Slowtwitch mighta' saved my life a few weeks back

Triathlon Forum
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…and I’ve been hesitant to bore everyone to tears with my little tale. But in light of the thread on those new PI “music bibs”, I think I’ll share…

I’m on the return trip of my occasional bike commute to work, in broad day light, on a 4 four lane commercial road on Long Island, NY. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a large sedan making a left-hand turn onto a residential street, across two lanes, trying to beat the oncoming traffic, and more importantly, directly towards my path. I slam on the brakes - hard, manage to somehow stay upright, swerve left, and miss the cars’ rear bumper by maybe an inch.

Shaking and nealy blind with rage, I make a quick right turn at the next street to head back after the car. I race around the block to see an older couple, well into their 80’s getting out of the car in their driveway. Rage melts away, and I somewhat politely suggest that they may want to take that sort of turn a little slower…

Thankfully I was just a few miles from home, because I wasy having all sorts of difficulty calming my nerves the rest of the way.

Any-who…

Thanks to this forum, I make it my business to treat every car as if they’re out to demolish me. It’s a conscious thought during every ride. If I at all find my thoughts drifting off during periods of a ride where there’s traffic - and around here, that’s almost all the time - I purposely bring my thoughts back to what I’ve read here countless times. The deaths, injuries to the point of paralysis, etc.

I need to be watching all angles constantly, every intersecting road, every passing car, pedestrians…always with the thought that they’re all out to bring me down. That’s why I wouldn’t consider headphones for a second. It’s something I’ve thought of in the past, but this forum has made me realize what a mistake that would be.

Now there are people that may be in a different geographical setting than me. Fine, if you feel that way…personally I don’t really care if you go riding in one of those one-man band get-ups, but for me, and for my family - NEVER.

So I guess, thank you all.

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when i was younger, like in my 20s, i crashed fairly freqently. i counted, by my 30th, 7 good crashes, several of which put me in the hospital. not all were car-related, but many were.

i’ve been down twice in the last 20 years. a bad thing can happen at any time, and is not always within your control to stop, but i’m sure a lot of my better fortune is due to the same sort of diligence of which you speak. not only will i not wear headphones when i ride, i won’t even wear them when i run. i’m hypersensitive to all traffic, and to all intersections and even rural driveways, because you don’t know what’s going to come darting out.

for me it’s almost like a video game, where people come darting out from behind buildings to shoot me. i doubt soldiers in war zones are that much more vigilant and wary than i am while i’m on my bike, and i guess that’s because i assume everyone has a bad intention, even though i know the great majority of them don’t.

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Same here. I live in Boston, so I always assume that all drivers are idiots, whether I am driving, riding, or running. Most of the time I am right, which actually makes it easier. I’ve only been down once since moving here (knock on wood) and that was not due to a car.

Headphones are for the gym, period. I don’t wear them outside primarily for safety reasons, but not wearing them also gives me time to actually think and enjoy the sounds of being outdoors. Plus, I can’t wear them for races, so why give myself an extra crutch during training that I won’t have for races?

Stay safe out there. It may not seem like it all the time, but it’s dangerous as hell to be a cyclist in a metropolitan area.

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I assume no one has a bad intention. Or a good intention. Or any intention at all. That’s what I watch out for, the basic meandering driver who isn’t focussed on much of anything. Certainly not on the unexpected bicyclist - me.

Then again, I once ran into a parked truck, so I’m no shining example of attentiveness, either.

rtk

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There are a lot more cars on the road and drivers are more distracted than ever. A cyclist’s senses must be razor sharp to the point you can just “feel” cars coming from behind and predict driver behavior at an intersection. Assume every driver will run the light or stop sign. Assume nobody sees you. Since joining Slowtwitch, I’m more vigilant than ever.

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#1 cause of automobile accidents in Boston is 2 cars simultaneously swerving to hit the same pedestrian…

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I think the reason you have less incidents is because you are now holed up in the mtns, rather than in a city…

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i doubt soldiers in war zones are that much more vigilant and wary than i am while i’m on my bike

Somehow, I don’t find that comforting.

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That’s a lesson I learned from my motorcycle instructor. Just assume that every car on the road is trying to kill you. Never got hit on the motorcycle and just once on the bike. Have gone through many close calls. Sadly, sometimes it doesn’t help at all.

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A few weeks ago while commuting home down the 580 freeway in Livermore, Ca I watched a woman in the fast lane swerving all over her lane and occasionally into mine. When I pulled up next to her I was able to look down into her car. She had a fork in one hand and a large Tupperware bowl of salad in the other. I was never able to figure out how she was steering the car but I assumed she was using a leg. In the back and forth of traffic I came up next to her a bit later. This time she had the salad and fork in the same hand and was texting {that’s a real word right} on her cell phone with the other hand.
I now picture that woman behind the wheel of every car I see while I am out riding or running. I also believe that I am a much better driver because I spend so much time on the bike looking for every possible area of danger. Ride Safe!
Dave

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I’ve been there and there are parts of the road with very little shoulder and cars travelling at high rates of speed. Vigilence counts whether it be city or rural riding.

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And let’s not forget its brethren, the boat. Everyone in a boat is assumed to be drunk and/or stupid until proven otherwise. If I stray very far from the shore I have kayak protection with me at all times.

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This is so true. I recently was hit by someone making a left turn. It was dusk but still light and I saw the car and the driver. Thinking that she saw me I let my head drop for just a second as I entered the intersection only to see her headlight and bumber out of the corner of my eye. I have no idea why I looked down, I guess just a bit tired after a long ride and being close to home. I will never drop my head in an intersection again. I got off lucky with no injury and minor damage. (She left after making sure I was okay by the way) I totally get what you are saying about the adrenaline, I had little spikes through the entire night realizing how close I was to a horrible outcome

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I always ride a bike or motorcycle thinking I’m totally invisible. It’s the only thing that has worked for me for close to 40 years of 2 wheel road riding. I don’t expect them to see me - so, many fewer surprises. I also expect the ones that see me to try and hit me even though I know the vast majority are not trying to. It doesn’t cut down much on close calls or mean that you can’t be hit, only that you don’t expect any space.
I also thank those that see me and give me room, how ever little room, after all it’s the thought that counts.

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And let’s not forget its brethren, the boat. Everyone in a boat is assumed to be drunk and/or stupid until proven otherwise. If I stray very far from the shore I have kayak protection with me at all times.

Boats aren’t only a danger in the water. I live very near a major state park and a huge reservoir. There’s little worse than the bubbas pullin’ bass boats around here. They don’t seem to realize that their trailers are wider than their trucks. If they’re on the way TO the lake, nothin’ better get in their way. If they’re on the way FROM the lake, they’re usually tired, drunk and in a foul mood after being outsmarted by fish. I’ve learned to plan my routes and ride times carefully when the fishermen are out.

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Wisdom and experience really help fine-tune the antennae!

Glad you survived your close call. The elderly are a particularly sinister and growing threat. ;-)/2 (Only half kidding.)

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In the town were I live they installed hard packed, gravel paths on the side of a few roads. The town is very rural. Some people walk, run, ride bikes or horses around town. The cars are always going too fast. I have almost been hit numerous times while running.

Well, there was an older retired man in our town that most everyone was familiar with because walked almost constantly around town. He could be seen at all different times of the day, in most any weather walking with his headphones on. A few weeks ago he was walking on the gravel path when a pickup truck swerved (for no apparent reason) off the road and struck him, killing him. Witness said the the truck had been swerving for a while. The police found no evidence of alcohol or drugs in the driver’s system. I haven’t seen any more reports on the investigation, yet. But, all I can think of is that the driver was distracted maybe trying to read a map (he was from out of state) or perhaps he was talking on his cell phone.

So, whenever I am on the road, whether biking, running or driving I assume everyone else is incompetent and out to get me. I am always double, triple, and re-checking for traffic.

Be safe.

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Great thread! When my wife gets home I’m going to make her read every post.

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On a related note, always make sure you have a Road ID or other form of identification. I don’t let my wife leave the house for a ride or run without one, and she does the same for me.

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Here is an observation based on 30 years of Sunday morning runs/rides - as a group of people, Sunday morning Christians are the absolute worst drivers in the world. Over the past 30 years I have not figured whether: 1) people who go to church just can’t drive for some reason; 2) they are hung over and should still be in bed sleeping; 3) they are filled with the love of God and can’t think straight; or 4) think they have a free pass and can’t hurt anyone because they went to church.