a mere second away from becoming pancake

[Grog]

Just a soothing story:

I had the most fabulous bus driver (on the 99) this morning. I needed to put a bike on the rack and he jumped out to help me pull the arm up. (The new racks are really a problem.) Then... and this is where it becomes relevant to your story:

We approached a crosswalk on a 4-lane road (+ 2 lanes of parked cars, one on each side). There was a woman and a child waiting to cross. The bus driver first stopped (in the second lane from the right) and then moved his bus to block the two lanes so that a car driver that wouldn't be paying attention and would go through the crosswalk wouldn't mow down the pedestrians.

I thought that was the sweetest bus driver ever.

At an intersection later on he stopped the bus, jumped out and into a Tim Hortons, and came back with coffee, oh, I'd say, about 45 seconds later. The Tim Hortons employees probably think he's sweet, too.

I was pretty impressed. I'm sure that guy would NOT have run you over, Badger.

(I wrote to the transit company to praise the driver.)

[badger]

that's great, and I'm glad you wrote to praise him. We're so quick to complain about negative bahaviour and often ignore the positive that ought to be commended.

Like I said, I don't think the driver meant any malice, he's only human afterall and I probably would've done the same thing gaining speed up a hill and letting the momentum carry me through to my next stop. It just so happened that the light turned and he didn't see me - at least he honked.

It's easy for any level-headed person to go crazy from road rage, and I truly think bus drivers have one of the worst jobs out there dealing with all sorts of people.

There's a guy who lives in our building who's a bus driver. He's one of those really happy-go-lucky guys and he literally LOVES his job. I'm glad, we need more people like him and your driver (who knows, maybe it's the same guy!)

[badger]

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.

[bmccasland]

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)

[PamNY]

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

[badger]

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

[Grog]

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!!!

[shootingstar]

Badger, could you not consider modifying your route abit to avoid that area?

For all the different cycling commuting routes I had to ride..because I've worked for different employers in 2 different cities, I have modified some routes which might be an extra 1-3 kms., just to avoid a consistently dangerous area involving road cars. Then I stick to the modified route and adjust my personal schedule accordingly.

My life / not to become permanently disabled, is much more important to me. (I worked for a hospital for spinal cord injured patients for a few yrs. before I restarted cycling several years later. These patients became permanently wheelchair bound for life. The experience is a tremendous reminder to myself....)

besides you get abit more exercise.

[badger]

oh, the irony is that this is my modified route! I originally went along Expo/Pacific only to feel that the drivers were using it as a race track. I switched to this route to get away from traffic!

and trust me, it's not my desire or aspiration to become disabled, either.

[shootingstar]

I can imagine the irony.

Would suggest to try streets parallel to Pacific/Expo and further way from the creek waterfront.

ie. Beatty, Homer.... better to cope with. I've cycled these streets as part of regular commuting routes in past years.

After cycling daily in and out downtown Toronto rush hr. with over 1 million people pouring in and out of that area daily for a few years, I found I prefer to be cycling on either quieter or moderately congested, but SLOWER car traffic roads.

[tctrek]

Arrgghhhh...... I think we could have a sticky thread that would never end discussing rude, stupid, aggressive cars and near misses with them!!

DH and I were out this weekend on a 4 lane road in suburbs. Not many cars out. We were cruising over on the right on the white line (negative shoulder on this road). Cars had PLENTY of room to get past us and an entire empty left lane if they wanted to swing out. Did they do it? Absolutely not.. cars going by us over the speed limit and close enough that we felt the heat of their engines.

After a few miles of this, a bunch of bubba's in a pick up truck go by, beeping their horn and screaming out the windows "That's what sidewalks are for!". We're shouting back at them that it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk! I really think they would have hit us if they could!

What is up with people being so aggressive?

[badger]

I love how ignorant drivers can be with the sidewalk comment. It's obvious they've not ridden a bicycle since they were about 10.

But having said that, I do use the sidewalk (especially in winter) in certain areas because sharing the road simply is asking to be hit.

[MartianDestiny]

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.

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*

[Groundhog]

I love how ignorant drivers can be with the sidewalk comment. It's obvious they've not ridden a bicycle since they were about 10.

But having said that, I do use the sidewalk (especially in winter) in certain areas because sharing the road simply is asking to be hit.

I know it's frowned on in some areas and there are reasons not to, but riding on the sidewalk is legal in Seattle and in the suburb where I live.

When riding on the weekend, I don't ride on the sidewalk ever. However, when commuting I do. My commute has three parts: 1) On a paved trail that runs beside the road but separate 2) single-track path 3) a four-lane busy arterial.

The paved trail runs along a two-lane street with no shoulders. Idiots pass cyclists w/out enough room. I use the trail, but there is only one driveway and I'm very careful.

The four-lane busy arterial has a 40mph speed limit but people go 50. There is no shoulder, only a sidewalk, so there's no-where to go if someone buzzes you. The drivers are so cut-throat: when I drive on the road, they won't let you change lanes and people are very aggressive. There are only two driveways on this route.

[badger]

yeah, and you know what else is interesting is that Vancouver does try its best at having plenty of bike routes, but sometimes they just simply end. You're riding along happily and all of a sudden, it's no longer a bike path.