Originally Posted by
Helmet Head
I will say that bike lanes encourage cyclists to use an inferior position when the space they demarcate happens to coincide with inferior positioning given the current conditions.
There is a new thread up in A&S that exemplifies what I'm talking about. Here is the OP from there:
Originally Posted by
AdamJaz
The graph on the police report sums it up pretty well.
Basically, I was cruising through a green, and a pickup failed to yield.
He got cited.
I got taken to the hospital by paramedics.
My bike is done. My jeans are done. My tibial plateau is broken.
I scraped up my arms pretty well, lost enough blood on scene that the cops used hydroxide on the cement. I bruised more or less everything. I was flipped upside down and went flying. It was crazy.
But, other than that, I'm ok.
His fender is broken. I dented his hood/grill. I broke in his windshield.
Just thought I'd share for discussion.
And here is Al's analysis:
Originally Posted by
noisebeam
It was 100% the motorists fault. No question about it.
Left crosses are to me the most concerning possibility in similar driving conditions/road layout as Tucson.
You had a headlight. That helps. I bought the brightest one reasonable for my budget a 10W HID and have it aimed near parallel to road surface, not pointing down for a spot 15' in front of me on the road as most other set-ups I've seen.
When riding thru intersections like this I stay away from the right most thru lane edge unless there are faster vehicles going with me thru the intersection. These faster vehicles act as the visual deterrent from the potential left turning vehicle.
When there are not faster vehicles I do not ride in the far right bike lane. I ride left biased in the right most thru lane.
The combination of being where motorists tend to look and higher than normal cyclist visibility help to reduce the chance of a left cross. Nothing can eliminate it, a common accident for car/car collisions is the left cross here in Phx-metro, drivers are too eager to jump a gap and make errors in assessing the conditions.
Wishes for the best recovery and in receiving fair honest compensation for your actual losses.
Al