How often do you almost get hit by cars?

[sfa]

Depends what you mean by "almost hit." There are drivers who annoy me by zipping by and then cutting in front to make a right turn, or who pull out into intersections that I'm about to go into when I have the right of way. But I've never had any "OMG, I'm lucky that wasn't a disaster"-heart-pounding close calls. Like LPH, I assume that drivers WILL do these stupid things, things they'd probably never attempt if I were a car, and I plan for them.

One thing I've noticed--when a driver does something particularly annoying or dangerous, probably 80% of the time it's a teenage boy in a truck or SUV. I think they are not only less experienced than other drivers, but also more oblivious and more certain of their own immortality than others!

Sarah

[Grog]

http://bicyclesafe.com/

And, yes, take the lane.

[Karma007]

I'm very good at riding with one hand, since at intersections, I'm always waving to people, to make sure they see me. "Hello....I am here!"

[Biciclista]

This same thing (the truck story) happened to me.
Since then, I do NOT cling to the curb, I get out there (about 1/3 of the lane from the curb). This insures that the vehicle behind me has to look at me.
Of course, if it looks like they're not, I always have the option of heading towards the curb, in an emergency.

That feeling of doom is your instinct for survival talking. Now take that very healthy fear and translate it into riding as safely as possible.
I ride in a city like yours and haven't found that the poorer neighborhoods are less safe than the richer. In fact, we have several wealthier towns in the area which are notorious for their hatred for bicyclists.
I live in the 'hood and at least where I live, young teenaged men tend to pass more closely, not out of aggression, but because they are over confident.
It's middle-aged white men who appear to be the most aggressive and are most apt to scare me to death.

Please read some of the references the other riders have mentioned.

[PscyclePath]

Ivona:

Being in the Oakland/SF area, you might want to look up and take one of these classes on street riding and commuting:

http://www.bikeleague.org/cogs/resou...29&submit.y=14

A little confidence and good manners will get you a long way... ;-)

Tom

[wackyjacky1]

Don't hug the curb, Claim Your Lane!

And like tofu, I wave to people all the time -- it's kinda like saying, "Thanks for not running me over!"

[GLC1968]

I actually just rode in a 'real' city this past weekend. I was with Susan O (of all people) and I noticed that she was really good and yelling loudly when cars weren't paying attention. We were there on a weekend when there was definitely less traffic, but it wasn't nearly as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be.

That said, I've noticed a definite decline in my 'near misses' as time goes on. I used to commute in a medium sized city (some areas were definitely urban) and I almost got hit a LOT. I mean, there was one situtation where this woman came to a stop just inches from my knees (she was turning into me). I could pat her car with my hand with only barely a lean forward...that's how close it was. Ugh. Anyway, now half my commute is in a medium sized city with some urban areas. I do like LPH, and I assume they don't see me. I also am MUCH more likely to take the lane. I've always done it in slow moving traffic, but now I even do it when it's not so slow but I still feel it's in my best interest.

In fact, just last night, I was at a light, I had a bike lane, and I was going straight. The woman in the right turn lane was stopped for the red light, but she was watching for an opening. She was also talking on the phone. She didn't get her opening, so when the light turned green, she went...without looking. Both myself and the pedestrian had seen her ahead of time and neither of us moved until she was gone. She never even looked and didn't know how close she had come to manslaughter. We'd both be smooshed if we had started across the intersection as we had the right to do. The car behind her waved us both on.

Eye contact, waving, yelling...make yourself visible. If you can't (like with this chick) assume that they won't see you and do what you need to do to stay safe.

[IvonaDestroi]

Hmmm...

Well the feeling seems mutual about using the lane... I try to but it's so hard with all those cars in the way! They simply refuse to yeild! Seems like logical sound advice though... I'll give it a try and just see if I can force my way in. I don't think I've really seen many cyclists doing it that way in heavy traffic, maybe that's why I havn't really caught on to it.

I'm just paranoid because of the way people are around here. it would absolutely not surprise me if they hit someone on purpose for doing that (it's sort of the attitude around where I live, most drivers are apparently not aware of the street riding laws)... I get yelled at all the time (get off the road!), people try to run you off the road, and someone even once asked me out of their window what I was doing in the left turn lane Even though they see tons of bikes doing it they just can't seem to figure it out.

all the more reason I should maybe check out some of those books!

Thanx for the info!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Very infrequently, since I read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Urban-Cycl.../dp/0762727837

http://bicyclesafe.com/
And, yes, take the lane.

Do yourself a big favor and read that website (you are putting yourself in "The Red Light of Death", and buy that book used on Amazon and READ it.
The book covers all things dangerous including traffic and the classic railroad track 'bear trap' scenario.
You would stay much safer by not creeping up alongside the curb at intersections, right in everyone's blind spots. It's only a matter of time before someone turns right into you and you can't get out of the way in time.
Keep out of the 'door zone' as well.
Read that website and that book- the book is very thorough and completely changed the way I ride. I used to think I was doing things to stay safe, then I realized I was actually putting myself into very dangerous situations- no wonder I kept having close calls. Now I almost never wind up in a scary situation. I have learned from the book how to keep from setting myself up in accidents waiting to happen in the first place. It's a cool read and I'm convinced if I hadn't read that book I probably would have been hit by a car by now, after many thousands of miles riding in traffic.