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A Kalamazoo Ride Group's Worst Nightmare

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Tricia

Tricia

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^^^ The unbelievable tie between the two tragic incidents (pulled from slowtwitch.com):


It's nice to see the outpouring of support on Bill's gofundme page:
https://www.gofundme.com/2bdebfw
Three days and they've almost reached the goal of 125,000.00.
Such an amazing outpouring of love for this family.

Edit: Add referenced post from previous page.
 
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Thread Starter
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Tricia

Tricia

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That accident sounds crazy. First car swerves and second car can't react quickly enough. ugh.
 

Doug Briggs

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It is a bad spot in general with people heading north having just left Main Street in a 45 mph zone about to enter a 55 mph zone and there is a traffic light. Crossing this hwy puts you on the rec path. Lots of cars. Lots of bikes and pedestrians. A lot going on.
 

markojp

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Riding on Donner Pass Rd along the lake with my wife and a friend of ours this afternoon. Some jackass passes me with his side mirror inches from my shoulder. THEN he pulls over into the bike lane in front of me. I scream "What the hell is wrong with you" and he flips me off. Stopped about a mile later and discussed with my wife and friend. They'd been about 300 yds behind and he did the same F'n thing to them. Just what the hell is up with this? I mean seriously? Just venting, I know you don't any of you know. Unless you were driving a white 4x4 PU on Donner Pass Rd this afternoon. I'm just venting.

All the yelling and flipping off does 0 good. A license plate number and call to the police can do wonders.
 

markojp

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FWIW, and I may have said this earlier, but one of the best tech changes in cycling over the past few years has been the availability of bright, small, and relatively inexpensive bike lights. I've gone all 'Fred' with them and rarely ride without both front and rear. In town, I have no doubt that the front light in particular has stopped cars from pulling out or going the 'left cross'. In rural areas, the rear light I'm sure helps put cyclists on the radar. Not that this is likely to help compete with a '12 pack, a fifth, some meth, and the car' combo, but for 'normal' bike/driver interaction, lights IMHO do help. And are well worth the very few onces of extra weight and trouble.

On a side note, Seattle drivers are just simply self-absorbed, and lack a large percentage of basic spatial awareness. Maybe looking at computer screens all day and night robs us of peripheral vision. Dunno. This along with an additional healthy dose of self-righteousness seems to carry over into the cycling community. Thankfully though, you can't really accuse Seattle drivers of being fast and aggressive. :)
 
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Philpug

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FWIW, and I may have said this earlier, but one of the best tech changes in cycling over the past few years has been the availability of bright, small, and relatively inexpensive bike lights. I've gone all 'Fred' with them and rarely ride without both front and rear. In town, I have no doubt that the front light in particular has stopped cars from pulling out or going the 'left cross'. In rural areas, the rear light I'm sure helps put cyclists on the radar. Not that this is likely to help compete with a '12 pack, a fifth, some meth, and the car' combo, but for 'normal' bike/driver interaction, lights IMHO do help. And are well worth the very few onces of extra weight and trouble.

On a side note, Seattle drivers are just simply self-absorbed, and lack a large percentage of basic spatial awareness. Maybe looking at computer screens all day and night robs us of peripheral vision. Dunno. This along with an additional healthy dose of self-righteousness seems to carry over into the cycling community. Thankfully though, you can't really accuse Seattle drivers of being fast and aggressive. :)
One of the reasons I like the addition of a helmet lights verses just a handlebar, many times I would shine the light into cars, basically making eye contact with them, to make sure they saw me.
 

markojp

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I just use the annoying white flashing led setting. They're bright. And annoying. Can I say annoying again? Annoying. :)
 

markojp

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Rearview mirror is cheaper... But I dont use one yet.
 

skibob

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All the yelling and flipping off does 0 good. A license plate number and call to the police can do wonders.
FWIW, I quit flipping people off 20 years ago. I couldn't get a bead on the license plate # before it was out of range. I almost caught him while he was stopped behind traffic, but he got free before I could get close enough to read it. Believe me, Truckee police would have gotten a complaint from 3 separate riders at least.
 

skibob

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FWIW, and I may have said this earlier, but one of the best tech changes in cycling over the past few years has been the availability of bright, small, and relatively inexpensive bike lights. I've gone all 'Fred' with them and rarely ride without both front and rear. In town, I have no doubt that the front light in particular has stopped cars from pulling out or going the 'left cross'. In rural areas, the rear light I'm sure helps put cyclists on the radar. Not that this is likely to help compete with a '12 pack, a fifth, some meth, and the car' combo, but for 'normal' bike/driver interaction, lights IMHO do help. And are well worth the very few onces of extra weight and trouble.

On a side note, Seattle drivers are just simply self-absorbed, and lack a large percentage of basic spatial awareness. Maybe looking at computer screens all day and night robs us of peripheral vision. Dunno. This along with an additional healthy dose of self-righteousness seems to carry over into the cycling community. Thankfully though, you can't really accuse Seattle drivers of being fast and aggressive. :)
Also, btw, big bright blinking red light on the back of my bike . . . But the problem here isn't that he didn't see me. The problem is that he did see me and felt compelled to try to intimidate me for some reason.
 

markojp

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I feel your pain. Been there and had crap thrown at me as well. More later about a funny experience on a group ride with a state trooper in our group. The motorist was a bit surprised...
 
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Tricia

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@Gaby posted this as a request from me.
Glad he found the link.

14095763_10100202079454895_2953256256537384513_n.jpg
 

Carl Kuck

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I'm now riding with a very bright flashing taillight on my road bike. Visibility is a good thing. And I'm thinking about keeping my GoPro on the bike (and running) at all times, it can grab license plates much better than I can...
 

Lorenzzo

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Tragic stuff.

Thoughts, prayers to victims and their families.
 
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skibob

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Below is an interesting article about a guy who mounted a camera on his bike after several unpleasant incidents on the road:

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/lifestyle/6031808-181/warning-some-sonoma-county-bicyclists?artslide=0

I read it only a day after a close encounter with a citybus. Below is the text of my letter to the director of the city transit system (copied to the members of the city's bicycle and pedestrian task force:

I am writing to you to describe an incident that happened yesterday (Sept 1, 2016) and ask for your help in ensuring that citybus drivers are more aware of cyclists and understand how the rules of the road apply to them.

At about 7:45 a.m. I was riding west bound (on the North side of the road) along Sonoma Ave in Montgomery Village (between Farmer's and Hahman). As I approached the bus stop in the middle of that block, I saw a bus stopped at the blue shelter and loading passengers. This of course requires them to pull over to the curb and block the bike lane.

I looked over my left shoulder and saw no cars approaching in the lane. I signaled with my hand and moved left to go around the bus. When I was even with the rear 1/4 of the bus, the bus accelerated into the lane, cutting me off. I had to brake suddenly and return to the bike lane. I was able to do so, but clearly a second or two would make all the difference between this and a very dangerous situation. Although the sun was rising behind me, the morning was heavily overcast. And I was riding a white bike and wearing a bright red jacket.

At the stop light half a block later I pulled up behind the bus and took note of the number on the back: xxxxxx.

There are many possible explanations for why the driver would do this, and I think true negligence and ill intent are far and away the least likely. So I want to make it clear that I am bringing this to your intention in hope that you will see to the proper training and education of the drivers. Unless this is (or becomes) a recurring theme with a particular driver, I am not requesting discipline in any way. I simply want Santa Rosa to continue on its way to becoming a premier bike friendly city.

Thank you for your time and attention.
 

markojp

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Bob, just curious, do you use a front flashing white strobe? I'm guessing the bus just didn't see you. I agree with you...highly doubt if it was intentional at all as transit management certainly doesn't want to be involved in negligence lawsuits. I have a friend who drives in Seattle. I'll ask him for his thoughts.
 

Josh Matta

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I can not say this enough, taking the lane and letting people pass on all but the busy roads is safer than riding than the side. If its a 4 lane road, I do not ever dare ride on the side if the speed limit is less than 45. There is another lane for people to pass, if people come up behind me and refuse to use the other lane I do not move I point at the other lane. if you are in the middle of the lane, the only people who are going to hit you are going to try to hit you, and you have much more space to move. in case that actually happens.
 

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