Common Accidents
- The Left Cross
Biker is riding straight on road parallel to car, driver doesn't see it and makes a left turn into the bike.
- The Right Hook
Bike is riding on the right side on a car, driver doesn't see it and makes a right turn.
- Getting "Doored"
Bike is riding between traffic and parked car, driver in parked car doesn't see biker and opens car door into bike's path.
- Getting "Parking -lotted"
Car exits Parking Lot driveway directly into the path of a biker on the street.
- The Overtaking
Car passes bike without leaving enough clearance room.
Biker is riding straight on road parallel to car, driver doesn't see it and makes a left turn into the bike.
- The Right Hook
Bike is riding on the right side on a car, driver doesn't see it and makes a right turn.
- Getting "Doored"
Bike is riding between traffic and parked car, driver in parked car doesn't see biker and opens car door into bike's path.
- Getting "Parking -lotted"
Car exits Parking Lot driveway directly into the path of a biker on the street.
- The Overtaking
Car passes bike without leaving enough clearance room.
Other Causes of Accidents
Throughout the weeks that we have been working on this project, I have starting to notice possible accidents in the making on the street. Some of these I have listed on the "General Info" page, but there are some little things that seem innocent at the time but could have gone very badly. Just last week, a student on a bike rode in front of a car when it wasn't the bike's turn to go. Fortunately the biker was seen and the driver waited for them, but a less attentive driver would have assumed that other road users would stay back for him to go right when it his turn, and not seen the bike in time to stop.
Little things like these can seem like nothing at the time - after all, the driver did see the bike and stop - and can lead a bike to get overconfident that they are visible. When you are a bike, this type of overconfidence can lead to regret after you pull out in front of the driver who didn't see you, just like all the times you had done this before. Maybe that was the driver who's eye passed over you without registering you, or maybe that was the driver who's blind spot you were in when they checked for oncoming traffic. Either way, the end result is the same.
Little things like these can seem like nothing at the time - after all, the driver did see the bike and stop - and can lead a bike to get overconfident that they are visible. When you are a bike, this type of overconfidence can lead to regret after you pull out in front of the driver who didn't see you, just like all the times you had done this before. Maybe that was the driver who's eye passed over you without registering you, or maybe that was the driver who's blind spot you were in when they checked for oncoming traffic. Either way, the end result is the same.