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How Not To Get Hit By Cars - III - Anthony Donofrio
Sunday, June 29, 2008
So far, we’ve covered the Right Cross, the Door Prize and the Red Light of Death. This week, it’s the Right Hook and the Left Cross. Thanks again to bicyclesafe.com for the accident names and the information. In the Right Hook, a car passes you and then makes a right turn directly in front of you, or right into you. The driver thinks you’re going slow because you’re on a bike. It never occurs to him or her that they can't pass you in time. Even if you have to slam on your brakes to avoid hitting the car, the driver often won't feel he or she has done anything wrong. This kind of collision is dangerous because you typically don't see it until the last second and because there's nowhere for you to go when it happens. This very situation arose in Fenwick Island last week. The cyclist was dragged into a parking lot, but was fortunately not run over or seriously injured. To avoid this collision: • Don't ride on the sidewalk. When you come off a sidewalk to cross the street you may be invisible to motorists. • Ride to the left. Taking up the whole lane makes it harder for drivers to pass you, to cut you off, or turn into you. Don't feel bad about taking the lane. If the lane you're in isn't wide enough for cars to pass you safely, then you should be taking the whole lane anyway. • Check your mirror before approaching an intersection. If you don't have a handlebar or helmet mirror, get one right away. Be sure to look in your mirror well before you get to the intersection. When going through the intersection, you need to be paying attention to what's in front of you, not what’s behind you. In a variation of the Right Hook, you're passing a slower-moving car on the right when it unexpectedly makes a right turn right into you trying to get to a parking lot, driveway or side street. To avoid this collision, don't pass on the right. If a car ahead of you is going only 10 mph, then slow down behind it, but not in its blind spot. It will eventually start moving faster. If it doesn't, pass on the left when it's safe to do so. Final, the Left Cross. A car coming towards you makes a left turn right in front of you, or right into you. To avoid this collision: • Again, don't ride on the sidewalk. When you come off the sidewalk to cross the street, motorists may not be able to see you. • Get a headlight. If you're riding at night, you should absolutely use a front headlight. It's required by law in most states, anyway. • Wear something bright at all times. It may seem silly, but bikes are small and easy to see through even during the day. Yellow or orange reflective vests make a big difference. Reflective leg bands are also easy and inexpensive. • Don't pass on the right and don't overtake slow-moving vehicles on the right. Doing so may make you invisible to left-turning motorists at intersections. Remember, passing on the right means that the vehicle you're passing could also make a right turn right into you. • Slow down. If you can't make eye contact with the driver (especially at night), slow down so much that you're able to completely stop if you have to. It's inconvenient, but it beats getting hit. Next week: The Rear End, the Crosswalk Slam and the Wrong Way Wallop Anthony Donofrio joined the BBVFC in 2007 and has been a member of the Ocean Pines VFC since 2006. He is a graduate of Perry Hall HS and is an emergency medical technician (EMT) for the state of MD and a DE first responder. He can be reached at [email protected].