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Stopping Right Hook Accidents

Cyclist Jeffrey H. Marks has written a piece for BaltimoreSun.com that is focused on stopping right hook accidents.

Here’s a short snippet:

The police said that Mr. Krasnopoler ran into the front of the car that passed him and turned right. But how is a bicyclist traveling in a downhill bike lane around 25mph supposed to know that after passing him, the motorist will slow down and abruptly turn right across his lane into the Broadview Apartments private driveway? Other than disobeying the law and not using the bike lane, I don’t see how Mr. Krasnopoler could have avoided the crash.

Be sure to read the whole thing over at BaltimoreSun.com.

Posted in Baltimore Cycling Politics, New To Riding.

3 comments

By Seth – March 22, 2011.

  • Anonymous

    How to avoid right hooks:

    a) Do not travel at 25 miles per hour in bicycle lanes. Yes it a legal practice, but it is an unsafe practice. Bicycle lanes are ideal for slower and calmer riding, in the 12-14 mph range, if not slower. My suggestion to cyclists who want to ride faster while being legally compliant with Maryland law is to avoid routes with bicycle lanes and take the lane at anytime that rider may be riding at a potentially equal speed to the motor traffic.
    b) Never pass any car while traveling in the bike lane. Consider an imaginary line that extends out from the rear bumper of every car that passes an invisible barrier that cannot be crossed
    c) Consider every car a potential right hook who has failed to signal.
    b) When coming up to a red light, with, say, 3 cars in front of you, stop after the 3rd car, even in the bike lane, and stay in a position highly visible to the 4th car. When the light turns green, do not pass the 3rd car. This is just a combination of steps b) and c). It is even more critically important when any of the vehicles to your left are trucks or windowless vans.

    These steps, of course, are not the definition of cyclist legal responsibility. They are the safest practice within the bike lanes. Unfortunately, nobody is teaching that. If those steps are followed the potentiality of motorist error causing a right hook are almost completely eliminated. Almost.

    Don’t get me wrong. I think the Mr. Krasnopoler collision is a clear case of motorist error, despite the incompetence of the Baltimore City Police Department; but I do think there are safe bike lane cycling practices, that I listed above, that would make them exponentially safer if learned and practiced. One of the biggest problems is the assumption that legal compliance is enough, and if we follow the law, we will be safe from driver error, and that investigators will rule on our side if a collision occurs; but it’s obvious that the Baltimore City Police Department’s collision investigation unit is years away from being capable of coming to unbiased and objective conclusions about these collisions in a manner that is consistent with the written Maryland law.

    • Liam

      I have to disagree with your second B.

      Most experienced cyclists are capable of assessing time left before a right turn is going to happen, predicting this, and safely moving up to be visible by the first or second car in the line. Cars have to move forward before they can start turning.

      • Anonymous

        Oops. I meant “d)”

        Except with box trucks (or any vehicle with a high seating position) the cyclist is in a blind spot, or a spot that seems to naturally be ignored. Box truck, lorry trucks etc. strike cyclists in this way all the time, in a spot that is theoretically “visible” just in front and to the right of the truck, in the path of a right turn. When the truck is behind you, cyclist experience will not make one capable of assessing anything. The only way to defend against this is to not pass on the right, which makes sure the vehicle operator that is waiting behind you and to your left had plenty of time to assess your presence before they came to a stop. This is a less likely scenario for cars with plenty of windows and a low riding position, but it is a safe habit and safe practice to do this in all scenarios, which will increase safety while doing nothing that may increase danger.