Thank Goodness for Helmets -revised

[Bike Goddess]

Yes, that is correct. I was turning from a 2 way street (NO left turn lane) onto a 2 way street (also no left turn lane).n I just moved over towards the center of my lane to make my left turn.

[jobob]

Was there a stop sign?

Nevermind, I saw from your original thread that it was a four-way stop.

I am riding up 1st street, get into the left part of the lane, signal that I'm going to turn left. I see on my left, a car, NOT moving and decide to make my turn without stopping (this is the disadvantage of clipless pedals).

So if I understand correctly, you blew through a stopsign at a four-way stop while there was another car stopped at the intersection because it was too inconvenient for you to clip out?!?

C'mon, Nancy, you know better than that!

I do feel bad that you suffered injuries, and I am deeply glad that the outcome wasn't worse.

But to be perfectly honest, you better put your helmet back on because I want to slap you upside the head!!!

But instead I'll send to a virtual hug, and get well soon wishes.

But don't blow any more stopsigns, y'hear???

[Biciclista]

I am so glad that you are doing okay, but i have to ask a question too.
were you on the left side of the right lane?

[Bike Goddess]

JoBob-
Of course, if I had my wits about me that day, I would have yielded to her even if that meant stopping. I turn on that corner a lot as it is a main street for me to get out of town so the scenario is pretty familiar to me.

Yes beat me over the head. My little pea brain could use a little sense knocked into it from time to time!

(I'll try to do better next time.)

Bicicista-This was a two lane street and I had moved over to the center of the street to make my turn.

[jobob]

Of course, if I had my wits about me that day, I would have yielded to her even if that meant stopping.

Maybe I'm not interpreting your remark correctly, but from that comment I get the distinct impression that you consider stopping at a stop sign to be "optional". I really hope I'm mistaken here.

[Grog]

I'm a little disturbed by that, or maybe I'm not understanding correctly.

But the great thing about my clipless pedals is that I can unclip from them, and stop if needed (unless I can track stand, which is not often).

If there are no cars at an intersection, on my bike, I will slow down significantly but, most of the time, not stop entirely. However, if there is a car even just approaching, even slowly, I'll slow down to a point where I'm nearly stopped, and make sure that everyone's priority is respected the same way as when I'm driving a car, which often means that I will stop entirely and make eye contact with the driver, making it clear that I recognize that it's their turn.

As a cyclist, I fight hard to show that I am a vehicle that belongs to the road, and my main way to do that is to show that I behave like a good vehicle driver. It's a small gesture but I like to think it goes a long way over time.

[maillotpois]

I do exactly what Grog does - if no cars, I will slow, make completely sure, and go on. If there's a car anywhere, I will trackstand, clip out, whatever it takes to come to a stop and make sure everyone's on the same page. Eye contact with the driver is good. A wave to them if they wave you through - the key is being sure you have been seen.

(Not to mention the fact that it REALLY irks me as a cyclist when I see riders blow through stop signs/lights - I think it is a TERRIBLE example for our sport and causes a lot of completely unnecessary driver-anger toward us. )

Maybe you should loosen your pedal tension so clipping out isn't a big deal?

I'm glad it sounds like you'll make a good recovery, and I hope this has been a good lesson. It certainly could have been a lot worse. (And I have to say I am impressed from your earlier post at how you are clearly taking FULL responsibility for what happened. A lot of people - even if at fault - would still try to shrug off the blame.)