Have you had a close call? Having been on the road with our bikes almost daily (and some nights) for the past couple of months, my wife and I have had only one really close call each.

Wednesday evening we rode out to Licks for Nature Burgers, and on the way back, around 9:00p.m., a parked car suddenly flung its door into Mrs. Jamin's path. She managed to swerve out of the way, but almost got hit by the on-rushing traffic to her left. A couple of minutes later I am coming to a stop at a light turning red, and as I coast to a stop I cheat to the right a few inches to be out of the way of cars, and KaahfackinBOOOOOM! a huge black Harley comes barreling full speed through the tiny space between me and the curb!!!! I felt the heatwave off of that meteor, lemme tell you!

Long story short, biking is a dangerous sport. Here is the best biking safety advice I've seen . . with some real surprises about how to avoid getting killed, here is a sample (sans illustrations, which are available at the link given below):

NUMBER 3)
Red Light of Death
"You stop to the right of a car that's already waiting at a red light or stop sign. They can't see you. When the light turns green, you move forward, and then they turn right, right into you. Even small cars can do you in this way, but this scenario is especially dangerous when it's a bus or a semi that you're stopping next to. An Austin cyclist was killed in 1994 when he stopped to the right of a semi, and then it turned right. He was crushed under its wheels.

How to avoid this collision:

Don't stop in the blind spot. Simply stop BEHIND a car, instead of to the right of it, as per the diagram below. This makes you very visible to traffic on all sides. It's impossible for the car behind you to avoid seeing you when you're right in front of it.

Another option is to stop at either point A in the diagram above (where the first driver can see you), or at point B, behind the first car so it can't turn into you, and far enough ahead of the second car so that the second driver can see you clearly. It does no good to avoid stopping to the right of the first car if you're going to make the mistake of stopping to the right of the second car. EITHER car can do you in.

If you chose spot A, then ride quickly to cross the street as soon as the light turns green. Don't look at the motorist to see if they want to go ahead and turn. If you're in spot A and they want to turn, then you're in their way. Why did you take spot A if you weren't eager to cross the street when you could? When the light turns green, just go, and go quickly. (But make sure cars aren't running the red light on the cross street, of course.)

If you chose spot B, then when the light turns green, DON'T pass the car in front of you -- stay behind it, because it might turn right at any second. If it doesn't make a right turn right away, it may turn right into a driveway or parking lot unexpectedly at any point. Don't count on drivers to signal! They don't. Assume that a car can turn right at any time. (NEVER pass a car on the right!) But try to stay ahead of the car behind you until you're through the intersection, because otherwise they might try to cut you off as they turn right.

While we're not advocating running red lights, notice it is in fact safer to run the red light if there's no cross traffic, than it is to wait legally at the red light directly to the right of a car, only to have it make a right turn right into you when the light turns green. The moral here is not that you should break the law, but that you can easily get hurt even if you follow the law.

By the way, be very careful when passing stopped cars on the right as you approach a red light. You run the risk of getting doored by a passenger exiting the car on the right side, or hit by a car that unexpectedly decides to pull into a parking space on the right side of the street."

Here are 2 sites that carry the full article: http://www.electriccy... and
http://bicyclesafe.co...

safer-to-run-the-red-light cheers!

Sound advice for the most part. But running a red can get in in very big trouble or hurt.

http://www.680news.co...

The fine for running a red is $190. They can also charge you with failing to stop and careless driving. The would bring your fine to about $625. So really not worth it.

Full list of fines here http://www.toronto.ca...

-Vic

Sound advice for the most part. But running a red can get in in very big trouble or hurt.

http://www.680news.co...

The fine for running a red is $190. They can also charge you with failing to stop and careless driving. The would bring your fine to about $625. So really not worth it.

Full list of fines here http://www.toronto.ca...

-Vic

Yesh, Vic, it could cost money to follow this advice (which I did need to do recently, with a cop coming from the other direction . . no fine or warning) -

"While we're not advocating running red lights, notice it is in fact safer to run the red light if there's no cross traffic, than it is to wait legally at the red light directly to the right of a car, only to have it make a right turn right into you when the light turns green. The moral here is not that you should break the law, but that you can easily get hurt even if you follow the law."

Better to lose a little cash than one's life, eh? I only gave #3, Here is the entire article with illustrations: http://bicyclesafe.co...

Safety first - cheers!

Just today I came close to a collision with a car (my first REALLY close call).

Driving westbound on Dundas St W I was going downhill where Scarlett Rd ends. There is a mini-ramp where cars have to yield to go west on Dundas. I thought the car had seen me and was waiting for me to pass..... well she didn't see me.

I jammed both brakes and was amazed how my e-scooter responded. The car jammed its brakes too and the lady driving was horrified about her mistake. I am right beside her window as she mouthed "I AM SO SORRY!!"

If I was wearing Lycra, I'd probably of put a dent in her hood with my fist. However, I had a duMaruier in my mouth and said, "That's ok. No worries". Then I smiled and flashed a peace sign.

The whole episode took about 6 seconds. Way too long for guy in the BMW right behind the repentant lady. He aggressively honked his horn and took another second to open the passenger window to yell a-hole at me as he sped off.

It's people like that who make the rest of Canada hate Toronto.

Ride safe. Be nice. Peace.
Ray

I hear you, Ray. What can you do? btw - riding in the "B" position since I read this article, and I must say it does take a lot of the risk out of riding on city streets that have no bike lane.

B Position means:

"Take the whole lane when appropriate.

It's often safer to take the whole lane, or at least ride a bit to the left, rather than hug the right curb. Here's why:

* Cars at intersections ahead of you can see you better if you're squarely in the road rather than on the extreme edge where you're easily overlooked.
* Taking the lane prevents cars from passing you too closely on narrow roadways.
* Riding a bit to the left prevents you from being a victim of the door prize.

You might worry about slowing down the traffic behind you if you take the lane. But if you're on the kind of street where you've got cars blocked up behind you or constantly changing lanes to get around you, you're probably on the wrong street and should find a quieter neighborhood street.

Taking the lane works especially well in most traffic circles. The traffic generally moves slower so it's easy to keep up, riding in the lane makes you more visible to motorists, and taking the lane prevents motorists from right hooking you as they exit the circle.

It's perfectly legal for you to take the lane when appropriate. . . Here are some things that make it impracticable to ride to the extreme right:

1. You're in a heavy traffic area with lots of side streets, parking lots, or driveways ahead and to your right. Cars turning left won't see you because they're looking for traffic in the middle of the road, not on the extreme edge of the road. Move left. See Collision diagram #1 above.
2. Cars are passing you too closely. If the lane is too narrow for cars to pass you safely, then move left and take the whole lane. Getting buzzed by cars is dangerous.
3. Cars are parked on the right-hand side of the road. If you ride too close to these you're gonna get doored when someone gets out of their car. Move left.

There are risks to both riding to the extreme right as well as taking the lane. Whether you ride to the right or take the lane depends on the conditions of the roadway you're on. On wide roadways with few intersections/driveways, right further right. On narrow roads with lots of intersections, ride farther to the left. It's not always better to take the lane or to hug the curb; it depends on the roadway you're on."

As for me, if there is no bike-lane, I'm takin' the centre of the lane. So far no honking horns, and feeling much less stressed than riding to the extreme right, near the nasty curb.

Changing Lanes - cheers!

As for me, if there is no bike-lane, I'm takin' the centre of the lane. So far no honking horns, and feeling much less stressed than riding to the extreme right, near the nasty curb.


Great advice Ben! I have been so close to the nasty curb sometimes that my pedal scraped it.

As for me, if there is no bike-lane, I'm takin' the centre of the lane. So far no honking horns, and feeling much less stressed than riding to the extreme right, near the nasty curb.


Great advice Ben! I have been so close to the nasty curb sometimes that my pedal scraped it.

Thanks, Ray, glad you see the logic of not getting squeezed into the tiny slot between traffic and the curb. I have had zero problems since I started taking the centre of the lane.

I am usually throttle fully open in the core of the city, on major streets, to stay at the same speed as most cars traveling from light to light. On really fast multi-lane roads, which have bike lanes, I'll use the bike lane, unless and until I need to get into the left turn lane.

Keeping your lights on during the day, in an urban setting, makes good safety sense too.

Stayin' Alive - cheers!

I was Clipped on Lake Shore (HWY #2) Road in Burlington near Guelph line
I live in the area and 68 year woman hit me ..
she Beep her horn too late she was already Beside the back wheel by the time she blew the horn
all I saw was side of her car at 25 KM and I went down.
She she did'nt see me
How can miss a Black and Red E-Bike with 250 pound guy on it


anyways Lucky for me I was in Full Face Helmet Leather jacket and Jeans ..
bike had small Crack but nothing Major since then go down the bike Paths to get down town Burlington.
or use the bike lanes when I can

I was Clipped on Lake Shore (HWY #2) Road in Burlington near Guelph line
I live in the area and 68 year woman hit me ..
she Beep her horn too late she was already Beside the back wheel by the time she blew the horn
all I saw was side of her car at 25 KM and I went down.
She she did'nt see me
How can miss a Black and Red E-Bike with 250 pound guy on it


anyways Lucky for me I was in Full Face Helmet Leather jacket and Jeans ..
bike had small Crack but nothing Major since then go down the bike Paths to get down town Burlington.
or use the bike lanes when I can

So Tom, if you know this miscreant's age, can we assume she was identified and charged? It would be a public service to have her taken off the road, eh? Glad you weren't hurt. Lucky.

~ cheers

No she reach into wallett and gave me 500.00
not to call the cops
I was not hurt so I took the money
I'll use it to get my Bike Repainted or to do some upgrades