bike to share should be controlled by the cyclist. Legal and the safest place to ride.
You should ride at the left edge of bike lanes to be more visible. Car drivers see what’s directly in front of them.