Five cyclists die in five days

[steve_t]

If I see a car parked on the side of the road with a person in it, I automatically assume they are either a) going to pull out without seeing me or b)get out, again, without seeing me.

Same here.

I remember back when I was down in Dunedin, a guy opened his car door on a cyclist who hit the door and flipped over it but into the lane and got run over by a truck. So, swerving or not swerving, the combination of a car door being opened on a cyclist and a large vehicle being behind/beside you isn't a good one.

I guess the good weather has brought our many more cyclists and bikers and over the winter, the general public hasn't had to be as vigilant in their observational skills. That's also a bad combination

[Grubber]

I'm all for this hazard awareness and all that it entails. The thing is, we don't always have a split second reaction time to be able to avoid these hazards all the time.
sometimes things like this happen so quick and so close to us, we have little or no time to do bugger all about them. this is how accidents occur.
for all you guys going on about how easy this could have been avoided etc through being aware, i think you must all be superhuman in some ways as to think that is all it takes to stay alive out there. While you all sit back in your armchairs with your beer in your hand, it all becomes very easy to pass these comments, cause your not the one who copped it,where as in reality it just isn't that simple.

[MSTRS:Me]

Hear what you are saying. But drowning out your hearing with an i-pod isn't a smart move, either...

[Str8 Jacket]

I'm all for this hazard awareness and all that it entails. The thing is, we don't always have a split second reaction time to be able to avoid these hazards all the time.

You are also absolutely correct. We take our own lives in our hands when we use the roads. Sometimes people die, so could you or I. The only way to have a chance is to be aware of the dangers and ride accordingly.

[Hoon]

I've been motorcycling for 20 years however I've recently taken up road cycling for the last 4 months. Road cycling is far more dangerous so the typical road cyclist is actually far more astute with road safety than your average biker, just like a biker is more safety aware than a car driver. If bikers are the scum of road users then road cyclists are the scum of the scum. We may consider ourselves experts on road safety but the reality is road cyclists are probably better.

A lot of the skills we use apply to cyclists too, how many here would have alarm bells ringing seeing a person sat in their car on Tamaki drive & anticipate what could happen next? That little bit of knowledge could have saved a life.

OK so who says alarm bells didn't ring? When faced with such a situation we have 3 options:

1. Slow down (maybe to a stop) until you have confirmed the door is not going to open?
2. Take an extra wide berth
3. Be prepared to swerve if necessary

As a motorcylist (2) is the best option but as a cyclist lane hogging isn't popular with other road users so the reality is that (3) is the most common choice, especially along Tamaki drive. This is the option I usually choose also (well a combination of 2 & 3 really), however after today I will be taking the extra wide berth. Fuck all the rest of the road users they can bitch all they want!

[James Deuce]

Or are you advocating that bikers and cyclists should never swerve for fear of falling under a truck?

Not at all. I'm suggesting that the swerve wouldn't have been necessary if some common sense had been employed - just like 90% of motorcycle accidents. It isn't uncool stop for "no reason". Training ride, motorcycle hoon, scenic cycle, none of these things are worth dying for.

Your above comment suggest a lack of the correct attitude for long and fun cycling hobby.

[yungatart]

I'm all for this hazard awareness and all that it entails. The thing is, we don't always have a split second reaction time to be able to avoid these hazards all the time.

See that is the thing with hazard awareness...it shouldn't need a split second reaction, you should have become aware of the hazard long before and adjusted to it accordingly in plenty of time.


12 seconds ahead, not 2 seconds....

[MSTRS:Me]

See that is the thing with hazard awareness...it shouldn't need a split second reaction, you should have become aware of the hazard long before and adjusted to it accordingly in plenty of time.


12 seconds ahead, not 2 seconds....

To be fair, it is the things that you didn't see that are likely to get you. They can come out of 'nowhere'...
How many/often depends on how good your hazard awareness skills are.

[Grubber]

See that is the thing with hazard awareness...it shouldn't need a split second reaction, you should have become aware of the hazard long before and adjusted to it accordingly in plenty of time.


12 seconds ahead, not 2 seconds....

And your so perfect you can guarantee that every time. Shit your good!
Point is, that each and every hazard ahead of you doesn't have any particular time schedule as to when it may or may not happen. If you could have a full proof plan that you will always have that 12 secs then good luck to ya. I'm not going to rely on that one happening. Shit you guys are all so good, sitting in your lounge bangin on the keyboard. I just hope your all as good as you think you are and don't end up dead one day for reasons that you couldn't avoid.
I would love to see what you would do the day a stray sheep shot out in front of you. Ya wouldn't see that one comin. Oh unless you always ride at 50kph out on those country roads of coarse, seeing as you would be aware of all hazards etc.
If i was to have 12 secs up my sleeve i would have been about 1/2 a k behind everything.

[JimO]

i see cyclists every day, riding through red lights, swerving from lane to lane, NOT riding in cyclelanes, riding in groups at least 3 abreast, holding up traffic, generally having no regard for the road rules, i had one cut in front of me today causing me to take evasive action then he gave me the finger for tootling the melodious horn at him, chances are fairly high my 2 ton hilux v his 90 odd kgs i would have come off best and the headlines on the news tonight would be "another cyclist run down today" While its a tragedy that people die whilst out cycling it isnt always the other guys fault

[george formby]

I've been motorcycling for 20 years however I've recently taken up road cycling for the last 4 months. Road cycling is far more dangerous so the typical road cyclist is actually far more astute with road safety than your average biker, just like a biker is more safety aware than a car driver. If bikers are the scum of road users then road cyclists are the scum of the scum. We may consider ourselves experts on road safety but the reality is road cyclists are probably better.


OK so who says alarm bells didn't ring? When faced with such a situation we have 3 options:

1. Slow down (maybe to a stop) until you have confirmed the door is not going to open?
2. Take an extra wide berth
3. Be prepared to swerve if necessary

As a motorcylist (2) is the best option but as a cyclist lane hogging isn't popular with other road users so the reality is that (3) is the most common choice, especially along Tamaki drive. This is the option I usually choose also (well a combination of 2 & 3 really), however after today I will be taking the extra wide berth. Fuck all the rest of the road users they can bitch all they want!

Got mirrors, indicators & a Stebel on ur push bike? No offence intended but you have just highlighted the very limited options cyclists have in traffic & make sure you do a lifesaver as you move into traffic.

[duckonin]

Here we go again. Assumption is the Mother of all cockups. Car driver opening door is at fault, as you are suppose to make sure the path is clear before you open the door. Simple as that really.


Arrogant truck driver huh! I guess you were there then were you??
Truck happened to be just behind and to the right of cyclist until she had to take evasive action when car door opened, forcing her into the path of the truck. FACT!

Yes I shall say it again just 4 u..Arrogant truck driver like most of the pricks that drive fucken TRUCKS....Your guess was wrong I was not there !!! but it is a well educated guess the truck driver was fucken arrogant and gave her no room to move she swerved, he hit her, what happened to the 1/1/2 meters clearance?..

[JimO]

Yes I shall say it again just 4 u..Arrogant truck driver like most of the pricks that drive fucken TRUCKS....Your guess was wrong I was not there !!! but it is a well educated guess the truck driver was fucken arrogant and gave her no room to move she swerved, he hit her, what happened to the 1/1/2 meters clearance?..

i think you will find that she swerved and hit HIM, like i said in a previous post it isnt always the other guys fault

[Pascal]

you can be aware of that truck all you like, it still doesn't stop the dick from opening the door.

Yeah, but if you know the truck is there which would you choose? Smacking into the door or swerving under the truck?

Both are shit choices, but if you know what's happening around you it's easier picking the best of the worst.

It comes down to one simple thing. No matter what you drive / ride; stay aware of what is around you and what your potential hazards are. Not knowing what's around you because you're

(a) involved with your iPod
(b) scoffing a pie
(c) chatting on your mobile to advise the person you're 3 minutes away
(d) otherwise distracted

is just increasing the odds against you being able to make the right choice.

[Pascal]

Yes I shall say it again just 4 u..Arrogant truck driver like most of the pricks that drive fucken TRUCKS....

Wasn't it a rental truck? The type of thing you might rent when just moving house, etc. So might not even be a regular truckie.