another close call... too many these days.
It happened yesterday when I was going home. I was approaching an intersection going straight when this car right next to me suddenly decided to turn right. I literally only managed to stop inches from him.
At first I doubted he saw me, but I do remember him suddenly accelerating and cutting me off really sharply. I'm thinking he saw me but didn't want to stop so decided to beat me to it but I was going much faster than he would've wanted me to complete the assinine maneuver.
Needless to say, I nearly pee'd my pants. What actually disappointed me was a cyclist was right behind me, and all he did was go around me. If I had seen that happen to him, I'd have at least asked if he was okay and comisserated that it was a damn close call.
For those in the know, it was southbound on Quebec and Expo Blvd. Just the other day a cop car was WAAAY too close to me in that small section where it narrows.
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06-02-2009, 08:18 PM #1
sore bum
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06-03-2009, 04:50 AM #2
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Oy Badger!
I'm glad you're not a pancake, again!
Almost makes me wish for a spanner wrench to whack the offending car. (although carrying said wrench would be a pain while riding)Beth
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06-03-2009, 07:27 AM #3
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Both of those sound way too scary. I'm glad you aren't a pancake. Be careful (I know you are, but I just like saying that).
Pam
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06-03-2009, 09:11 AM #4
sore bum
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yeah, if my foot was free, I probably would've kicked the side of the car - but would've ended up on the sidewalk. I should be like my friend and attach an air horn to the handlebar so that you can at least honk at the drivers.
It's a shame that drivers are so reckless and in a rush to go nowhere. I'm beginning to think it's really only a matter of time before my (un)luck catches up with me
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06-03-2009, 09:25 PM #5
Northern Amazon
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Oh my! I'm really glad you're okay. I think you've had enough close calls for this year, hopefully it will get better from now!!!
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06-06-2009, 04:25 PM #6
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Originally Posted by badger
I just had a stupid kid pull one of these on me today. Half passed me headed towards a redlight. I of course had no traffic in the bike lane, but saw some right turn signals ahead so I slowed down (I do not pass cars at a light when they are nice enough to tell me they are turning right; it's just asking for them not to look and see me). So I ended up riding just behind the front doors of the SUV that had just "passed" me (WITHOUT a turn signal on might I add).
Light turns green, I let the last of the turn signals clear me and then get back in the gas a little. Only for this chick, who'd just pulled along side of me, to hook a right right as I'm clearing the curb into the intersection. She never fully cleared me in the pass and it's not like I was hanging out in her blind spot either.
Luckily I was paying enough attention for the both of us and was able to steer right and yell into the passenger's (luckily open!) window. I was only a few inches from taking a header over the front quarter panel though.
I'm not sure there is a good solution to this. Drivers just do not look right when executing a right turn. They aren't trained to since there is never another lane of motorized traffic for them to contend with. Of course they should be checking to make sure the cross walk is clear, but I guess that's not the same as making sure you aren't about to cut someone off. *sigh*
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