Night Riders: Use Different Rules to See Another Day

[XLFD]

I see this happening all too often, including the Russian woman who got sideswiped earlier this summer.  People riding their bicycles at night, legally equipped with appropriate reflectors/light or not, getting clipped by cars and trucks not seeing them.  Most of the collisions happen from behind, with the requisite "I didn't see them." uttered by the motorist, even when the bicyclist is lit up like a Christmas tree.  I have to assume by this following report, of a fatal bicycle accident that happened in Olive Township in Ottaw County to a young Holland man riding his bicycle at night, that the bicyclist had the necessary lighting, but wasn't seen because of oncoming headlights:

 

Car hits, kills bicyclist in Olive Twp

Driver: Oncoming vehicle lights obstructed view

Updated: Tuesday, 30 Oct 2012, 10:58 AM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 30 Oct 2012, 8:38 AM EDT

OLIVE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - A bicyclist died after being hit by a vehicle on an Ottawa County road.

The victim has been identified as Devon Warne, 21, from Holland.

The incident happened around 10:53 p.m. Monday along 112th Avenue north of New Holland Street in Olive Township.

The southbound driver told police that headlights from oncoming vehicles prevented her from seeing the southbound cyclist.

The vehicle struck the rear of the bike.

Warne died at the scene.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/ottawa_county/vehicle-hits-bic...

This is the scene of the accident approximately, both the cyclist and the motorist heading towards the T-intersection.  The road is probably only about 8-9 ft wide per lane, which does not allow for safe passing in the same lane.  There is no paved shoulder, and headlights from cars turning onto the road may have blinded both driver and rider.  Who was most at fault here and how could this accident have been avoided?

 

In a situation like this, the bicyclist is most at fault.  A bicyclist has the right to ride after dark on the road, but they have to use common sense.  You don't ride in the road, even with multiple blinking lights on your bike's backside, when you hear car's coming up from behind you.  If there is no paved shoulder, you'll have to get over to the unpaved shoulder and slow down or stop, or else move over to the other side of the road if there's no other traffic coming at you, making sure with a glance that there is only one vehicle coming from behind you (or you might get hit by a passing vehicle). 

 

Sure, this goes against common law, but you're generally safer over there than staying in the 'hit zone' or even the shoulder.  When you are riding a bicycle at night, you should always assume that you're invisible to all drivers, for quite often the first time they figure out that you're in front of them and figure out what you are, may be too late for you, or even them if they swerve to avoid you.  People do get blinded by headlights (especially cyclists), are often driving distracted, and are more likely to be groggy or drunk at night.

 

Other nighttime ideas are along the same line.  Ride defensively, have proper reflectors and lights (being wary that some front lights may be unsafe if they ruin your long range night vision, making it hard to avoid obstacles in the road), go the extra distance to get a safer route with shoulders or less traffic, wear bright, reflective clothing, wear a baseball cap and/or look down when opposing headlights come at you and slow down.  If there is a dangerous stretch, consider walking the bike through it, off the road.

 

You will make it through the night. 

 

 

[XLFD]

 

Fiancee of bicyclist hit by car mourns

 

This continues to be a sad story.  He was wearing some reflective clothing, and likely had the requisite lighting and reflectors on his bicycle.  I can't imagine getting totally blinded by an oncoming car so that you can't make out that there is something in the lane a distance ahead of you.  Still, I think one of the deficiencies of Michigan law is that there is no form of penalty for hitting someone who is legally using the roadway, and the "I didn't see them" defense works.

[XLFD]

The blinded by headlights defense on another accident this morning, where a car hit a pedestrian, (not fatally) in Calhoun County:  http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/kalamazoo_and_battle_creek/veh...

[XLFD]

Another bicyclist following the rules at night gets clobbered from ....  The road traveled on (W State Rd, near Hammond in Barry County) had a two foot shoulder, much like our Fountain Rd. has for most of its length, not in the best of condition.  I don't ride at night very often, but when I do, I give every vehicle that passes the full lane and then some.