This thread hits a bit close to home. I've been a competitive cyclist for over 20 years- was just hit by a car (again) - my third time, a few months ago. All were due to distracted or inattentive drivers. This time, I was traveling on the right side of the road (the correct side) of a lightly used access road. No other traffic around. He was traveling towards me and turned left into a building parking lot , right across my path. Big hit. I came out of my pedals, hit the passenger side hood of his car, rolled over it and ended up on the ground on the driver side. He said he never saw me- me with a bright red/white bike and brightly colored kit. Guy must have been day dreaming. In his defense, he was very, very apologetic (I was livid). Got pretty banged up , but nothing serious, luckily. Bike was toast- got a new bike and $2,500 from his insurance company for my trouble.
I will admit, I have run stop signs (slowly) a few times, but ONLY in rural (farmland) areas on lightly traveled roads and ONLY where I have a good view of traffic in all 4 directions to ensure no other vehicles are around. For you cyclists, it a momemtum thing, which I'm sure you get. In urban areas however, you have to be an idiot or have a death wish to engage in this kind of stupid behavior.
On my urban routes, I've seen many examples of bad cycling behavior and it always pains me as it reflects poorly on all cyclists and the sport in general. I've seen examples of drivers who were pissed off just due my presence on the road. I wonder sometimes whether some stupid ass cyclist did something to give the driver a permanent anti-cycling hard on . On balance though, in my experience, drivers seem to bear the majority of the blame for much of the car-bike carnage. Bikers can be harder to see and drivers aren't compensating. In fact, most drivers are just plain distracted- texting, reading, cell phones, eating, shaving, applying makeup, you name it- cars are a rolling personal improvement and entertainment appliance these days. Other auto drivers need to beware, but us poor cyclists just don't stand a chance. The only future bright spot is the emerging deployment of the new auto drive technologies now beginning to hit auto showrooms. In 5 or 10 years most cars will drive themselves and will be much , much smarter and more aware than the 'brain dead boogerheads' who now populate our nation's roads.
Okay, done, Feel better now.
