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People in cars ignoring EUC riders right of way


Spark

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https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/06/19/us/muslim-girl-murder-virginia.html?referer=https://www.bing.com/search?q=muslim+17+killed&PC=U316&FORM=CHROMN

Ignoring the click-bait (they got me, I'm a sucker every time), THIS shows why I avoid antagonizing or in any way showing emotions when a car nearly runs me over.

Actually, the last time a car knocked me off my EUC (ran into me from the back at a very low speed), I ended up chatting with the guy for about half an hour about business and stuff. He did mention surprise at how calm I was, and that it was the first time he ran into (hehe) a person who was absolutely not angry in a car collision.

Of course, he didn't realize he was thaaaat close to getting his ass kicked. :D

Although I recommend all men be completely emotionless (except for the occasional Sean Connery back-hand to a mouthy wominz), I do think the threat of harmless pain should always be an option between people and would be so much less in human cost over pulling out guns as we Yanks are wont to do. I mean, chill...

Academic Fencing: we should do it on our next EUC meetup.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_fencing

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On 6/21/2017 at 0:43 PM, LanghamP said:

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/06/19/us/muslim-girl-murder-virginia.html?referer=https://www.bing.com/search?q=muslim+17+killed&PC=U316&FORM=CHROMN

Ignoring the click-bait (they got me, I'm a sucker every time), THIS shows why I avoid antagonizing or in any way showing emotions when a car nearly runs me over.

Actually, the last time a car knocked me off my EUC (ran into me from the back at a very low speed), I ended up chatting with the guy for about half an hour about business and stuff. He did mention surprise at how calm I was, and that it was the first time he ran into (hehe) a person who was absolutely not angry in a car collision.

Of course, he didn't realize he was thaaaat close to getting his ass kicked. :D

Although I recommend all men be completely emotionless (except for the occasional Sean Connery back-hand to a mouthy wominz), I do think the threat of harmless pain should always be an option between people and would be so much less in human cost over pulling out guns as we Yanks are wont to do. I mean, chill...

Academic Fencing: we should do it on our next EUC meetup.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_fencing

While horrible that you got hit, it is a good thing you are OK and to be able to shift your attitude. I used to have the mind set of being ready to get aggressive if hit and got really angry at any fender bender...and (unfortunately) I have had my share of people run into me. 

But that all changed about 20 years ago after someone bumped into my car, and I was already running a few minutes late for work (due to traffic). So, when I got to work I was a bit furious. 

A cow-orker stopped me and asked why...and suggested I have a new attitude, not get so mad, and make the best of the situation (by asking for cash next time...ideally around the amount of my insurance deductible). So, it wasn't for another 5 years or so that I had that chance.  Again, I got bumped from behind..this time with 2 of my kids in the back seat. So this time, I casually got out of my car, inspected my back bumper (no damage), walked up to the car window behind me and said "How about $50 and we call it even?". The man sitting in the passenger seat told the woman, "Give him the money", which she did, and we parted ways.

So, with a positive attitude, no worse for the wear, I came out $50 ahead. That sure beats getting upset over something so insignificant. Next time I will ask for $100.

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I've taken a motorcycle training class.  The first thing that was taught and repeated is that when you're in a car you expect other cars.  Cars don't recognize motorcycles.  So they're taught to ride a certain way to look like cars, etc.

So if cars don't see motorcycles, everything else is just a bug.  I look several times and wave my hand to make sure the car stops for me to cross.

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More than once I've had cars plow into me when I was at a dead stop.  In fact three times in ten days once.  

It's worse when you're not a car, but it's also just something about people.  We can have a narrow focus and compartmentalize too much.  "Oh no cars, everything's okay, keep driving and go back to my own little world" instead of "Oh, no cars ... anything else though?"

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On 6/22/2017 at 3:54 PM, Circuitmage said:

@OmbreGreat picture, for safety gear. But you are in AZ? OMG...didn't hit like 123F this week?

That photo was taken in March or April, a great season for riding in southern Arizona.  This week I am safely up north, about 50 miles from the Canadian border where "hot" has an entirely different meaning!

 

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On 6/22/2017 at 9:01 PM, Dingfelder said:

More than once I've had cars plow into me when I was at a dead stop.  In fact three times in ten days once.

OK @Dingfelder, at some point you need to ask yourself what you're doing wrong.  Standing around in traffic just waiting for someone to hit you or something?  This is not normal.

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In New Zealand EUC are not defined legally (yet), but have been given the same status as those mobility scooters (that even older people use) - so it is pavement riding (annoying as it is) and using crosswalks most of the time. This makes it a lot safer in some ways, but then car drivers pulling out of driveways look even less than the ones on the road. It is also annoying when some drivers don't realise my status and think I shouldn't be on the sidewalk (bicycles must be ridden on the road here) and carry on regardless - but then my Lhotz is harder to dent than their Japanese panel work, so there is some satisfaction to be had.

I try to ride on the "other side" of the road when possible (the right side in NZ) so that I can see what the oncoming traffic is doing. And when I come to a crosswalk, I indicate my intention to use it and then try to give a thank you wave to the oncoming driver - I find thanking them for giving way (whether they were intending to stop or not) encourages them to do so - otherwise they would look even ruder than they probably are...

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On ‎22‎.‎04‎.‎2017 at 11:05 PM, meepmeepmayer said:

...

Of course, many drivers just don't look (properly), underestimate your speed, or are just plain dumbasses. Ride a bike and the same can happen, probably nothing do do with EUCs.

+1

And most probably the cause. Bad drivers shouldn't be excused as "not used to ...." They are drivers like I am, got the same driving licences as I got, thus I expect and require them to know how to drive and not just going "pedal to the metal" in their tin boxes...

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On 22/04/2017 at 9:42 PM, Spark said:

hey riders,
a few hours ago I flew right across a hood going approx 10-15kph on my wheel.
A car driver crossed the bicycle lane turning right into a shopping center without giving a second thought to me. :furious:
Luckily I wore almost full protection (no helmet!) and only my wrist guards got scratched.
The wheel came to a halt running into a hedge.

I had two massive collisions in my life, both in the same unfortunate area. 

Once the parked car's door was opened in front of me flying at 25+kph, which had cost the guy a new door and a wing. Literally bent it 90 degrees outward (glad it was Honda :unsure:). It heavily bruised my chest, and I think I still have the scar from this collision after a year something. But at least I'm glad that there was no follow-up traffic as my fall could have been much less forgiving.

The second one was due to some morons deciding to run through the stagnant traffic and completely disregarding the existance of the cycling lane. Next to no reaction span left for me due to the fact they just jumped through the traffic right onto a cycling lane 1m ahead of me. Needless to say the dismount was quite painful in attempt to avoid injuring the person ahead...

Signing by every word said in this thread in regards to visibility. If the risks of collision cannot be removed completely, our priority should be minimising them.

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A helpful tip when riding and crossing intersections is to hold out your right arm and point to the direction you are going and be sure to make eye contact with any cars.  Usually I'll slow down to a walking crawl pace on the wheel just in case I need to stop.  I think when you're rolling, people don't associate that movement with pedestrians so their brains don't alert them immediately.  If you hold out your hand showing your intent it really stands out a lot more.  Point-Pause-Proceed.  It also helps to dress up as a police officer in full uniform while riding.  :whistling:

 

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21 minutes ago, meepmeepmayer said:

I actually like the idea. No fake uniform, just first look appearance should be enough.

And one of these stuck on top of your wheel...

$_3.JPG

Wait a bit... It has a siren and horn too! I may get one myself - http://m.ebay.com/itm/222346611492

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1 hour ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

Point-Pause-Proceed.  It also helps to dress up as a police officer in full uniform while riding.  :whistling:

Great advice especially the officer costume! :laughbounce2:

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43 minutes ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

But just don't wear shorts and wear the flashy thing on the head.  :rolleyes:  Oh Gawd, just don't.  :lol:

 

Well made and funny!  I didn't realize till the end that it was a commercial for the SBU.  

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9 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

A helpful tip when riding and crossing intersections is to hold out your right arm and point to the direction you are going and be sure to make eye contact with any cars.  Usually I'll slow down to a walking crawl pace on the wheel just in case I need to stop.  I think when you're rolling, people don't associate that movement with pedestrians so their brains don't alert them immediately.  If you hold out your hand showing your intent it really stands out a lot more.  Point-Pause-Proceed.  It also helps to dress up as a police officer in full uniform while riding.  :whistling:

 

Just so a Canadian doesn't have to apologize yet again, I'll do it for you. That was the sorriest traffic safety video campaign ever.

Sorry. We all are. Yikes.

Is that really what you teach pedestrians to do? Look both ways? Check. Make eye contact with driver? Check. Point? Really? That's, well, kinda odd. No. Not just kinda. It is plain weird. And I, as a humble American, apologize on behalf of all Calgarians. Especially the mayor.

 

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8 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

But just don't wear shorts and wear the flashy thing on the head.  :rolleyes:  Oh Gawd, just don't.  :lol:

 

OMG It's CHiPs on a seriously tight budget! :roflmao:

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Believe or not it actually works!  :innocent1:  Laugh all you want.  :unsure:   I went on a ride this evening, and I was slowly crossing an intersection when I saw a Mercedes approaching that wasn't slowing down.  I was almost a quarter way across and rolling slowly when I extended my arm out to indicate my intention to keep crossing when the driver suddenly noticed and screeched to a stop.  

Squirch squirch squirch.... you could hear the ABS kicking in as the driver braked really hard.  :blink:  I felt kinda bad - I could have let them through, whatever, it was not an end of the world emergency situation, but the arm thing compelled them to stop.  It works like an instinct when you see those crossing guard kids with the stop signs.  Try it.  It works.  :innocent1:

Edit: The reason why it works is that the brain registers the visual as an unusual image that draws attention when a person is crossing with their arm extended.  Something that stands out captures attention more and demands a reaction.  It is sort of like a visual distraction technique, but in this case it distracts the driver to the pedestrian crossing.

 

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2 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

Believe or not it actually works!  :innocent1:  Laugh all you want.  :unsure:   I went on a ride this evening, and I was slowly crossing an intersection when I saw a Mercedes approaching that wasn't slowing down.  I was almost a quarter way across and rolling slowly when I extended my arm out to indicate my intention to keep crossing when the driver suddenly noticed and screeched to a stop.  

But that could have been coincidence... As a control, next time don't point. That's the only way we'll ever know for sure!  :huh:

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:laughbounce2:  Funny that you mention it.  I actually did do a control test riding at the same intersection.  I was rolling across at pedestrian walking speed, looking straight at this SUV which kept coming at me.  Only at about 15 feet did she see me as I then waved and waited for her to pass by before continuing.  The car behind saw me and stopped.

From a driver's point of view you have a lot to process while driving.  Most of the time there aren't pedestrians crossing at intersections in the burbs so there develops this complacency.  When you see an object with an arm sticking out that registers as something unusual so it demands more brain processing time to see what's up and react to it.  Give it a try - seriously I think many pedestrian/car accidents could have been prevented by using this simple gesture.

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20 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

Believe or not it actually works!  :innocent1:  Laugh all you want.  :unsure:   I went on a ride this evening, and I was slowly crossing an intersection when I saw a Mercedes approaching that wasn't slowing down.  I was almost a quarter way across and rolling slowly when I extended my arm out to indicate my intention to keep crossing when the driver suddenly noticed and screeched to a stop. 

Yup, funny Canadian video :)  But yes, I actually do this.  At one spot downtown, I'm riding on the sidewalk parallel to traffic.  I need to travel diagonally across a crowded 4-way stop.  Pedestrians should have RoW, but the poor folks in cars are just trying to navigate the crowded intersection.  So I turn left, in front of the car I'm paralleling, I slow down, and extend my arm so the driver can clearly see where I'm going.  Then I immediately turn right, crossing the other side of the intersection - same thing - extend arm.  It really helps.

Also, it works with other pedestrians.  When I'm aiming for the ramp at the end of the sidewalk, the peds see me coming and don't know where to move.  I just casually reach my arm out and point where I'm headed.  Pedestrians don't immediately realize that we can't go up or down curbs (ok, so sometimes we go down curbs).

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