Dangerous Roads and Road Sharing Tips

From Jim Schroeder

A recent midweek century went to Cataract Falls, where I again had the honor of showing Dana Marsh, a BBC rookie, the sites of southern Indiana.  She loved the falls and the general store, but after 75 miles of hills, she wasn't too happy with the hill monger regarding more hills and a new gravel road at McVille.

  When we were at the Spencer Shell station, a man came up to us asking about our route back to Bloomington.  A very nice pillar of the community type was he, in the risk management (insurance) business.  We said IN-43, and then he started going off on us very politely.  He drives on that road four or five times a day, and says it's already a dangerous highway, and then when motorcyclists, logger trucks,and now "you Bloomington bicyclists" are on the road, some bicyclist is going to get squeezed into a guard rail or over down into the ravine.  We agreed with him that we risk our lives every time we mount our bicycles, and how we depend on our rear view mirrors.  He felt that we should all have tall flags on our bicycles.  His thinking was that every vehicle would automatically slow down and proceed with caution.  He wanted us to tell everyone of our peers through a bicycle blog.  So, here I write to better our relations with those cars.

I also just happened to be reading the weekly e-mail magazine, Road Bike Rider.  This is a great weekly read for all of you road bikers.  It's worth a look and it's free.  They sell e-books, etc. through this.  They talk about the same issue but for the cyclist.  

Below is a great tutorial:

Taking a rest on a recent ride, I was talking to a gentleman sharing the bench with me at Stone Mountain Park. He was telling me that he got scared and stopped riding his recumbent after one too many close calls with cars, and after a police officer pulled up next to him in his squad car and told him he was too low to the ground and difficult to see.

I asked about the flags I sometimes see on recumbents. He told me he flew 3 on his! And still he was somehow difficult to see, according to the officer. I told him I’ve had countless experiences on my two-wheeler in which drivers have simply looked right through me, no matter how bright my jersey or jacket was that day.

When I checked my email after that ride, I had one from an RBR reader in Australia, Court Gettel, who sent a link to an article about exactly the same phenomenon. I had never heard it before, but it seems that the Aussies and the Brits have an acronym for what drivers invariably say in the form of an excuse:SMIDSY – “Sorry, mate, I didn’t see you.”

The author of that article, Michael O’Reilly, recounts hearing something very similar from the driver who hit him head on, having pulled out in front of him even though O’Reilly had the right of way. He survived with no major injuries and was back on the bike fairly soon. But he became an angry rider, often yelling at miscreant drivers and never trusting them to see him or give him the right of way [which he believes – and I agree – makes him safer].

In summarizing his post-crash feelings of fear and rage, he makes some excellent points:

“The problem is that the stakes are so different for cyclists and motorists. If a car and a bike collide, the motorist goes to the panel-beaters [I suppose that’s body shop in American English]. The cyclist winds up in hospital; or a wheelchair; or the morgue.

“But motorists often don’t understand that what they see as a happy outcome – “whew, that was close!” – is a near-death experience for a vulnerable road user. And that’s why the cyclist is ranting.

“After a while, I calmed down again. I realized aggression wasn’t helping anyone, least of all me.  I smile at fellow road users, I wave to say thanks, and if someone nearly wipes me out, I try to have a calm, polite chat with them if I get a chance. Mostly, they are genuinely sorry.”

Road-Sharing Tips Always Worth Mentioning

If you have to deal with cars on a regular basis on your rides, following a few basic tenets of road safety can help you avoid that cringe-worthy acronym, SMIDSY, or its counterpart in whatever your native language.

See What’s Ahead

Stay focused on what’s going on around you, and what’s up the road. Be aware of all the cars around you, especially those that might make a sudden right turn in front of you. If you see movement, slow down and prepare to stop. (On a ride the other day, a van pulled over to the curb right in front me, with no warning. I slowed and passed the van, as the driver yakked into the mobile phone glued to his ear.)

If you’re nearing an intersection with a traffic light, look up the road to gauge when the light might turn from green to red – and whether any oncoming traffic might turn left into your path. This is especially necessary if you’re riding in a bike lane that’s part of the road. A left-turning motorist may not even realize they need to check the bike lane for oncoming traffic. If you can see them, assume they don’t see you.

Direct Traffic

Often, roadies will come across a driver whose intentions are good, but in trying to do you a favor – for instance, letting you cross in front of them when you don’t have the right of way – they actually endanger you. If you take them up on their offer, you could get hit by another car that doesn’t have the same kind intentions or is completely unaware of the other driver’s plan. In cases like this, channel your inner traffic cop. Stop where you are and wave on the well-intentioned driver. It’s better, and safer, for all the vehicles in such a situation to stick to the rules of the road. Thanks for the offer, but no, thanks.

Make Yourself Visible

I’ve long since lost count of the number of times drivers have looked right through me and pulled out in front of me – even when I look like a giant rolling banana in the brightest yellow jacket I own. It makes sense to give yourself every chance to be seen – especially in overcast or gloomy conditions – by wearing bright colors, reflective materials and proper lights at the appropriate times. Even if you’re fashion-conscious in your riding gear and like darker colors, contrasting shapes and colors can help you stand out.

Minimize Distractions

Of a human’s 5 senses, we have two available to help us navigate the roads: sight and hearing. Paying too much attention to your on-board computer takes both your mind, and your eyes, off the road. Only after checking your surroundings should you briefly glance at your computer. You can pore over your metrics later, when you’re at home. And while I personally do not believe in using any form of ear buds during a ride, I know some riders do like to listen to music and such when on the bike. Doing so at a low-enough volume to be able to hear everything going on around you is the only way that the idea is acceptable.

Low Expectations, Indeed

I’ve mentioned before that, raising 2 boys, my wife and I have come to expect them on occasion to do the absolute most mindless thing. In that respect, drivers and boys are not dissimilar! I expect drivers to do the stupidest possible thing, as well, and I try to be ready for it if they meet my expectations. Never think you know what a car is going to do. Expect it to turn in front of you, pull out into your path, etc. And be ready for it.

See Eye to Eye

One way to at least partially overcome this lack of certainty is to try hard to make eye contact with a driver in a tenuous situation. For example, if you’re cruising down a road and come up on a car at a stop sign on a side street (that is waiting to turn onto your street) – do your best to stare down the driver until you can see that the driver sees you. Turn your head to help send the message that you’re looking at them (simply shifting your eyes behind your cycling sunglasses is completely useless). Making this connection in any difficult traffic situation is a necessity on the road.

And remember, if you do have a close call, vent if you must, but it’s likely to result in a defensive response from a driver. The better tack is to follow the advice of Michael O’Reilly and try to calmly educate the motorist so that they – hopefully – don’t repeat their mistake. Click to read his complete article.

Be Safe, and Enjoy your ride!

John Marsh

Editor & Publisher, Road Bike Rider