Being rear ended

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toomsie
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Being rear ended

Post by toomsie »

One of my biggest fears in cycling is being rear ended. Junctions and rounderabouts do not bother me so much. But apparently, being rear ended accounts fo 3%-4% of all accidents on the road. I guess it is comforting to know this. The other issue that issues that I may have are similar to a car, so I am used to them. Cars pulling out at junction , on comming cars etc.
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mjr
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by mjr »

Which list are you looking at?

I think the top five collision types on a couple of lists has been left-hook, right-cross, sideswipe, T-bone (all need enforcement against other vehicles IMO - people cycling can often take evasive action but it's a PITA), and dooring (trivially cyclist-avoidable). Example: http://pic.twitter.com/cEhtfnUGl0
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CREPELLO
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by CREPELLO »

Many of those rear enders may have resulted from the cyclist road position not being ideal. I'm thinking a great many 'contacts' may have taken place in rush hour crowded traffic situations, rather than the cyclist's worst fear of a high speed impact on a fast country road.

I have some experience...on a roundabout. On my way to catch the train to the Lakes, I'd stopped at a big bypass RB. In truth, I'd probably drifted to a halt because of heavy traffic. As a result, to delay my halt (in the hope of moving again any second), I'd drifted right to the kerb.

The van coming up behind me didn't notice me because of my position and his focus on the RB traffic. Then 'crunch' - very slowly, fortunately.

So I do ensure I'm in primary position at RB's now - as part of the traffic.
JayGatsby
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by JayGatsby »

toomsie wrote:One of my biggest fears in cycling is being rear ended. Junctions and rounderabouts do not bother me so much. But apparently, being rear ended accounts fo 3%-4% of all accidents on the road. I guess it is comforting to know this. The other issue that issues that I may have are similar to a car, so I am used to them. Cars pulling out at junction , on comming cars etc.


It happened to me. 3 years of whiplash pain which has only just begun improving after physio and CBT. Luckily my claim went well and I was compensated. 4% maybe, but a 100% pain in the ass.
iviehoff
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by iviehoff »

toomsie wrote:One of my biggest fears in cycling is being rear ended.

Some very effective rear lights are available these days: if you haven't checked the market for a little while you may be surprised, they have emerged very suddenly in the last couple of years or so. Effective even in broad daylight. If you do have this fear, then maybe it is a good choice to use them. I use always-on lights in London, though I only use super-bright lights at night.

Sadly it won't do much about a driver going far too fast around a blind bend, or one who is so inattentive he just isn't looking.
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mjr
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by mjr »

iviehoff wrote:I use always-on lights in London, though I only use super-bright lights at night.

That sounds backwards: don't you need less light at night?

I feel dazzling super-bright lights are a bad idea. People say things like this (actual quote from another site): "If I get stuck behind someone with one, I have to look away, or try harder to get past, or deliberately slow down to let them get some distance" and do you really want motorists avoiding looking at you or trying harder to get past?
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AlaninWales
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by AlaninWales »

iviehoff wrote:
toomsie wrote:One of my biggest fears in cycling is being rear ended.

Some very effective rear lights are available these days: if you haven't checked the market for a little while you may be surprised, they have emerged very suddenly in the last couple of years or so. Effective even in broad daylight. If you do have this fear, then maybe it is a good choice to use them. I use always-on lights in London, though I only use super-bright lights at night.

Sadly it won't do much about a driver going far too fast around a blind bend, or one who is so inattentive he just isn't looking.

I've been rear-ended a few times. Twice on a m'bike. Both times I had rear lights and brake lights illuminated (stopped at t'lights).
Scariest occasion was just outside Cardiff, cycling along with two lanes each way in primary in the LH lane. Daylight with two good modern rear lights (one on flash, t'other constant). Screech of brakes behind so I stop and look around. He must have missed me by inches, his female passenger was berating him (I believe it was her that saw me).
In short, if they are not looking, lights will not save you. If they are looking, they'll see you. Here yet again we have https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8pX52v_yNA&index=68&list=LLxh0QwWxK6TvHL4CF7hf0Tg
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horizon
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by horizon »

I use a mirror. It allows me to have a sense of what is happening behind me. On an open road it allows me to occasionally move across the driver's field of vision. In traffic it allows me to hold primary. It allows me to check whether the overtaking vehicle is being closely followed (but inaudible). It may even allow me time to get off the road. Maybe.

But most of all it alllows me to relax when I see that there is nothing coming at all.

Why all cyclists don't use a mirror is beyond my comprehension.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
flatout
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by flatout »

I tried one but found that I spent more time looking in it trying to make out what was happening behind, rather than concentrating on the road ahead. A mixed blessing, that I was happy to ditch.
axel_knutt
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by axel_knutt »

toomsie wrote:apparently, being rear ended accounts fo 3%-4% of all accidents on the road.


According to the TRL it accounts for 27% of collisions between vehicles and cycles.

Table 7.3
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
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mjr
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by mjr »

Doesn't that report say 27% of collisions are with the rear of the cycle, not that 27% are rear endings? A left hook that impacts the back wheel is recorded on STATS19 as a collision with the rear of the cycle in examples I've seen.
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Flinders
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by Flinders »

horizon wrote:I use a mirror. It allows me to have a sense of what is happening behind me. On an open road it allows me to occasionally move across the driver's field of vision. In traffic it allows me to hold primary. It allows me to check whether the overtaking vehicle is being closely followed (but inaudible). It may even allow me time to get off the road. Maybe.

But most of all it alllows me to relax when I see that there is nothing coming at all.

Why all cyclists don't use a mirror is beyond my comprehension.


I used to use one. Got a bike that didn't fit it, did without for a few years. Now got one again (different style which fits on the bar end).
Bike mirrors are not as good as car ones. They joggle about on bad road surfaces and have limited fields of view at best.
They both have/had significant blind spots, so not being able to see anything in them ought not to make you feel relaxed. I work on the basis that if you can see something in it, beware of that thing but bear in mind there may be others, if you can't see anything, beware there may still be something there (like another bike, even). I still look behind before making a movement - just as I do in a car because of door posts etc.
On the whole, I'd say they are better than nothing, but not by a whole lot, and they're by no means as comprehensive as car mirrors.
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mjr
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by mjr »

horizon wrote:Why all cyclists don't use a mirror is beyond my comprehension.

Because it's better to look behind than down at a mirror?
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horizon
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by horizon »

mjr wrote:
horizon wrote:Why all cyclists don't use a mirror is beyond my comprehension.

Because it's better to look behind than down at a mirror?


I didn't say that looking in a mirror was better than looking behind. My point would be that you look in a mirror far more often than looking behind. In fact, so often (a micro-glance) that you more or less know what is happening behind you all the time.

I would say that people who don't use a mirror should give it a try and then stick with it long enough for it to become habitual.

There are times when looking behind simply isn't an option (it takes too long) but looking in a mirror is. But I'm just speaking from personal experience here - I cannot prove it. The idea of cycling along hoping that no-one is going to hit you (indeed not even knowing if there is someone behind you) is bizarre. Yes, you can look behind but I don't believe t's realistic to look so often that you know.

As I say, I would recommend giving it a long enough try with a good mirror. But, yes, at the end of the day, it's a choice. It certainly IMV answers the OP's point.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
pwa
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Re: Being rear ended

Post by pwa »

I've had mirrors in the past and decided to ditch them as the image appears to jump around too much to allow me to make out what I am looking at quick enough.

Nothing can protect you 100%, but I do a couple of things to reduce the risk. Firstly, I do what I can to make myself as visible and noticeable as possible from behind. bright clothing, reflectives and two rear lights. Secondly, on left hand bends I make sure I don't hug the gutter, where a driver would see me later. I stay out a little to be visible sooner.

I think I am more at risk of being hit from behind at junctions, where the offending vehicle is likely to be moving slowly and harm to me is likely to be minimal. But then I could be unlucky......
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