Addendum to that comment cuz I mixed the message: I couldn't pull over in that second, which was quite terrifying for me. I *did *pull over as soon as I could and turned around. That town was 15 more miles ahead and there was no way.
On Monday, October 10, 2022 at 11:15:18 PM UTC-7 Joe Bernard wrote: > First, I'm sorry about your friend. > > Sunset is extremely hazardous. I was driving on an unfamiliar 2-lane > highway a couple months ago headed straight into the sun and had a few > moments where I literally couldn't see ANYTHING..I couldn't have pulled > over because I didn't know where "pulling over" was, I just held on tight > and slowed down til I could find the road. I didn't get to where I was > headed, I turned around and went home. > > If you're on a bike and are being blinded even with shades on, get the > hell out of that situation. The car drivers have no idea you're there. > > On Monday, October 10, 2022 at 11:04:23 PM UTC-7 Robert Tilley wrote: > >> I gotta admit that it was an impressive shot! >> >> Sunrise/sunset are definitely dangerous times to be on the road. I used >> to ride with a very experienced cyclist here and he used to organize Bike >> Friday rides since he owned a few. He always wanted to do the Pacific Coast >> tour and finally got a chance once he retired. He was hit and killed by a >> driver in Oregon while on that tour. The driver claimed that the sun was >> in his eyes and he basically didn’t see the bicyclist. Common sense would >> be to pull over if you can’t see but that never happens. >> >> Robert Tilley >> San Diego, CA >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Oct 10, 2022, at 5:05 AM, Doug H. <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Robert, >> >> This is a serious topic but the loogie story made my chuckle. I have to >> say that was a good shot by the kid!! Loogie launching must be practiced so >> that wasn't his first shot. >> >> I've had a few close calls but thankfully no hits as of yet. One thing I >> try to avoid is riding directly into a sunset as it blinds me and drivers >> as well. A local lady was killed a few years ago (RIP Karen Tinsely) and a >> contributing factor was the sun in the driver's eyes. In that case I don't >> think there was any bad intention although still inexcusable. If I'm on a >> road heading towards a sunset I try to find an alternate route. Be safe >> fellow cyclists! >> Doug >> Athens, Ga >> >> On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:18:24 PM UTC-4 Robert Tilley wrote: >> >>> I’ve been riding “seriously” since I was 18 and I’m turning 56 this >>> month. It’s surprising how few issues I can come up with when thinking >>> back. 99% of the people here do a pretty good job sharing the road with >>> cyclists and we have a decent bike infrastructure. People are used to bikes >>> on the road. Typically people are too accommodating and want to give me the >>> right of way when it isn’t mine. >>> >>> I got hit once. I was descending a decently steep road and there was a >>> driveway with a car coming out of a Burger King parking lot. I watched the >>> driver look left up the hill, then right, then left again and as soon as I >>> neared the driveway he pulled out. So I hit the front fender doing about 30 >>> mph and flew over the hood. I was surprisingly in ok shape. Nothing broken >>> but I had some bruising, some road rash and twisted ankles due to my Time >>> pedals not releasing. >>> >>> I was climbing one of the steeper roads here and some kids drove by and >>> one hocked a loogie at me. It hit me square in the back and I wasn’t >>> wearing a shirt at the time. They are likely still high-fiving each other >>> over that one. >>> >>> I was commuting to work on what is basically a highway. It is the old >>> I15 that runs next to Miramar air base. There is an exit onto a highway >>> from that road and I almost got nailed by a driver that tried to sneak over >>> at the last minute. I caught him in my rear view mirror after I heard tires >>> skidding. My instinct would have been to move to the side but I saw him >>> moving that way so I swerved to the traffic side and avoided being hit. >>> >>> Another rear view mirror save. I caught a motor home approaching and saw >>> in my mirror that his steps were still down and coming right at me. I moved >>> over and avoided getting clipped by them and pointed out to the driver they >>> were not retracted. >>> >>> I can’t recall any deliberately aggressive assaults. I do have a lot of >>> stupid moves done around me but I know what to look for and am always able >>> to predict what drivers will do. I confront a lot of people but it’s almost >>> never worthwhile. Cell phone usage/distracted driving is becoming more of >>> an issue and that is something I watch out for. Almost nobody stops for >>> stop signs anymore either and red light are not always obeyed these days. >>> >>> Robert Tilley >>> San Diego, CA >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Oct 9, 2022, at 9:41 AM, Eric Marth <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> *First of all I'd like to note that starting this thread might not be >>> a great idea. But perhaps it would be a way for us to share some >>> experiences, vent or commiserate. * >>> >>> >>> Well, I think a lot of us have been there. We've had a weird, scary, >>> too-close-for-comfort interaction with a motorist. It could be due to >>> driver inattention or downright overt aggression. It could have been your >>> fault or no fault of your own. Do you have a riding story involving a >>> motorist you'd like to share? >>> >>> I live in Fredericksburg, VA, a small city built on a grid. We have an >>> historic district here, many streets are narrow with one-way traffic. There >>> are a few two-lane arteries designed to move cars. Posted speeds are 25 mph >>> (I always drive slower and leave my truck in 2nd gear). People drive like >>> maniacs on certain residential streets, sometimes reaching 50mph. I often >>> wish for more traffic calming infrastructure, crosswalks, speed tables and >>> the like. >>> >>> In March 2021 I was riding my bike to the bike shop, about a 1.5 mile >>> trip. I was heading down a one-way street through a residential >>> neighborhood with street parking on the right and long, grassy, landscaped >>> park on the left. I was riding to the right side of the street. This >>> section of road has one lane and it is unusually wide. There is room for >>> someone to comfortably pass a cyclist. >>> >>> Someone honked their horn at me but not in the "Hi, heads up, I'm about >>> to pass you please and thanks" sort of way but the "Get the fork off the >>> road!" kind of way. It was startling. I responded by taking the lane, which >>> is legal for cyclists in Virginia. I rode dead center in the middle of the >>> lane. I hoisted a one-finger salute and carried on riding. I rode in the >>> middle of the lane for approximately 100 feet before making a turn. >>> >>> Yes, this was an escalation. And it was a bad decision. I don't think >>> I'm alone in feeling frustrated by displays of impatience and aggression >>> from drivers and feel that I have certain rights as a human person to ride >>> safely. It is sometimes difficult not to react in the moment. Motorists >>> might be not only impatient but totally deranged. Road rage is real. And >>> drivers are behind the wheel of a vehicle that is easily weaponized. With >>> just a feather of the gas pedal or a slight turn of the wheel they can >>> inflict irrevocable damage to a cyclist. >>> >>> The driver responded to my salute by getting within a few feet of my >>> back wheel. When I made a turn to carry on to the bike shop, they >>> followed. I could hear them revving their engine behind me and feathering >>> the gas to get close to my back wheel but not quite hit me. I continued to >>> ride in the middle of the road. >>> >>> I heard something hit the street next to me. It was an unopened aluminum >>> can of a carbonated beverage (I didn't go back to check out whether it was >>> soda, beer or seltzer). Acknowledging the projectile I decided I had to >>> bail and get up on the sidewalk or somehow turn around to where the car >>> could not get to me. >>> >>> As soon as I moved to the side to take a driveway apron up onto the >>> sidewalk the car passed me, then got right in front of me and slammed on >>> their brakes. I braked hard and managed not to do an endo onto their trunk >>> or hit their vehicle. The straddle cable hanger came loose from the front >>> brake cable. The driver sped off. I did not get their plates. >>> >>> A few days later I went around the neighborhood and knocked on every >>> door with a doorbell camera that was along the path of my interaction with >>> the driver. Everyone I asked checked their footage but only one came back >>> with anything showing me or the driver. There was a clip of the driver >>> revving their engine behind me and throwing the can. You can see the can >>> fly through the air and hear it land in the street. I got a good profile >>> shot of the car (2005 Acura TL, maroon with custom window trim), but no >>> view of the tags. >>> >>> This is, by far, the worst interaction I've had with a motorist. I've >>> only been riding for a few years. There are others that aren't nearly as >>> bad but still register as scary and unnecessary. They most often occur when >>> a vehicle is passing. I find that a lot if not *all* of the hairy >>> situations I've experienced with motorists would not have occurred if the >>> drivers had demonstrated just 5 to 10* seconds *of patience. >>> >>> [image: Screen Shot 2022-10-09 at 12.37.28 PM.png] >>> >>> -- >>> >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/a6225074-6692-4b9d-bafb-838113a89202n%40googlegroups.com >>> >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/a6225074-6692-4b9d-bafb-838113a89202n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >>> >>> [image: Screen Shot 2022-10-09 at 12.37.28 PM.png] >>> >>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/25d85775-9dbf-408a-b804-3a8ff558a05an%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/25d85775-9dbf-408a-b804-3a8ff558a05an%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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