Author Topic: Elephant in the room Part 2: Bike accidents due to inattentive motorists  (Read 2113 times)

Sri C.

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
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  • Location: Irvine, CA
I am going to start biking in Irvine, CA which is not exactly a very safe place to drive:
http://www.talkirvine.com/index.php/topic,3791.msg57563/topicseen.html#msg57563

While touring the city in search for apartments I got a chance to speak with cyclists I saw on the road and they warned me that the drivers are extremely inattentive and impatient (probably due to the amount of the disposable income they have).

The cyclists told me that while they never bike to work and cycle only as a hobby, the chances of getting injured by a car is very high. They recommended that I do not increase the risk by cycling every day, both ways.

While I am the kind that can get up and punch the driver in the face unless I get incapacitated, the overall feedback I have got does concern me.

Besides being careful while cycling what other accessories etc can I put on my person and the cycle itself to minimize the chances of a cycle-car accident?

(I am not the lazy forum lurker, I actually have read the forum carefully and have this for reference as well: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/any-recommended-bicycle-guides-for-newbies/msg75452/#msg75452)

matchewed

  • Magnum Stache
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  • Posts: 4422
  • Location: CT
Lights and reflective stuff, learn to communicate with drivers, and don't listen to anecdotes about injury incident rates (car crashes are quite common yet everyone drives them). I'd try talking with bicycle commuters instead as they may have a more grounded view on the relationship they have with their motor driven partners in commute.

I'm not going to accuse you of laziness but if you did dig further this specific question has been answered a few times and in some of the links mentioned in your link. :)