Look Left, Look Bike
Recently I've had two close calls, you know the scenario - you are cycling in heavy traffic down the left hand side when a car (driver) decides to exit the traffic jam via the left hand side street - the car suddenly turns left through your line - ouch!
Typically the driver will make the maneuver very suddenly with little or no (time) indicator signaling. Naughty driver! They should look out for us cyclists.
The "A Metre Matters" ads etc has been great. I reckon a "Look Left, Look Bike" campaign would also be well worthwhile. So how does one get such a thing to happen? I guess I can correspond with the Amy Gillet Foundation.. any other suggestions?
PS: Similarly, a "Look Right, Look Bike" to prevent doorings would highly desirable.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kara T on
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Or a simple "use your bloddy mirrors, that's what they were invented for" campaign would be good. This occurance happens to me almost daily on Magill Rd, I now know to cycle carefully with my hands on the brakes most of the road. But when I was a newby cyclist not aware of such dangers, I went over my handle bars once and rode into the car on another occasion.
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Permalink Reply by Rob (Chewbacca) on -
Kara there has been quite a few cyclists lately cut off by motorists doing the old left hook turn.....southpaw .......few have been friends of mine. Motorists just dont look for cyclists or misjudge speed and distances. Ride defensively and expect that you are unseen all the time
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Permalink Reply by colin ware-lane on -
very true rob when i used to teach motorcyle riding in the uk i would always tell the students to treat everyone on the road as if they had there eyes closed and make sure you got there attention,if they give you the bird at least you know they have seen you.
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Permalink Reply by JDL on -
"Ride defensively and expect that you are unseen all the time" - exactly.. I imagine a campaign for car drivers is difficult to arrange (but worthwhile if it can be done) but a campaign to encourage defensive riding techniches among cyclists probably is achievable, certainly amongst the audience of this website... I think this would be more effective - but won't be popular, because the general consensus among a lot of cyclists seems to be "why the hell should I have to ride defensively?!"... Defensive riding techniques are taught to motorcyclists as part of getting your licence, recognizing they're a vulnerable road user.....
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Permalink Reply by David Bowler on -
I think most cyclists on this site would be experienced enough to know to ride defensively and assume you haven't been seen, but sometimes even this is not enough to deal with a sudden erratic move by a driver. The big risk is for the inexperienced cyclists who are less likely to be on a forum like this.
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Permalink Reply by d j on -
Calling for defensive riding is all well in good but some times the only way to ride 'defensively' in some of these cases would to not get on the bike in the first case, which is not really a viable solution. I have been hit three times by people who made right hand turns as I was passing in front of them or was in clear view of them. I say this as someone who rides very defensively in city traffic (only this morning avoided being totalled by someone pulling a ridiculous left hand turn across a bike lane into a parking bay on King William St. with indication already half way into the turn as I was coming up alongside them).
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Permalink Reply by rustychisel on -
same same Kara, especially on Magill Rd at the Alma hotel carpark and Sydneham Rd... left hook city!!!
Yesterday I came upon the aftermath of either a left hook or a right hook (across queued traffic) at the corner of Howard and Magill, Beulah Park (just above Portrush intersection). Very dazed young man, ripped green T-shirt, fixed gear bike, ambulance officers attending. Looked like a busted collar bone at least. Hope he's OK.
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Permalink Reply by Graham Gower on
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Magill Rd is terrible. I commuted along it for 3 years. I was hit twice in this time and saw three other cyclists downed by cars while riding down the hill in the bike lane. And I still ride it regularly to get to/from Norton Summit.
Also, it would be really nice if the bike lanes on both sides of the road could be resurfaced between St Bernards Rd and the Peyneham Rd intersection. The lanes are ridiculously run down with many, many obstacles and often there is no option of moving out of the bike lane due to backed up traffic on your right. The road is a nightmare after a wet/windy night, with sticks/leaves and other debris caught in the ruts of the unmaintained bike lanes.
As Norton Summit is so popular for cycling and Magill Rd being its main access road, it really should see some attention. It is a very heavily cycled road for commuters and recreation cyclists alike. Alternate roads have their own problems (e.g. cars not giving way at Beulah Rd roundabouts).
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