Zebee Johnstone said:In aus.bicycle on 22 Apr 2007 22:21:15 -0700
Bleve said:"I'm a vehicle, with as much right to use the road as anyone else, I'm
also less visible and have to ride defensively and predictably and be
where other road users are looking for me, attempting to predict and
anticipate the actions of drivers and other riders, they're not out to
get me, but they're not generally looking out for me, as just like me,
they are looking out for themselves first".
Powered or unpowered, 2 wheels or 4, works for me.
Quoted message said:If "they're all out to kill me" works for you, then that's good, but
it does seem pretty sad, and must be very stressful. That would ruin
my pleasure in riding, if I felt like that all the time.
I've never really understood how to put that idea into action.
After all, if they were trying to kill me the'd have me, no question.
I'd have to have large solid objects between every car and me all the
time. I'd never lanesplit, and never travel beside or in any way in
front of a car. I'd have to always give way to any vehicle so that
they'd have to turn really sharply to get me.
I just can't see how it's possible to do any riding if you are
assuming they are actively trying to kill you because the
opportunities for them doing so are legion.
So how do people who say this is how they ride cope? How do they
manage to always be in such a position that no car anywhere has any
chance at all of ever hitting them (we'll presume no snipers) and
still actually get where they are going?
For a short amount of time when I was learning to ride motorbikes, I
used to feel like that (moving target etc) but I found that I was
incredibly stressed doing so and didn't enjoy riding. Especially
though high traffic merging areas (like the bridge across the Swan R
in Perth that goes to Vic Park, I can't remember its name?). I'd get
to places in a sweat with a huge sense of relief.
After a bit of good instruction from a very experienced and clueful
rider I did a lot of riding with, that changed into the attitude I've
held since (as described above). Much less stressful, much more
enjoyable. I've been in two collisions (bikes, motor and push) in my
whole time on the road, both of which I place a significant chunk of
responsibility for at my feet (I was tired, wasn't thinking
properly). If I didn't enjoy riding (motor or push) I'd not do it.
I'd walk or catch trains.
Mikey had, if I recall correctly, a nasty prang a while back where
some drongo turned right into him, it's quite a common collision I
believe, and while he was unlucky to have experienced it, it's not
that uncommon a class of accident. From a defensive riding position,
it's interesting to ask what he (and the rest of us) can learn from
his collision. I know I'm very wary of coming up to intersections
with oncoming traffic where there's a chance that a driver or rider
can turn if they haven't seen me or have misjudged my speed (or, the
odd psycopath who just pushes because they own the road, but they're,
IME, *very* rare). I tend, at that point, to watch oncoming traffic
very closely, especially at night - I do my best to make some sort of
eye contact with the driver if possible (not always possible, of
course ... esp on country roads, like where Mikey's collision
occurred). and if they show signs of slowing to turn I generally also
slow down and watch them closely. If they do turn, if you're watching
for it, you have a better chance of taking successful evasive action.
It's only (IME) stressful when there's more than one car to keep track
of.
Those of you familiar with Canterbury Rd heading towards the city in
Melbourne, coming down the hill near Mailing Rd will know the type of
intersection where this sort of collision is quite likely to occur.
There's *2* right turn opportunities one right behind the other, so
one is blinded by the second if there's any traffic, and there always
is. Despite it being a 45km/h section of road if rolling, I always
slow down to about 30 and watch *very* closely through that
intersection, and in 3 years of riding it most days a week, never had
an incident of note accordingly.
A key question to ask is "Why didn't they see me?" and "How can I
reduce the chances of not being seen?".
I don't think the answer is paranoia.
