If 99% of drivers signal, you cant count on them. Doesn't matter if you are on a bike, or driving. Don't trust signals. Always asume a car might turn without signaling, and if a car is signaling a turn, don't asume they are turning until you see the wheels turn. That being said, of course you are correct, every one should indicate clearly and unambiguously.
Also use the signal well before you turn. I see so many drivers that signal as they're turning, by which point everyone can clearly see where they're going anyway so the signal is pointless.
I was out riding recently when a driver coming from the opposite direction tried to turn through me to pull into the driveway of a church as I passed it. I don't know if the driver somehow didn't see me as i was riding up the street and they were driving toward me or if they expected me to stop to let them turn--because that's how it works, right? Mind you, they didn't have their turn signal on. They just suddenly started to turn across my path.
I would bet that that driver saw you a distance away, assumed you to be travelling at a slow speed (because bicycle) and mentally eliminated you from concern. I've seen many situations that can only be explained by mis-judging cyclist speed, or malice.
The driving while on the phone bugs me so much. The worst is when drivers creep out of an intersection and you can clearly see them using their phones. SMH
I failed my behind-the-wheel first driving test because the test administrator said I wasn't looking over my right shoulder to check for bicycles when I was turning right. He was very adamant about me checking for cyclists. This was almost 30 years ago and to this day I still remember to check for cyclists on my right when I'm turning right. I wonder if he was a cyclist.
Recently took my driving test and it's the same way in Japan, just the sides switched since they drive on the left side. You will fail your driving test if you fail to check your mirrors and side before making a left turn. Kids have died here getting killed by trucks making left-hand turns without checking.
Based on thirty-five years of road riding: Assume they never see you. Once the car passes you, you cease to exist. Stop at lights and stop signs, consistently! I'm known for it. When other cyclists ask me why I do that, I tell them that my consistency in stopping and signaling may help my wife win the wrongful death lawsuit. The response to that statement is always abject silence. I began using a blinking taillight last year. I cannot believe the consciousness raising the obvious visibility generates! Any opportunity to make eye contact, take it. All of those cautionary observations having been made, this: If you ride in a straight line, pedal most of the time, have good assertive angular posture on the bike and do everything you can to appear to be a solid metallic object - rather than a marshmallow - that will fnck up a motorist's car if they hit you, you improve your chances. Just a great public service video, Phil!
I'm the exact same. Stop at lights, don't blow thru them unless it's 5AM after a slow down. It pisses me off when I see guys blow thru lights and think the drivers put us all in a big basket as assholes.
@@jondenekamp2396 Exactly, Jon! There's a SoCal guy on UA-cam, prolific poster, lots of followers, talented rider, I'm sure you've seen him, in whose videos everybody blows lights and stop signs, virtually all of them. I've chimed in a couple of times, to little effect I'm sure, regarding how that just pisses motorists off no end. And you're right, we're all then painted with the same brush. Makes it more difficult on the road. Makes it much more difficult in a courtroom! And I know whereof I speak.
@@robslater5528 On the topic of building good relations between motorists and cyclists I try to always acknowledge drivers who pass me in a safe manner. I'll give a friendly thank you wave to drivers who slow and patiently wait until it's safer to pass, and those who give a wide berth as they pass (when it's safe to do so).
@@Mike.A. thats very important! But I disagree with the OP about lights, sometimes its safer for me to cross a redlight and get away from cars, of course I stop for pedestrians and I don't rush like a maniac, but just a few seconds free of cars in your back makes it safer for me
@@Mike.A. Yep! This, too, Mike. Both of those, plus I always acknowledge oncoming drivers who don't turn in front of me. Courtesy is almost always acknowledged. I think this is very significant if you ride regular routes.
Happened to me on a rather busy road. Usually wide enough so that motorists can pass even though there is oncoming traffic without too much of a problem. An old man overlooked me and hit my handlebars with his mirror. Bike totally broken and painful road rash but luckily no broken bones and the trailing van could brake in time to not run over me. Took me about a year to get my confidence back in riding on the road.
@@SkepticCyclist Yes, be visible 'and' ride like you're invisible, because to some motorists, despite lights and garish clothing, you're still not there. Well, until they hit you and you magically appear.
@@drewcama5481 Agreed! Don't ride in the gutter if there is no shoulder. Make them have to break the yellow line to pass. Try not to be an @asshole, but take the lane if you have to.
lol, that is where my anxiety comes in handy. one of the most annoying things for me is the way cars will drive recklessly just to get around a me, so i will slow down if its near an intersection because i have seen them ignore stoplights and do not pass lines and end up in the middle of the intersection out of their lane against the light because all they are doing is fixating on being the king of the road.
Agreed wholeheartedly. In Washington State there is next to nothing about motorist/cyclist rights and responsibilities. That has never made any sense at all to me and I think it is one reason more people than you think are under the impression it is illegal for a cyclist to even be on the road!
Great advice, Phil. Here's another tip to help avoid being doored: look into the parked car and the driver's mirror. Often the rider can see the driver sitting in their seat and that will give you an extra second to avoid getting doored. Thanks for entertaining and informing us!
I was waiting to cross a marked crosswalk, with a vehicle approaching from a distance and I made eye contact with the driver. He didn't slow down and would have hit me had I not jumped out of the way. I saw a look of terror in his eyes a moment before he passed. He was blinded by the setting sun behind me, and though I could see him, he looked right at me and couldn't see me. One more thing to consider: If you are backlit by the sun, assume you are literally invisible.
I made eye contact, well thought I had but the other driver was actually looking through me, I was in a car thankfully but still had to swerve off the road to avoid her as she pulled out
The place I've had my most near-misses is a road where the bike lane is sandwiched between the driving lane and a school pick-up zone. The parents never, ever check the bike lane in their mirror before turning in and out of the pick-up lane. Don't design roads like this. I refuse to ride in that lane now. I sit square in the middle of the road. It's a school zone anyway. People can slow down.
Traffic around school pickup zones at the relevant times moves really slowly, so I just stick to the inside of the lane to overtake the cars... Generally avoid the areas during those times though...
Biking safely is such an odd combo of assertive confidence and deep fear of everything around you... Great info - thanks for sharing some big-city street smarts.
I’m still relatively “new” to cycling and still don’t have a lot of confidence when riding on the road. I’ve found that making eye contact with drivers is a good way to make acknowledgement about your existence. It doesn’t always happen but when it does I can continue on my merry way knowing that I saw them and they saw me.
@@drewcama5481 I was just talking with my 11 yr old about this. I think its a prey predator thing or something, people will "feel" you watching them and then be more likely to see you
Just be aggressive while riding and make sure people see you! Take control of your lane if you need to and make yourself as visible as possible when in tough spots like cresting hills or sweeping right turns... Especially when there's a big road run-up people maybe traveling to fast up to. Those are the spots I worry about most...
Just keep in mind people will look you in the eye and still pull out in front of you. What you want to do is look at the front tire for movement and not look at the driver.
#6 put your phone down #7 put your phone down #8 put your phone down #9 use your turn signal #10 look into rear and side mirrors #11 cyclists are quicker than you think
I live in London and generally, I actually find drivers to be very aware and courteous of cyclists (actually far less so in smaller towns), but the one thing that consistently gets me is when a car overtakes me, and take a turn into your path a few seconds later (same as your 2nd point). Neither of which are helped by the fact that cars can slow down far quicker than bikes. Secondly, they rarely indicate until they begin turning. I probably see this at least once a ride, often more frequently. As a result in London I tend to ride quite defensively, matching the speed of the traffic is fine in most places and if you ride closer to the centre of a lane, if a car does suddenly turn into your path, you can normally just swing out around the back of it, rather than being squished.
@@drewcama5481 Yeah, tbf hard to say, also depends on bike, car speed etc; I guess the Bike can stop pretty quickly, though I tend to find that when a car breaks to turn, I need to break very heavily/emergency stop to slow down quick enough, when factoring in reaction time. I guess reaction time is the main factor really. In my case, on the particular road this happens a lot on, I tend to be riding at around 36-40km/h, so am also basing it off that.
Drivers can slow more abruptly than a bike (or motorbike). They have at least four relatively large, rubber contact points with the road, each with a big hydraulic callipers and disc, designed to slow rapidly from 80mph and idiot-proof ABS. A big cause of death for cyclists in London is riding up the side of long, stopped or slow moving vehicles that then move and turn before the rider can get away. Never filter past long vehicles if there is _any_ chance it can start moving alongside you. For example at a red light... I will filter cars and stop, to sit behind a long vehicle, rather than risk getting half way past it before a green light appears. You don’t know how quickly or often the driver is checking their mirror and (if there is road furniture or railings) you are easily forced into potholes, over wet drain covers or just get trapped if the large vehicle turns. Stay safe.
@@mynewcolour great point. My strategy at all light-controlled intersections is while filtering, if the light turns green or looks like it could soon, gauge how many cars I can definitely get in front of before entering the intersection. If I'm not sure I can get fully in front of a vehicle before they enter, I slow down enough so that if they suddenly turn then I'm out of the way. Has saved my butt a few times when drivers obviously didn't see me and decided at the last second to turn and didn't signal.
This exact thing happened to me with a delivery truck. Came up from behind and made an immediate right turn in front. His long length meant the stopping distance decreased as he made the turn, and I was essentially on gravel w/ NYC streets so my stopping distance wasn't ideal. Ended up braking enough to tap his rear and slide behind the tires, not in front.
I refuse to ride with anyone wearing ear buds. If it's a group ride, and someone I don't know shows up with them in, I ask him or her to take them out. If they give me any grief, I solicit the consensus of the rest of the riders. If that doesn't work, I'll go do fifty on my own, thanks.
Headphone users that should stop: Cyclists, runners on multi-use paths, roller-bladers and always drivers... I'm pretty sure theres a law in nearly every state against it.
I will sometimes ride with one headphone in my right ear (non traffic side) and I never turn it up much, it's more of a focus thing for me. Having a little music helps me stay in the zone while riding, not a tunnel vision only think about pedaling zone, but a hyper aware of my surroundings zone. When I don't ride with music, I often get into that pedal stroke and breathing zone and tune everything else out. So, having music keeps me where I am, but like I said, I just have one ear in, and not loud enough to cover sounds around me.
Bet you don’t have a problem with motorists listing to the radio? Dispite vast majority of accidents are cause by drivers, people somehow find cyclists listing to music a huge problem.
@@Alexander-zb2pe i'm way too neurotic to have any of my senses impaired on a bike, and a lot of it is because drivers have no problem impairing all their senses. i know from driving that its much more about ego than brain, if you do that on a bike, well you can't blame anyone when you are dead.
so sad that we think cyclist and car are colliding because their mistakes, and it has nothing to do with infrastructure, people in North America think that white line on asphalt is a bike infrastructure and they call it bike lane: that's a paint and give nothing more than a false feeling of security to cyclists and it's means nothing to drivers : they can (and always do) pass so close to bike paint lane (with always higher the limit speed) and push the cyclist to the curb or just simply hit them, just search youtube to see it. are we gonna put up with this shit any longer? when we want to get together and ask our city officials to force them to build proper (not paint) bike infrastructure separated path from motorists traffic ? how many accident and death is too many for us?
I ride alone a lot. Always have my front and rear blinking lights and my helmet mounted rear view mirror. I may not look pro but that little mirror has saved my a** way too many times to count.
Yes after riding for 30 years on and off, I bought my first mirror a few months ago. A cateye bm45, bar end type . Just big enough to see whats going on behind. Saved me from a couple left hooks(Australia) as I could see the indicator and was prepared. Also Avoided a few close passes as I could see driver not moving over , So I turn head to look. As soon as I do this the element of surprise has been taken away from the driver, so they then automatically back off and move over.
Great video man! Just a suggestion, you could've include for cyclists to avoid a possible collision: bright disruptive rear and front lights, bright jerseys/helmet and no selfies during rides. I've seen a cyclist in my group almost fall down cuz he was taking a selfie :/
In addition to this great stuff, my 20 years of city commuting have taught me a few things I never see other cyclists doing. I learned a long time ago to wave like crazy. Wave hello, I see you, starting with cars behind you. (You've got a mirror, right?) Direct traffic with the arms. Wave a car through (even when they have the right of way!) so they know you're not going to do something stupid. Wave your arms to be seen. Indicate your direction even though it should be obvious. I find car drivers are mostly just relieved to know what you're doing. Remember, they see hundreds of jerk cyclists all the time. That guy who ran a stop sign in front of them on his bike? They figure that's you, too. (I always stop and give cars the right of way, and it drives me nuts when a jerk cyclist heading down the perp runs a light or sign.) Show drivers what a non-jerk looks like, and increase your odds of staying alive. Give thanks with a thumbs up for ordinary acts of sharing. It can be hard, but in my experience, it helps. You'll probably see those same cars again, and if not, pay it forward with good behavior. Repeating some of what's below, but can't be repeated enough.
Great video. Presented well. Easy to follow. Good info for both cyclists and drivers on possible risks and how to anticipate & avoid them. One thing I try to do whenever possible (such as at intersections) is make eye contact with drivers to help each of us understand the intention of the other. Also just generally try to spread some good karma / try to offset negative feelings many drivers seem to have about cyclists and cyclists’ “entitled” behavior (such as continuing to ride two or three abreast when car coming up from behind - need to switch to single file and let car pass safely...) - whenever appropriate give a wave, mouth a “thank you” to drivers, etc
As someone who has been a messenger for over 10 years I’ve seen more than most. Not using blinkers and passing to immediately turn are the two things which still actually get me mad. Cars as a whole are getting better I think. More drivers have also been cyclists and have a better understanding than in the 80’s and 90’s. For cyclist you just have to develop a 6th sense really, you usually can tell when a driver is a dumb ass. These days with city bikes,scooters, skateboards, one wheel things drivers are much more patient and used to more moving things in traffic.
My pet peeve is the right turn. I'll hear the car accelerate to pass me only to have it quickly right turn into their driveway/road. Dude couldn't you wait 2 seconds for me to pass your driveway/road before turning? What's the freaking hurry?
I believe that in the Netherlands, if a car driver hits a cyclist, they have to prove that their driving was not at fault...which results in very few aggressive, and inconsiderate drivers. In the UK killing cyclsts is a hobby like running over hedgehogs and badgers or knitting poorly sized jumpers, I believe that Australia and USA are the same. You judge a society by how it treats its least powerfull and most vulnerable.
Cyclist and driver here (like a huge number of people). Basically my advice to drivers is, be patient, don't rush for the sake of a few seconds. My advice to cyclists is to assume that everyone behind the wheel of a vehicle is a total moron and you should act accordingly. Actually this applies when driving too,
If you get mad at cyclist while driving, instead of driving to work, ride you bike one day you’ll definitely become a better drive, point in case, every intersection I come to while driving now I’m constantly looking both ways wether it’s a green or red light. Also, I respect the speed limits especially in residential! Be safe everyone.
I got hit today. Driver was turning right. Into a shopping center. I feel like he was either on his phone or trying to cut through the light because it’s really congested right there. But I’m glad I’m OK just a few scrapes and bruises
I'm 16 and was hit (type #5) crash by a lady distracted with kids and didn't know the area. I unfortunately am in Missouri where it's one of two states where it is still legal to text and drive - crazy stuff. Thanks for addressing this on both the cyclist and motorist side of things.
Where I live cyclists tend to ride on a small selection of roads and that's it. The roads chosen are very popular with people on bikes. They are far less popular for cars regardless of the day of the week. The best thing drivers can do is stay off of roads cyclists love especially on the weekends. Avoid them. Take alternative routes. We cyclists do that every day. We take the roads less traveled so you drivers can have the rest of the roads.
You forgot to mention what I consider one of the most important things to avoid. Don’t ride on the sidewalk if you are a cyclist and if you do be aware and don’t pedal, cruise as slow as possible until you can get to a lane. Sidewalk cycling is actually illegal in many states because it is really dangerous to the pedestrians. It might not feel like you are going fast but clipping a person at 10-20mph will hurt and can even kill someone. Another reason why sidewalk cycling is bad, is because cars are looking for pedestrians when clearing the sidewalk to turn in or out of a parking lot. The only way to safely cross a gap in the sidewalks is to come to a complete stop, and lets be real, you don’t want to stop, stopping and starting is one of the most annoying things to do on a bike as it requires a lot of energy. My advice is to ride in the bikelane and if you don’t feel safe take up all of the rightlane so the cars 100% see you. You are entitled to the lane, just be considerate and pull to the side when possible to let traffic pass.
I look at parking cars' brake lights if its on i assume they just parked and can open the door any second. I also point out to my fellow cyclists behind me.
When I ride, I'm concerned about impatient drivers trying to pass me when it isn't safe, and I'm concerned about drivers who don't see the potholes or assume I can ride over them.
Dumb trick - if a car looks like it might pull out from a driveway or a stop sign, it's easier to see the car start to move if you're watching its wheels
One problem with the car door is where the drive has been sitting for a while. The sense of a need to check the mirror or to look to the left diminishes after the car has been stationary. As a motorist I needed to learn not to do this. As a cyclist I scan the parked cars for drivers.
In South Africa cyclists are just seen as vermin and no one wants us on the roads. Some people even try to hit cyclists on purpose :( I wish drivers could be more understanding and careful.
I nearly got hit yesterday. I was just doing a little warm-up in my neighborhood, looked down for literally 2-3 seconds, I look back up and I'm like 3 feet from going over the hood of this lady's car. She had pulled out of her driveway without looking.
Been there done that.I did a somersault over the back of the car landed on my feet, bike was bent up front wheel looked like a pizza with a piece missing.
One rule I've learned (although I break it myself sometimes) Don't look down! Ever! Don't look down at your computer. Don't look down to see what gear you are in. Don't look down to try to figure out what that noise is. Don't look down to see if you have a tire going flat. Don't look down at your water bottle. Don't look down. Sounds silly, but when I'm looking down is always when a car suddenly pulled out, or a pothole, or big crack in the pavement, or big bump, or hunk of metal suddenly appeared in my path. When I break the rule, I always take a careful look ahead of me first.
@@blubaughmr lol. The house is just past this blind intersection with stop signs in the cross direction but a very obstructed view; when I got past that and figured I was safe to glance at the bike computer. I was wrong. I rode past the house again today and got to thinking what I could have done differently. She didn't look long or hard enough, but there are 3 small-ish trees that could have obscured her line of sight, and I was all the way to the right. Both could have been a factor. My guard was way down because it's a neighborhood; 25mph, not even a through road, narrow streets. I feel much more alert and cautious when I'm out on the busier roads. lesson learned.
@@jamesoxford4260 Most likely she didn't pull out blindly since she wouldn't want to collide with a car. She just "didn't see you" because most drivers act like the only thing on the road is cars, trucks, and SUV's. They "don't see" delivery trucks, mail trucks, tractors, bicycles, food vendors, children, pets, strollers, and the list goes on. It's ridiculous.
Tip for drivers, occasionally get on your bike. Tip for cyclists, drive a car every now and then. This opens your eyes to each other's perspective in traffic. Ride on 🤘🚴
I have to subliminally know all these things when I'm delivering ubereats on busy streets. After 700 deliveries, I've had no close calls, I think this is mainly because I wear very bright construction vest, and flashy lights.
As a German I would be so terrified to ride my bike in the US. When I've driven a car in the US I was always terrified from bad driving habits from drivers over there. I can not imagine how frantic and terrified I would be if I would sit on a bike in LA.
German drivers terrified me with their endless tailgating on narrow country roads at 100 kph and on the autobahn at 130 kph. When I returned to the USA, I was so relaxed on our interstate highways. Few people here ride your bumper the way the Germans do. Driving habits are very cultural.
There are very few ways to ride a bike wrong. All of them are unsafe. If you are doing you and having fun, great. (says the roadie, with the saddle bag, rear rack, and MTB clipless peddles).
Thanks Phil - Great Video. 👍🏽 Another tip: Ride with your ID/ Medical Card / Several Emergency contacts on a piece of paper...I was recently involved in an accident where all I had was my phone ( which has said information) but was completely shattered in the fall. A witness had to get in touch with nearby friends via Instagram...
Great video, and I especially appreciate the suggestion for cyclists to raise their uninsured motorist coverage. When I was hit a few years ago, I was lucky in a lot of ways. First, I'm alive and still mostly functional. But also, the driver stayed on site, and had better than the minimum coverage, so my needs were taken care of. When I was feeling better, the first call I made was to my insurance agent to increase my coverage so that if I ever got hit again by someone who wasn't covered, I'd still be taken care of. And while you're at it, raise your coverage in case you hit someone. If the guy who'd hit me hadn't had the coverage he did, he'd have lost his house in a nasty lawsuit. Better coverage than the legal minimum doesn't add much, and could make a huge difference. Keep up the great work, Phil!
I once gave a lady a left hand turn signal, and she thought I was weaving her on. luckily she, got close, but didn’t hit me. Of course she blamed me, even when I told her my arm was out reached, and still, not weaving at all. She honestly told me she didn’t know about hand signals.
I've been biking all my life, 54 now, and I have survived. I feel cars and cyclist are getting along better than they used to. The laws are confusing people always argue about where the cyclist is supposed to be. #1 My rule of thumb: Ride your bike to be seen and don't hide, take up space. #2 I've been doored twice, once on my ankle the other time I don't remember. Stay arms length or more away from the parked cars, scan the parked cars driver seats as you go, ride the line between the park car lane and the center lane. Cars driving are more alert than cars parked so don't worry about the moving car behind you worry about the person in the parked car. #3 The quick right hand turn in front of you is the most common accident I've had. Be alert don't give up, skid turn with the car, dismount throw your bike into the car as you try to jump away. Why don't cars use their turn signals, it's a flip of the finger, I just can't figure that one out. #4 the car turning left crossing over in front of you" Take up space, ride more in the center of your lane, Wave to the car, wave and point that you are going strait through that yellow light. #5 be politely vocal. I worked as a bike courier for over 3 years and pedestrians and cars respond better to a verbal sound than a bell or whistle. A warning just in case they aren't aware of me, a precaution gets a verbal "Beep Beep". An Oh my GOOOOD gets a directed loud, " YO!". I've been in many accidents most of which were my fault. The accident's that I could have died from the car was at fault! My cat like crash reflexes have saved me . I just hope I haven't used up all of my nine lives yet.
#6: Uber drivers, or really anyone, but for me it's been Uber drivers, swiping across the bike lane without looking. Happened to me twice in the city, so now I take the right lane even though there's a bike lane. Three years without getting hit after the two side-swipes and numerous near-misses while in the bike lane. Oh, and put your phone down.
or the car that waves you through as you're reaching a stop sign., or the one that slows down and motions us to turn left when there is no signal or sign. Motorist are alert... just not all of them.
Most people in California drive around with a $5,000 limit for property damage. Uninsured Coverage is a great idea, but will typically only cover your potential injuries... NOT the "property damage" to your bike (which a lot of us care even more about.) Even if a collision is "legally" not your fault, it is typically not going to be worth it to take a broke person to court... So be extra safe out there riding on your cool expensive bikes! As Phil can attest, hospital bills add up quick... and back to the low California limits, most motorists in CA only carry $15,000 to cover the medical bills of the people they may injure. So while riding in traffic, anything to make you more visible is to your benefit, regardless of how dorky it makes you look... IMO if you are riding the road, you should have a flashing red light on the rear of your bike, regardless if it is dark out or not. ALWAYS ride with the flow of traffic, unless you have a death wish.
This can’t be stressed enough. Nothing is worse for cyclists than motorists behaving unpredictably. Even if they are trying to be nice by stopping in the middle of the road for cyclists, it is still disconcerting.
Good video, I would suggest a front light even during daylight. As you said, most accidents are people pulling in front of you. Makes you so much more noticeable. Try to get eye contact and ride as much as possible where the drivers are looking which is in the road.
Should add an additional tip -- use front and rear lights that are as bright as possible (cost considerations here) and turn them on at ALL times, even day time. Any little advantage can help.
Been riding a long time and this is one of the best videos out there. I never heard of the Dutch Reach but it makes sense once you think about it. Thanks!
Once again, informative and entertaining!! I fell victim to a variant of crash #3, all because the driver thought there was enough of a gap in traffic (me on my bike = the gap) to save herself waiting 30secs. Six years of nerve pain and lingering effects of a concussion later, I have to wonder what was so important that she couldn’t wait
Thanks Phil some really good info there, appreciate the upload, BUT; The video quality for an experienced YTuber is pretty ordinary, out of focus, to many jump cuts, cars disappearing and blow out footage. Gezzz. Maybe check your footage on site before leaving the shoot location.👍🤔
And to cars: maybe use a turn signal so we know where not to be.
YES! And that includes rotaries/roundabouts/traffic circles...the most common place I've seen for not using turn signals. Yeesh....
even when in a car I’ve seen way too many drivers not signaling 😒😒😒
If 99% of drivers signal, you cant count on them. Doesn't matter if you are on a bike, or driving. Don't trust signals. Always asume a car might turn without signaling, and if a car is signaling a turn, don't asume they are turning until you see the wheels turn.
That being said, of course you are correct, every one should indicate clearly and unambiguously.
Also use the signal well before you turn. I see so many drivers that signal as they're turning, by which point everyone can clearly see where they're going anyway so the signal is pointless.
Yes
This was great, Phil. I was right hooked three times in 2019. And the cars pulling out is a big problem in contra-flow bike lanes.
great video Phil, everyone should see this.
Words of wisdom. I've had some of the best times of my life riding and some of the complete scariest
Your videos always motivate to keep riding!
I was out riding recently when a driver coming from the opposite direction tried to turn through me to pull into the driveway of a church as I passed it. I don't know if the driver somehow didn't see me as i was riding up the street and they were driving toward me or if they expected me to stop to let them turn--because that's how it works, right? Mind you, they didn't have their turn signal on. They just suddenly started to turn across my path.
I would bet that that driver saw you a distance away, assumed you to be travelling at a slow speed (because bicycle) and mentally eliminated you from concern. I've seen many situations that can only be explained by mis-judging cyclist speed, or malice.
Thank you for posting this.
I use a blinking headlight to make yourself much more visible. especially in the shadows. Of course a light in the rear.
The driving while on the phone bugs me so much. The worst is when drivers creep out of an intersection and you can clearly see them using their phones. SMH
Great video - agree entirely.
I failed my behind-the-wheel first driving test because the test administrator said I wasn't looking over my right shoulder to check for bicycles when I was turning right. He was very adamant about me checking for cyclists. This was almost 30 years ago and to this day I still remember to check for cyclists on my right when I'm turning right. I wonder if he was a cyclist.
He probably was/still is. It's good advice
Almost certainly.
He still is.
Recently took my driving test and it's the same way in Japan, just the sides switched since they drive on the left side. You will fail your driving test if you fail to check your mirrors and side before making a left turn. Kids have died here getting killed by trucks making left-hand turns without checking.
Based on thirty-five years of road riding: Assume they never see you. Once the car passes you, you cease to exist. Stop at lights and stop signs, consistently! I'm known for it. When other cyclists ask me why I do that, I tell them that my consistency in stopping and signaling may help my wife win the wrongful death lawsuit. The response to that statement is always abject silence. I began using a blinking taillight last year. I cannot believe the consciousness raising the obvious visibility generates! Any opportunity to make eye contact, take it. All of those cautionary observations having been made, this: If you ride in a straight line, pedal most of the time, have good assertive angular posture on the bike and do everything you can to appear to be a solid metallic object - rather than a marshmallow - that will fnck up a motorist's car if they hit you, you improve your chances. Just a great public service video, Phil!
I'm the exact same. Stop at lights, don't blow thru them unless it's 5AM after a slow down. It pisses me off when I see guys blow thru lights and think the drivers put us all in a big basket as assholes.
@@jondenekamp2396 Exactly, Jon! There's a SoCal guy on UA-cam, prolific poster, lots of followers, talented rider, I'm sure you've seen him, in whose videos everybody blows lights and stop signs, virtually all of them. I've chimed in a couple of times, to little effect I'm sure, regarding how that just pisses motorists off no end. And you're right, we're all then painted with the same brush. Makes it more difficult on the road. Makes it much more difficult in a courtroom! And I know whereof I speak.
@@robslater5528 On the topic of building good relations between motorists and cyclists I try to always acknowledge drivers who pass me in a safe manner. I'll give a friendly thank you wave to drivers who slow and patiently wait until it's safer to pass, and those who give a wide berth as they pass (when it's safe to do so).
@@Mike.A. thats very important! But I disagree with the OP about lights, sometimes its safer for me to cross a redlight and get away from cars, of course I stop for pedestrians and I don't rush like a maniac, but just a few seconds free of cars in your back makes it safer for me
@@Mike.A. Yep! This, too, Mike. Both of those, plus I always acknowledge oncoming drivers who don't turn in front of me. Courtesy is almost always acknowledged. I think this is very significant if you ride regular routes.
Commenting for the algorithm , more people need to see this.
@korzik replying for the algorithm
Same!
Yes
I agree! Crazy to think I've been involved in 1, 2, and 3 while out riding
And I've seen #4 happen in person as well
I am most concerned about being hit from behind by a distracted driver
Unfortunately not much you can do. Get a bigass rear light 150+ lumens and a rear-facing camera.
At least you are lowering the chances.
Happened to me on a rather busy road. Usually wide enough so that motorists can pass even though there is oncoming traffic without too much of a problem. An old man overlooked me and hit my handlebars with his mirror. Bike totally broken and painful road rash but luckily no broken bones and the trailing van could brake in time to not run over me. Took me about a year to get my confidence back in riding on the road.
Yeah me too car pass so close to me and im on a country road. Drivers sometime just dont give a shit..
At least the drivers are paying more attention to the road than pedestrians and other cyclist.. Don't hide take up space force them to see you.
That's the scariest one, when you hear the car approaching and know it won't end well. But not much you can really do.
Watching as a motorist and not at all a cyclist. Thanks, I’m going to use the Dutch Reach now.
Ride like you're invisible and pay close attention at ALL times!!! Applies to motorcycles too.
No. Never ride like you’re invisible. Ride to make yourself visible.
@@SkepticCyclist Yes, be visible 'and' ride like you're invisible, because to some motorists, despite lights and garish clothing, you're still not there. Well, until they hit you and you magically appear.
Assume drivers can't see you.
Make sure your seen, Take up space.
@@drewcama5481 Agreed! Don't ride in the gutter if there is no shoulder. Make them have to break the yellow line to pass. Try not to be an @asshole, but take the lane if you have to.
Assume, assume assume assume. Saved me from cars for years. Always, always, always assume the worst from them and you'll be good to go.
lol, that is where my anxiety comes in handy. one of the most annoying things for me is the way cars will drive recklessly just to get around a me, so i will slow down if its near an intersection because i have seen them ignore stoplights and do not pass lines and end up in the middle of the intersection out of their lane against the light because all they are doing is fixating on being the king of the road.
Yep, Assume the the worst and be prepared for it. If they can turn right, be ready to pass them on the left
This should be shown to everyone when they get their driver's licence.
Agreed wholeheartedly. In Washington State there is next to nothing about motorist/cyclist rights and responsibilities. That has never made any sense at all to me and I think it is one reason more people than you think are under the impression it is illegal for a cyclist to even be on the road!
Great advice, Phil. Here's another tip to help avoid being doored: look into the parked car and the driver's mirror. Often the rider can see the driver sitting in their seat and that will give you an extra second to avoid getting doored.
Thanks for entertaining and informing us!
and look out for cars that have just pulled in, those have a higher chance of somebody getting out
I always make eye contact with drivers to make certain they see me before I make a move.
Not so much on the bicycle, but on the motorbike it's amazing how many people you think looked right at you and pull out anyway!
@gonootropics It's why I wear clear lenses.
I was waiting to cross a marked crosswalk, with a vehicle approaching from a distance and I made eye contact with the driver. He didn't slow down and would have hit me had I not jumped out of the way. I saw a look of terror in his eyes a moment before he passed. He was blinded by the setting sun behind me, and though I could see him, he looked right at me and couldn't see me. One more thing to consider: If you are backlit by the sun, assume you are literally invisible.
I made eye contact, well thought I had but the other driver was actually looking through me, I was in a car thankfully but still had to swerve off the road to avoid her as she pulled out
I ALWAYS look at the tire rotation as it will ALWAYS tell what the vehicle is doing.
The place I've had my most near-misses is a road where the bike lane is sandwiched between the driving lane and a school pick-up zone. The parents never, ever check the bike lane in their mirror before turning in and out of the pick-up lane. Don't design roads like this. I refuse to ride in that lane now. I sit square in the middle of the road. It's a school zone anyway. People can slow down.
Traffic around school pickup zones at the relevant times moves really slowly, so I just stick to the inside of the lane to overtake the cars... Generally avoid the areas during those times though...
Biking safely is such an odd combo of assertive confidence and deep fear of everything around you...
Great info - thanks for sharing some big-city street smarts.
I’m still relatively “new” to cycling and still don’t have a lot of confidence when riding on the road. I’ve found that making eye contact with drivers is a good way to make acknowledgement about your existence. It doesn’t always happen but when it does I can continue on my merry way knowing that I saw them and they saw me.
Yes I do that, but you cant always be sure they are actually looking at you. I think they at least feel your energy pointed at them.
@@drewcama5481 I was just talking with my 11 yr old about this. I think its a prey predator thing or something, people will "feel" you watching them and then be more likely to see you
Just be aggressive while riding and make sure people see you! Take control of your lane if you need to and make yourself as visible as possible when in tough spots like cresting hills or sweeping right turns... Especially when there's a big road run-up people maybe traveling to fast up to. Those are the spots I worry about most...
Just keep in mind people will look you in the eye and still pull out in front of you. What you want to do is look at the front tire for movement and not look at the driver.
@@scottjohnson3617 Yes this happens to me a lot. Direct eye contact and they still almost run me over. I don’t understand it.
#6 put your phone down
#7 put your phone down
#8 put your phone down
#9 use your turn signal
#10 look into rear and side mirrors
#11 cyclists are quicker than you think
The Dutch Reach saved me from an accident... repeated Dutch Ovens cost me a marriage 🤨
Both don't exist in the Netherlands 😂😂. We learn to use our mirror before you step out.
8:01-8:11 are 10 of the best seconds you've ever recorded!
I live in London and generally, I actually find drivers to be very aware and courteous of cyclists (actually far less so in smaller towns), but the one thing that consistently gets me is when a car overtakes me, and take a turn into your path a few seconds later (same as your 2nd point). Neither of which are helped by the fact that cars can slow down far quicker than bikes. Secondly, they rarely indicate until they begin turning. I probably see this at least once a ride, often more frequently.
As a result in London I tend to ride quite defensively, matching the speed of the traffic is fine in most places and if you ride closer to the centre of a lane, if a car does suddenly turn into your path, you can normally just swing out around the back of it, rather than being squished.
I agree 90%, but I think a bike can slow down faster than a car. An I'm old school with rim brakes.
@@drewcama5481 Yeah, tbf hard to say, also depends on bike, car speed etc; I guess the Bike can stop pretty quickly, though I tend to find that when a car breaks to turn, I need to break very heavily/emergency stop to slow down quick enough, when factoring in reaction time. I guess reaction time is the main factor really. In my case, on the particular road this happens a lot on, I tend to be riding at around 36-40km/h, so am also basing it off that.
Drivers can slow more abruptly than a bike (or motorbike). They have at least four relatively large, rubber contact points with the road, each with a big hydraulic callipers and disc, designed to slow rapidly from 80mph and idiot-proof ABS.
A big cause of death for cyclists in London is riding up the side of long, stopped or slow moving vehicles that then move and turn before the rider can get away. Never filter past long vehicles if there is _any_ chance it can start moving alongside you. For example at a red light... I will filter cars and stop, to sit behind a long vehicle, rather than risk getting half way past it before a green light appears. You don’t know how quickly or often the driver is checking their mirror and (if there is road furniture or railings) you are easily forced into potholes, over wet drain covers or just get trapped if the large vehicle turns. Stay safe.
@@mynewcolour great point. My strategy at all light-controlled intersections is while filtering, if the light turns green or looks like it could soon, gauge how many cars I can definitely get in front of before entering the intersection. If I'm not sure I can get fully in front of a vehicle before they enter, I slow down enough so that if they suddenly turn then I'm out of the way. Has saved my butt a few times when drivers obviously didn't see me and decided at the last second to turn and didn't signal.
This exact thing happened to me with a delivery truck. Came up from behind and made an immediate right turn in front. His long length meant the stopping distance decreased as he made the turn, and I was essentially on gravel w/ NYC streets so my stopping distance wasn't ideal. Ended up braking enough to tap his rear and slide behind the tires, not in front.
Second biggest pet peeve. riders with headphones.
What good is it to call out "On your left!" if all they hear is Metallica?
I refuse to ride with anyone wearing ear buds. If it's a group ride, and someone I don't know shows up with them in, I ask him or her to take them out. If they give me any grief, I solicit the consensus of the rest of the riders. If that doesn't work, I'll go do fifty on my own, thanks.
Headphone users that should stop: Cyclists, runners on multi-use paths, roller-bladers and always drivers... I'm pretty sure theres a law in nearly every state against it.
I will sometimes ride with one headphone in my right ear (non traffic side) and I never turn it up much, it's more of a focus thing for me. Having a little music helps me stay in the zone while riding, not a tunnel vision only think about pedaling zone, but a hyper aware of my surroundings zone. When I don't ride with music, I often get into that pedal stroke and breathing zone and tune everything else out. So, having music keeps me where I am, but like I said, I just have one ear in, and not loud enough to cover sounds around me.
Bet you don’t have a problem with motorists listing to the radio? Dispite vast majority of accidents are cause by drivers, people somehow find cyclists listing to music a huge problem.
@@Alexander-zb2pe i'm way too neurotic to have any of my senses impaired on a bike, and a lot of it is because drivers have no problem impairing all their senses. i know from driving that its much more about ego than brain, if you do that on a bike, well you can't blame anyone when you are dead.
you're sensing a pattern, aren't you?
so sad that we think cyclist and car are colliding because their mistakes, and it has nothing to do with infrastructure, people in North America think that white line on asphalt is a bike infrastructure and they call it bike lane: that's a paint and give nothing more than a false feeling of security to cyclists and it's means nothing to drivers : they can (and always do) pass so close to bike paint lane (with always higher the limit speed) and push the cyclist to the curb or just simply hit them, just search youtube to see it.
are we gonna put up with this shit any longer? when we want to get together and ask our city officials to force them to build proper (not paint) bike infrastructure separated path from motorists traffic ? how many accident and death is too many for us?
I started mountain biking, cause I thought it would be safer, then this tree came out of nowhere...
Lol... Mtb is safer because I have more control over my domain.
"Cyclists: you're a little person, often super skinny..." I feel triggered.
rousseau I wish 😂
Neither nor
Robert Light I was thinking the same!
I love when someone will just leave their door open when they're fiddling in their trunk ☠️
2:55 is that zoomed in to avoid a dong shot?
I ride alone a lot. Always have my front and rear blinking lights and my helmet mounted rear view mirror. I may not look pro but that little mirror has saved my a** way too many times to count.
Yes after riding for 30 years on and off, I bought my first mirror a few months ago. A cateye bm45, bar end type . Just big enough to see whats going on behind. Saved me from a couple left hooks(Australia) as I could see the indicator and was prepared. Also Avoided a few close passes as I could see driver not moving over , So I turn head to look. As soon as I do this the element of surprise has been taken away from the driver, so they then automatically back off and move over.
uninsured motorist coverage. you taught me something. thanks, bud
As a cyclist, assume you’re invisible until proven otherwise. Great video
Great video man! Just a suggestion, you could've include for cyclists to avoid a possible collision: bright disruptive rear and front lights, bright jerseys/helmet and no selfies during rides. I've seen a cyclist in my group almost fall down cuz he was taking a selfie :/
In addition to this great stuff, my 20 years of city commuting have taught me a few things I never see other cyclists doing. I learned a long time ago to wave like crazy. Wave hello, I see you, starting with cars behind you. (You've got a mirror, right?) Direct traffic with the arms. Wave a car through (even when they have the right of way!) so they know you're not going to do something stupid. Wave your arms to be seen. Indicate your direction even though it should be obvious. I find car drivers are mostly just relieved to know what you're doing. Remember, they see hundreds of jerk cyclists all the time. That guy who ran a stop sign in front of them on his bike? They figure that's you, too. (I always stop and give cars the right of way, and it drives me nuts when a jerk cyclist heading down the perp runs a light or sign.) Show drivers what a non-jerk looks like, and increase your odds of staying alive. Give thanks with a thumbs up for ordinary acts of sharing. It can be hard, but in my experience, it helps. You'll probably see those same cars again, and if not, pay it forward with good behavior. Repeating some of what's below, but can't be repeated enough.
We should also use Lights. It helps.
Also when your riding on a tight road where there isn’t a cycling path or much space and a truck passes you and pushes you off the road
Great video. Presented well. Easy to follow. Good info for both cyclists and drivers on possible risks and how to anticipate & avoid them. One thing I try to do whenever possible (such as at intersections) is make eye contact with drivers to help each of us understand the intention of the other. Also just generally try to spread some good karma / try to offset negative feelings many drivers seem to have about cyclists and cyclists’ “entitled” behavior (such as continuing to ride two or three abreast when car coming up from behind - need to switch to single file and let car pass safely...) - whenever appropriate give a wave, mouth a “thank you” to drivers, etc
As someone who has been a messenger for over 10 years I’ve seen more than most. Not using blinkers and passing to immediately turn are the two things which still actually get me mad. Cars as a whole are getting better I think. More drivers have also been cyclists and have a better understanding than in the 80’s and 90’s. For cyclist you just have to develop a 6th sense really, you usually can tell when a driver is a dumb ass. These days with city bikes,scooters, skateboards, one wheel things drivers are much more patient and used to more moving things in traffic.
My pet peeve is the right turn. I'll hear the car accelerate to pass me only to have it quickly right turn into their driveway/road. Dude couldn't you wait 2 seconds for me to pass your driveway/road before turning? What's the freaking hurry?
I believe that in the Netherlands, if a car driver hits a cyclist, they have to prove that their driving was not at fault...which results in very few aggressive, and inconsiderate drivers. In the UK killing cyclsts is a hobby like running over hedgehogs and badgers or knitting poorly sized jumpers, I believe that Australia and USA are the same. You judge a society by how it treats its least powerfull and most vulnerable.
Cyclist and driver here (like a huge number of people).
Basically my advice to drivers is, be patient, don't rush for the sake of a few seconds.
My advice to cyclists is to assume that everyone behind the wheel of a vehicle is a total moron and you should act accordingly. Actually this applies when driving too,
If you get mad at cyclist while driving, instead of driving to work, ride you bike one day you’ll definitely become a better drive, point in case, every intersection I come to while driving now I’m constantly looking both ways wether it’s a green or red light. Also, I respect the speed limits especially in residential! Be safe everyone.
I got hit today. Driver was turning right. Into a shopping center. I feel like he was either on his phone or trying to cut through the light because it’s really congested right there. But I’m glad I’m OK just a few scrapes and bruises
I'm 16 and was hit (type #5) crash by a lady distracted with kids and didn't know the area. I unfortunately am in Missouri where it's one of two states where it is still legal to text and drive - crazy stuff. Thanks for addressing this on both the cyclist and motorist side of things.
Phil for president. I´ve seen too many close and too close crashes, never had any luckily.
Thank you so much for bringing up the use of the phone while driving. It is completely out of control. For drivers, please slow down!
Where I live cyclists tend to ride on a small selection of roads and that's it. The roads chosen are very popular with people on bikes. They are far less popular for cars regardless of the day of the week.
The best thing drivers can do is stay off of roads cyclists love especially on the weekends. Avoid them. Take alternative routes. We cyclists do that every day. We take the roads less traveled so you drivers can have the rest of the roads.
You forgot to mention what I consider one of the most important things to avoid. Don’t ride on the sidewalk if you are a cyclist and if you do be aware and don’t pedal, cruise as slow as possible until you can get to a lane. Sidewalk cycling is actually illegal in many states because it is really dangerous to the pedestrians. It might not feel like you are going fast but clipping a person at 10-20mph will hurt and can even kill someone. Another reason why sidewalk cycling is bad, is because cars are looking for pedestrians when clearing the sidewalk to turn in or out of a parking lot. The only way to safely cross a gap in the sidewalks is to come to a complete stop, and lets be real, you don’t want to stop, stopping and starting is one of the most annoying things to do on a bike as it requires a lot of energy. My advice is to ride in the bikelane and if you don’t feel safe take up all of the rightlane so the cars 100% see you. You are entitled to the lane, just be considerate and pull to the side when possible to let traffic pass.
I look at parking cars' brake lights if its on i assume they just parked and can open the door any second. I also point out to my fellow cyclists behind me.
When I ride, I'm concerned about impatient drivers trying to pass me when it isn't safe, and I'm concerned about drivers who don't see the potholes or assume I can ride over them.
As he says, "they just shoot out right into your path," at 3:56, a mail truck shoots out into the bike lane without looking. #Philstradomus
As you're saying, "they shoot out into the bike lane," the mail truck pulls into the bike lane before stopping to check his mirror.
re: Right Hook, advice to cars. How about just NOT PASSING that bike if you are about to turn right?
They don't judge your speed, they think of themselves on a bike when they were 8 going 5mph
Got hit during the weekend, this should be on everyone's feed
Ouch... what happened?
@@Montezuma0 The driver didnt signal a left turn as i tried to pass him on his left at a stop sign. I guess we both share the blame. Lesson learned!
Dumb trick - if a car looks like it might pull out from a driveway or a stop sign, it's easier to see the car start to move if you're watching its wheels
All 2 motorists that clicked on this video got angry and left after the first scenario
One problem with the car door is where the drive has been sitting for a while. The sense of a need to check the mirror or to look to the left diminishes after the car has been stationary. As a motorist I needed to learn not to do this.
As a cyclist I scan the parked cars for drivers.
This should be shown in driving schools!
Put lights on your bike, front and back!! Life savers
In South Africa cyclists are just seen as vermin and no one wants us on the roads. Some people even try to hit cyclists on purpose :( I wish drivers could be more understanding and careful.
I nearly got hit yesterday. I was just doing a little warm-up in my neighborhood, looked down for literally 2-3 seconds, I look back up and I'm like 3 feet from going over the hood of this lady's car. She had pulled out of her driveway without looking.
Been there done that.I did a somersault over the back of the car landed on my feet, bike was bent up front wheel looked like a pizza with a piece missing.
One rule I've learned (although I break it myself sometimes) Don't look down! Ever! Don't look down at your computer. Don't look down to see what gear you are in. Don't look down to try to figure out what that noise is. Don't look down to see if you have a tire going flat. Don't look down at your water bottle. Don't look down.
Sounds silly, but when I'm looking down is always when a car suddenly pulled out, or a pothole, or big crack in the pavement, or big bump, or hunk of metal suddenly appeared in my path. When I break the rule, I always take a careful look ahead of me first.
@@blubaughmr lol. The house is just past this blind intersection with stop signs in the cross direction but a very obstructed view; when I got past that and figured I was safe to glance at the bike computer. I was wrong. I rode past the house again today and got to thinking what I could have done differently. She didn't look long or hard enough, but there are 3 small-ish trees that could have obscured her line of sight, and I was all the way to the right. Both could have been a factor. My guard was way down because it's a neighborhood; 25mph, not even a through road, narrow streets. I feel much more alert and cautious when I'm out on the busier roads. lesson learned.
@@jamesoxford4260 Most likely she didn't pull out blindly since she wouldn't want to collide with a car. She just "didn't see you" because most drivers act like the only thing on the road is cars, trucks, and SUV's. They "don't see" delivery trucks, mail trucks, tractors, bicycles, food vendors, children, pets, strollers, and the list goes on. It's ridiculous.
I was hit and almost killed….by a driver…wait for it…on their phone.
Thanks. This was well thought out, and people, put the phone down when driving.
The ooonly time I almost got hit was by #1 ... from a Baltimore city police car 🙄
I just watched this while driving to work, what a informative video!
🤔
lobby your local governments for better cyclist infrastructure
Thanks for the tips! Thanks for bunching up these and making easy for us to suggest this video for our fellow riders.
Tip for drivers, occasionally get on your bike. Tip for cyclists, drive a car every now and then. This opens your eyes to each other's perspective in traffic. Ride on 🤘🚴
Is using a mobile device while driving still legal in USA ?
I have to subliminally know all these things when I'm delivering ubereats on busy streets. After 700 deliveries, I've had no close calls, I think this is mainly because I wear very bright construction vest, and flashy lights.
As a German I would be so terrified to ride my bike in the US. When I've driven a car in the US I was always terrified from bad driving habits from drivers over there. I can not imagine how frantic and terrified I would be if I would sit on a bike in LA.
German drivers terrified me with their endless tailgating on narrow country roads at 100 kph and on the autobahn at 130 kph. When I returned to the USA, I was so relaxed on our interstate highways. Few people here ride your bumper the way the Germans do. Driving habits are very cultural.
This is well done. It almost makes up for your support of bikers wearing fanny packs, which is always wrong.
Phil's Rule #1 -- "If you're being safe and having fun, you're doing it right."
There are very few ways to ride a bike wrong. All of them are unsafe. If you are doing you and having fun, great. (says the roadie, with the saddle bag, rear rack, and MTB clipless peddles).
Thanks Phil - Great Video. 👍🏽 Another tip: Ride with your ID/ Medical Card / Several Emergency contacts on a piece of paper...I was recently involved in an accident where all I had was my phone ( which has said information) but was completely shattered in the fall. A witness had to get in touch with nearby friends via Instagram...
Black Falcon Adventures
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Great video, and I especially appreciate the suggestion for cyclists to raise their uninsured motorist coverage. When I was hit a few years ago, I was lucky in a lot of ways. First, I'm alive and still mostly functional. But also, the driver stayed on site, and had better than the minimum coverage, so my needs were taken care of. When I was feeling better, the first call I made was to my insurance agent to increase my coverage so that if I ever got hit again by someone who wasn't covered, I'd still be taken care of. And while you're at it, raise your coverage in case you hit someone. If the guy who'd hit me hadn't had the coverage he did, he'd have lost his house in a nasty lawsuit. Better coverage than the legal minimum doesn't add much, and could make a huge difference.
Keep up the great work, Phil!
Let’s make this video popular as f
Whoop, Whoop! (the sound of a bell/ siren)
I once gave a lady a left hand turn signal, and she thought I was weaving her on. luckily she, got close, but didn’t hit me. Of course she blamed me, even when I told her my arm was out reached, and still, not weaving at all. She honestly told me she didn’t know about hand signals.
Yet anther reason why lessons on cycling in traffic should be a part of drivers education.
I've been biking all my life, 54 now, and I have survived. I feel cars and cyclist are getting along better than they used to. The laws are confusing people always argue about where the cyclist is supposed to be.
#1 My rule of thumb: Ride your bike to be seen and don't hide, take up space. #2 I've been doored twice, once on my ankle the other time I don't remember. Stay arms length or more away from the parked cars, scan the parked cars driver seats as you go, ride the line between the park car lane and the center lane. Cars driving are more alert than cars parked so don't worry about the moving car behind you worry about the person in the parked car. #3 The quick right hand turn in front of you is the most common accident I've had. Be alert don't give up, skid turn with the car, dismount throw your bike into the car as you try to jump away. Why don't cars use their turn signals, it's a flip of the finger, I just can't figure that one out. #4 the car turning left crossing over in front of you" Take up space, ride more in the center of your lane, Wave to the car, wave and point that you are going strait through that yellow light. #5 be politely vocal. I worked as a bike courier for over 3 years and pedestrians and cars respond better to a verbal sound than a bell or whistle. A warning just in case they aren't aware of me, a precaution gets a verbal "Beep Beep". An Oh my GOOOOD gets a directed loud, " YO!".
I've been in many accidents most of which were my fault. The accident's that I could have died from the car was at fault! My cat like crash reflexes have saved me . I just hope I haven't used up all of my nine lives yet.
The reason drivers don't use a finger to flip on the turn signals is because they are holding a phone in that hand.
#6: Uber drivers, or really anyone, but for me it's been Uber drivers, swiping across the bike lane without looking. Happened to me twice in the city, so now I take the right lane even though there's a bike lane. Three years without getting hit after the two side-swipes and numerous near-misses while in the bike lane.
Oh, and put your phone down.
Nice video, shout out to the car who let me pass on the descent today.
or the car that waves you through as you're reaching a stop sign., or the one that slows down and motions us to turn left when there is no signal or sign. Motorist are alert... just not all of them.
Let's hope the message get heard by non-cyclist people ...
It won't make a dent. The onus is on us.
LOL welL no chance there!
Most people in California drive around with a $5,000 limit for property damage. Uninsured Coverage is a great idea, but will typically only cover your potential injuries... NOT the "property damage" to your bike (which a lot of us care even more about.) Even if a collision is "legally" not your fault, it is typically not going to be worth it to take a broke person to court... So be extra safe out there riding on your cool expensive bikes! As Phil can attest, hospital bills add up quick... and back to the low California limits, most motorists in CA only carry $15,000 to cover the medical bills of the people they may injure. So while riding in traffic, anything to make you more visible is to your benefit, regardless of how dorky it makes you look... IMO if you are riding the road, you should have a flashing red light on the rear of your bike, regardless if it is dark out or not. ALWAYS ride with the flow of traffic, unless you have a death wish.
Put your phone down!!!
How can we make this video seen by everyone
3:53 US Postal perfect example of rule #3
Get off your phone.
For cars: DO WHAT I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO DO! I promise I'm not trying to get hit.
This can’t be stressed enough. Nothing is worse for cyclists than motorists behaving unpredictably. Even if they are trying to be nice by stopping in the middle of the road for cyclists, it is still disconcerting.
Good video, I would suggest a front light even during daylight. As you said, most accidents are people pulling in front of you. Makes you so much more noticeable. Try to get eye contact and ride as much as possible where the drivers are looking which is in the road.
Strong vid Phil, really good tips💪
Powerful video
Should add an additional tip -- use front and rear lights that are as bright as possible (cost considerations here) and turn them on at ALL times, even day time. Any little advantage can help.
Been riding a long time and this is one of the best videos out there. I never heard of the Dutch Reach but it makes sense once you think about it. Thanks!
Once again, informative and entertaining!! I fell victim to a variant of crash #3, all because the driver thought there was enough of a gap in traffic (me on my bike = the gap) to save herself waiting 30secs. Six years of nerve pain and lingering effects of a concussion later, I have to wonder what was so important that she couldn’t wait
Thanks Phil some really good info there, appreciate the upload,
BUT;
The video quality for an experienced YTuber is pretty ordinary, out of focus, to many jump cuts, cars disappearing and blow out footage. Gezzz. Maybe check your footage on site before leaving the shoot location.👍🤔
7:04 plot twist: suicidal cyclists