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How to Not Get Hit by Cars

bicyclesafe.com

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Re: How to Not Get Hit by Cars

#11

Post by yohannparis »

hammock wrote: post #2

So much of this advice is “ride to the left” and I wish to emphasize it. Novice riders are trained to stick to an invisible (or painted) bike lake which ends up with them being far less visible than they need to be. Your safety is more important than some car’s need to get to work 5 seconds faster, and you shouldn’t feel controlling anxiety if some idiot honks at you for riding in the main traffic lane. You have righ…

Quite true.

For novice riders are simply tell them to ride where they would put they right wheel when driving a car. And at least a meter away from the curb/parked cars.

Re: How to Not Get Hit by Cars

#13

Post by kqr »

hammock wrote: post #2

So much of this advice is “ride to the left” and I wish to emphasize it. Novice riders are trained to stick to an invisible (or painted) bike lake which ends up with them being far less visible than they need to be. Your safety is more important than some car’s need to get to work 5 seconds faster, and you shouldn’t feel controlling anxiety if some idiot honks at you for riding in the main traffic lane. You have righ…

> you shouldn’t feel controlling anxiety if some idiot honks at you for riding in the main traffic lane

Honking is good; it means they see you!

Re: How to Not Get Hit by Cars

#14

Post by darkerside »

Am important tip that want mentioned in here. At any even slightly risky maneuvers like the ones described, I stand up in the pedals and move my head to make obvious eye contact with the driver. Something about the exaggerated head movement seems to be really effective at getting people to pay attention. I guess we're all just hardwired to notice when someone notices us.

Re: How to Not Get Hit by Cars

#15

Post by kqr »

yohannparis wrote: post #11
hammock wrote: post #2

So much of this advice is “ride to the left” and I wish to emphasize it. Novice riders are trained to stick to an invisible (or painted) bike lake which ends up with them being far less visible than they need to be. Your safety is more important than some car’s need to get to work 5 seconds faster, and you shouldn’t feel controlling anxiety if some idiot honks at you for riding in the main traffic lane. You have righ…

Quite true. For novice riders are simply tell them to ride where they would put they right wheel when driving a car. And at least a meter away from the curb/parked cars.

I usually go for "where the driver's seat would be".

Re: How to Not Get Hit by Cars

#17

Post by rob_c »

Living in a densely populated urban city where I walk and take public transport. The problem cuts both ways, irrepressible cyclists are a danger to pedestrians and motorists when they aren't following the road.

It must vary from place to place as to which group is the most dangerous, but in Scotland the cyclists in the major cities (especially delivery ones) are getting more and more dangerous. They seem to treat every journey like a parkour adventure.

Re: How to Not Get Hit by Cars

#18

Post by woliveirajr »

Illegal but safer?

Before you can get safer doing illegal things, you need to know how to do things. The laws and rules exist so that anyone knows what to expect on those interactions. Doing "illegal" breaks those assumptions and might end with worst outcomes.

If you don't really know how to act when you do something illegal, it won't be safer.

Re: How to Not Get Hit by Cars

#20

Post by kmlx »

after cycling for more than 30 years across 3 continents, i have just one piece of advice for not getting hit by cars: get a driver’s license. you will then better understand the flow of cars around you, the various signs, the right of way etc etc etc
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