Look twice for bikes

"They appeared out of nowhere!" "I didn't see you" - these are probably the two most commonly reactions we hear from drivers involved in (near) bike-car collisions. Some of the most common collisions between cars and bikes are preventable by looking out for each other, by being able to see and be seen, and by riding and driving predictably.

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Unfortunately, the most common cause of a car-bike collision is when a driver is making a turning movement. There are many different factors grabbing people’s attention as they maneuver through an intersection. Whether you're the driver or the bicyclist, make sure you look twice. Even the best of intentions can result into a collision.

Avid bike-commuter Kris Rhodes reports that recently, he has been seeing and experiencing various close calls because of drivers trying to "be polite."

"[Last week] I had two very close calls with cars on Dexter Ave about eight blocks from each other, both the exact same sort of problem: cars in the lane would 'be polite' and let another car through, but the other car would neglect to acknowledge that there was also a bike lane there, shoot through and inevitably hit the brakes as soon as a cyclist 'suddenly appeared out of nowhere'," Rhodes reported.

While Rhodes avoided a collision, another bicyclist wasn't so lucky.

"I swung into Wrench Bicycle Workshop and on the way out, I saw a cyclist being tended to by medics, SPD on scene, a middle aged lady waving her hands around and looking flustered talking to SPD with a big dent in her car, and a gorgeous Colnago Master X Light lying on the ground with a broken frame," Rhodes said. "It was exactly the same as my situations, only [this cyclist] had been less lucky. Fortunately, he checked out OK with the medics, didn't have any cuts or blood anywhere, no broken bones and generally seemed OK."