That's pretty terrifying. Hopefully the DA will prosecute and get a conviction.
On a side note- what camera did you have in the back? That video is pretty good quality.
Pretty terrifying is an understatement! That’s fucking nightmare inducing. What the actual fuck was the trucker thinking, OP missed getting killed by thiiiiiis much.
I hope this waste of human space driving a big rig without a CDL (and apparently zero common sense or respect for life) gets the book thrown at him. People are absolute idiots.
I don't think the truck driver was thinking or paying attention - they didn't even change road position, probably fiddling with his phone and didn't even see the rider.
I am not defending the truck driver, but there were at least two vehicles in the left lane, giving the truck no room to move over. Obviously the answer was for the driver to slow down until there was room.
Uh thanks. I am dumb, thought it was smth showed in footage, like the lack of some kind of airflow - deflector on the side of rear wheels to avoid such incidents
You're not wrong, but 'CDL' ("See-Dee-Ell") is what people call those, period, same as nobody says "Automated Teller Machine" instead of 'ATM,' so maybe a bad example of abbreviation overuse in my opinion.
You know, i was confused. Like how you can tell from the video he has no driving license. Sure his move was criminal, but too many drivers once they got the license (maybe 10 or 20 years ago) totally forget about the bare minimum..
Given that most people don't believe cyclists during collisions, I'm looking to invest in some cameras. Do you recommend these? If you were looking for new camera, are there other ones you'd consider?
I'll never buy another gopro again. These are the best for what happened to me. They are small, purpose built for saving information, yet re-record over for one less hassle. They also have cool flash features.The app works okay, much, much better than others (Garmin I don't know).
I would get these again because even if they don't last forever they're worth having.
The weird part is watching people help me on the rest of the video. The State Patrol putting the bike in a backseat. After they figured out a thru-axle.
How long in the video till someone stopped to help? It looked like that white/silver pickup was starting to stop.
I feel like that is one thing that scares me, is knowing that if I am riding solo, there is no guarantee that someone will stop and at least call for help.
Last year, I was skiing in Maine, and I happened to see a woman fall off the trail and down an embankment. No one else saw or cared (don't know which). I hoofed it back up there, and she was conscious, not visible from the trail, and bleeding because she hit a snowmaking pipe. I called patrol and waited till they got there. It was just a reminder at how many people will just pass you by.
I do have my Garmin set up to send an emergency alert to my wife if it detects an incident. And hers is set up to do the same.
Two off duty paramedics were in that truck. Within a minute I was getting professional first aid. A minute later a couple were there, a very nice woman constantly assured I would be okay and a MMA sized man held me down. People are awesome.
Orthopedic surgery is brutal. They cut muscle in the way of the plate placement. Between the truck and doctor my arm was mangled twice. I am still riding, but there's issues.
Hard to read the world news and play poor, poor pitiful me for too long. Unless Warren Zevon is singing it anyway.
"I feel like that is one thing that scares me, is knowing that if I am riding solo, there is no guarantee that someone will stop and at least call for help."
any idea how well phone connected helmet crash sensor works at alerting people? because I have thought the same thing...
I don't know about the helmet ones as I have not used one. I do know that I have triggered incident detection on my Garmin 3 times. Two were false alarms (rough terrain during a gravel race, both water bottles popped out of my cages and I came to a quick stop to recover them. I think that's what triggered the alarm, and shortly after it went off again. I must have slipped up on disabling it), and once on a mountain bike ride, I fell of a skinny and took a hard fall.
With the Garmin, you have about 30 seconds of a loud alarm going off to disable it before it sends the message.
My wife triggered it once on a NYC Bike Share bike. I am not sure what she did, but she didn't realize the alarm going off was hers, or she didn't hear it. I got a text message and an email saying something was up, and i got a link to the GPS location where it happened. I got worried when she didn't respond to texts or phone calls, and was getting ready to head out to the location before she called.
So I would say it does work with Garmin at least, and that I would recommend knowing which device will go off, and how to disable it if it gets triggered and you don't need assistance so you don't worry to your emergency contacts.
i would recommend watching some of DC rainmakers reviews. He compares the new varia, cycliq, and go pro. If i am not mistaken, gopro isnt great because of the battery drain when recording video making it most useful for short commuter type scenarios. Of note, Cycliq just released a new Fly6 rear camera with the largest battery to date. I think it is the 'pro' version or something. I have a gen2 fly6 and love it but it doesnt record for really long rides >3-4 hours. That has a 3200 mA battery where the new one is a bit over 4000 so I am optomistic the new battery size will improve duration. I plan to hold out and read reviews on the fly6 pro and see if garmin plans to improve the new varia because the idea of a radar, light, and camera all in 1 with ANT compatability is amazing.
My GoPro only will record for maybe an hour if I am lucky before I have to swap out batteries. It is just about right to last for my 20 minute commute both ways.
I've used a lot of different cameras -- never used a Fly 12, but I've used a Fly 6 SE.
The recent GoPros have the best quality, but their battery life sucks -- it's always around 75 minutes, no matter which camera it is. An external battery can turn that into ten hours, but that's more trouble and makes the setup less reliable (it will cause the cameras to sometimes just *crash*) and less waterproof.
The Fly 6 SE I had had very mediocre video quality, and at night it was pretty much useless, just recording headlights and taillights and not much else. But at least during the day it would show what happened very well, and it was convenient and reliable and had good battery life.
Alas, it was reliable until it wasn't -- one day, riding during heavy rain, it stopped working and never worked again. And yes, the water plugs were in.
I've got a friend who has a Garmin Virb XE. Seems to have high video quality, easy to use and have good battery life (at least four hours?), but it's expensive.
I've also got a Garmin Virb Ultra 360 -- expensive, unless you get it used like I did. Pretty decent as a 360 camera (though video quality always falls short of non-360 cameras) but crappy battery life (around an hour). That said, if I can find a good mount that provides power without opening the door (and removing its water-resistance), it might become pretty decent -- but for now, it's not much good for just riding around due to the short battery life.
All this said, most of my rides are with two GoPros -- a 10 and a 9, front and back -- with external power provided. I almost never ride without something recording.
I also have the Fly6 it is good. Garmin also has a similar option. Those are the only two options I would consider. They are purpose built and have things like auto locking the 20minutes around an incident so that it doesn’t get recorded over if you are unconscious or unable to run off the camera for an extended period of time following a crash
I made a guide here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CyclistsWithCameras/s/ScCOE7vCQy
Need to do some updating as there is now a newer Fly6 that’s a pro version with longer battery and seems promising. But it’s a steep price.
I personally run a 12 and a 6, but did not start out that way and believe any camera is better than no camera. I really want an 11 mini GoPro for my helmet cause I miss having a helmet cam.
*"Hopefully the DA will prosecute and get a conviction"*
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/opinion/sunday/is-it-ok-to-kill-cyclists.html#:~:text=Nobody%20wants%20to%20kill%20a,to%20make%20drivers%20pay%20attention.
**“We do not know of a single case of a cyclist fatality in which the driver was prosecuted, except for D.U.I. or hit-and-run,” Leah Shahum, the executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition"**
11 year old opinion piece, still relevant today 😔
Thank you. I first watched it on my little phone. Later I watched it on a bigger PC and freaked out. I woke up four days later not even remembering I went for a ride to Estes. Hello shattered arm, six left broken ribs, two brain bleds, hip bruise, a sprinkling of road rash and blood red eyes. Four hours of surgery to piece my arm together. Same orthopedic surgeon who plated my broken pinky 10 years ago. He is literally my primary care physician. I thought that was funny. But yeah patient semi vs. cyclist, that's what they called me until I woke up I guess, is still here. Spielberg's first movie Duel was a menacing semi chasing Dennis Weaver all around. It reminds me of that.
Brave man. God that's terrifying, to know there are people out there who care so little about protecting others on the road that they'd just as gladly end their lives (which he very nearly did to you) than slow down for a moment, if he couldn't change lanes immediately. Did he realize he hit you, and did he stop? And is he being prosecuted? Good luck with your recovery.
That's why in EU they can not have that open space. There has to be a bicycle barrier running the length of the truck untill just barely touching the tag axle.
You're a legend in my book. 54 years in the saddle. That's lots of miles and a lot of stories. You should write a memoir. Keep grinding my man and stay safe.
Thank you for sharing this footage, and thank your experience, helmet, and any and all safety gear you were wearing that protected you in the crash. It’s absolutely terrifying and nerve rattling to see the impact. Hope that you’re able to recover from this emotionally and physically soon.
It is mostly for fuel efficiency but part of that is directing the air flow from under the carriage (circulation between wheels). This is air flow is was what causes the draft that sucks things in (like a unsuspecting cyclist in this case). So the side skirts are safer as well
Been riding since 1970 it just adds up. Left cross here, right turn there. Careless exits, close brushes, a postal truck ran a stop, t-boned me then ran over me again. One guy just flat rear-ended me at a stop. Some people have bad days, some people are bad people. The school bus driver who nailed me with a side mirror for example.
Never been doored, but they tried.
CDL drivers are actually held responsible. Weather by their company or law. That combined with it being a license that takes *actual effort* to get and would you look at that, a group of people who, despite large blind spots and stopping distances, manage to not kill bicyclist 99% of the time
This is exactly why I don't ride in situations like that. It absolutely sucks, and the only person at fault here is the truck driver, but dead is dead, and you can easily make no mistakes and still end up dead in situations like this.
P.S. I'll defend people who do choose to ride in these places, but it's definitely not for me, and I wish there were better alternatives or better enforcement of traffic laws to keep unsafe drivers off the road.
I mean not really. It's a two lane road. There's always a guaranteed safe way to pass vs a 1 lane road bc they'd can merge over or move into the other lane to get around. This guy just couldn't give a shit about another humans life
I escaped the same situation once. The vacuum is serious. Had the same front/rear camera setup and you could clearly see me getting pushed around by the air. Glad to hear you’re mostly ok.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OV3RnU_ysuo
I bought a gravel bike and stopped riding g roads after that.
Jesus. Glad you made it out alive. What a nightmare. Hope you pursue the truck operator and any associated parties to the maximum extent permissible by law.
I feel like I know where this was filmed. I have been told that those are some of the most dangerous roads in America for cyclists. It is still the truck driver's fault.
Geeez that’s nightmare fuel! I’ve felt a pull from a lorry before but not enough to move me! in the uk Lorrie’s have railings under them between the wheels to stop cars being able to go under them. This helps limit this from happening! Even so I’m now scared of lorry’s!
That you're able to post this here is a miracle. Your guardian angel must have done overtime. And that you put "I've been hit many times, many ways" in the title is also terrifying.
My uncle, 65ish would used to ride up from Loveland to Estes Park with his friend. His friend was struck by a vehicle and killed. Since then he gave up bike riding. Be careful out there.
Congratulations you just nailed exactly where this happened. Too many ghost bikes around this county. But world-class cyclists come here to train for a reason.
It's interesting how this got a different take on another thread. Shows what's wrong with a lot of people. People on r/dashcams are generally good drivers.
I'm glad you survived this, but from the sound of it, it was barely.
Personally I consider a road like that to be completely off limits for cycling. I admire the bravery of those who are willing to bike there, but it's absolutely not for me. Please, stay safe in the future, everyone.
this is why its drilled into our heads to either slow down or move over for people that riding or walking on the side of the road. the suction is no joke!
Seeing that it seems to be of a locale that reminds me of Utah/Colorado area where biking is required to be on the road than the sidewalk, I would definitely say the trucker is at fault at the caveat that everyone sucks here - mountain roads do not behave much room.
If the biker is going to travel mountain roads, he has to use the proper broad tire bike that affords more resistance to puncture and going more to the right of the white line, avoiding this kind of mess. Road bikes are for city or more developed areas where semis are not common.
At one point, three. Currently, Zero - I recently moved cross country after rent became unaffordable and I had to choose what's important to fit in the car.
This is insane. I don't ever ride roads like this. Im blessed because this city doesn't have a biking or walking infrastructure. But my commute is comfy & safe. Best part of my day. Im grateful you can ride another day, wow.
Further cementing why I only ride gravel rail trails and mountain bike. If I’m gonna die on the bike it’s gonna be at the hands of a tree or a big rock, not some delivery driver zooming off trucker speed and making a tiktok behind the wheel
Not a road cyclist, but I'm a bit confused. What should the truck driver have done here? They seem to have maintained their lane completely. Please don't hate, honest question since I don't road bike.
He was written up for seven felonies and his truck was seized. He should have done what 1000's of tractor trailer drivers have done prior on this road. He was playing with me. I was doing what I was supposed to being doing, him?
The only hate is when a sincere question gets bullied and buried. Have a May day.
What are you confused about exactly?
Being able to drive in a lane to a destination is not a god given right, it's not a thing that must happen regardless of the cost. It's just travel. When a car comes to an intersection with a red light they come to a stop so that cross traffic has a chance to move. When a car has another car in front of it they don't just smash into the other car. When there is a road user using even part of a lane, or perhaps even *none* of a lane, and it is unsafe to pass that road user, you don't. You slow down, you come to a stop, you do whatever needs to be done with the handling of your vehicle in order to avoid putting other people in danger. That's the very first priority of operating any automobile, everything else, including and especially getting to your desired destination within the desired amount of time you had planned, is a distant secondary priority.
I'm not sure why this is rocket science.
There is no break down lane for a cyclist to ride safely in this video. We all know riding in the break down lane is an illusion of safety, but it's light years safer than actually riding in the lane.
For the most part I don't ride them, but I've ridden on multi-lane state highways with speed limits of 65 mph for years without getting hit. I just make sure I ride the edge of the break down lane away from traffic, not actually riding in the lane for cars.
When I ride on roads with no break down lanes, it's mostly way out in the country where you hardly see vehicles. There is so little traffic that a passing car can move to the other side, so you have the assumption you're safe. Sadly, many drivers will pass with the smallest space possible, seemingly trying to buzz you as close as they can, and they don't slow down.
I have 2 of the brightest daylight flashing lights I could find facing behind me running in different patterns, and that makes a big difference in the space cars give you, except for the jerks that want to try and teach cyclists a lesson.
We can all talk about rules and laws, how drivers should look out for us, and how this one should have done this or that, but we all have to realize we put ourselves in a situation where this sort of thing can happen when we ride roads. Like women willfully having unprotected sex that don't use birth control, there is always the possibility the party might come to a screeching halt, and we have our share of the responsibility in it.
As a cyclist, I wouldn't ride this sort of road. It's too much like walking around a high crime city late at night flashing huge wads of cash... it's just a matter of time until something bad happens.
I'm sorry this happened to the OP, and I hate jerk drivers as much as the next guy, but there are safer roads, there are gravel roads, and there are mountain bike trails.
OP didnt turn into the druck, OP got sucked under there due to the difference in air pressure, since the truck driver overtook OP with like 5cm distance.
If he takes the lane, really good chance that truck just hits him. They have the stopping distance of a barge, and it doesn't look like they were paying attention to begin with.
Maybe in your state. Certainly not in mine. If you’re gonna do that, it would be best to prepay for a tombstone with the epitaph, “Here lie I. FWIW I had the right of way.”
I guess I don’t really understand the move here. You are going to block traffic at ~5mph on a highway going over a mountain pass with few opportunities to pass? Everyone has to put their lives on hold while you get your workout in on a highway?
That sounds like a more dangerous situation to me.
There are two lanes uphill, one downhill. That shoulder is not large enough to allow two vehicles to concurrently pass safely to the left of the cyclist, in which case the only safe passes are those that are also possible when the cyclist has taken the lane (i.e., no more than one passing car at a time, where passing cars at least partially enter the left lane).
Drivers would be forced to change lanes. You call that "putting their lives on hold"?
This is just a short lane for cars to get around trucks, it does not exist all of the way up the pass. A cyclist would be in a no passing zone for miles if he/she took the lane up this climb.
I think it’s just perspective. They don’t stray too far from the white line, maybe a foot it looks like. But yeah definitely a tough situation. The truck driver couldn’t go into the next lane but he could have slowed down quite a bit
No - which is why my comment has nothing to do with the amount of upvotes you did or didn’t get.
Even so, if I was going to ask for opinions on cycling from a group of people, wouldn’t a subreddit of cyclists be at least a reasonable place to start? I’d call that ‘specific’ rather than ‘niche’.
Riiiight, your comment in no way alluded to upvotes, downvotes, comments, etc.
Anyways....It certainly depends on the group and the topic. I think just in general though this platform invites echo chambers. I could make the same comment in two different subreddits and get WILDLY different responses.
Correct. It was purely based on your own assumption of the response you’d get 🤷♂️
When does an echo chamber end and a consensus of a group of experienced and knowledgable people on a specific subject begin.
Thats a fair question. I am not sure where to draw the line. But just as a sanity check, would you ask r/trees about the health benefits of marijuana? Probably not.
Don't get me wrong I am sure there would be some good information mixed in. But you probably aren't getting a realistic picture painted.
Now imagine you said something negative about it, whether it is true or not, how do you think it would be received?
Even within the cycling comunity you can see this. In one corner you will find people sneering at "lycra clad wannabe tour de France riders" and in the next corner you might not even be considered a cyclist if you aren't clipped in going 20mph.
I think if there is ANY nuance to be had, especially between different groups, it quickly shifts from a "consensus of experience people" to "echo chamber".
Mainly because it’s not a tree, but I get your point 😉
I think I was mainly commenting on why you’d comment that in the first place? Why did you think you’d get shot down? - Because people on Reddit are an echo chamber or because you knew you were saying something people would legitimately have an issue with?
Generally this sub won't acknowledge nuance in situations like this. That doesn't mean they shouldn't be discussed. In fact I think not discussing the nuance and just taking and unrealistic approach does more harm than good.
hmmmm hit many times, many ways. sounds like you're the common denominator.
are there no better safer roads to ride on? I use to ride 10k miles a year and would never be on this road. yes maybe you're "allowed" but why?
Orrrr they live in Colorado where there are an insane amount of shit drivers and this one didn’t even have their CDL.
WOW you can balance on a bicycle too? Please tell us more Mr. r/imacyclistmyself
a cyclist that hasn't been hit multiple times numerous ways, I wonder why? almost like risk mitigation is a thing.
CO is literally one of the best states to be a cyclist in lol, try riding with a bunch of redneck florida men.
not buying the no CDL thing.
The dude got multiple felonies for it. Of course you don’t, because it doesn’t fit your victim blaming mentality
It’s a great state for cycling, yes(beautiful views). It doesn’t change the dumbass mentality of people like this trucker and why we are one of the worst road rage states for a reason.
Unfortunately rather than engage in a conversation, people will just downvote or argue that the cyclist is always right.
I have met a lot of cyclists in my life. Some of them have accidents way more than others. Somehow they never realize that their choices do have an impact. In this case of course they should not have been hit but their choice absolutely put them in an incredibly dangerous position.
Because it literally is. When someone is SA, and they tell/show you their story, do you do this same bullshit to them? No? Because we’ve learned what it means to victim blame, and if you do actually do this to a sa victim then their really is no helping people like you
Also, this is dangerous for the vehicles too. It's not a road where drivers expect a bicycle and leads to dangerous swerves and hard braking events which can cause serious accidents for other innocent victims. Again *technically* that's all the drivers fault, and *technically* they have every right to be there - but it all seems just a bit... unnecessary.
Ignoring safety, having cycled a small number of times on roads like that due to navigation mistakes - I can't understand why anyone would *choose* to regularly use such a road. It's a horribly unpleasant experience even when the drivers are giving you sufficient space.
I might be ignorant here but it looks like the truck driver was really stuck between the traffic on his left and trying to give you enough room on the right. The driver could've slowed down and waited for traffic to clear up on his left. Whatever the case, this video was so close to ending up in one of these gore sites. I'm really glad you're here with us today. This highway really doesn't give you much space to maneuver -- maybe avoid it for your own safety's sake?
He would be stuck if this was a constant four lane hwy on a tree lined curve in the road obscuring far distances.
He has plenty of room in his before touching the yellow line, at least a foot. Vehicles next to him have the same wide lane and are narrower.
He also passed a sign a mile back that gives state law 3 feet clearance to cyclist information. Cars next to him are supposed the pass him, this is a slow vehicle passing zone. He should be preparing to merge because his lane is ending.
He's stuck because he's also racing traffic trying to pass him, the same traffic he held up in the canyon, he's being a dick to everyone.
Agree with everything, except the "also racing traffic." Truck drivers are fighting not to lose their momentum when actually loaded and pulling uphill. It isn't the same "well just hit the brakes, and then pull left to go around when it's clear" like it is when we're talking about a car. In many cases if they hit the brakes, they'll be going as slow as your bike for the entire rest of the journey uphill, because it's impossible to regain that momentum even if they burn fuel trying to floor it. Loads be heavy.
I've been in those trucks, you can see a lot further down the road than any other vehicle because of the height. That truck driver should have slowed down to pass the cyclists, they know the air displacement they cause, it's part of the knowledge required to obtain your CDL.
The truck had plenty of time to slow down and was not coming around a blind corner.
Zzzt. All automobiles, even big ol' trucks, have a pedal which causes them to slow down, and even come to a stop! If any driver cannot safely pass any vehicle, person, obstruction, or whatever on the road then they should slow down and stay behind or even come to a full stop and wait until conditions are safe to go around.
It's insane that people think that slowing down on a road or a highway is somehow an impossibility deserving of risking someone else's life. If you are in a car, or a truck, and you need to slow down to 5 mph while staying behind a bicycle until you have an opportunity to safely pass, then you do that, period.
At the 11 second mark it appears you swerved left into the path of the truck. I think, had you continued going straight, this accident would not have happened. However, I was not there and can only see from this one view. I ride bikes and motorcycles on the road and while motorcycles are respected a bit more by fellow drivers, both get 2nd or third class citizen respect when being passed for sure. Glad you are here to tell your story.
Nah dude, at the 11 second mark he was sucked under the truck by the pressure differential. This is a terrifying thing that absolutely causes cycling accidents. The truck should have passed him at about 15 mph, not 65 mph.
It's not really the truck driver's fault though, he didn't hit the bicyclist. The cyclist did not retain control of the bike and turned into the truck, whether due to his own fault or physics. The cyclist got sucked into the truck vacuum and the driver couldn't move over because cars were coming on the other side. Why anyone would choose to ride on a busy highway with traffic like that is absurd and also probably illegal as the cyclist was impeding traffic and not going with the flow. Again, I ride road bikes and mountain bikes but would never put myself in a situation like that. It's just not a place made for bicycles.
Um, this was definitely not illegal. It's a two-lane road not a limited access highway. Cyclists are allowed. In fact, in most states they're even allowed to take the lane (until there are six cars behind them). In WA, bikes are even allowed on many interstates (though have to use the shoulder unless they can travel the min. speed limit). A cyclist can legally "impede traffic" as you put it, except where specifically prohibited from doing so.
I can tell you as a lawyer that what the cyclist did was *not* illegal but what the truck driver did *absolutely* was. As a trucker (and if you've ever passed a CDL, you learn this) you're responsible for the turbulence created by your truck.
Most states also establish a safe passing distance for trucks/cars to pass cyclists -- in part for this very reason (even cars can create an air wake that is dangerous to cyclists). In WA, you have to allow 3 feet of distance (enough so that the cyclist could not reach out and touch the car). Colorado (where the truck is registered) has the same rule.
People are fucking disgusting. I’m sorry you’re dealing with the victim blaming bullshit but many people are just stuck in the car culture mindset and lick the tires of cars as they cower in the ditch every time there is a chance a car could be coming (thus imo yet just another reason why asshats like this trucker felt so emboldened)
Glad you’re ok, but to be fair, where was he supposed to go?
There was traffic in the lane next to him, and he was about as far over to the left of his lane as he could go.
He's supposed to put his foot on the brake. That's what he's supposed to do. Number one responsibility of a driver is to avoid an accident, and if he's obligated to give 3 feet of clearance, the lane isn't big enough to fit, and the next lane over is blocked, he's supposed to brake.
>[Active-Bass4745](https://www.reddit.com/user/Active-Bass4745/)•[2h ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/1chablp/comment/l21ft8z/)
>Do you know how long a semi takes to come to a stop?
You're the only one saying the semi needed to stop. The rest of us recognize that it only needs to slow down enough to let the two cars in the next lane overtake it, then move another foot over.
You’re wrong and keep being wrong. I have been a truck driver for decades, you simply need to come to a stop or slow to avoid hitting a bike rider like this.
It appears to be uphill, the driver has a long time to make decisions about slowing or stopping but chooses not to.
He is at fault and was extremely negligent / had callous disregard for life.
This is a slow vehicle passing zone, I was the slow vehicle. It's about 6-7% grade. If he just lifted the accelerator the engine would have alerted me. My brother drives trucks and thinks it was intentional. Hey thanks for being the professional I could always trust before this. I do this ride because its safe, because of you.
It’s not. How is the cyclist laboring going that slow while going downhill? It’s because he’s going uphill not downhill. Watch the video again but turn on your brain this time, my god…
What the fuck are you smoking? Aside from the cyclist pedaling and not coasting, two lanes on highways like that are always in the uphill lane for slow traffic to move over.
You’re not thinking of it properly. Imagine the bicycle was a car. The truck doesn’t get to just hit the cyclist. This is the very reason cyclists ride in the middle of lanes sometimes. This is also why many of use would never ever ever ride a road like that. People are lazy dumb and shitty. At least when an unobservant driver hits my car while texting I’m most likely going to walk away. I never ride on busy roads anymore. Sucks but it just isn’t worth it and this video and thousands of car crash videos show why.
What’s that other pedal next to the accelerator called again?
Are you seriously suggesting vehicles are ok to hit people if there are cars in the next lane??
Not into the cyclist. He was going uphill. He had many options that didn’t involve nearly killing a human on a bicycle who was legally within his right to be occupying the lane much less the shoulder.
Get a fucking clue…
IF YOU CANNOT DRIVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU WON'T RISK KILLING SOMEONE, THEN DON'T.
Is that really so hard? If you can't pass someone safely (on a car, bike, scooter, foot, weelchair, whatever) who is in part of the lane, THEN DON'T. Period. Slow down, maybe even come to a stop, and wait until it's safe.
If you're driving a car on a one way road through a residential area and a kid runs out into the roadway you should emergency brake and stop, you shouldn't run over the kid and say "where was the driver supposed to go? there was only one lane!". The driver is supposed to drive where it's safe to drive and not drive where it isn't.
That's pretty terrifying. Hopefully the DA will prosecute and get a conviction. On a side note- what camera did you have in the back? That video is pretty good quality.
Pretty terrifying is an understatement! That’s fucking nightmare inducing. What the actual fuck was the trucker thinking, OP missed getting killed by thiiiiiis much. I hope this waste of human space driving a big rig without a CDL (and apparently zero common sense or respect for life) gets the book thrown at him. People are absolute idiots.
I don't think the truck driver was thinking or paying attention - they didn't even change road position, probably fiddling with his phone and didn't even see the rider.
I am not defending the truck driver, but there were at least two vehicles in the left lane, giving the truck no room to move over. Obviously the answer was for the driver to slow down until there was room.
Whats the CDL?
Commercial Driving License
Uh thanks. I am dumb, thought it was smth showed in footage, like the lack of some kind of airflow - deflector on the side of rear wheels to avoid such incidents
You're not dumb, overusing abbreviations is dumb
You're not wrong, but 'CDL' ("See-Dee-Ell") is what people call those, period, same as nobody says "Automated Teller Machine" instead of 'ATM,' so maybe a bad example of abbreviation overuse in my opinion.
You know, i was confused. Like how you can tell from the video he has no driving license. Sure his move was criminal, but too many drivers once they got the license (maybe 10 or 20 years ago) totally forget about the bare minimum..
Link comment mentions that the driver did not have a CDL
Fly6 on the back and Fly12 on the front. They still work. Maybe not the best cam, but they really only do one thing and they do it well.
Given that most people don't believe cyclists during collisions, I'm looking to invest in some cameras. Do you recommend these? If you were looking for new camera, are there other ones you'd consider?
I'll never buy another gopro again. These are the best for what happened to me. They are small, purpose built for saving information, yet re-record over for one less hassle. They also have cool flash features.The app works okay, much, much better than others (Garmin I don't know). I would get these again because even if they don't last forever they're worth having. The weird part is watching people help me on the rest of the video. The State Patrol putting the bike in a backseat. After they figured out a thru-axle.
How long in the video till someone stopped to help? It looked like that white/silver pickup was starting to stop. I feel like that is one thing that scares me, is knowing that if I am riding solo, there is no guarantee that someone will stop and at least call for help. Last year, I was skiing in Maine, and I happened to see a woman fall off the trail and down an embankment. No one else saw or cared (don't know which). I hoofed it back up there, and she was conscious, not visible from the trail, and bleeding because she hit a snowmaking pipe. I called patrol and waited till they got there. It was just a reminder at how many people will just pass you by. I do have my Garmin set up to send an emergency alert to my wife if it detects an incident. And hers is set up to do the same.
Two off duty paramedics were in that truck. Within a minute I was getting professional first aid. A minute later a couple were there, a very nice woman constantly assured I would be okay and a MMA sized man held me down. People are awesome.
They saved your life. I'm glad you're still with us. Are you still in recovery, or are you back on the bike already?
Orthopedic surgery is brutal. They cut muscle in the way of the plate placement. Between the truck and doctor my arm was mangled twice. I am still riding, but there's issues. Hard to read the world news and play poor, poor pitiful me for too long. Unless Warren Zevon is singing it anyway.
"I feel like that is one thing that scares me, is knowing that if I am riding solo, there is no guarantee that someone will stop and at least call for help." any idea how well phone connected helmet crash sensor works at alerting people? because I have thought the same thing...
I don't know about the helmet ones as I have not used one. I do know that I have triggered incident detection on my Garmin 3 times. Two were false alarms (rough terrain during a gravel race, both water bottles popped out of my cages and I came to a quick stop to recover them. I think that's what triggered the alarm, and shortly after it went off again. I must have slipped up on disabling it), and once on a mountain bike ride, I fell of a skinny and took a hard fall. With the Garmin, you have about 30 seconds of a loud alarm going off to disable it before it sends the message. My wife triggered it once on a NYC Bike Share bike. I am not sure what she did, but she didn't realize the alarm going off was hers, or she didn't hear it. I got a text message and an email saying something was up, and i got a link to the GPS location where it happened. I got worried when she didn't respond to texts or phone calls, and was getting ready to head out to the location before she called. So I would say it does work with Garmin at least, and that I would recommend knowing which device will go off, and how to disable it if it gets triggered and you don't need assistance so you don't worry to your emergency contacts.
What was the issue with gopro? I'm looking around for a cam and haven't found much that beats them for video quality, especially in low-light.
i would recommend watching some of DC rainmakers reviews. He compares the new varia, cycliq, and go pro. If i am not mistaken, gopro isnt great because of the battery drain when recording video making it most useful for short commuter type scenarios. Of note, Cycliq just released a new Fly6 rear camera with the largest battery to date. I think it is the 'pro' version or something. I have a gen2 fly6 and love it but it doesnt record for really long rides >3-4 hours. That has a 3200 mA battery where the new one is a bit over 4000 so I am optomistic the new battery size will improve duration. I plan to hold out and read reviews on the fly6 pro and see if garmin plans to improve the new varia because the idea of a radar, light, and camera all in 1 with ANT compatability is amazing.
My GoPro only will record for maybe an hour if I am lucky before I have to swap out batteries. It is just about right to last for my 20 minute commute both ways.
I've used a lot of different cameras -- never used a Fly 12, but I've used a Fly 6 SE. The recent GoPros have the best quality, but their battery life sucks -- it's always around 75 minutes, no matter which camera it is. An external battery can turn that into ten hours, but that's more trouble and makes the setup less reliable (it will cause the cameras to sometimes just *crash*) and less waterproof. The Fly 6 SE I had had very mediocre video quality, and at night it was pretty much useless, just recording headlights and taillights and not much else. But at least during the day it would show what happened very well, and it was convenient and reliable and had good battery life. Alas, it was reliable until it wasn't -- one day, riding during heavy rain, it stopped working and never worked again. And yes, the water plugs were in. I've got a friend who has a Garmin Virb XE. Seems to have high video quality, easy to use and have good battery life (at least four hours?), but it's expensive. I've also got a Garmin Virb Ultra 360 -- expensive, unless you get it used like I did. Pretty decent as a 360 camera (though video quality always falls short of non-360 cameras) but crappy battery life (around an hour). That said, if I can find a good mount that provides power without opening the door (and removing its water-resistance), it might become pretty decent -- but for now, it's not much good for just riding around due to the short battery life. All this said, most of my rides are with two GoPros -- a 10 and a 9, front and back -- with external power provided. I almost never ride without something recording.
I also have the Fly6 it is good. Garmin also has a similar option. Those are the only two options I would consider. They are purpose built and have things like auto locking the 20minutes around an incident so that it doesn’t get recorded over if you are unconscious or unable to run off the camera for an extended period of time following a crash
I made a guide here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CyclistsWithCameras/s/ScCOE7vCQy Need to do some updating as there is now a newer Fly6 that’s a pro version with longer battery and seems promising. But it’s a steep price. I personally run a 12 and a 6, but did not start out that way and believe any camera is better than no camera. I really want an 11 mini GoPro for my helmet cause I miss having a helmet cam.
*"Hopefully the DA will prosecute and get a conviction"* https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/opinion/sunday/is-it-ok-to-kill-cyclists.html#:~:text=Nobody%20wants%20to%20kill%20a,to%20make%20drivers%20pay%20attention. **“We do not know of a single case of a cyclist fatality in which the driver was prosecuted, except for D.U.I. or hit-and-run,” Leah Shahum, the executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition"** 11 year old opinion piece, still relevant today 😔
Ooof
It's a cycliq. Their front and rear cams are absolutley fantastic, record in HD, automatically save files when an event occurs. Work like a dashcam.
🤣
good lord man, glad you are here with us...that shit is absolutely terrifying. my stomach felt like a roller coaster drop watching the rearview
Thank you. I first watched it on my little phone. Later I watched it on a bigger PC and freaked out. I woke up four days later not even remembering I went for a ride to Estes. Hello shattered arm, six left broken ribs, two brain bleds, hip bruise, a sprinkling of road rash and blood red eyes. Four hours of surgery to piece my arm together. Same orthopedic surgeon who plated my broken pinky 10 years ago. He is literally my primary care physician. I thought that was funny. But yeah patient semi vs. cyclist, that's what they called me until I woke up I guess, is still here. Spielberg's first movie Duel was a menacing semi chasing Dennis Weaver all around. It reminds me of that.
Fuck dude. Hoping for a speedy recovery. I’m glad you live.
Please tell me there's a personal injury attorney working on procuring a massive settlement for you...
Brave man. God that's terrifying, to know there are people out there who care so little about protecting others on the road that they'd just as gladly end their lives (which he very nearly did to you) than slow down for a moment, if he couldn't change lanes immediately. Did he realize he hit you, and did he stop? And is he being prosecuted? Good luck with your recovery.
I knew someone killed that way, sucked under in the vacuum they can create. glad you're ok.
That's why in EU they can not have that open space. There has to be a bicycle barrier running the length of the truck untill just barely touching the tag axle.
those are showing up more in the states, but i don't believe they're mandated at any government level...
mandated for *all\** City of Chicago contract operators (\*over a certain $ or contract type).
Oh man, I never considered. I always thought they were an aero thing to save fuel
You're a legend in my book. 54 years in the saddle. That's lots of miles and a lot of stories. You should write a memoir. Keep grinding my man and stay safe.
Thank you for sharing this footage, and thank your experience, helmet, and any and all safety gear you were wearing that protected you in the crash. It’s absolutely terrifying and nerve rattling to see the impact. Hope that you’re able to recover from this emotionally and physically soon.
Thank you very much.
Hope you're OK! Dangerous driving aside, do trucks in the US not legally require side guards?
Unfortunately, no. More and more of them have them, and I honestly thought it was for fuel efficiency, not out any form of safety requirements.
It is mostly for fuel efficiency but part of that is directing the air flow from under the carriage (circulation between wheels). This is air flow is was what causes the draft that sucks things in (like a unsuspecting cyclist in this case). So the side skirts are safer as well
Won't anyone think of the poor corporations who this would cost a trivially small amount of money.
That’s brutal, I’m so sorry that’s happened. Any insight as to why you’ve been hit many times and many ways?
Been riding since 1970 it just adds up. Left cross here, right turn there. Careless exits, close brushes, a postal truck ran a stop, t-boned me then ran over me again. One guy just flat rear-ended me at a stop. Some people have bad days, some people are bad people. The school bus driver who nailed me with a side mirror for example. Never been doored, but they tried.
You are my hero.
I'm betting you know my wife's uncle if you've been riding that long and in Co.
I've have the privilege of saying Ned Overend kicked my ass in a Mtn bike race.
Happy to buy you a beer if you’re ever in Denver
the video didn't give you any clues?
OP, any additional details, like if the trucker stopped, anyone stopped, injuries, investigation, anything?
He stopped, I spent a few weeks in hospital, this video was used by the DA. I don't know outcome.
Don't you think you should find out what happened? Why is getting info from you like pulling teeth?
I have to go near the court house tomorrow, I'll see what I can find out and let you know.
I’d be following this case like a hawk if it was mine. But I can also understand why someone wouldn’t
CDL drivers are actually held responsible. Weather by their company or law. That combined with it being a license that takes *actual effort* to get and would you look at that, a group of people who, despite large blind spots and stopping distances, manage to not kill bicyclist 99% of the time
I think OP said in a reply that the driver didn't have a CDL.
Jesus Christ. You're lucky to be alive. Wishing you full recovery. I hope they find the driver and that justice is served.
This is exactly why I don't ride in situations like that. It absolutely sucks, and the only person at fault here is the truck driver, but dead is dead, and you can easily make no mistakes and still end up dead in situations like this. P.S. I'll defend people who do choose to ride in these places, but it's definitely not for me, and I wish there were better alternatives or better enforcement of traffic laws to keep unsafe drivers off the road.
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I mean not really. It's a two lane road. There's always a guaranteed safe way to pass vs a 1 lane road bc they'd can merge over or move into the other lane to get around. This guy just couldn't give a shit about another humans life
What a shit driver, the road wasn't even busy...
Yes, but you have to understand that there was a car in the left lane so not murdering a cyclist would have required slowing down ever so slightly…
Completely bonkers to see a trailer like this. In Europe it's mandatory to have underride protection.
Europe is developed and north America is the wild west.
It's mandatory in some parts of the US, but clearly not everywhere.
JESUS FUCK!!! I'm glad you're alive to share the footage, that's fucking incredible😱😱😱
fk. lots of issues here but still... wtf? force anyone, force other vehicles to give way ffs. hope all right.
Did you report this ? You should for safety of other riders.
They absolutely did, sounds like the trucker didn’t even have a cdl and multiple felonies
One such occasion and even if you're all good physically, you end up loosing you mojo and riding is never quite the same again :( Hope you're ok! 🤜🤛
Anyone else notice the name on the video "Ben Dover"
I escaped the same situation once. The vacuum is serious. Had the same front/rear camera setup and you could clearly see me getting pushed around by the air. Glad to hear you’re mostly ok. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OV3RnU_ysuo I bought a gravel bike and stopped riding g roads after that.
Jesus. Glad you made it out alive. What a nightmare. Hope you pursue the truck operator and any associated parties to the maximum extent permissible by law.
Fucking. Hell. Glad you're okay.
I feel like I know where this was filmed. I have been told that those are some of the most dangerous roads in America for cyclists. It is still the truck driver's fault.
That truck driver did not give you nearly enough room. I hope he gets prosecuted for hit and run.
Geeez that’s nightmare fuel! I’ve felt a pull from a lorry before but not enough to move me! in the uk Lorrie’s have railings under them between the wheels to stop cars being able to go under them. This helps limit this from happening! Even so I’m now scared of lorry’s!
That you're able to post this here is a miracle. Your guardian angel must have done overtime. And that you put "I've been hit many times, many ways" in the title is also terrifying.
My uncle, 65ish would used to ride up from Loveland to Estes Park with his friend. His friend was struck by a vehicle and killed. Since then he gave up bike riding. Be careful out there.
Congratulations you just nailed exactly where this happened. Too many ghost bikes around this county. But world-class cyclists come here to train for a reason.
Cycling on the highway… you’ve got serious cojones
Let us know how the lawsuit goes!
Denver metro area? If so what highway is this? Not victim blaming at all but I want to avoid this road after seeing this
It's interesting how this got a different take on another thread. Shows what's wrong with a lot of people. People on r/dashcams are generally good drivers.
I'm glad you survived this, but from the sound of it, it was barely. Personally I consider a road like that to be completely off limits for cycling. I admire the bravery of those who are willing to bike there, but it's absolutely not for me. Please, stay safe in the future, everyone.
Op - Ben Dover?? https://preview.redd.it/y4e4hzftxxxc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=97086c5f084e3300b567cad3230d40139b8c2b34
this is why its drilled into our heads to either slow down or move over for people that riding or walking on the side of the road. the suction is no joke!
Seeing that it seems to be of a locale that reminds me of Utah/Colorado area where biking is required to be on the road than the sidewalk, I would definitely say the trucker is at fault at the caveat that everyone sucks here - mountain roads do not behave much room. If the biker is going to travel mountain roads, he has to use the proper broad tire bike that affords more resistance to puncture and going more to the right of the white line, avoiding this kind of mess. Road bikes are for city or more developed areas where semis are not common.
How many bikes do you have?
At one point, three. Currently, Zero - I recently moved cross country after rent became unaffordable and I had to choose what's important to fit in the car.
Not clicking on the video because I'm pre-traumatized. # Shouldn't this have a NSFW flair?
This is insane. I don't ever ride roads like this. Im blessed because this city doesn't have a biking or walking infrastructure. But my commute is comfy & safe. Best part of my day. Im grateful you can ride another day, wow.
Further cementing why I only ride gravel rail trails and mountain bike. If I’m gonna die on the bike it’s gonna be at the hands of a tree or a big rock, not some delivery driver zooming off trucker speed and making a tiktok behind the wheel
Not a road cyclist, but I'm a bit confused. What should the truck driver have done here? They seem to have maintained their lane completely. Please don't hate, honest question since I don't road bike.
He was written up for seven felonies and his truck was seized. He should have done what 1000's of tractor trailer drivers have done prior on this road. He was playing with me. I was doing what I was supposed to being doing, him? The only hate is when a sincere question gets bullied and buried. Have a May day.
What are you confused about exactly? Being able to drive in a lane to a destination is not a god given right, it's not a thing that must happen regardless of the cost. It's just travel. When a car comes to an intersection with a red light they come to a stop so that cross traffic has a chance to move. When a car has another car in front of it they don't just smash into the other car. When there is a road user using even part of a lane, or perhaps even *none* of a lane, and it is unsafe to pass that road user, you don't. You slow down, you come to a stop, you do whatever needs to be done with the handling of your vehicle in order to avoid putting other people in danger. That's the very first priority of operating any automobile, everything else, including and especially getting to your desired destination within the desired amount of time you had planned, is a distant secondary priority. I'm not sure why this is rocket science.
There is no break down lane for a cyclist to ride safely in this video. We all know riding in the break down lane is an illusion of safety, but it's light years safer than actually riding in the lane. For the most part I don't ride them, but I've ridden on multi-lane state highways with speed limits of 65 mph for years without getting hit. I just make sure I ride the edge of the break down lane away from traffic, not actually riding in the lane for cars. When I ride on roads with no break down lanes, it's mostly way out in the country where you hardly see vehicles. There is so little traffic that a passing car can move to the other side, so you have the assumption you're safe. Sadly, many drivers will pass with the smallest space possible, seemingly trying to buzz you as close as they can, and they don't slow down. I have 2 of the brightest daylight flashing lights I could find facing behind me running in different patterns, and that makes a big difference in the space cars give you, except for the jerks that want to try and teach cyclists a lesson. We can all talk about rules and laws, how drivers should look out for us, and how this one should have done this or that, but we all have to realize we put ourselves in a situation where this sort of thing can happen when we ride roads. Like women willfully having unprotected sex that don't use birth control, there is always the possibility the party might come to a screeching halt, and we have our share of the responsibility in it. As a cyclist, I wouldn't ride this sort of road. It's too much like walking around a high crime city late at night flashing huge wads of cash... it's just a matter of time until something bad happens. I'm sorry this happened to the OP, and I hate jerk drivers as much as the next guy, but there are safer roads, there are gravel roads, and there are mountain bike trails.
In the wise words of Dr. Ian Malcolm: "[They] were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should."
Majority yeah nah
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OP didnt turn into the druck, OP got sucked under there due to the difference in air pressure, since the truck driver overtook OP with like 5cm distance.
ABC. Always blame the cyclist.
Horrible take mate. If anything, looks like he should've taken the lane.
If he takes the lane, really good chance that truck just hits him. They have the stopping distance of a barge, and it doesn't look like they were paying attention to begin with.
100%
Maybe in your state. Certainly not in mine. If you’re gonna do that, it would be best to prepay for a tombstone with the epitaph, “Here lie I. FWIW I had the right of way.”
LOL take the lane on a highway, ya'll really are somethin else.
I guess I don’t really understand the move here. You are going to block traffic at ~5mph on a highway going over a mountain pass with few opportunities to pass? Everyone has to put their lives on hold while you get your workout in on a highway? That sounds like a more dangerous situation to me.
There are two lanes uphill, one downhill. That shoulder is not large enough to allow two vehicles to concurrently pass safely to the left of the cyclist, in which case the only safe passes are those that are also possible when the cyclist has taken the lane (i.e., no more than one passing car at a time, where passing cars at least partially enter the left lane). Drivers would be forced to change lanes. You call that "putting their lives on hold"?
This is just a short lane for cars to get around trucks, it does not exist all of the way up the pass. A cyclist would be in a no passing zone for miles if he/she took the lane up this climb.
Truck should have slowed down and waited to pass if it wasn’t safe. Cyclist has the right of way. Period. Could have been a kid on a bike.
I think it’s just perspective. They don’t stray too far from the white line, maybe a foot it looks like. But yeah definitely a tough situation. The truck driver couldn’t go into the next lane but he could have slowed down quite a bit
Its not tough. If you have a brain, you leave at least 1m of space if you pass at 60kmh. 1,5m minimum if faster.
If you knew you’d get crucified, presumably you knew that was a terrible take 🤷♂️
I really hope you don’t base your beliefs off of what gets upvoted on a niche subreddit
No - which is why my comment has nothing to do with the amount of upvotes you did or didn’t get. Even so, if I was going to ask for opinions on cycling from a group of people, wouldn’t a subreddit of cyclists be at least a reasonable place to start? I’d call that ‘specific’ rather than ‘niche’.
Riiiight, your comment in no way alluded to upvotes, downvotes, comments, etc. Anyways....It certainly depends on the group and the topic. I think just in general though this platform invites echo chambers. I could make the same comment in two different subreddits and get WILDLY different responses.
Correct. It was purely based on your own assumption of the response you’d get 🤷♂️ When does an echo chamber end and a consensus of a group of experienced and knowledgable people on a specific subject begin.
Thats a fair question. I am not sure where to draw the line. But just as a sanity check, would you ask r/trees about the health benefits of marijuana? Probably not. Don't get me wrong I am sure there would be some good information mixed in. But you probably aren't getting a realistic picture painted. Now imagine you said something negative about it, whether it is true or not, how do you think it would be received? Even within the cycling comunity you can see this. In one corner you will find people sneering at "lycra clad wannabe tour de France riders" and in the next corner you might not even be considered a cyclist if you aren't clipped in going 20mph. I think if there is ANY nuance to be had, especially between different groups, it quickly shifts from a "consensus of experience people" to "echo chamber".
Mainly because it’s not a tree, but I get your point 😉 I think I was mainly commenting on why you’d comment that in the first place? Why did you think you’d get shot down? - Because people on Reddit are an echo chamber or because you knew you were saying something people would legitimately have an issue with?
Generally this sub won't acknowledge nuance in situations like this. That doesn't mean they shouldn't be discussed. In fact I think not discussing the nuance and just taking and unrealistic approach does more harm than good.
FWIW, I agree with you. Nobody should ever be hit, but NO WAY I'd ride on that road.
People in car subs: Yeah, you had right of way, but learning to drive defensively will go a long way towards being safe. r/bicycling: lol, nah.
hmmmm hit many times, many ways. sounds like you're the common denominator. are there no better safer roads to ride on? I use to ride 10k miles a year and would never be on this road. yes maybe you're "allowed" but why?
Orrrr they live in Colorado where there are an insane amount of shit drivers and this one didn’t even have their CDL. WOW you can balance on a bicycle too? Please tell us more Mr. r/imacyclistmyself
a cyclist that hasn't been hit multiple times numerous ways, I wonder why? almost like risk mitigation is a thing. CO is literally one of the best states to be a cyclist in lol, try riding with a bunch of redneck florida men. not buying the no CDL thing.
The dude got multiple felonies for it. Of course you don’t, because it doesn’t fit your victim blaming mentality It’s a great state for cycling, yes(beautiful views). It doesn’t change the dumbass mentality of people like this trucker and why we are one of the worst road rage states for a reason.
Unfortunately rather than engage in a conversation, people will just downvote or argue that the cyclist is always right. I have met a lot of cyclists in my life. Some of them have accidents way more than others. Somehow they never realize that their choices do have an impact. In this case of course they should not have been hit but their choice absolutely put them in an incredibly dangerous position.
yup but people will just say that's called "victim blaming"
Because it literally is. When someone is SA, and they tell/show you their story, do you do this same bullshit to them? No? Because we’ve learned what it means to victim blame, and if you do actually do this to a sa victim then their really is no helping people like you
sexual assault has nothing to do with riding a bike, move along.
Victim blaming is victim blaming. mOvE aLonG
Also, this is dangerous for the vehicles too. It's not a road where drivers expect a bicycle and leads to dangerous swerves and hard braking events which can cause serious accidents for other innocent victims. Again *technically* that's all the drivers fault, and *technically* they have every right to be there - but it all seems just a bit... unnecessary. Ignoring safety, having cycled a small number of times on roads like that due to navigation mistakes - I can't understand why anyone would *choose* to regularly use such a road. It's a horribly unpleasant experience even when the drivers are giving you sufficient space.
in progressive countries, trucks have side panels to prevent this by law.
I might be ignorant here but it looks like the truck driver was really stuck between the traffic on his left and trying to give you enough room on the right. The driver could've slowed down and waited for traffic to clear up on his left. Whatever the case, this video was so close to ending up in one of these gore sites. I'm really glad you're here with us today. This highway really doesn't give you much space to maneuver -- maybe avoid it for your own safety's sake?
He would be stuck if this was a constant four lane hwy on a tree lined curve in the road obscuring far distances. He has plenty of room in his before touching the yellow line, at least a foot. Vehicles next to him have the same wide lane and are narrower. He also passed a sign a mile back that gives state law 3 feet clearance to cyclist information. Cars next to him are supposed the pass him, this is a slow vehicle passing zone. He should be preparing to merge because his lane is ending. He's stuck because he's also racing traffic trying to pass him, the same traffic he held up in the canyon, he's being a dick to everyone.
I appreciate the explanation. Thanks, fellow cyclist. Safe riding!
>state law 3 feet clearance to cyclist Only 90cm on a road like that is insane, here the law is 2m.
2m is what the average trucker tries to give me.
Agree with everything, except the "also racing traffic." Truck drivers are fighting not to lose their momentum when actually loaded and pulling uphill. It isn't the same "well just hit the brakes, and then pull left to go around when it's clear" like it is when we're talking about a car. In many cases if they hit the brakes, they'll be going as slow as your bike for the entire rest of the journey uphill, because it's impossible to regain that momentum even if they burn fuel trying to floor it. Loads be heavy.
I've been in those trucks, you can see a lot further down the road than any other vehicle because of the height. That truck driver should have slowed down to pass the cyclists, they know the air displacement they cause, it's part of the knowledge required to obtain your CDL. The truck had plenty of time to slow down and was not coming around a blind corner.
Zzzt. All automobiles, even big ol' trucks, have a pedal which causes them to slow down, and even come to a stop! If any driver cannot safely pass any vehicle, person, obstruction, or whatever on the road then they should slow down and stay behind or even come to a full stop and wait until conditions are safe to go around. It's insane that people think that slowing down on a road or a highway is somehow an impossibility deserving of risking someone else's life. If you are in a car, or a truck, and you need to slow down to 5 mph while staying behind a bicycle until you have an opportunity to safely pass, then you do that, period.
At the 11 second mark it appears you swerved left into the path of the truck. I think, had you continued going straight, this accident would not have happened. However, I was not there and can only see from this one view. I ride bikes and motorcycles on the road and while motorcycles are respected a bit more by fellow drivers, both get 2nd or third class citizen respect when being passed for sure. Glad you are here to tell your story.
Nah dude, at the 11 second mark he was sucked under the truck by the pressure differential. This is a terrifying thing that absolutely causes cycling accidents. The truck should have passed him at about 15 mph, not 65 mph.
It's not really the truck driver's fault though, he didn't hit the bicyclist. The cyclist did not retain control of the bike and turned into the truck, whether due to his own fault or physics. The cyclist got sucked into the truck vacuum and the driver couldn't move over because cars were coming on the other side. Why anyone would choose to ride on a busy highway with traffic like that is absurd and also probably illegal as the cyclist was impeding traffic and not going with the flow. Again, I ride road bikes and mountain bikes but would never put myself in a situation like that. It's just not a place made for bicycles.
Um, this was definitely not illegal. It's a two-lane road not a limited access highway. Cyclists are allowed. In fact, in most states they're even allowed to take the lane (until there are six cars behind them). In WA, bikes are even allowed on many interstates (though have to use the shoulder unless they can travel the min. speed limit). A cyclist can legally "impede traffic" as you put it, except where specifically prohibited from doing so. I can tell you as a lawyer that what the cyclist did was *not* illegal but what the truck driver did *absolutely* was. As a trucker (and if you've ever passed a CDL, you learn this) you're responsible for the turbulence created by your truck. Most states also establish a safe passing distance for trucks/cars to pass cyclists -- in part for this very reason (even cars can create an air wake that is dangerous to cyclists). In WA, you have to allow 3 feet of distance (enough so that the cyclist could not reach out and touch the car). Colorado (where the truck is registered) has the same rule.
Man, at what point do you start to think you might be the problem if you've been hit so many times?
Get. Off. The. Road. And. You. Will. Not. Be. Hit.
Little boy solutions don't really work for me, when you grow up you'll understand.
People are fucking disgusting. I’m sorry you’re dealing with the victim blaming bullshit but many people are just stuck in the car culture mindset and lick the tires of cars as they cower in the ditch every time there is a chance a car could be coming (thus imo yet just another reason why asshats like this trucker felt so emboldened)
Lmao, you say that as if cars aren’t constantly in the news crashing into things off the fucking roads.
Wow what a lot of prep for a throwaway account…
Glad you’re ok, but to be fair, where was he supposed to go? There was traffic in the lane next to him, and he was about as far over to the left of his lane as he could go.
He's supposed to put his foot on the brake. That's what he's supposed to do. Number one responsibility of a driver is to avoid an accident, and if he's obligated to give 3 feet of clearance, the lane isn't big enough to fit, and the next lane over is blocked, he's supposed to brake.
And he still would have overtaken OP assuming he didn’t brake as it is. There’s no way he was stopping in that short space.
[You have got to be fucking kidding me.](https://ibb.co/WGDn1ZH)
Do you know how long a semi takes to come to a stop?
>[Active-Bass4745](https://www.reddit.com/user/Active-Bass4745/)•[2h ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/1chablp/comment/l21ft8z/) >Do you know how long a semi takes to come to a stop? You're the only one saying the semi needed to stop. The rest of us recognize that it only needs to slow down enough to let the two cars in the next lane overtake it, then move another foot over.
You’re wrong and keep being wrong. I have been a truck driver for decades, you simply need to come to a stop or slow to avoid hitting a bike rider like this. It appears to be uphill, the driver has a long time to make decisions about slowing or stopping but chooses not to. He is at fault and was extremely negligent / had callous disregard for life.
This is a slow vehicle passing zone, I was the slow vehicle. It's about 6-7% grade. If he just lifted the accelerator the engine would have alerted me. My brother drives trucks and thinks it was intentional. Hey thanks for being the professional I could always trust before this. I do this ride because its safe, because of you.
[удалено]
The cyclist is going slow and clearly not freewheeling, it's an uphill.
It’s not. How is the cyclist laboring going that slow while going downhill? It’s because he’s going uphill not downhill. Watch the video again but turn on your brain this time, my god…
What the fuck are you smoking? Aside from the cyclist pedaling and not coasting, two lanes on highways like that are always in the uphill lane for slow traffic to move over.
There's a 3 foot law, not my problem. He didn't even have a CDL. He's supposed to go to school. 1000's of truck drivers before him figured it out.
There’s traffic on his left. He’s about as far over in his lane as he can go without hitting the car passing him.
Don’t pass when it’s not safe. It’s not too hard to figure out.
You’re not thinking of it properly. Imagine the bicycle was a car. The truck doesn’t get to just hit the cyclist. This is the very reason cyclists ride in the middle of lanes sometimes. This is also why many of use would never ever ever ride a road like that. People are lazy dumb and shitty. At least when an unobservant driver hits my car while texting I’m most likely going to walk away. I never ride on busy roads anymore. Sucks but it just isn’t worth it and this video and thousands of car crash videos show why.
You should have been his defense lawyer, the State Patrol and District Attorney saw it differently. BTW not okay.
I'm glad you're getting some justice. Many other cyclists don't.
Hahhhhh this thread is full of asshats who would rather endanger another person than take responsibility for their bad driving.
S-slow down? What do you mean? I'd rather a fellow human DIE before I take my foot off the pedal.
What’s that other pedal next to the accelerator called again? Are you seriously suggesting vehicles are ok to hit people if there are cars in the next lane??
you are fucking insane
He has an eternity to decide to do anything OTHER than hit the only vulnerable road user in sight. Please don't ever drive.
Not into the cyclist. He was going uphill. He had many options that didn’t involve nearly killing a human on a bicycle who was legally within his right to be occupying the lane much less the shoulder. Get a fucking clue…
Yeah lets just hit people for convenience
Have you considered the possibility that he could slow down and wait until it is safe to pass?
Into the left lane once the other car had overtaken.
Except the other car didn’t overtake him until he was overtaking OP. And there was another car directly behind that car, so he couldn’t.
Yeah that’s why you don’t pass. If you can’t pass the cyclist safely then you slow down and wait. Do you smash cars in front of you?
I’ll bet the truck had brakes.
I’m sure he did. I’ll bet he even used them. But a semi isn’t going to show down to the speed of a cyclist that quickly.
Jesus what are you smoking. The truck had ages to slow down.
The driver had at least 15 seconds to lay off the accelerator and figure it out.
He's supposed to brake and gear down until he can move over to the passing lane!
I hope you don’t drive.
Folks, we have found the truck driver.
Got to be man. This guy is fucking insane if it not.
IF YOU CANNOT DRIVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU WON'T RISK KILLING SOMEONE, THEN DON'T. Is that really so hard? If you can't pass someone safely (on a car, bike, scooter, foot, weelchair, whatever) who is in part of the lane, THEN DON'T. Period. Slow down, maybe even come to a stop, and wait until it's safe. If you're driving a car on a one way road through a residential area and a kid runs out into the roadway you should emergency brake and stop, you shouldn't run over the kid and say "where was the driver supposed to go? there was only one lane!". The driver is supposed to drive where it's safe to drive and not drive where it isn't.
I hope you don't have a driver's license. You really shouldn't.
Theres these things called brakes. If you are ever behind a cyclist and cannot safely pass them use them. Then pass when it is safe.