Close call!

Rich Coyle

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
5,404
Location
Grants Pass, Oregon
This is how close one can come to a serious situation and come out okay. I pulled up to a red light at a one way street going from my right to the left. Light changed. No need to look to the left. When the light changed I started to turn, but there was a bike RIGHT THERE! coming from the left to the right. Anyway, I hit the brakes and thought the sound I heard was the pulsating anti-lock brakes. The guy on the bike looked back at me like it was my fault.

Later that day I came out of a store and noticed the bike tire print on the front of the car. That's when I realized the sound was his tire scraping the car. Too much excitement for this old man.


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Some places advocate walking or bike riding AGAINST the flow of traffic-- they claim its easier to see each other--- I've never been a fan and refuse to cooperate with those signs.

50mph car, and bike going 20mph in the same direction means a net speed of 30mph crash.....50 mph car and bike going 20mph in an opposed direction is a net crash speed of 70mph --- ill always opt for the lower net crash speed if I have an option.

Most bicycles dont obey the rules/laws anymore anyway -- they think riding on the sidewalk or across cross walks is ok, let alone the other rules/laws they break--- and now in Colorado cars must give bikes a 3 foot allowance in order to pass them (even if the bicyclist is breaking the law)---this law allows the auto drive to cross over a double yellow ( DO NOT PASS ZONE) to pass a bicycle. Which of course creates confusion of who actually has the right of way.

And bikes are allowed to treat stop signs as yield signs, and red stop lights as stop signs --- go figure!
 
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Some places advocate walking or bike riding AGAINST the flow of traffic-- they claim its easier to see each other--- I've never been a fan and refuse to cooperate with those signs.

50mph car, and bike going 20mph in the same direction means a net speed of 30mph crash.....50 mph car and bike going 20mph in an opposed direction is a net crash speed of 70mph --- ill always opt for the lower net crash speed if I have an option.

Most bicycles dont obey the rules/laws anymore anyway -- they think riding on the sidewalk or across cross walks is ok, let alone the other rules/laws they break--- and now in Colorado cars must give bikes a 3 foot allowance in order to pass them (even if the bicyclist is breaking the law)---this law allows the auto drive to cross over a double yellow ( DO NOT PASS ZONE) to pass a bicycle. Which of course creates confusion of who actually has the right of way.

And bikes are allowed to treat stop signs as yield signs, and red stop lights as stop signs --- go figure!
In Tennessee on the Natchez trace which is a popular and scenic bike riding road we must give the entire lane to the cyclist in order to pass and only in a zone where passing is legal.
 
Had a biker killed here couple of years ago on the eastern bypass. Very steep four lane through the mountains going towards Georgia. He was bombing downhill at very high speed and a car turned in front of him that had no idea he was anywhere near. Very sad!
 
This is how close one can come to a serious situation and come out okay. I pulled up to a red light at a one way street going from my right to the left. Light changed. No need to look to the left. When the light changed I started to turn, but there was a bike RIGHT THERE! coming from the left to the right. Anyway, I hit the brakes and thought the sound I heard was the pulsating anti-lock brakes. The guy on the bike looked back at me like it was my fault.

Later that day I came out of a store and noticed the bike tire print on the front of the car. That's when I realized the sound was his tire scraping the car. Too much excitement for this old man.


View attachment 467116
Was that a bicycle or a motorsickle?

If it was a bicycle, Im with DMJ- dont get me started!
 
I figure that I pay for the pavement from edge to edge. Out of kindness I give them from the white line to the road edge and don't bother them if they stay there. If they are in my lane it horn, see how close I can get and rollin' coal. I'm dang sure GOING to hit a sprocket head over a head-on with oncoming traffic.
 
Had a biker killed here couple of years ago on the eastern bypass. Very steep four lane through the mountains going towards Georgia. He was bombing downhill at very high speed and a car turned in front of him that had no idea he was anywhere near. Very sad!
If he was bombing at a high rate of speed, I only feel bad for the car that turned in front of him. I hope they didnt get hurt, either physically or emotionally.
On the bicyclist- thats natural selection at its best.
They put on their little 4 ounce beenie helmet and expect everyone else to watch out for them.

Nope.
 
2 years ago, upon leaving a club rifle range, we drove down hill and to right on exit road. A hiking/bike trail merged from the left, downhill, onto the exit road. I slowly drove down the exit road. Force of habit caused me pause before a merging, partially hidden, hiking trail and as I did a woman/person on a bike zipped onto the exit road from the hiking trail. Entry onto club property is restricted to club members. Had I not paused, it would have been zip-bang-splat, she was going about 20 mph. My guess is that she gained entry upon tailgating a club member at the entry gate. I continued to entry/exit gate, slowly passing her on level ground, and saw her about 100 yards back in my rear-view mirror upon reaching the entry/exit gate. I quickly dialed the combo, drove thru, & locked the gate. Then I waited for the woman/person to show up. Upon her arrival I asked to see her membership card. She looked stunned - "what, like what!" I drove away & saw her hoist her bike over the 4-foot-high locked gate - did not have lock combo.

Stuff happens when you least expect it. The deers that live on club property are smarter than bike (pedals) riders. I would have heard a HD. If a deer was riding the bike, I would have not locked the gate until the deer (membership not needed) drove thru.
 
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This is how close one can come to a serious situation and come out okay. I pulled up to a red light at a one way street going from my right to the left. Light changed. No need to look to the left. When the light changed I started to turn, but there was a bike RIGHT THERE! coming from the left to the right. Anyway, I hit the brakes and thought the sound I heard was the pulsating anti-lock brakes. The guy on the bike looked back at me like it was my fault.

Later that day I came out of a store and noticed the bike tire print on the front of the car. That's when I realized the sound was his tire scraping the car. Too much excitement for this old man.


View attachment 467116

Makes a person want a cold Corona.
 
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