to be honest, as a rider, i always blame myself if i’m in a position to be hit by a car.
you really have to assume everyone is going to do the wrong thing and ride accordingly. it doesn’t matter if someone wasn’t supposed to do something, someone will eventually fail to see you and you’ve got to plan for it. I’ve had near misses but no accidents - and every near miss was a good lesson in what to look for in future. on a bike road rules are nice to know but you have to monitor everything for threats and make sure you’re always in a safe position. if you ride in someone’s blind spot you’re actively putting yourself in danger.
having said that, the op comment is an asshole. YES obviously car drivers should be more aware. what the fuck? if you’re obliviously running people off the road you don’t blame them, good lord what a fucking psycho.
There’s a distinction between being cautious and always being at fault. Of course you should always be extra cautious as a rider, but that doesn’t mean it’s your fault if a car flattens you.
Oh I agree, it’s more a mental attitude - if I take on the risk of riding, I need to take on the responsibility of anticipating what other road users might do. If I end up in an accident part of that is failing to fully anticipate the stupid, illegal shit car drivers constantly do that will kill you.
Sure, the guy who turning right across two lanes in front of me was at fault, but I had the opportunity to spot him slowing down to make the turn and I know cars don’t always see bikes or indicate. I can move to the outside of the road to give myself more space, I can roll off and cover the brake, and then I can accelerate as soon as I can to get past them quickly so I’m out of danger.
If I do none of those things and don’t notice the car, I consider myself at fault even if the car was doing something illegal.
After the fact of course you can say the car driver was at fault but it’s completely academic when you’re dead, so before that happens you need to take on as much responsibility as possible.
to be honest, as a rider, i always blame myself if i’m in a position to be hit by a car.
you really have to assume everyone is going to do the wrong thing and ride accordingly. it doesn’t matter if someone wasn’t supposed to do something, someone will eventually fail to see you and you’ve got to plan for it. I’ve had near misses but no accidents - and every near miss was a good lesson in what to look for in future. on a bike road rules are nice to know but you have to monitor everything for threats and make sure you’re always in a safe position. if you ride in someone’s blind spot you’re actively putting yourself in danger.
having said that, the op comment is an asshole. YES obviously car drivers should be more aware. what the fuck? if you’re obliviously running people off the road you don’t blame them, good lord what a fucking psycho.
There’s a distinction between being cautious and always being at fault. Of course you should always be extra cautious as a rider, but that doesn’t mean it’s your fault if a car flattens you.
Oh I agree, it’s more a mental attitude - if I take on the risk of riding, I need to take on the responsibility of anticipating what other road users might do. If I end up in an accident part of that is failing to fully anticipate the stupid, illegal shit car drivers constantly do that will kill you.
Sure, the guy who turning right across two lanes in front of me was at fault, but I had the opportunity to spot him slowing down to make the turn and I know cars don’t always see bikes or indicate. I can move to the outside of the road to give myself more space, I can roll off and cover the brake, and then I can accelerate as soon as I can to get past them quickly so I’m out of danger.
If I do none of those things and don’t notice the car, I consider myself at fault even if the car was doing something illegal.
After the fact of course you can say the car driver was at fault but it’s completely academic when you’re dead, so before that happens you need to take on as much responsibility as possible.