Got hit by a car on my bike yesterday

[deeaimond]

In my country the law is clear that if a cyclist wants to use a pedestrian crossing (i'm assuming a crosswalk is a pedestrian crossing with a traffic light coz i've never heard the term before), she has to dismount and push. Cars do not have to yield to a cyclist who decides to cycle across a pedestrian crossing. (Coz we're the ones doing the illegal thing) so if anything happens in such a situation they're usually not held very accountable either.

I think when drivers come to pedestrian crossings they expect pedestrians and therefore they think if they can go fast the pedestrians will be fine as well. So when a bicycle comes rolling out... the speed is different and things happen. I'm sure no driver wants to intentionally hit another person. (Those who do need help for sure)

I'm glad you're alright, I got hit by a car earlier this week too. fortunately we were both going slow so I just got a bruise and a slight knock on the head. But I know what you mean about being apprehensive about getting back on.

I decided to just go ride with my friends today and it wasn't so bad, except I kept looking for vehicles that wanted to cut me. heh.

I'd say if you had some of those skills courses in your area do attend one so you learn faster how to negotiate traffic. on a bicycle you can't rely on trial and error thats for sure...

[Eden]

In my country the law is clear that if a cyclist wants to use a pedestrian crossing (i'm assuming a crosswalk is a pedestrian crossing with a traffic light coz i've never heard the term before), she has to dismount and push. Cars do not have to yield to a cyclist who decides to cycle across a pedestrian crossing.

The law is different here. Here mounted or dismounted a bicycle in a crosswalk is a pedestrian and a pedestrian in a crosswalk nearly always has the right of way. You just cannot cross against a signal or in an intersection that does not have a signal you have to be sure you don't step out in front of traffic that cannot reasonably stop for you. So you can't jump out in front of a car that is 2 feet from you, basically, but once you step off the sidewalk, legally all traffic that reasonably can, without endangering anyone, should stop to allow you to cross.

Now I won't claim that this is what actually happens.... (and I really hate right on red, because people are so busy looking to their left for traffic that they forget about looking right for pedestrians!)but as long as the OP was crossing with the light she was the one legally correct. Now, there's also a difference between legal and safe too though. Riding on the sidewalk is one of the most dangerous things that you can do for just this very reason. Most drivers a) are not really attentive enough and b) are not expecting something that can move as quickly as a bicycle to come off of the sidewalk into the crosswalk.

[jaydee]

It's a bit tricky in the city I live in.

If the pedestrian crossing has lights that show pictures of both cyclists and walkers, the cyclist has the right to ride across the crossing. If however, there is only a picture of a walker or a green walk sign, the cyclist has to walk across the crossing.

All this is well and good, except of course drivers can't see who should be walking / riding and treat all crossings as not applying to cyclists. So you really do have to stop and look really carefully, to make sure the cars don't begin moving through the crossing before you are across.