Quote Originally Posted by liza View Post
Trek,
I think you misread my post. I wasn't riding on the sidewalk, I was riding on the road, to the right of and moving somewhat faster than traffic. I was right beside the van when it turned, and probably at that moment I was in his blind spot, but if I were a car he cut off because I was in his blind spot, that would not be an excuse sufficient to justify it.

By mentioning looking for pedestrians, I was trying, perhaps clumsily and at any rate probably unnecessarily, to draw an analogy between the driver's obligation to make sure there was no one on the sidewalk before turning to cross it, and their obligation to make sure there wasn't a bike on the road beside them before turning.
Liza:

You were the victim of the classic "Right Hook, version II" as described at "How Not to Get Hit by Cars" (An excellent site to bookmark and re-read from time to time on slow days.) The proximate cause was your "filtering" up the right hand side of the lane, and passing on the right. Motorists, especially those who already perceive themselves to be in the rightmost lane, don't look for cyclists or anyone else to be passing them there, and you put yourself in a perfect condition to be hit, or at least cut off and forced to do an emergency/quick turn to dodge them.

Rule #1: Don't pass on the right. This sort of collision is very easy to avoid... just don't pass any vehicle on the right. The traffic law in most states require overtaking vehicles, which includes cyclists, to pass on the left unless there are two or more marked lanes.

When there's a single, narrow lane, and it's not safe for cars to pass you without moving into the path of oncoming traffic, you should take the whole lane... e.g., riding farther to the left. Taking up the whole lane makes it harder for drivers to pass you to cut you off or turn into you. Don't feel bad about taking the lane: if motorists didn't threaten your life by turning in front of or into you or passing you too closely, then you wouldn't have to. If the lane you're in isn't wide enough for cars to pass you safely, then you should be taking the whole lane anyway.

If a car ahead of you is going only 10 mph, then you slow down, too, behind it. It will eventually start moving faster. If it doesn't, pass on the left when it's safe to do so.

Again remember that when you're following a slow-moving vehicle, ride behind it, not in its blind spot immediately to the right of it. Even if you're not passing a car on the right, you could still run into it if it turns right while you're right next to it. Give yourself enough room to brake or do an emergency turn if the car turns in front of you.

Maybe I'm a little sensitive to this sort of stuff right now... I just retired a good and faithful helmet last night, my pert near new Livestrong one, when I had a little encounter with a UPS truck and loose gravel/trash on a wet shoulder last night. I was fortunate, and only nursing a little road rash on the right elbow rather than a concussion or worse.

Tom
(Always wear your helmet, but ride like you don't)