Bicyclist/RV Death

MI Law is giving a 3 foot clearance to cyclists. Yes it can create a traffic issue, but I support the law.

A favorite trout stream, has winding long road to it. More than once I and many others have run up on a bicycle club perhaps, but certainly a lot of bikes that hog the road refusing to get over into pullouts an let traffic pass. i think there have been a few accidents. Nothing like being trapped behind a flock of bikes, at 15 mph or whatever for many miles, with just enough blind curves you don't dare pass.
When we did get a chance to pass some of the Riders displayed their IQ for us, and some tried to crowd into the other lane to get you to back off and stay behind them.

I remember about 10 years ago I dang near took out a cyclist. It was dark outside, raining, and he was wearing dark non reflective clothing and riding on edge of the pavement on a narrow road. Didn't see him until I was right on him. Sorry but that guy was an idiot on a suicide mission.

Dan

gbopp wrote:

Ductape wrote:
There’s no excuse for running down a cyclist in your lane traveling the same direction. Vehicular homicide open and shut case.

The cyclist was hit by the side mirror of the RV and crashed.
Should we forget that nonsense about being 'innocent until proven guilty' and send the RVer to prison without a trial?
This could happen to any one of us.

No, a trial should happen. My point is the trial should not be to decide how much the insurance company pays. If the average motorist knew that if judgement goes against me they will make be locked up and for a long time, and never get to drive again I'm sure a lot of people would decide to turn in their licenses. The ones that keep would pay more attention to there driving.

rk911 wrote:

Ductape wrote:
There’s no excuse for running down a cyclist in your lane traveling the same direction. Vehicular homicide open and shut case.

really? RV coming around a right-hand curve at or below the posted limit and sees a biker 20-ft in front of them as they round the apex of the curve. the driver does a panic stop but physics am physics and the biker loses. what's the RV driver or other motorist to do... assume there is a bike, pedestrian or water buffalo in front of them and slow to a crawl and peek around the curve or move over into the oncoming lane and hope to God there are no vehicles in that lane? I do slow down around those types of curves as I imagine the RV driver involved did but not to a crawl. yes, bikers have the same right to the roadway but just as a driver of a motor vehicle must use caution and common sense so does a bike rider and that means assuming that a motor vehicle may not see them in time to stop or safely pass.

If the bike was only 20 feet past the apex, where was the driver looking when the bike was at the apex? How fast was the MH traveling around a curve he can not see? If the curve was that tight, the front of MH should be close to CL to keep rear on the road. Was the road marked 1 lane? If not the lanes are likely over 12 ft wide.
And yes, by law you must slow to a speed that you can stop in the distance you can see.

on a 2-lane country road in Texas a few years ago we encountered an organized group ride, may 100-bikes or so. most of the group was strung out for at least a half mile but we were down to a crawl as many of the groups were riding 4-6 abreast across both lanes. irresponsible.

Are you saying this guy was riding 6 abreast? Once on a major highway in Kansas, a guy pulling a 5th wheel pulled into a truckstop bas-ackward. When he stopped at the pump his trailer was still in the traffic lane. Should all RVers be run over?

Airdaile wrote:

whjco wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
When you step foot in the ocean you become part of the food chain. Kind of the same on a roadway.

Like it or not, as aggravating as they can sometimes be, a cyclist has the same legal rights to most roads as we do with our RVs.

And I will afford them their rights as soon as I see one of them stop for a stop sign.

Case closed. I also have never seen someone in an automobile not obeying traffic laws. But I assure you. If I see someone in a car fails to stop, game on time to run them down.

Chum lee wrote:
Cyclists generally don't buy gasoline (pay fuel taxes) so funding is an issue, Chum lee

If the cyclists are keeping cars off the road, I'm okay with them not helping pay for the roads/bike lanes, at least at this point.
I wonder how long a new Interstate would last if only bicycles were allowed on the highway? :)

I agree, the bike lanes are a good idea and money well spent.

As an avid cyclist all my life, I've been gravitating towards using dedicated bike lanes more and more. Cyclists generally don't buy gasoline (pay fuel taxes) so funding is an issue, but, keeping bike lanes separate from vehicular traffic, where possible, IMO, is a good idea for everyone.

Chum lee

whjco wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
When you step foot in the ocean you become part of the food chain. Kind of the same on a roadway.

Like it or not, as aggravating as they can sometimes be, a cyclist has the same legal rights to most roads as we do with our RVs.

And I will afford them their rights as soon as I see one of them stop for a stop sign.

Ductape wrote:
There’s no excuse for running down a cyclist in your lane traveling the same direction. Vehicular homicide open and shut case.

really? RV coming around a right-hand curve at or below the posted limit and sees a biker 20-ft in front of them as they round the apex of the curve. the driver does a panic stop but physics am physics and the biker loses. what's the RV driver or other motorist to do... assume there is a bike, pedestrian or water buffalo in front of them and slow to a crawl and peek around the curve or move over into the oncoming lane and hope to God there are no vehicles in that lane? I do slow down around those types of curves as I imagine the RV driver involved did but not to a crawl. yes, bikers have the same right to the roadway but just as a driver of a motor vehicle must use caution and common sense so does a bike rider and that means assuming that a motor vehicle may not see them in time to stop or safely pass.

on a 2-lane country road in Texas a few years ago we encountered an organized group ride, may 100-bikes or so. most of the group was strung out for at least a half mile but we were down to a crawl as many of the groups were riding 4-6 abreast across both lanes. irresponsible.

d3500ram wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
Yes they do have that right. It doesn't do them any good to be dead right. I've reached an age that when I do things, safety is a higher concern than legality.

Ditto that! Plus, bicycles might have legal municipal laws on their side, but that does not override the laws of physics.

Part of bicycles being on the road with legal laws allowing them such, I find generally that they will thumb their noses at traffic laws. The majority that I see will run red lights and stop signs. Don't shoot the messenger if you ride and do not like what I just said. I am sure there are many, many respectful cyclist who do follow the rules. When on the streets, they are considered vehicles and must obey same as an automobile.

Last month, I had a rude bicyclist run a stop sign almost hitting me as I was in the crosswalk, and she had the nerve to mouth off at me as if I was intruding into her space! She was blinded by a cube van and she did not see me as I was almost completing crossing the road when she just kept trucking along side of the van that did stop.

X2. we almost killed one a few years ago. we were stopped at a stop sign around 10pm and literally just a second before we would've hit the gas to proceed a biker wearing dark clothing on an unlit bike came flying off of a bike path that was perpendicular to the street and crossed in front of our Jeep. he was inches and a second away from being severely injured or more likely killed. lots of inattentive and distracted drivers out there but in a bike vs motor vehicle collision in almost all cases the biker loses.