[Chuck100]

Re: Bicyclist (me!) Collides with Rear-windshield of Mercede

A similar thing almost happenned to me. It's tough being a cyclist sometimes because just like cars, we like to go fast and reduce our travel times. Unfortunately whenever an accident happens, it's us that gets hurt.

Having said that, if there's a route that you bike on regularly, it's worth taking the time to review the connectivity of nearby side streets. In midtown for example, there's no need to travel on Yonge when Duplex is such a good alternative.

 

[EnviroTO]

Re: Bicyclist (me!) Collides with Rear-windshield of Mercede

You should be able to fight it if he turned out, stopped, and you applied your brakes immediately and still could not stop. I think the detail matter in this case. Normally if someone stops ahead of you and you smash into them the person behind gets charged, but if the accident was a result of dangerous driving by the person in front the charge wouldn't make sense. When you say "a motorist turned into my path and then stopped" what do you mean exactly? Did he come off the sidestreet like he didn't even see you, did he cut you off? If so it should be easy to get the charge dropped.

 

[cassiusa]

Re: Bicyclist (me!) Collides with Rear-windshield of Mercede

I've been in two accidents (well, one really). A head-on collision with a car at Queen + Bay during rush hour. Not my fault but there was no injuries so we left it at that. And of course the obligatory riding-into-opening-car-door which may or may not have been my fault. I did leave a metre+ of space but the door that opened was huge and I couldn't swerve to avoid it.

Neither of my accidents resulted in those kind of injuries though.

 

[WhistlerinToronto]

Re: Bicyclist (me!) Collides with Rear-windshield of Mercede

Glad to see you survived!

I was hit by a car making an illegal U-Turn on college just East of University last Thursday. The only damage was done to the hood and side of the car; I managed to come almost to a stop before we made contact. I was on my way to the courthouse to fight two tickets I received while riding my bike two weeks ago. The first ticket was for not having a headlight (fair enough) the second ticket was for having a driver’s license that didn't have my current address on it. $145 in tickets for trying to stay in shape as well as trying to help out the environment as much as I can.

I was able to win and had both fines thrown out.

 

[wonderboy905]

Re: Bicyclist (me!) Collides with Rear-windshield of Mercede

I was hit by a car making an illegal U-Turn on college just East of University last Thursday. The only damage was done to the hood and side of the car; I managed to come almost to a stop before we made contact. I was on my way to the courthouse to fight two tickets I received while riding my bike two weeks ago. The first ticket was for not having a headlight (fair enough) the second ticket was for having a driver’s license that didn't have my current address on it. $145 in tickets for trying to stay in shape as well as trying to help out the environment as much as I can.

Complete waste of time and money. The people running our system really need to get their priorities straight. It's good that cyclists are being asked to follow the rules, but meaningless tickets that waste everyone's time and resources don't do anything for anyone.

 

[Chuck100]

Re: Bicyclist (me!) Collides with Rear-windshield of Mercede

I recently started driving downtown for work related purposes, and what I discovered is that driving in the city requires exponentially more care and attention than anywhere else due to the massive amount of activity on downtown streets. Not only do other cars perform unexpected manouvers such as parallel parking, suddenly stopping to turn left, or pulling out of a sidestreet or parking spot, but pedestrians and cyclists are found everywhere, even when they are completely law obiding.

Basically what I'm saying is that "normal" driving conditions require so much attention that when a pedestrian, cyclist, or other car performs an illegal move by infringing on my right of way at the wrong time, it can be almost impossible to react in time. It has really hit home that the best way you can stay safe in whatever mode you use is to follow each and every rule of the road because that way you're acting in a way that other people are expecting.

 

[Darkstar416]

Re: Bicyclist (me!) Collides with Rear-windshield of Mercede

I recently started driving downtown for work related purposes, and what I discovered is that driving in the city requires exponentially more care and attention than anywhere else due to the massive amount of activity on downtown streets. Not only do other cars perform unexpected manouvers such as parallel parking, suddenly stopping to turn left, or pulling out of a sidestreet or parking spot, but pedestrians and cyclists are found everywhere, even when they are completely law obiding.

Although the flip-side is that city cycling is safer as there is always so much more going on that drivers (in particular) are driving slower and are more aware of their surroundings and are more on the look-out for cyclists, etc.

 

[Chuck100]

Re: Bicyclist (me!) Collides with Rear-windshield of Mercede

Although the flip-side is that city cycling is safer as there is always so much more going on that drivers (in particular) are driving slower and are more aware of their surroundings and are more on the look-out for cyclists, etc.

Very true. An idiot cyclist was doing one of the most dangerous things you can do on a bike - driving the wrong way on a one way street right where it starts. I happened to be turning left onto that street, which meant that the cyclist was totally hidden behind parked cars. If I was driving as fast as I do elsewhere, I would have nailed him head on.