Castanet

Donald G wrote:Perhaps I am an optimist but the biggest problem today seems to be the right shoulder check at intersections and invisible bicycles.

That's the second time you've used the term "invisible bicycle", the first time I wrote it off to sarcasm but now I'm more curious to know what you mean in detail ...

The way I'd see that term applying is to people who ride on the sidewalks and then use crosswalks while riding, or the newbie riders who dive into the curb between parked cars ...

Just change invisible bicycle to ..a bicycle not yet noticed by me.......and this thread will become a whole lot more accurate..

Donald G wrote:
Perhaps I am an optimist but the biggest problem today seems to be the right shoulder check at intersections and invisible bicycles.

Unread postby spooker » Today, 9:02 am

That's the second time you've used the term "invisible bicycle", the first time I wrote it off to sarcasm but now I'm more curious to know what you mean in detail ...

A simplified version is that science has proven that visualized articles such as bicycles and motorcycles get sent to the brain as colors, shapes and sizes and are first processed by the emotional part of the brain. Emotionalized responses are then sent to the left pre frontal cortex where they receive an intellectual evaluation that may or may not involve a motor response by the muscles.

For whatever reason the brain DOES NOT recognize the article as something to be concerned about and simply becomes distracted by other incoming sensory data. Because a person does not "see" and deal with the bicycle I refer to it as an invisible bicycle. Or as 50 Yrs in K Town says, "a bicycle not noticed by me".

Could it be that evolution has not kept up with the demands placed on it by the advances in modern technology and changes in our society ??

Donald G wrote:Could it be that evolution has not kept up with the demands placed on it by the advances in modern technology and changes in our society ??

Thanks for that ... I remember hearing something about that a while ago but it didn't connect with your comments ... my memory recalls it more related to fast moving motorcycles but I see now it applies to cyclists too, but thankfully the slower moving object is a little more easy to process

This article describes a study on the subject:
http://road.cc/content/news/81753-invisible-cyclists-eye-tracking-experiment-finds-drivers-dont-see-more-1-5-riders

One of the things that came out of the study is that if you had a SatNav system in the car you were 4% more likely not to see the cyclist ... they equated it with smartphone distraction too ...

If we know this, have the data to prove it, how can we not be more vigilant on the road?

I feel empathy for the cyclist and the driver of the vehicle.
The nightmare of most cyclist bicycling without helmets, failing to signal, no reflective lights or clothing and breaking all rules of the road that if drivers of vehicles did the same, we would be fined.
What are they doing in traffic circles, running red lights, changing lanes between cars etc?
It should be mandatory that they are licensed and carry insurance.... instead it all falls on the driver of the vehicle as blame always has to be placed.
It is time the bicycle riders be accountable and responsible.....We have to watch them and they should watch us

Uhm cyclists are allowed in traffic circles just so you know. I agree no lights and running red lights are a death sentence......but then cars also run red lights. In this town not many people know how to ride or drive properly, sadly.

kaitlyn wrote:I feel empathy for the cyclist and the driver of the vehicle.
The nightmare of most cyclist bicycling without helmets, failing to signal, no reflective lights or clothing and breaking all rules of the road that if drivers of vehicles did the same, we would be fined.
What are they doing in traffic circles, running red lights, changing lanes between cars etc?
It should be mandatory that they are licensed and carry insurance.... instead it all falls on the driver of the vehicle as blame always has to be placed.
It is time the bicycle riders be accountable and responsible.....We have to watch them and they should watch us

Helmets ... you're more likely to get a head injury in a car than on a bicycle ... but there isn't call for mandatory helmets while driving ... I wear a helmet all the time because if I get into a collision it will only help me, not hurt me ...

Cyclists are fined for what you mention ... ask any traffic enforcement officer or bylaw officer ... I've even pulled the records from the departments that give rates of tickets written ...

Why are we in traffic circles? ummm ... we're trying to get to the other side ... why are cars in traffic circles? we're all the same on the roads ... just because there are fewer of us at the moment doesn't give cars preferential treatment even if that's the impression thanks to all those huge roads out there ...

Collision investigators look at the behaviour of the cyclist just as they do drivers ... and studies do show that the higer percentage of the time the driver is at fault ... plus, I have a license and I've verified that my insurance will cover me for liability while riding my bicycle ...

Most drivers do see me ... and I can guarantee that I see them ... but your final statement almost comes off as threatening ...

No, it's not tough to troll me when it comes to making statements like this ... I'd love to see cyclist be part of the licensing curriculum so that more people behind the wheel have a clue ... not trying to lump all drivers into the "bad" category, there is actually only a small percentage that scare me ... but those are the ones that will kill me first ... based on the actuarial tables, I'm not the one operating a killing machine ...

Well said spooker.....like your post++++ I too am a cyclist and driver. I drive and ride the road by the rules.

If all cyclists were licenced, does any one on here , really honestly think there would be any less complaining about bikes from the auto drivers. I THINK NOT.

Several times when they complain about bike constantly breaking rules, I have invited the auto driver to come to an intersection in Glenmore where less than 20 percent of auto drivers follow the rules of the road. Everyone of the bike complainers on here declined to come and observe this for themselves..? Hmmm !

spooker wrote:
Helmets ... you're more likely to get a head injury in a car than on a bicycle .....

hahaha that's possibly the most absurd comment I have read on here yet

LTD wrote:

spooker wrote:
Helmets ... you're more likely to get a head injury in a car than on a bicycle .....

hahaha that's possibly the most absurd comment I have read on here yet

You should know by now that I will not post something that I don't have a source for ...

Among all age groups, motor vehicle crashes were the third overall leading cause of TBI-related ED visits, hospitalizations, and deaths (14%). When looking at just TBI-related deaths, motor vehicle crashes were the third leading cause (19%) in 2013.

https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html
(first place is falls, second place goes to being struck by or against something)

If you need more I'll have more time to find other sources to back up this claim ...

This is why I never use the bike lanes in Kelowna. If I'm biking, I use the sidewalk. If someone is coming my way, I stop and let them pass. Kelowna drivers are horrible and the bike lanes are a joke.

BigBearBruno wrote:This is why I never use the bike lanes in Kelowna. If I'm biking, I use the sidewalk. If someone is coming my way, I stop and let them pass. Kelowna drivers are horrible and the bike lanes are a joke.

On one hand, pedestrians are scarier because they can wander, they change direction at a whim, they are allowed to walk and text ...

On the other hand, collisions happen when people are not where they are expected to be ... and speeding down the sidewalk at faster than a walking pace puts a cyclist in places drivers don't expect them to be ... crosswalks etc ...

No, I understand why other cyclists are up there, you won't hear me bitching at anyone for it ... but in the many years I've been a year-round cyclist here I've never been hit by a car ... the "close calls" I've experienced never scared me as I saw them coming and rode appropriately ...

On a side note .... the biggest complaint, amount of abuse, swearing etc I receive is when I am not riding on a shared pathway when a shared pathway is available.

There seems to be a belief that - because it's there - I should be forced to use it and also a lack of understanding about those using the path. Abbott Street is the prime example. It would be good if more drivers understood the guidelines regarding this:

Riding on multi-use paths
Except for street crossings, paths are safe from car/bicycle
collisions, and you don’t have to endure the noise and pollution.
However, other users, such as joggers, skaters, children, pets
and pedestrians in general, often act unpredictably and a cyclist
maintaining a high speed can be a danger on such a path.
Therefore, cyclists who want to travel quickly might opt to use
roadways rather than heavily used paths.

http://www.bikesense.bc.ca/documents/bikesense.pdf (Page 23)