Hit by a car like a rugby lineman

[Cycling_Samurai]

I was out doing my 32 miler in gusty winds this afternoon. On my return trip home. Cranking at 18 to 20 mph. As I was crossing a certain intersection and could see up a head about 70 yards was a minivan parked in the bike lane with flashers on. After crossing the intersection I went into the traffic lane to go around the car. Getting closer the minivan suddenly pulled out into the traffic lanes so I naturally went back to the open bike lane to go around the tail of the minivan. As I was passing the minivan it backed into me. The passenger side pushed my shoulder forcing me and the bike on to the sidewalk on the other side. It all happened really fast and scared the crap out of me. Once past the minivan I came to a stop and dropped my bike beside the sidewalk. I was angry and walked back to the vehicle. The older Asian woman looked scared and rolled down the window to say that she was sorry. I told her to pay attention. That she was blocking a bike lane. She said I'm sorry again and I walked away. I couldn't saying anything unpleasant to her as I felt sorry for her. Got on my bike and continued home. I wasn't hurt and I don't think my bike was either. I understand her parking is difficult but she needs to stop for bikes.

In spite of the wind I kept a 15.8 mph avg 😎

 

[Drago]

You need a lesson in positioning and hazard perception just as much as the driver needs one in observation.

Junctions and traffic require care with positioning , observation and anticipation, and are not the place to be concentrating on getting a high average.

Nevertheless, I am pleased you survived unharmed but do hope that both you and the driver take some learning away with you.

Regards, Drago (advanced road skills trainer, as well as trainer of many exciting death ninja bike skills to the emergency services)

 

[Cycling_Samurai]

Nevertheless, I am pleased you

I thank you for your input. I humbly disagree with your assessment. I explained what happened and you seem to not have the correct perception of events. I perhaps haven't explained clearly.
My average wasn't the objective in the encounter you totally misunderstood that. I merely pointed out a positive, I mean besides actually not getting hurt or my bike damaged.

 

[vickster]

Why didn’t you slow down to a sensible speed in light of the hazard or actually stop to allow the car to finish its manoeuvre rather than trying to swerve around it?
What country was this?

 

[sheddy]

Glad that you are OK.

 

[annedonnelly]

Yeah, I'd have been annoyed at the driver's behaviour but I'd have anticipated it and waited until she was out of the way. Just like the young lady who pulled away from her house right into my path yesterday - I knew she'd do it, I knew she wouldn't look carefully enough to see me. So I waited - it's preferable to getting hit by a car.

 

[winjim]

Hazard lights are usually code for 'I don't know what I'm doing, I don't know where I'm going, I could go anywhere, I'm not going to signal properly, I'm probably not looking, and I'm an entitled nobber. Stay well away from me, I have deliberately made my manoeuvring completely unpredictable and I am a hazard because I have conciously and unnecessarily chosen to make myself one.'

Not sure what her ethnicity has to do with anything.

 

[T4tomo]

I thank you for your input. I humbly disagree with your assessment. I explained what happened and you seem to not have the correct perception of events. I perhaps haven't explained clearly.
My average wasn't the objective in the encounter you totally misunderstood that. I merely pointed out a positive, I mean besides actually not getting hurt or my bike damaged.

Drago has a point though, From your description the car appears to be at 90 degrees to you pissing around in the road, with its hazards on, oblivious to all around it. I wouldn't have been nipping up the inside (or outside) at speed. regardless of who has priority etc, self preservation is key.

 

[winjim]

Drago has a point though, From your description the car appears to be at 90 degrees to you pissing around in the road, with its hazards on, oblivious to all around it. I wouldn't have been nipping up the inside (or outside) at speed. regardless of who has priority etc, self preservation is key.

The car with the hazard lights on has priority simply because the driver has bullied themselves into a position where that has to be the case.

 

[Cycling_Samurai]

Why didn’t you slow down to a sensible speed in light of the hazard or actually stop to allow the car to finish its manoeuvre rather than trying to swerve around it?
What country was this?

Yeah I'm thinking that through. It probably would have been a more prudent approach. One I didn't know why car was parked in the bike path. Which is illegal. Two didn't expect the mini van would pull a sharp left across two lanes (three lane road). At which point I made the assumption that the vehicle was attempting to into the opposite lanes of traffic. Three given two I really didn't expect the vehicle to back up. Four in hindsight I surmised what the lady had been attempting. Didn't understand that prior to. But through it all I did the legal and correct thing.

Ok so daily I see people parked in the bike lanes eventhough it's illegal. Daily I just go around them with no incident. If the lady had done what she did leaving me ample room to see what she was attempting then I might have stopped. I have been riding motorcycle for 23 years. With limited braking distance swerving is text book the better option. So I'm more inclined to swerve than brake or slow down. Given the close space and speed. Adrenaline might have influenced my choice.

I don't thank any input.

 

[vickster]

Yeah I'm thinking that through. It probably would have been a more prudent approach. One I didn't know why car was parked in the bike path. Which is illegal. Two didn't expect the mini van would pull a sharp left across two lanes (three lane road). At which point I made the assumption that the vehicle was attempting to into the opposite lanes of traffic. Three given two I really didn't expect the vehicle to back up. Four in hindsight I surmised what the lady had been attempting. Didn't understand that prior to. But through it all I did the legal and correct thing.

Ok so daily I see people parked in the bike lanes eventhough it's illegal. Daily I just go around them with no incident. If the lady had done what she did leaving me ample room to see what she was attempting then I might have stopped. I have been riding motorcycle for 23 years. With limited braking distance swerving is text book the better option. So I'm more inclined to swerve than brake or slow down. Given the close space and speed. Adrenaline might have influenced my choice.

I don't thank any input.

Bike path or lane? If lane... If a solid white line then yes parking not allowed, broken white line for the lane, then parking may well be permitted depending on the regs on that road.

Bike path on pavement, then no parking obviously (I don’t think you would get pavement bike paths where pavement parking is permitted, could be wrong).

I’m sure you did nothing illegal, but maybe something unwise with hindsight. Hopefully you’ve learnt from it. Might be worth double checking the Highway Code around bike lanes and parking and a book called Cyclecraft (John Franklin) for cycling road craft

I’m not sure what I don't thank any input means at the end?

 

[CXRAndy]

I hope you were wearing high vis, bright lights front and rear with airhorn. Hazard awareness might help too. This morning I rode central(primary) to my morning shop, every car passed on the other side of the road. I wasn't wearing a helmet, gloves but my Wife's ebike is lit up like a Christmas tree with LED dynamo lights. I think I averaged 16mph and kept breathing in check

 

[sheddy]

Motorists should help themselves to be more aware by dropping both windows when attempting odd manoeuvres.

 

[MichaelW2]

At the risk of sounding unwoke, but for reasons of self preservation, I put drivers into crude groupings of hazzard risk. Asian ladies fall into the group of easily panicked, unable to process spatial information.
My crude method failled when I was knocked down by a nice man in his 60s who drove charity minibuses. Still it has probably saved me from more unfortunate events.

 

[Drago]

Hazard lights invatiably means, "I am about to do/I am doing something that I shouldn't be doing." It almost never means what the highway Code optimistically tells us it does.

Having digested that obvious point, one should adjust ones speed and position accordingly.

Screaming "It was my right of way" as you're stretchered into an ambulance with your leg bones poking through the skin does nothing to lessen the pain.

From your description the driver was daft as a brush. However, having observed this in advance you are then equally foolish to not only allow yourself within close proximity to her, but to do so at a speed that negated any opportunity for you to assess, react, manoeuvre, and avoid.

Not only that, when it goes badly wrong you will find that kinetic energy is not your friend. The more you have when you kiss tarmac/an SUV bumper, the longer your stay in Hossy. Aside from giving you time to A.R.M.A, a little circumspection with your velocity when approaching a questionable scenario can, literally, be a life saver if it does go wrong. Breaking your average speed record for that route won't get reported in your obituary or impress the mourners at your funeral.

On the positive side, if Japan ever starts a war they'll pay you good money to fly with a kamikaze squadron.