Okay, the ST phrase has been repeated time and time again, “There are two types of cyclists- those that HAVE crashed, and those that WILL crash.” I’m hoping today was my day, but ST’ers, you be the judge!
I’m two weeks post-IMC and now building for SuperFrog 1/2 in two weeks, so today called for a 60-miler on the bike. For those of you familiar with south Orange County (technically N. SD County), I was riding the 3.1 miles through the parking/campground stretch of “Trails” south of the SanO Power Plant. For those who don’t know, this is basically a long stretch of parking/camping along the coast south of San Clemente. I was about 35 miles into the ride and riding in the midst of the OC Wheelmens’ annual group ride, though not involved in that event, and had a pack of about 6 riders maybe 50 yards behind me, but was riding alone, in the aerobars. About 50 yards ahead of me, a lady in a PT Cruiser backs out of a parking space and starts heading south. I’m cruising along about 17mph and start to catch up to her, and was maybe 20 yards behind her, gaining, but of course along the right edge of the road. She drives maybe 20 feet and decides to turn right into another parking space, not bothering to look in her right mirror to see that I’m approaching rapidly.
So, I immediately lock up the brakes and unclip my left foot, and start to assess my predicament as I yell out “Woah, woah, woah!” hoping she’ll hear me and stop with enough room for me to scoot through, but by the time she heard me, she was almost into the space and had left me no alternatives. I was immediately thinking this was going to be a collision for sure, and I was possibly going to get thrown up onto her hood. I was quickly slowing as my rear tire skidded on the pavement, but not quickly enough. My one option was to start veering right so as to hit with a glancing blow instead of directly t-boning her door. I was ready for impact, and sure enough, my evasive action resulted in impact with my left brake lever into her door just below the mirror. I sort of lurched up onto the door from the momentum and somehow managed to unclip my right foot as well just in time to avoid going down after bouncing off the car. I did drop my bike, but not hard.
My first reaction was to pick my poor bike up! Then, it was to look at myself and my bike. My hand, where it impacted the door (since I was squeezing the brake lever that smacked into her door) seemed okay, but slightly bruised. Nothing broken, no skin lost, etc. Then, of course, I checked my bike, spun the front wheel to make sure it wasn’t tacoed, and check the levers that I thought had slammed into her door. I also had a look at my derailleur since my bike had fallen on that side after the impact, and checked the tire to make sure I hadn’t somehow popped it. Remarkably, I was no worse for the wear, other than tiny paint scratches on the brake lever and a slightly bruised left hand.
So, the lady jumps out of the car and asks me if I’m okay. I say I think so, as I continued to check everything. The husband runs over and asks if me and my bike are okay. She didn’t speak much, I’m sure realizing her error, and hoping I wouldn’t try to freak on her and make her pay for damages somehow. I said twice to her that she needed to check her mirrors a bit better next time before she turns. She never really said much more. I mentioned to her that my bike appeared okay, but the door of her car had a nice gouge in it. She didn’t seem to care much about that, and was probably relieved when I apologized for her door (can’t help myself!) and rode off wondering how I escaped damage to my bike and body. About 15 minutes down the road, I got the thought to stop and check my carbon fork to make sure it hadn’t somehow cracked, and double checked everything once again on the bike as I was going back the same way and figured I’d stop by her campsite if I found any damage, but fortunately, I dodged a bullet this time.
So, someone please tell me that this counts as putting me in the “have crashed” camp so I don’t have to continue to live with the paranoia of when it was going to happen!
By the way, when I told my wife, she was not happy and inquired about the cost of a…gasp…Computrainer!
Yeah, that “counts” and that is the kind of crash you want! Hopefully good for another several thousand miles! Glad it went down like that for you.
Thanks Rod. Let’s hope several DOZEN thousand miles!
Yup, that’s a good crash Jay. They can turn out much worse with cars involved.
If you get a computrainer you will have to find a way to fall off that eventually 
Glad you’re ok. She certainly could have avoided this with vigilance. But you could have also. In the aerobars coming up on parking spaces? Approaching a car on the right when there are parking spaces on the right? You have to assume drivers will not check their right mirror when turning right - this is just not a normal check. Defensive driving is important, but defensive biking is too. Feel free to ride as if drivers will always do the ultra-safe thing, but that is not a very smart assumption to make. Again, glad you’re ok.
Holy shit Jay, glad you are ok! That section of SanO is kinda of dangerous. I almost had a car accident there. I’m sure the lady is glad you did not sue her.
Again glad you’re ok.
Yes that counts.
PS: I also say “Woah, woah, woah!”
Glad you’re ok. She certainly could have avoided this with vigilance. But you could have also. In the aerobars coming up on parking spaces? Approaching a car on the right when there are parking spaces on the right? You have to assume drivers will not check their right mirror when turning right - this is just not a normal check. Defensive driving is important, but defensive biking is too. Feel free to ride as if drivers will always do the ultra-safe thing, but that is not a very smart assumption to make. Again, glad you’re ok.
Wilbur, you have to know the layout there to understand. There’s basically a two-lane road through a campground/beach parking area, and on the right are parking spaces along that road, and in some areas, they are on the left. Cyclists ride along the right side of the single southbound and northbound lanes. The only other option is to ride in the lane of traffic heading south, which pisses off the drivers and the park rangers don’t want cyclists in the lane of traffic either. There are hundreds of cyclists going through there on any given weekend. If she had signalled that she was going to suddenly turn right into the parking space, I might have had time to avoid the crash, but she didn’t.
For the record, I’ve ridden through there a hundred times in the past 3 years without incident, and in general, outside of the warmer months, it’s fairly deserted.
Hope you will be more “suspicious” next time you ride through there.
In the area described and on a weekend I would never ride that fast.
But I can see that one can get “complacent” if one is very familiar with a specific area.
Even when I am 50 yard from my house and tired like a dog I try my best to not let my guard down.
Saved my butt a couple of times.
Plus I’d rather look like an timid little girl than getting hit.
Had too much of that already, thank you.
Thanks Bob! Yeah, added some excitement to an otherwise boring ride.
Hope you will be more “suspicious” next time you ride through there.
In the area described and on a weekend I would never ride that fast.
But I can see that one can get “complacent” if one is very familiar with a specific area.
Even when I am 50 yard from my house and tired like a dog I try my best to not let my guard down.
Saved my butt a couple of times.
Plus I’d rather look like an timid little girl than getting hit.
Had too much of that already, thank you.
I’m probably the most cautious person I know, and am always trying to anticipate the unexpected. In this case, the woman had just pulled out of a parking spot and begun heading south (my direction), so naturally I wouldn’t assume that she’s going to pull into a parking space 20 feet further down the road. I did keep a close eye on her though, and that was enough probably to help me avoid injury.
I understand your dilemma. No perfect biking route. Always a bummer. I’m just saying, when I approach a vehicle, I always assume they will turn in front of me, or make some unexpected maneuver, and slow to a speed that makes a collision/incident impossible. Sure, it’ll hurt your “average mph” and briefly interrupt your workout, but your wife (and kids, if applicable) would appreciate this prudence, I think. I do wish you dozens of thousands of miles of safe biking…
I understand your dilemma. No perfect biking route. Always a bummer. I’m just saying, when I approach a vehicle, I always assume they will turn in front of me, or make some unexpected maneuver, and slow to a speed that makes a collision/incident impossible. Sure, it’ll hurt your “average mph” and briefly interrupt your workout, but your wife (and kids, if applicable) would appreciate this prudence, I think. I do wish you dozens of thousands of miles of safe biking…
Yeah, kids are applicable (1 4-year-old and one T-minus 2 1/2 months and counting down- due in November). Yeah, this was an unusual one. I’ll certainly be more paranoid when riding through there!
glad you’re okay
What’s a “tacoed” wheel? forgive my cycling ignorance…
glad you’re okay
What’s a “tacoed” wheel? forgive my cycling ignorance…
Well, if you think of the wheel as a tortilla, then fold it to make a taco.
Glad you are alright.
It doesn’t hurt to assume that people in cars are trying to run you over or get in your way. Ride defensively. If I’m in a high traffic area where people might turn in front of me, I keep my hands near my breaks and stay off of the aero bars.
Victor
Wow. I didn’t know they could bend like that!
A quick Google image search turned up a picture of one here:
AAA! poor bike 
Good manouvering. I am glad you are OK. That is almost exactly what happened to me 8 days ago. I didn’t react as well as you did. My bike is totaled and not yet replaced. I still can’t walk for more than 15 minutes without significant pain. The good thing is that the driver is accepting total responsibilty and her insurance is acting honorably so far.
I don’t want to sound like a a$$, but if there was no bike lane and maybe even if there was it seems that you would be at fault. If you were a car you wouldn’t pass a slow or stopped vehicle on the right. Its my understanding that cyclists are to follow all laws and rules as would a person driving. If the lady had passed you then slowed down and turn in front of you then it would be her fault. Again, please don’t take this as a slam. Just wanted to bring it up for discussion. The Tri Club I’m with is big into Cycling safety in the community so its on my mind alot.
Glad your OK and your bike too!