Almost Watched a Cyclist Die Today

Jeff Higgins · 08-13-2021, 01:51 PM

One very, very lucky man...

I was riding one of my favorite local rural roads on the Super Sport this morning, known as the West Snoqualmie Valley Road. I was approaching the only stoplight on that road, one that controls a "tee" intersection with a road that crosses the valley over to the East Snoqualmie Valley Road. The cross valley connecting road was approaching on my right, and the light was red, so the line of about six or eight cars that was in front of me was slowing down. We were on a slight downhill.

A cyclist that we had all passed some distance back from the intersection used this opportunity to pass the entire line of cars by riding down the fog line. At the front of the line was a full sized dump truck (no trailer) who, when the light turned green was still rolling a bit, and proceeded to make a right hand turn onto the connecter road. His turn signal had been on the entire time we were slowing and approaching the intersection. And yes, you guessed it - they collided. The cyclist plowed into the dump truck's fuel tank as it was turning.

The cyclist, luckily, avoided this fate, but his bike went right under the dualies and was completely destroyed. He escaped with a good deal of road rash and some bumps and bruises. And it was soon to become abundantly clear that his lungs still worked...

He launched into an unholy tirade against the dump truck driver over how he "was supposed to yield to cyclists". To make matters worse, some ill-informed "Karen" who was in the line of cars chimed in with him. The other half dozen of us just waited for the Sheriff.

Ultimately, the Sheriff cited the cyclist. I hung out with the dump truck driver until he was allowed to leave (he was pretty young, absolutely terrified, and almost inconsolable), and the Sheriff told him that he would not be cited, that he had the legal right of way. I left the kid (and yes, he was a "kid") driving the dump truck my contact information, since I don't think this is over. I see a lawsuit from the cyclist in his future...

This cyclist was obviously a very lucky man. Lucky that his ignorance of basic traffic law did not cost him his life. He appeared close to my age, and very fit, so it's a fair guess that he's been riding for awhile. He honestly thought that he had the right of way to pass traffic on the fog line and to then blow straight through an intersection where the lead vehicle had been signaling for, and was then making, a right hand turn. I'm just glad I didn't have to watch him die...

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

This is the sort of thing that makes bicyclists loathed

Bill Douglas · 08-13-2021, 01:58 PM

I'm pleased he didn't get squashed.

They are a bit like that around here too. They get very hyped up with the road ride and become very aggressive. I bike ride myself, but I'm certainly not on the side of the aggressors.

hbueno · hbueno's Garage

Certainly appears the cyclist was at fault in this case. Whether you're driving a car or riding a bike, situational awareness and defensive driving/riding are key.

I ride a lot myself. For the most part, I see most riders and drivers behaving properly. But on one scary occasion on an MS100 ride, I witnessed a guy driving a pickup truck purposely sideswipe and knock over a cyclist. The cyclist was injured, but not badly.

stevej37 · 08-13-2021, 02:08 PM

How was he expecting the truck driver to see him??
And why should he have the right to pass thru the intersection on the right without stopping?
Too many stupid moves.

john walker's workshop · 08-13-2021, 02:13 PM

A cyclist and a dump truck met the same way downtown a while ago. RIP.

herr_oberst · 08-13-2021, 02:29 PM

As a road cyclist, I side with the dumptruck driver here.
I ride with my Head. On. A. Swivel.

Steve, it doesn't sound like the cyclist was planning to blow the light, he was anticipating the green. Unfortunately, he failed miserably to see that the dump truck had his signal on, and was slowly building up speed while making a legal right turn.

Oh, and then belittling the dump truck driver. What an ass.

908/930 · 908/930's Garage

Cyclists use to piss me off doing that every day when I was driving in Toronto, sit there with the turn signal on and they just ignore it and zip by as I was turning, almost took out a couple of them. I have a friend who witnessed a cyclist that did the exact thing you described, rode right into the side of a transport truck that was turning but ended up under the rear wheels, dead instantly.

Eric Hahl · Eric Hahl's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

As a road cyclist, I side with the dumptruck driver here.
I ride with my Head. On. A. Swivel.

Steve, it doesn't sound like the cyclist was planning to blow the light, he was anticipating the green. Unfortunately, he failed miserably to see that the dump truck had his signal on, and was slowly building up speed while making a legal right turn.

Oh, and then belittling the dump truck driver. What an ass.

I agree. Also gotta say, from a motorcycle riders perspective...2 wheels always lose. Gotta always be looking for the next accident.

Jeff Higgins · 08-13-2021, 04:01 PM

I didn't really get the impression that the cyclist was going to try to blow the red light. He was timing it like he was just trying to anticipate the green and be at the front of the line when the light turned. Everything would have worked out fine, if no one had been turning.

Except, well, this really is one of those habits that many cyclists display that, while it usually neither harms nor inconveniences anyone, can be a real annoyance to drivers. I can see doing it in city traffic, where cyclists "filter" towards the front at stop lights, stop signs, and the like. I have travelled in plenty of countries where motorcyclists do the same thing, and where it is actually expected of both. They have to realize, however, that if they choose to do this, they have no special rights beyond those of the motor vehicle traffic with whom they "share the road". And, more importantly, in any kind of a "territorial dispute", that "size matters". They are simply gonna lose.

masraum · 08-13-2021, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I didn't really get the impression that the cyclist was going to try to blow the red light. He was timing it like he was just trying to anticipate the green and be at the front of the line when the light turned. Everything would have worked out fine, if no one had been turning.

Except, well, this really is one of those habits that many cyclists display that, while it usually neither harms nor inconveniences anyone, can be a real annoyance to drivers. I can see doing it in city traffic, where cyclists "filter" towards the front at stop lights, stop signs, and the like. I have travelled in plenty of countries where motorcyclists do the same thing, and where it is actually expected of both. They have to realize, however, that if they choose to do this, they have no special rights beyond those of the motor vehicle traffic with whom they "share the road". And, more importantly, in any kind of a "territorial dispute", that "size matters". They are simply gonna lose.

If I'm riding (not any more, so past tense would be more correct) and there are NO cars at an intersection and I can see far enough in all directions to know that it's safe, I'll blow through it without stopping. But if there are cars around, I proceed (or stop) as if I'm about to take a tiddlywink to a gun fight.

It sounds like this guy is a moron. Fortunately, for everyone at the light, that isn't past tense.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I can see doing it in city traffic, where cyclists "filter" towards the front at stop lights, stop signs, and the like.

I Fkn hate that. The worst is when one is at a stop sign with you and wants to cross the street when you need to turn right. The asswipe will roll up on the right of you well into the crosswalk. You could turn right as soon as traffic from the left clears, but with him sitting there he prevents you from turning right until traffic is cleared enough in both directions for him to cross. Blowing the horn and telling him to GTF out of the way just gets you the finger.
This is not an indictment of bicyclists. I am one and I don't do this *****.

cjh · 08-13-2021, 04:36 PM

Same thing happened to my dad 35 years ago when he was driving a motor coach for a living. He was stopped at a stop sign on the bottom of a hill with his right turn signal and as he started to turn, a bicyclist blew through the stop sign and hit the side of his bus behind the front wheel. That ruined his safe driving award for that year.

hcoles · 08-13-2021, 05:18 PM

Thanks for posting. I try to stay clear of any vehicle that might be turning right or at least get ahead, to be seen, if the vehicle is stopped and then might turn right. I'm going to think about this more as I ride.

T77911S · 08-14-2021, 04:43 AM

on the opposite note of that.

I was riding and a truck came up along side of coming to an intersection and he turned right when he was next to me.
he didn't pass me so the only clue I had was that he slowed just as he got next to me,.
I made the turn with him but managed a nice kick to the side of his truck, yes that close.

for those that don't ride may not realize a biker can do in the 20's and stopping is not always an option.

yes that biker was 100% at fault. not something I would do. I also don't like to pass cars at stop lights as they will just pass me back.
with that said I was behind a van at a light. he decided to BACK UP!!!! I was clipped in with one foot and could not move fast enough. then his bumper rode up on TOP of my front wheel pinning there. THAT scared me because I could not move.
then my wheel collapsed and he stopped.

I have always been considerate of cars. I don't understand why just because I am on bike I deserve less respect that a child molester.
just pass me and be on your way.
even when I can do the speed limit on my bike, NO RESPECT.

tdw28210 · tdw28210's Garage

Yeah, so I truly support cyclists. I used to ride a lot - before smart phones were everywhere and I realized my risk/reward ratio was going negative. I've been harassed on the road as a solo cyclist by a couple of country boys for no real reason other than I was on a bike in a remote area. I understand that it happens. With that said, A LOT and and I mean a LOT of cyclists are entitled a**holes who think the they are special and don't have to follow the rules of the road or exhibit common sense or common courtesy. I am waiting for the cycling community to "handle it" on their own. My support for them is waning fast.

greglepore · 08-14-2021, 05:51 AM

Yeah, have to agree. I ve cycled on the road for 35 yrs, and the number of entitled jerks has grown. You need to ride anything on two wheels defensively.
That said , the opposite scenario is a real danger to cyclists. I have an ac joint separation from a car that passed me and turned right before completing its pass.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Porchdog · 08-14-2021, 06:16 AM

I commute on two lane roads with no shoulders. Many of then have a variety of hills and sharp corners to make sightlines short.
I still ride my mountain bike a bit but I haven't been a road biker since I was a kid.

Sadly, I live within the training radius of the local velodrome. Why the local peloton thinks it's a great idea to train as a pack on state roads at rush hour every Thursday is a mystery to me. At least they are easy to see and they mostly obey the red lights, although they run all the stop signs and they are impossible to pass.

The real nuts are the singletons that we occasionally see on these roads. It's not so bad that you need to put the flashers on and poke along until it's safe to get by them, when you get to a red light they pass the entire line of cars that have already passed them on the right, then run the red light as often as not. Now that whole line of cars has to pass them again.

One of my coworkers had two bikes destroyed in two weeks by accidents with trucks. The second time he had broken bones.

I'm not denying that they have a right to use the roads. I do think they're taking avoidable risks.

svandamme · svandamme's Garage

a biker is an insect to a dump truck, and it's an insect in a huge blind spot..
if you are to stupid to realize that, then you might end up squashed

I once had a collision with a dump truck that didn't move out of the way. AND I won
But then again, I was in a Leopard 1 tank

NOT an insect :

Tank was from Belgian Military museum, all bits and bobs present, including the FN MAG on my hatch that had it all except for ammo
The dumptruck got it's rear axle hit, the hinge of the bed was out and lot's of sparks flying.. the Leopard didn't slow down a bit the driver hadn't even noticed it.

Jeff Higgins · 08-14-2021, 06:54 AM

I have no trouble whatsoever with cyclists who truly "share the road" as they so often espouse. Hell, I was a very active, enthusiastic cyclist from my early teen years in the mid 1970's until the early 2000's. I'm actually picking it up again (after a full hip replacement) and really enjoying it. I am now sticking to either dedicated bike trails, or at least roadways with dedicated, marked off lanes for bicycles. I try to avoid roads on which I must share a lane with motor vehicles. Not always possible, but I do try to minimize it.

I guess where the real animosity towards cyclists lies is mainly with the ass holes who simply cannot, will not, follow the rules and show some common courtesy. We are "blessed" with one such group locally. Granted, they are not the only ones (unfortunately), but they appear to be out there quite often, and are readily identified by their matching all black attire with bright orange helmets. This group can be found out on my favorite local roads on any weekend morning. There are at least 30 of them, riding three abreast, blocking the entire lane, and steadfastly refusing to stick to the right hand part of the lane to allow cars to pass. Washington's law requires cyclists to ride no more than two abreast, and to stay as far to the right as possible. These guys refuse to do that, and can often be seen with literally dozens of motor vehicles stuck behind them.

If anyone is "waiting for the cycling community to 'handle it'", you are going to be waiting an awfully long time. They were doing this in the '70's when I started riding, and it's only gotten worse today. Reading cycling forums and blogs leaves the distinct impression that many feel entitled to behave in this manner, and really seem to relish pissing off motorists. To the point of bragging about it to one another... So, no, the cycling community is never going to "police itself".