Common Collisions Caused by Cyclist Error & the Smart Cycling Fix:
Some of these collisions are legally the fault of the motorist, but they result from poor cycling practices.
The Door Prize: Driver opens the door of a parked car into the cyclist. This can be a deadly collision. Typically, the handle-bar hits the door, turning the front wheel to the right and sending the cyclist flying to the left - where the cyclist is then run over by overtaking traffic.
Smart Cycling: Stay at least 4 feet from parked cars - no matter where the bike lane is.
Pothole Plunge: Cyclist crashes because she can’t avoid a surface hazard due to overtaking motorists.
Smart Cycling: Ride farther left (are you seeing a theme here?), most hazards are on the right edge of the road. Claiming the lane gives you the whole lane to avoid hazards without having to merge or worry about overtaking motorists.
Passing-on-the-Right-hook: Cyclist passes slow-moving cars on the right and car turns right into cyclist. This is a common bike lane crash.
Smart Cycling: Don’t pass slower/stopped traffic on the right. Use extreme caution if you need to pass a queue of traffic. You can’t rely on motorists to use their turn signals or to look before turning or merging into a bike lane. Merge left into the traffic lane if you are moving the same speed as traffic. Merge left into the traffic lane before intersections, you can then easily pass right-turning cars on the left.
Right-hook from Stop-light: Cyclist is stopped to the right of traffic, light turns green, cyclist goes straight and first motorist turns right into her. This crash often results from cyclists misunderstanding the limitations of bike lanes. It can be deadly.
Smart Cycling: This is completely avoidable. Don’t pull up next to stopped traffic. Bike lanes are broken before intersections for a reason: to encourage right-turning motorists to merge right and straight-thru cyclists to merge left (unfortunately, most motorists and cyclists don’t know this). Merge into the line of traffic and cross the intersection in the traffic lane. (See also What Cyclists Need to Know About Trucks)
Left-cross in the Blind Spot: 1) Cyclist is riding to the right and behind a car going straight, a left-turning motorist sees a gap behind that car and turns, hitting the cyclist. 2) Cyclist is passing stopped traffic and is hit by motorist turning through a gap. Bike lanes can contribute to this kind of crash.
Smart Cycling: Be aware that moving or stopped cars to the left of you obscure your visibility to traffic in the oncoming lane. Ride in the line of traffic if it is moving close to your speed. Merge to the left into the traffic lane before intersections. When following a large vehicle through an intersection, move far left so left-turning motorists see you. If you choose to pass a queue of stopped traffic on the right (with or without a bike lane), drive slowly and carefully, stop at gaps in the traffic to your left and expect crossing conflicts.
Rear-end Swerve: Cyclist swerves in front of overtaking car to avoid a surface hazard.
Smart Cycling: Pay attention to the road ahead so hazards don’t sneak up on you. Learn to avoid a surface hazard without swerving - Road I. Never move left without looking behind you. Ride farther left, most hazards are on the right edge of the road. Claiming the lane gives you the whole lane to avoid hazards without having to merge or worry about overtaking motorists.
*This crash also happens to “road sneaks” and “garbage riders” who make swooping left turns from the right side of the road.
Crosswalk/Sidewalk Slam: Car turns into cyclist riding in crosswalk or across a driveway on the sidewalk.
Smart Cycling: Don’t ride on the sidewalk and avoid sidepaths. Motorists are focused on the travel lanes and typically "tune out" activity on the margins.
Common Collisions Caused by Illegal Cycling Behavior:
Wrong-way Wallop: Cyclist riding the wrong way gets hit by crossing or turning motorist.
Smart Cycling: Ride with the flow of traffic. Motorists don’t look for vehicles driving the wrong way.
Scofflaw Smack-down: Cyclist runs a stop sign or red light and gets hit.
Smart Cycling: Follow the rules. Traffic control devices are for ALL vehicles, including bicycles.
Ninja Knock-out: Any of the common crashes involving a cyclist without lights at night.
Smart Cycling: You are required by law to have a white headlight and red tail light and rear reflector on your bike when operating in the dark. Make sure you are visible. Don't skimp on lights and retro-reflective materials.
Motorists need to pay better attention to their environment – to say the least. They need to look out for pedestrians. And they need to look out for cyclists who don’t know better. But Smart Cyclists are very much in control of our own safety, even in a less-than-ideal traffic environment.
Common collisions adapted from “How to Not Get Hit by Cars” |
