Could all car drivers please LOOK and then look again!

[Scort]

Sorry guys, this is a bit of a vent, but having just missed an accident on my bike by a few inches, I think I’m entitled.

Twice, twice this week a car driver has almost had me off – on Monday it was a guy pulling out of a side street about a car’s length in front of me, luckily it was town and rush hour, so the speeds were low. But the bloody idiot looked right at me, and then pulled out whilst merrily chatting away on this mobile. ****!

Then today, I decide to ride out a little further, so head into Wootton Bassett with a view of riding off to Avebury etc. I’m riding down the A3102 towards the high street (a 40 limit – I’m doing an indicated 38/39), coming up on my right is the petrol station, and I clock a silver Toyota Celica (the newer shaped one) – I know someone from the area with one, so I took an interest; yet still maintained good observation on the road and surrounds (no one in front of me at this point, nor was there anyone at the pedestrian crossing, only a red hatchback coming the opposite way that the MR2 was giving way to).

Anyway, I’m nearing the exit to the petrol station and would only have been 4-5 car lengths away from the entrance (where the MR2 is trying to get out from), when the guy pulls out – not booting it to beat me, the guy just trundles over the oncoming lane, into mine; by which point there’s 2 car lengths, if that, between us!

Luckily this weekend and the one before I spent a good few hours working on stopping quickly and safely, but sadly the car driver in me kicked in too, so a little too much back brake was given and I locked up. I managed to slow rapidly though, yet still had to take avoiding action and moved tight to the kerb, at this stage my front wheel was alongside is rear near-side.

Totally oblivious to what he’s just done he carries on like nothing happened

Now, I’m usually a very calm person, never been in a fight as I don’t let things get to me, but having suffered the misery of a crash last year, I was seeing red – I rode after the guy, stopped in front of him then went to voice my displeasure. The window came down the guy tried to apologise but I lost it, all I could think of was how this unobservant ****er could have put me in the hospital today, and I started shouting; finally having to walk away as I was close to punching him.

I’m not proud in any way, I was shaking like a leaf when I got back onto my bike, so much so that I had to park up and wait for about 10 minutes before I carried on, I felt like crying too; all I could think of was my accident. It really ****ed me up.

So, as the title says, and coming from someone who dearly loves biking and values their life, please for the love of god look twice!

Scort.

 

[daveydave]

tough one really pal, it seems like the above is just one of the dangers of riding a bike these days. With cars getting bigger and the profile of a bike being just so small, its unfortunate but 7/10 people on auto-pilot will not see you. Just ride defensive like you have been mate

 

[MrMatteh]

is this why all bikers now seem to ride with their main beam on, blinding me?



I also saw a great biker just before the Blackwall Tunnel this morning, filtering round a bend *on* double white lines (in a tunnel)- the day after all that rain.

so yeh, works both ways

 

[Five_Star]

Not sure if it’s the weather being a bit more grey and gloomy but I’ve seen a lot more of this type of behaviour this week.

Sounds like a scary moment for you today, not something I’d like to have to think about. I don’t think I could have walked away from the guy you stopped I’d just want to grab him by the shoulders and shake him while shouting “for gods sake look next time, why didn’t you see me!”

I’m at a loss with how to educate people on just how vulnerable bikers are. Sure they see the adverts on TV etc but once they are in the car on auto pilot their concentration and awareness drop to zero.

 

[Fr0dders]

this is exactly why my my other refuses to let me ride a bike

doesnt matter how good a bike rider you are. Its the other drivers you need to be aware of.

 

[r3loaded]

Yeah, sorry to hear about that, but we car drivers just find it very difficult to see you guys. We're subconsciously looking out for 4-wheeled vehicles, and since bikes are very narrow in comparison, the mind often simply blanks out their presence. I personally witnessed a close shave in Glossop where a car turned out of a side street in front of a biker in front of us. The driver had clearly looked before turning, but his mind clearly missed the biker and only saw us. The result could have very easily been similar to the TV advert :/

Couple of ideas that come to my mind: Put your headlight on all the time, and possibly wear a fluorescent jacket. Basically, do anything to make yourself as visible as possible.

 

[Draeger]

is this why all bikers now seem to ride with their main beam on, blinding me?

Most bikers ride with their dipped beam on at all times, not their main/high beam. I don't know anyone who rides with their main/high beam on, it would be dangerous to do so.

Also, most new ( in the last few years ) bikes don't even have an "on/off" switch for their main headlight as per Euro regulations, the lights come on as soon as you turn on the ignition.

 

[Hotwired]

No matter how good a driver you are, cars are driven from a semi-soundproofed box with visibility issues.

No one sober is going to miss a 16 wheeled articulated lorry banging down the road but a bike from the front isn't much more visible than a person, except going at road speed or more.

Not much can be done about random crap like that. Suggestions above I agree with.

I'm getting some new lights for my (pedal) bike for the darker evenings tomorrow. I just hate those gits (also on pedal bikes) who think the idea with them is to get the brightest ones possible and point them horizonal+ so they dazzle other people and cyclists in the dark.

 

[fini]

Motorcyclists - 1% of road users, 20% of road deaths. People not seeing you are the risks you choose to take.

 

[fornowagain]

Get used to it, I commuted 2 x 27 miles on a bike for years. Happened every other day and far worse.

Ride like they haven't seen you and ones that have just want to knock you off and you won't be far wrong.

 

[siumatfung]

find a biker buddy then you will look more obvious and feel safer

 

[Hotwired]

Motorcyclists - 1% of road users, 20% of road deaths. People not seeing you are the risks you choose to take.

Err... also that if you have an accident on a bike you're vastly more likely to be screwed than say... the guy in the car who was the other half of the accident.

You might as well say that lorry drivers die less than car drivers (pulling it out of my *** but I suspect it's true).

 

[Cybergangster]

Good to see you had your wits about you to avoid that one. But cut the guy some slack - he did apologise as soon as he saw how upset you were. EVERYONE can make a mistake when driving. The best approach is to be observant and watch out - like you did.

The flip side of this are the arrogant motorcyclists who give the others a bad name. I'm still annoyed by the jerk who underpassed and cut me up on a roundabout last week. Braking to avoid him put me in the path of a bus coming straight through

 

[Ev0]

It's harsh, but sadly it happens.

If I got out my car to have a go at every biker who has pulled a dumb move on the road on me I'd never get anywhere so it works both ways

I must say that I do see more bad riding than bad driving on the roads each day

I still badly want a bike though

 

[MrMatteh]

Most bikers ride with their dipped beam on at all times, not their main/high beam. I don't know anyone who rides with their main/high beam on, it would be dangerous to do so.

nope, i can tell the difference between side, dipped and full. maybe it's because i notice them more, but i'd say most of the bikes i see on my commute have their full beam on

have to dip my rear view mirror to avoid being dazzled

 

[fini]

Err... also that if you have an accident on a bike you're vastly more likely to be screwed than say... the guy in the car who was the other half of the accident.

You might as well say that lorry drivers die less than car drivers (pulling it out of my *** but I suspect it's true).

Not really. If you die in an accident you're family aren't really going to be caring whether it was the lack of protection or the lack of visibility that killed you. The point would be that you died. Pointing out that 20% of all road deaths are motorcyclists is thus a completely legitimate figure to add to such a debate.

 

[Raumarik]

Just glad you're OK mate, just spotted this sad story on the BBC news site:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8259142.stm

Annoys me that someone who was uninsured and had never even held a license but caused a death of a motorcyclist only gets 9 months though!

 

[Reppyboyo]

I had similar situations at the beginning of the spring/summer.
Prompted me to buy this:
http://www.hein-gericke.co.uk/shop/product_info.php/cPath/1_15_7/products_id/6076

Not the most fashionable garment but since I`ve owned it I can swear that drivers spot me far more easily so have had less people pull out on me.
Still get the odd muppet who just refuse to look your way but thats other drivers for you.

 

[manic_man]

I understand that the repurcussions of a bike accident are normally worse than a car accident, and also that a biker is more vulnerable than a car driver, but lets face it, its personal choice, you want to ride a bike, you must know they are inherently more dangerous.

Some car drivers are idiots, some bikers are idiots, there are more car drivers than bikers, ergo, overall there will be more idiot car drivers.

Asking on a public forum for people, who frankly are probably mostly very careful of bikers (as I am; my dad is a biker), to be more careful is tbh quite insulting.

So I ask you, as a biker, can you not accelerate to 60 within the 3 seconds your bike allows, all the time, can you keep your top speed below 100 unless its totally suitable, can you not filter like an idiot, can you not have your high beams on ALL the time, can you not shake your head condesceningly when I dont move over for you in traffic cos I happened to not notice you in my rear-view mirror this one time and please could you refrain from fitting your bike with an exhaust so loud my windows actually rattle when you rev your way past at 3am with your bike screeching at 10,000 RPM.

I am pretty sure you do none of these things, as I am sure most bikers don't. Asking a generic bunch of car car drivers you have never met to try and not hit you when I already do my very best not to, is quite annoying.

Also, i'm in a bad mood as well, so sorry for the rant, just the OP touched a nerve I guess.

 

[Hotwired]

Not really. If you die in an accident you're family aren't really going to be caring whether it was the lack of protection or the lack of visibility that killed you. The point would be that you died. Pointing out that 20% of all road deaths are motorcyclists is thus a completely legitimate figure to add to such a debate.

Yes, that's true but this is what you said:

Motorcyclists - 1% of road users, 20% of road deaths. People not seeing you are the risks you choose to take.

Visibility doesn't kill a greater percentage of bikers than 4+wheel vehs drivers. That's just how the accident happens, It's the lack of protection that kills more bikers, hence why I threw in my mumblings of lorry drivers having even more survivability than car drivers.