get off the road

It’s amazing how many drivers still don’t really understand traffic law, and the definition of a vehicle.
Wide open space, 4 lanes, 2 each way, nobody around. I look over my shoulder, then change lanes to gear up for a left turn. As I’m drifting a bit, in my lane, behind me appears a car, in my lane. I know this because he honks his horn. Now, there’s another lane right beside my lane. And it’s wide open. I look over my shoulder to see what he wants, and he makes a huge show of having to go around me, and waves his hands frantically and arrogantly towards the curb to indicate where I belong.
I have to admit at this point I acted very unladylike and did a little arm flailing myself. Then I stuck my arm out to complete my left turn and noticed a bored construction cop standing there having witnessed the whole thing.

assumptions and deductions

I was waiting for a green light, hugging the curb, when a man in a pickup pulled up beside me, craned his neck towards me across the passenger side, raised his eyebrows, and waved his arm around to show he was interested in making a right turn, and was it ok for him to proceed.
That made me so happy!
On one hand I thought, where would I go? I have a red light, just like you. Can’t go straight, and if I’d wanted to make a right turn, I’d have probably already done it. He still took the time to communicate – and he did it with a friendly grin!
But most people aren’t so generous. In fact, in drawing conclusions, they often forget about a key piece of information, the existence of bicycles on the road.
Say you’re a motorist making a left turn out of a driveway. On your left, a big truck is parked, presumably blocking all traffic from that direction, and most likely blocking your view. Traffic in the opposite direction, from your right, is moving. You deduce there is no room for anyone to get around the truck. You see an opening coming from the right. You are sure the coast is clear. You stop looking – and thinking – and go.
Cyclists are small. We can do the unexpected, even without breaking the rules. Despite the oncoming traffic, I fit around this two-storey monster loaded with brand new sedans. But I know all kinds of dangers can lurk around any corner. I don’t assume the coast is clear on the other side of the truck, until i see the coast is clear. I slow down, I see you charge out of the driveway, I let you pass. Another catastrophe averted. Why? Because assumptions can kill you!
Another dangerous assumption is that one thing naturally leads to another, just because they logically should. The simplest example is, it’s easy to assume someone is going straight just because they aren’t signaling, and it’s easy to assume that someone is going to turn, just because their signal is flashing! Don’t assume.
But the most dangerous assumption that can be made by anyone on the road is the assumption by a cyclist that they are seen, generally visible enough, and in a specific situation has been spotted. The killer assumption that usually follows is that a driver will watch out for him and give him the right of way or enough room to make surprise maneuvres. In fact, to some degree this is true! Most drivers seem to have adapted to the frequent erratic arrogance coming their way on two wheels. Nobody wants to kill anyone. It may seem that way to some, but most people would rather not have the hassle in their lives.
A driver will cede. Reluctantly. If he sees you, sees you in time. And if he can predict within a reasonable margin what you’re about to do.
So, communicate. Be predictable, and if not, visible and patient. Signal, whichever way you think is clear. Make eye-contact to ensure for yourself that a driver has figured out what you’re up to and is willing to give you the space to do it. Say thank you! Show appreciation any way you can, even if he was only giving you your deserved right of way. Nod, wave, grin. It may make a difference in how a driver will treat the next cyclist.

FFS - think about it

I was riding in the bike lane approaching a bus waiting to make a right turn. He was in my way. He was in my lane. Just standing there, waiting for some dawdling pedestrians to cross the street. I looked over my shoulder and swerved to go around him on the left. He started turning then, at the same time a pickup truck came out of that side street to make a left turn. The driver obviously had no idea I was there, but I’d seen him, so I slowed down.  I got pretty close to him, but I don’t mind giving the right of way, because it beats being run over.
Behind him, surprisingly, and much more dangerous than an oblivious pedestrian, appeared an oblivious fellow cyclist going the wrong way, on my bike lane, at regular speed. When we spotted each other we stuttered a bit, then almost collided.

Never assume that someone very proximate isn’t just in the middle of doing something stupid and unpredictable.  And when doing something stupid and unpredictable yourself – and we all end up doing unpredictable, even stupid things, if only by momentary distraction, that we’re sure we’ve really really thought through – please!  Make sure that you have.