closetbiker

...but that's just me. I'll put it to a poll to see what others think.

I had an argument with a friend at work this morning over who would be worse off when a motorist collides with a cyclist.

Regardless of who was in the right or wrong, he says a motorist is worse off than the cyclist in a collision because the motorist has to live with the guilt of hitting the cyclist for the rest of his/her life.

I say the cyclist is worse off.

Is my friend whacked or what?

We're working together for the next 6 hours or so and we leave at the same time. Let me let him know what you think.

noisebeam

The cyclist if injured, the cyclist's family and friends if killed.

bac

Simply stated ..... yes.

... Brad

genec

You need new friends...

pseudobrit

Like it's not emotionally scarring to be run over.

ChipSeal

It is a tragic outcome for all parties involved.

Your friend is a Democrat also, am I right?

SSP

Tough call...the moron who clipped me with a trailer on Feb. 18th of this year (and put me on the ground at 40 mph ) started to experience chest pains as I was being transported to the hospital via ambulance. He was an overweight diabetic who'd not taken his insulin that day, and they had to call for a second ambulance to transport him.

In addition, he was uninsured and was found at fault in the police report. He'll probably have both his license and his vehicle registration suspended until he gets insurance. And my insurance company will probably go after him for whatever assets he might have (though, that may be a dry well).


As for me - nothing broken, though I do still have visible scars. My insurance covered the cost of a new road bike, plus the settlement for "pain and suffering" allowed me to buy a TT bike (which I now use for my own pain and suffering ).

All things considered - I came out of it better off than the guy that hit me. But, it's a really tough way to "earn" a new bike.

Helmet Head

Your friend is whacked, but I think cyclists often underestimate how important it is to drivers to avoid hitting a cyclist, if nothing else to avoid having to live with the guilt your friend is talking about. This explains why cyclists are often so perplexed at how and why motorists get so aggravated with them.

The cool thing is that once you realize and appreciate this, you can learn to use it to your advantage. What you want to do is make it easy for motorists to notice you early (so that they're not surprised) and make it obvious as you can what they should do to avoid hitting you.

Wino Ryder

I know. I always wondered why people threw beer bottles at me, or slowed way down to scream in my ear, or slap me on the rear. They were just scared I guess!

thanks

Speedo

What guilt? The motorist will blame the cyclist for being in the road.

Speedo

ghettocruiser

I suppose there may be cases where motorists got real hung up on collisions that caused minimal injuries that the cyclist soon forgot about.

I would think these are the exception rather than the rule.

genec

You'd think if there was so much guilt involved, that the idea of "looking twice," slowing down, and really stopping at reds before blasting off might work to resolve some of that aggravation.

Of course if motorists find it so hard to live with guilt, imagine the cyclists' feelings of "living" with death or dismemberment. Boy, I bet that's tough.

Helmet Head

Yes, I know it's whacked for a motorist to be so narcissistic to not see that the cyclist would be worse off.

But it's also narcissistic for a cyclist to not see how his behavior makes drivers nervous and anxious, and not realizing how it is natural and human to be angry at someone who makes you nervous and anxious.

Yes, there is room for understanding on both sides, but cyclists should be much more motivated to make the move, for we have the most to lose. And once we understand, we can behave in ways that brings understanding of us to them, and that's how we drop the whole us/them thing, and become one.

closetbiker

I'm lovin the responses so far. It's been busy here but I've looked in, let him know what the resposnse has been here and he wants everyone to know he thinks we're just a bunch of bike geeks!

It all started this morning when I was in a left hand turn bay where the advance left turn arrow is triggered by a sensor.

There are no cars with me in the bay as the traffic that is going through the intersection is backed up past the entry point of the bay. My friend is back there and can see me.

The cycle comes up where the signal should have been on but didn't because this particular sensor is set only to recognize the heft of a car. The through traffic gets the green light and I wait until I can see there is no oncoming traffic and go through the red to make my left. (I've actually had correspondence with YVR, the municipality and the police about this and the upshot of what I was told is that if the light does not change for me, I'm to consider it a non-functioning traffic light and to proceed when clear with caution)

He was all confused by my turn, sure I was in the wrong but when I explained the rules he said,

"what if someone was going through the green when I was going through the red and hit me? The driver would be devastated with guilt for hitting you!"

I explained to him how wacked he was, but to be fair, I'd put the point up for discussion.

Did I say, I'm lovin' it already?

closetbiker

We had the same talk a few years ago where he said pretty much the same thing.

That cyclists shouldn't be on the road because they might get hit and then the motorist would have to live with that forthe rest of his/her life.

StrangeWill

I do that at least 2-3 times a day to help me get awake and ready for the day.

genec

Sure the driver would wonder what the heck they had done wrong... and the city of course would feel no remorse for installing sensors that don't detect cyclists (or are not adjusted properly) and thus the "state" which has no feelings, has instead determined that cyclists should take it upon themselves to provide for their own safety... which your friend should feel no guilt for.

On the other hand, the whole idea that your friend thought that the turn was wrong, or illegal, shows yet again that motorists need some education regarding other users of the road... from peds to cyclists... etc.

Motorists need to know they do not in fact own the road. Turn your friend on to this concept: Motorists are granted the privilege (via license) to use the road, that cyclists have the right to use. That ought to really freak him out.

genec

only 2-3 times, why I run smack dab into walls to wake myself up, and before sunrise.

Blue Order

No, he's whack. If he were whacked, he'd be dead.

closetbiker

I'll do it, but I'm pretty sure he's already somewhat of a freak.

closetbiker

OK, who's the one who thinks the motorist is worse off?

closetbiker

I kinda think he's dead in the head

closetbiker

He said tonight he's going on drivers.com and start his own thread

Blue Order

That's where they usually get whacked...back of the head.

SingingSabre 

Wait for it...wait for it!

Aaaaaaand here's the spin!!!

It's tragic for all involved parties, but I feel that being dead is worse off than feeling guilty.