got clipped by passenger side mirror

Has this happened to you? Yesterday was the first time for me. I was riding my line, going about 16 mph, and a truck came right next to me and I felt the mirror hit my left shoulder. Vehicles have always given me at least the few feet I need to be safe, but this driver almost mashed me between her truck and the guard rail to my immediate right. I thought I was going to be really sore and bruised but I don't have a mark on me. I wonder if the mirror folded in upon impact. This was really scary because I was inches away from being pasted. I did nothing wrong. I just think that this lady wasn't paying attention and that she knows little about cyclists. There was no indication that she used her brakes or tried to slow down before she hit me. She was cruising right along.
Thanks - Barb

Goodness! I'm so glad you're not injured! Was this in Perry County!

I've had a couple of close calls, but never any contact (and never against a guard rail).

As you reflect, what would you do differently next time to make yourself even more visible and protect against this woman's carelessness?

PS: Silver's going to the L'ville Ironman today to cheer on some friends...will you be there?

Hi Silvers -
Yes, this happened in Perry County just north of Rocky Point Marina. I've had close calls too over the years, but this was the first time a vehicle actually came in such close contact and taggged me.
Something I can do when I'm just over the crest of a short hill is to raise my arm in the air to make myself more visible/taller. This is easy and I can see myself doing it. It's not "dorky". I refuse to attach one of those awful orange flags on a bendy pole.
I have been doing a lot more waving, pointing, and yelling this year to prevent being run over. People seem more preoccupied these days. I never had this much trouble when I rode in Indy and that was a big, busy city.
Good luck to Silver in Louisville! I gotta work this weekend.
Barb

wow, really glad you're okay!

Were you able to get a license plate? If you did, you should really file a report - for the safety of the next person.

Yes, please report it, if you can. Drivers are clueless.

And, if you want to get really serious, you can install video cameras... http://bikesafer.blogspot.com/ .

Scroll back to July and June where he writes about his discussions with the local police about close encounters. Sad, inspiring, and downright frightening at times...e.g., from one police officer he got "You have no right to be in an active traffic lane if you’re not going the speed limit". No, he wasn't on a highway, he was on a local street. On the other hand, two trucking firms have used his videos in driver training--a step.

I do know the elderly woman who hit me. She's a local. She knows of me, but that's about it. As of this time, I haven't contacted the police. I think the yelling and screaming I did to give her a crash course in being more aware of cyclists will modify her behavior. She isn't a mean person, just goofy and clueless. I was scared and I know exactly what could have happened that day. Being calm and diplomatic wasn't my approach even though I do believe in the benefits of this method.
I'm so thankful I'm ok. This is most important to me.
Barb

arrr, scary :eek:

Some drivers seem to have no idea that cyclists are balanced on just 2 wheels protected by nothing but their wits. The faster and straighter you ride the more likely you are to be treated like another car.

My first thought was that you might want to keep a little extra leeway on your right, so you have somewhere to fall. If I'm a fan of both actively helping traffic pass AND purposely blocking the lane until it's safe to pass. But even when letting cars pass I try to keep a little extra space on my right. And I admit to introducing an unnecessary wobble to my steering if I have the feeling someone is really pushing me...

I'm with LPH, though for a slightly different reason. Take more of the lane if you want to avoid incidents like this. If you hug the right and leave enough room for a car to squeak by without moving over, invariably someone will do it.... I think that 99% of them are not being malicious. They just have no idea how wide their car is and how wide a cyclist is.

If you take about 1/3 of the road way (ride in the right hand wheel rut...) then when people pass most of them automatically move over and give you more room. It's almost like the lane dividers are a psychological barrier. If they don't have to cross it they won't. If they do have to cross, they generally go all the way over.

I don't disagree with ya'll, but one thing I struggle with in "taking the lane" is that Barb references a hill. She is experienced and lives in a rural, hilly area with curving roads.

I don't think that taking the lane is a good idea where there's a hill or where you're between the low sun and the car.

With the scenario Barb describes (with a clueless driver) she'd like have been hit full on if she was in the lane. There are also circumstances where even the best drivers are blinded (whether by contours or sunshine) and we have to defer our rights to the road in those situations...or risk the consequences.

Cycling has made me a more careful and aware driver...but before this, I was unintentionally a cyclist's nightmare.

Goodness, Barb! Yikes! :eek: I wish I had some magic solution for you, but, alas, I do not. I'm thankful everyday that a vehicle hasn't made contact with me yet....and ride with my protective surround of butterflies. I'm sorry you were hit, grateful you weren't hurt, and proud of you for educating the driver.
Sending loads of butterflies and hugs,
~T~

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mr. Silver

I don't think that taking the lane is a good idea where there's a hill

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I admit I don't practice it most of the time, but I have to say I think that hills are one of the situations where taking the lane is MOST important.

Sure, it's annoying as h3!! to the drivers when they have to poke along behind me on a steep ascent. But not as annoying as it would be for them to hit an oncoming driver head-on... or punt me off the side of the hill as they swing fully back into their lane to avoid said oncoming driver.

Most drivers do have the sense to stay behind me on hills even when I don't take the lane. It's the other ones that I worry about.

I've had a couple of times where cars got really close, but I always wonder, do they not see you or do they think they are far enough over? I wish I could catch em an ask. A couple of times were intentional buttheads getting too close. I could have only hoped they ran out of gas around the corner :)

Wow, what a close call you had! I'm so glad you are alright.

Drivers can be so rude to cyclists. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes by accident. Whatever the reason it really gets the heart racing.

To mantain my sanity and keep my blood pressure down, I try to remember two of the Toltec rules: "Don't take things personally," and "Never make assumptions."

That lasted for about three seconds after a passing motorist shouted, "Get off the road Granny and get on the sidewalk."

I totally agree with Eden. I've found that if I'm on a road with little to no shoulder and I stay close to the white line, cars will pass me within their lane and come very close to me. If I move a foot or so to the left, cars will have to cross the yellow line in order to pass me, and they tend to give me more room as a result. So I just take the lane. On hills or not.

Anyway I'm glad you're okay, Barb.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pardes

That lasted for about three seconds after a passing motorist shouted, "Get off the road Granny and get on the sidewalk."

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:cool:He obviously didn't know how cool you are!:cool:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

I admit I don't practice it most of the time, but I have to say I think that hills are one of the situations where taking the lane is MOST important.

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The way you describe it, I see your point;)

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by lph

arrr, scary :eek:

Some drivers seem to have no idea that cyclists are balanced on just 2 wheels protected by nothing but their wits. The faster and straighter you ride the more likely you are to be treated like another car.

My first thought was that you might want to keep a little extra leeway on your right, so you have somewhere to fall. If I'm a fan of both actively helping traffic pass AND purposely blocking the lane until it's safe to pass. But even when letting cars pass I try to keep a little extra space on my right. And I admit to introducing an unnecessary wobble to my steering if I have the feeling someone is really pushing me...

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Thanks for your confirmation of my "INTENTIONAL WOBBLE:cool::cool:" method. I'm a new rider of 2 months and I do use that wobble to hopefully protect myself a bit more. Drivers do give me a wider berth, a light horn toot or a slow down when I do it, particularly when approaching a green light with a driver coming up on my left...I am sending the signal.."I may fall in your path..slow down, don't turn right until I pass..." I know this is no guarantee of greater safety but it's been working.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bacarver

....I felt the mirror hit my left shoulder.

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Oh Barb, I'm so glad you weren't hurt! I think drivers are more distracted these days. Have you noticed how many people are on their cell phones while they drive?

Around here I've found that around here if someone passes too close it's not because they don't see me, it's because either they're peeved that I'm there or they think they've given me enough room when they haven't. Sometimes it's hard to tell which, and sometimes it's pretty obvious!

I've also found that in the same way that most dogs seem to think they are medium-sized, most drivers seem to think they are in medium-sized vehicles. The drivers of big trucks seem to forget how wide they are and tend to pass a lot closer than smaller cars.

Wow...I've sort of felt the breeze of a mirror really close but I've not been actually hit by one yet. I have a helmet mirror and a few times I've just decided not to look because I knew the car passing me was way too close. I'm so glad you're ok!

I think that no matter what tactic you take...riding close to the road edge, taking the lane, etc....you can never anticipate what a car is going to do. Today I moved out into the lane to prevent a big pickup from passing me on a blind curve. I was going about 25 and the speed limit is 35, so to me it seems safer to move out into the lane than to stay way to the right and invite someone to pass me when there's no room (no shoulder or white line on this particular road...just a nice little dropoff where the pavement ends). But this guy was intent on passing me anyway and moved completely into the oncoming lane. Thank heavens there wasn't any oncoming traffic or someone (probably me) would be dead right now.

I'm glad that you are ok!

On one of my commutes I had someone pass by so close that they sheared off my bar-end mirror. It happened so fast that I didn't have time to get scared or upset.