PSA: Wear a Helmet

[Yehuda57]

I'm glad that's my helmet and not my skull.

Too often I see people riding without helmets - including kids. Don't let your kids ride without helmets. Don't do it yourself. Even for a quick ride around the corner.

[grodnoking]

I'm glad that's my helmet and not my skull.

Too often I see people riding without helmets - including kids. Don't let your kids ride without helmets. Don't do it yourself. Even for a quick ride around the corner.

What happened?

[Yehuda57]

What happened?

Riding in the bike lane with head and tail lights, a guy who was double parked in the bike lane opened his door just as I was riding by. I tried to swerve, but still clipped the door and was knocked of my bike. I landed on my behind, and the back of my head slammed into the street.

I have no doubt that he heard the crack, but he didn't even stop to see if I was ok and drove off as I was getting on my feet.

[B.D.Da'ehu]

Riding in the bike lane with head and tail lights, a guy who was double parked in the bike opened his door just as I was riding by. I tried to swerve, but still clipped the door and was knocked of my bike. I landed on my behind, and the back of my head slammed into the street.

I have no doubt that he heard the crack, but he didn't even stop to see if I was ok and drove off as I was getting on my feet.

He might go to sleep thinking he killed someone...

[grodnoking]

I'll add three stories.
Was biking past the capital in lakewood and someone open their door, I flew over the door.

I was biking down clifton in lakewood and someone turned into the place for parking so he could turn right when the light changed, he didnt have his blinkers on. I quickly turned, hit the curb and went flying.

I was biking against traffic on a shoulder and someone coming horizontal from me stoped at the sign, he only looked for oncoming traffic and hit me when he drove forward (thank god he was still going slow). And I ended up in middle of route 9, a bigger thanks that no one drove over me.

[Nitantnel]

Thanks for sharing, I am certainly guilty with not wearing a helmet for short distances. 

Riding in the bike lane with head and tail lights, a guy who was double parked in the bike opened his door just as I was riding by. I tried to swerve, but still clipped the door and was knocked of my bike. I landed on my behind, and the back of my head slammed into the street.

I have no doubt that he heard the crack, but he didn't even stop to see if I was ok and drove off as I was getting on my feet.

Ugh, that hurts. Sorry to hear.

I'll just make one general point which I noticed recently with myself:
It's some times tempting to catch up to someone who just passed you, or alternatively to maintain the paste of the biker in front of you; or even to stay ahead of the guy who is immediately behind you so that you are not "faulted" with holding up traffic. 

I just think it would be safer to not listen to these voices and maintain a normal speed.
   

[Yehuda57]

I'll add three stories.
Was biking past the capital in lakewood and someone open their door, I flew over the door.

I was biking down clifton in lakewood and someone turned into the place for parking so he could turn right when the light changed, he didnt have his blinkers on. I quickly turned, hit the curb and went flying.

I was biking against traffic on a shoulder and someone coming horizontal from me stoped at the sign, he only looked for oncoming traffic and hit me when he drove forward (thank god he was still going slow). And I ended up in middle of route 9, a bigger thanks that no one drove over me.

Yikes. I've had similar close calls, but never been knocked off my bike. I was actually going quite slowly (uphill, against today's strong, bitter wind) so I didn't "get thrown." But the force my head snapped back into the street was enough to crack my helmet and leave me with a raging headache some 6 hours later.

[Yehuda57]

I'll just make one general point which I noticed recently with myself:

Are you talking about biking or driving?

[Freddie]

He might go to sleep thinking he killed someone...

You should go haunt him now.

[B.D.Da'ehu]

You should go haunt him now.

Is it weird that this part of the story hit me?

[Nitantnel]

Are you talking about biking or driving?

Biking

[Freddie]

Is it weird that this part of the story hit me?

Yes, it's weird. You should seek help.

Nah, I'm just playing. I think you're being compassionate. What I am saying though is that the jerk drove off (which is a felony btw) and I wouldn't blame OP if he covered himself in flour and pretended to be a ghost and rode his bike in front of the guy's house at midnight.

[Mocha]

PSA: Drive a car = avoid these issues



Ok fellas...unleash..

[ckmk47]

I was biking against traffic on a shoulder and someone coming horizontal from me stoped at the sign, he only looked for oncoming traffic and hit me when he drove forward (thank god he was still going slow). And I ended up in middle of route 9, a bigger thanks that no one drove over me.

That's why you're supposed to ride with traffic.

[srap]

Yikes. ... But the force my head snapped back into the street was enough to crack my helmet and leave me with a raging headache some 6 hours later.

Yikes is right.  BH you're ok.  How is the headache?  Any change to your vision?

[cholent]

That's why you're supposed to ride with traffic.

Couldn't agree more. I've had a near miss on rt 9 in the same situation (I was driving)

[MeirS]

With all due respect to bikers, bikers who think they are safe in biking lanes are suicidal. Biking lanes are dangerous! When people biked on the road they made sure that they were behind the car in front of them and in front of the car behind them. And everyone saw you.
Fact: When cars drive along side a bike lane, they don't expect a biker to be there and that can leave extremely undesirable results.

[Nitantnel]

With all due respect to bikers, bikers who think they are safe in biking lanes are suicidal. Biking lanes are dangerous! When people biked on the road they made sure that they were behind the car in front of them and in front of the car behind them. And everyone saw you.
Fact: When cars drive along side a bike lane, they don't expect a biker to be there and that can leave extremely undesirable results.

You going to have to get used to bikers because that's where the future is going.

I think you are going to see many more bike lanes at the expense of car lanes and parking spots.

[Yehuda57]

Yikes is right.  BH you're ok.  How is the headache?  Any change to your vision?

Thank you for your concern. Vision is fine (lucky I had spare glasses at home) and headache is all but gone.

PSA: Drive a car = avoid these issues
Ok fellas...unleash..

With all due respect to bikers, bikers who think they are safe in biking lanes are suicidal. Biking lanes are dangerous! When people biked on the road they made sure that they were behind the car in front of them and in front of the car behind them. And everyone saw you.
Fact: When cars drive along side a bike lane, they don't expect a biker to be there and that can leave extremely undesirable results.

I am not a biker activist by any means. But seeing as this "wear a helmet" thread as evolved into a referendum on biking, let me say this:

I bike for the following reasons:

1) It is 25-40 minutes quicker than mass transit
2) It costs ~$100 less than mass transit each month.
3) Exercise is important

I honestly do not know where the hostility toward bikers comes from. The more people that bike, the better it is for drivers. Less traffic, fewer parking issues. And on more global, less immediate level,  without even getting into global warming, healthier people = cheaper healthcare, more productivity and a better economy. Simplistic, I know, but have you ever seen an overweight Dane? 

You don't like bike lanes? I hear you. But notice that your stated "fact" was not the cause of a single of the accidents mentioned in this thread. And a simple Google search proves your "fact" wrong. I've been biking for about five years in Brooklyn. All but one - one! - of the "close calls" I've had have either been on roads without bike lanes, or with cars double parked in the bike lane which forced me into the street. That one occurrence of me in a bike lane was a cop on a scooter who peeled off into the bike lane without warning or seeing me. 

Imagine I said "Fact: when a driver approaches a yield sign, they don't expect other vehicles to be there and that can leave undesirable results." That's absurd. There are signs and rules for a reason. As a driver, your obligation is to be aware of your surroundings, including pedestrians and bikers, whether they are in bike lanes or not. As a biker, my obligation is to follow the rules of the road, and attempt to make myself as visible as possible to drivers. Just last week, in a single lane service road, a guy peeled off to the right and cut me off leaving me to skid to a halt.

I drive too. I also find spandex wearing biker missionaries to be obnoxious, evil turds. But why is it that whenever the subject comes up, people blame the bike lane for drivers and bikers not paying attention or following rules? You know why my helmet cracked? Because a guy opened his door into Rockaway Parkway, a pretty busy street, without bothering to check if bikers or cars were coming. It could just as easily been another car to have hit him. Calling me suicidal for riding in that bike lane is insulting, wrong, and plain ignorant.

Bikers weaving in and out of traffic are dangerous. Bikers riding against traffic are dangerous. Riding in bike lanes is safe.

/rant

[MeirS]

You going to have to get used to bikers because that's where the future is going.

I think you are going to see many more bike lanes at the expense of car lanes and parking spots.

Thank you for your concern. Vision is fine (lucky I had spare glasses at home) and headache is all but gone.

I am not a biker activist by any means. But seeing as this "wear a helmet" thread as evolved into a referendum on biking, let me say this:

I bike for the following reasons:

1) It is 25-40 minutes quicker than mass transit
2) It costs ~$100 less than mass transit each month.
3) Exercise is important

I honestly do not know where the hostility toward bikers comes from. The more people that bike, the better it is for drivers. Less traffic, fewer parking issues. And on more global, less immediate level,  without even getting into global warming, healthier people = cheaper healthcare, more productivity and a better economy. Simplistic, I know, but have you ever seen an overweight Dane? 

You don't like bike lanes? I hear you. But notice that your stated "fact" was not the cause of a single of the accidents mentioned in this thread. And a simple Google search proves your "fact" wrong. I've been biking for about five years in Brooklyn. All but one - one! - of the "close calls" I've had have either been on roads without bike lanes, or with cars double parked in the bike lane which forced me into the street. That one occurrence of me in a bike lane was a cop on a scooter who peeled off into the bike lane without warning or seeing me. 

Imagine I said "Fact: when a driver approaches a yield sign, they don't expect other vehicles to be there and that can leave undesirable results." That's absurd. There are signs and rules for a reason. As a driver, your obligation is to be aware of your surroundings, including pedestrians and bikers, whether they are in bike lanes or not. As a biker, my obligation is to follow the rules of the road, and attempt to make myself as visible as possible to drivers. Just last week, in a single lane service road, a guy peeled off to the right and cut me off leaving me to skid to a halt.

I drive too. I also find spandex wearing biker missionaries to be obnoxious, evil turds. But why is it that whenever the subject comes up, people blame the bike lane for drivers and bikers not paying attention or following rules? You know why my helmet cracked? Because a guy opened his door into Rockaway Parkway, a pretty busy street, without bothering to check if bikers or cars were coming. It could just as easily been another car to have hit him. Calling me suicidal for riding in that bike lane is insulting, wrong, and plain ignorant.

Bikers weaving in and out of traffic are dangerous. Bikers riding against traffic are dangerous. Riding in bike lanes is safe.

/rant

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against bikers. I think it's a great thing, I used to bike, I wish I could more often.
I just don't think bike lanes and car lanes side by side is an ideal solution.

Imagine driving down a street and you see in front of you 3 feet space on either side between your car and the parked cars. Your mind tells you that you have that leeway in case you need to suddenly move out of the way (or sneeze). The fact that at the time when you may be moving into the bike lane and hitting that bike, the bike is so close that its already out of your mirror view and in a terrible blind spot doesn't help the situation much.