Stupid driver !!!!

GoldenMotor.com

Henshooter

New Member
Feb 10, 2014
275
0
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Melbourne au
Well was just involved in my first accident all due to a driver being irresponsible and not giving me the required clearance required by law 1.5 m from the curb here in Victoria Australian .

Was cruising down a road with a car approximately 1.5 car lengths in front of me, all of a sudden she puts the breaks on heavy not having anywhere to go I slam on the skids and try to persuade the bike to the right being she hadn't given me the required 1.5 m clearance to avoid the situation only trouble with that is she then proceeds to turn the corner which means I'm headed straight for the rhs of her car so have to head for the square curb which I hit @ about 15kph get thrown off the bike and the bike stops dead on the square curb and rear rim hits hard completely tacoing the rim

Well I ended up in the curb , have busted my knee on the ground and hurt my wrist , no major injuries to me but belles rear rim is completely taco,ed ,with no funds to replace it I'm off the road for a week or two :-||

It goes to show it's not always the cyclists fault and in fact is usually the stupidity of a untrained and under knowledgable driver , I ride with the moto I'm invisible to all cars but I guess that's just not enough and in future I will be giving myself twice as much clearance as the usual 15 foot from a cars rear

Damn near thought I was dead but luckily pulled up into the curb with coaster and front breaks full tilt .
The downside now is I'm uninsured and because there's no witnesses it's my word against hers , the police told me it's basically pointless fighting her or contacting her insurance company because they will do nothing

What more can I do than AHHHHHHH}*+%^^#^*#}^++%}%*^#}% beeeeep beeeeep beepetty beeeeep

Regards Henshooter.duh.
 

16v4nrbrgr

Active Member
Mar 17, 2012
1,728
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38
North Bay
That sucks Henshooter, I hope you recover quickly and can get your bike roadworthy again soon. It might be worthwhile to try and light the bike up like a Christmas tree, or maybe build a bike that's "overpowered" so you can claim the lane in areas that are regulated to under 50 Kph, I've found it's easier to claim a lane and let people by at stop signs than riding the gutter, people just don't get it, and I've almost slapped mirrors with people driving way too close to me on the side.
 

MEASURE TWICE

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2010
2,741
1,211
113
CA
Sorry to hear that and heal quick!

In the past I remember having a folding flag that was put on the bike to stick out about a foot and would bend if hit by a driver. Sort of supposed to help with that law you mentioned of which was not enacted back then.

Helmet with cam that points 360 degrees and records ride?

I do off road trails only with my bike. I just got protective gear that is my insurance.

I saw a Red Bull contest that a biker with all his gear also included a neck brace. He still got a bit injured in a fall but was OK. Strange to think neck brace is what you could wear as recovery, but there is such an item for wearing while riding.

MT
 

Theon

New Member
Jan 20, 2014
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FNQ Australia
Sorry to hear that Sean,
I hope you heal quick.
I gave up riding in traffic a long time ago, and stick to the country roads near home, where I'm doing at least 60 Km/hr and taking a lane. I can't really get much further as then I hit the 'Highway' which is narrow, has rough edges and 110 Km/hr Semi Trailers. I do see people riding there bikes out there occasionally, but there not locals, only long distance travelers, and the traffic often has to wait to pass them.
So I'm quite limited to a neighbour hood strap unless I trailer my bike.
I wish you were closer, as I'm in the middle of swapping hubs around on my rims ATM, and would happily give you another rim and respoke it.
 

Henshooter

New Member
Feb 10, 2014
275
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0
Melbourne au
Thanks guys ,I'm doing ok ,sore as buggery but at least there's no broken bones, the road I was traveling has a 30kph limit and as such I claim the lane already but some if not most drivers try to reclaim it from me .

This was all in broad daylight ,I made well sure she could see me in her mirrors but she claimed I was 1 metre from her rear bumper , now there might be someone crazy enough to tailgate at 1 m but it certainly isn't me .

The police have mediated to give me details but I have since realised the name and address given are completely fake , the address given was in fact the house where this occurred and her name so happens to be different to the name she first gave me typical pffftttt

I've just returned from a LBS and the guy was able to organise the rim to be repaired but warned me the strength of the rim will be compromised so don't push the bike to hard , when I told him it's a motorised he simply laughed and said good luck ,well there goes my confidence ,he obviously saw my face drop so gave me a second hand rim instead ,identical to mine and even fitted the tyre on it

From what I can gather the driver was preoccupied with her bloody mobile phone and didn't even realise I was clearly behind her wearing a bright riding shirt that sticks out like the odd one in a crowd ,she saw that she was going to miss her turn so slammed on the skids and made the turn ,not realising I don't have the same turning or braking capabilities as her top of the line BMW thinking about it now I should have just gone **** for leather into her fender ,at least then the cops would have done something.

Don't get me wrong most car drivers are curtious towards me and even let me pass or give me a wide berth but then there's idiots like this lady that obtained their license from a box of coco pops and have no clue about road safety let alone how to actually drive.

Again thanks for the kind words gentlemen

Regards Henshooter
 

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
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Central Illinois
Yup. I'm sorry to hear it, too.

And I'm glad that you weren't hurt worse. The bike mechanic had a heart about it as well. That's good.

And, like you mentioned, most drivers really are careful enough about our safety. Then you just happened to catch the idiot who can't be bothered with others. As if missing a turn, of all things, justifies doing something completely unexpected.

Is it really so hard to just go around the block or to simply turn around?

Let's hope that she's a basically decent person who's now analyzing her mistake. Maybe she'll learn not to do it again. That would be worth something.
 

SpAsTicJaX

New Member
May 27, 2013
39
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Adelaide, Australia
sorry to hear that man! hope youve recovered quickly :)

i now every day have to mingle in with rush hour traffic in early mornings to get to my school/ course and i have found it is mostly the truckers that wave you on, give way, let you pass them and so on. whereas the majority of other car drivers in adelaide are ****wits who have no idea how to give way to cyclists when they are supposed to.

I have only been in one major accident on one of these 2 years ago when i was 14 , ended up in hospital with broken nose, damaged ankle, and broken cheek bone but i was discharged that night (hate hospitals lol ) so goodluck man :)
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
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Dallas
I'm glad you weren't hurt badly.

It sounds like you might have been the one at fault though. You didn't allow enough room to stop in case she did something stupid. She was in front of you? Why were you following her so close?

You have to ride like you expect everyone on the road is out to get you. I'm pretty sure now you'll become a better rider though. Experience is a biache.
 

Theon

New Member
Jan 20, 2014
1,440
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FNQ Australia
I once put my head/helmet in to the back windscreen of a car when it made a sudden stop without indicating in front of me whilst on my motor bike, broken leg, broken ribs and a very sore neck.
I thought I had space to get around her, but the loose gravel did not allow me to turn in time.
The front wheel slid, my leg was pinned between bike and bumper...
Hence I have a fear of riding in traffic, and these days like to drive as if my brakes don't work.
And if you've ever driven an old Landcruiser, there not that great.
And to Jak's post, that why there called professional drivers.
 
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CTripps

Active Member
Aug 22, 2011
1,310
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Vancouver, B.C.
Sorry to hear about it, Henshooter.. glad you're mostly alright, and it's great that the LBS was able to help you out with a rim to get going on. I'd be making that shop my favourite stop for bike parts.

I know it won't match the look you're going for with your bike, but I'd consider an AirZound horn if/when you can get one. At 110 db, it'll break through into most driver's awareness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYkBHGurj-I
 

Henshooter

New Member
Feb 10, 2014
275
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Melbourne au
I'm glad you weren't hurt badly.

It sounds like you might have been the one at fault though. You didn't allow enough room to stop in case she did something stupid. She was in front of you? Why were you following her so close?

You have to ride like you expect everyone on the road is out to get you. I'm pretty sure now you'll become a better rider though. Experience is a biache.
Upon reflection I somewhat agree , I don't consider it my fault but believed from experience my capable braking distance was well enough to avoid such a situation ,unfortunately I didn't account for a car slamming on the skids at 20kph or her not giving the legal 1.5 m clearance , and turning in on me , she claims she was only traveling at 10 kph but my speedo registered her speed at 24 kph , where I agree is coming to the realisation that a cars braking distance at 20 odd kph is a lot less than mine on a bike , see I've done 20 years of downhill slalom Moutain bike racing where applying brakes is a must so my level of experience riding is ten to none but in this case the lesson learned is never trust what a driver will do and how little care they have for any other person-vehicle on the road , upon receiving her apparent address and details it was made clear to me all the information that was relayed to me was false , including the stolen license plates on the flashy BMW ,someone's been a very naughty girl!!!

LESSON LEARNED

regards Hen
 

Nashville Kat

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2009
1,501
55
48
Jacksonville, Florida
You don't give us the situation before the events you describe- still you have my sympathy-

because if I had a dollar for every time some idiot passes me (on a pedal bike even!), and then immediately turns right in front of me--- I'd send you the repair money!

This is one of the most common car/bike encounters, and personally I believe there IS QUITE OFTEN a degree of malicious intent on the part of the drivers-

They REALIZE that if they stay behind you to the corner they want to turn at, they will be inconvenienced by maybe ONE or TWO precious seconds! Maybe in an extreme case 5 whole seconds!

So with an attitude of contempt ALREADY in their minds, they choose to pass us just knowing they will be turning in front of us anyway- and it really stinks!

Although I don't live there I read the San Francisco paper daily online, and in San Francisco a bicyclist is run over REGULARLY- about once every TWO OR THREE MONTHS-

literally-

and the most FREQUENT scenario is that some vehicle has turned right in front of the rider

then this huge CYBER-MOB of chatboard extremists generally gets on below the article and slamming the cyclists and talking about how the cyclists are always ignoring the rules-

and generally it's this same very situation- and quite often has a lot of malicious intent on the drivers part.

I'm transgendered and being in the same area on a motorized bike a lot- I get a lot of really hostile manuvering out of some motorists- the usual being turning in front of me from the other direction, or just crossing my path from another street and often taking great pangs to try to linger there long enough to be in my way.

But what can you do? People are frustrated morons- especially at the more and more EXPENSIVE motoring scene all the time.

But do they take it out on the Insurance Companies who bleed them dry?

Do they take it out on the oil companies who sell them gas guzzlers that take back all their paycheck?

NO- they take it out on who they can take it out on without drawing the fire of their own peers. They take it out on bike riders and motorized bikes.

I don't have a lot of years left where I'll be able to be out there, but I WON'T let this pathetic national raging mindset run me off the roads.

Good luck in Austrailia, but I'll bet the problems are getting worse faster here,

the "oil mecca" the corporate world is dancing to at the moment.
 
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Avalanche

New Member
Jan 24, 2013
48
0
0
Rhode Island
i've been hit by cars or run into cars 4 or 5 times while bicycling(not motorized). most of those times was when I passed cars on the right or when cars passed me and turned right without using turn signal and ran into me. all city riding.


I hate riding the gutter and getting passed. the sides of the road are terrible with all the sand and salt and garbage. claim the lane when you can. city riding on a motorized bicycle I find to be ****ty. I seek out routes that have less traffic when going point a to point b and when I joyride it's the quiet rural backroads that i enjoy the most
 

biknut

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2010
6,631
409
83
Dallas
When riding a bike there's no such thing as, "I had the right of way." Those are just famous last words.

It's best to ride like you're in a war zone, and you're expecting a sneak attack any second. That doesn't mean you have to creep around all the time. Sometimes it's best to fly fast, and low through the war zone, but always remember, whenever you ride, death always rides along with you.
 

Henshooter

New Member
Feb 10, 2014
275
0
0
Melbourne au
When riding a bike there's no such thing as, "I had the right of way." Those are just famous last words.

It's best to ride like you're in a war zone, and you're expecting a sneak attack any second. That doesn't mean you have to creep around all the time. Sometimes it's best to fly fast, and low through the war zone, but always remember, whenever you ride, death always rides along with you.
This is a statement I will be keeping in mind every ride ,thanks biknut ,I may have had right of way according to our local laws but that doesn't mean I have "right of way" ;)
On another note checked over belle ( yes I name my bike belle) and she has severely bent handlebars and the peddle on the RHS is completely shredded .bf.
Regards hen