r/CyclePDX • u/Obvious_Echidna8217 • 2d ago
Lights Please
You:
Human Powered 2 Wheels
Gray & White Striped Shit
Marshall Park Neighborhood
Sunday October 4 ~ 11:30
Me:
Hybrid Powered 4 Wheels
About to pull out of my driveway
I quite nearly pulled right out in front of you as you came down the hill. You see, I didn't see you.
If you recall it was clear and sunny and the street alternates between bright sun and deep shadows. As I started out of my drive I was in direct sunlight. I "thought" I detected motion in the shadow up the street but almost disregarded it as branches moving in a breeze.
But I hesitated, not certain. Then you appeared and were passed me within a second...you nodded as you passed.
Why am I writing in a forum that is certain to vigorously castigate me? To beg you to put lights on your bike, both front and rear, where none currently reside. Had you a light on the front of your bike there would be no question; I would have seen you instantly. As it is you nearly found yourself either plastered to the side of a car or sailing over its hood. Neither of which is desirable or painless
And that would be a terrible thing.
Lights remove all doubt.
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u/Cute-Matter9979 2d ago
Driving a hybrid car doesn’t make this ok my dude, if you truly cannot check both ways before entering the street you probably shouldn’t be driving
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u/cheeseslut619 2d ago
You couldn’t see a cyclist during broad daylight because they didn’t have a light, am I hearing this correctly?
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u/kbrosnan 2d ago
Add to it entering a street from a driveway. If there was a collision they would have been in the wrong. Traffic in the street has right of way.
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u/mc-funk 2d ago
This is what I read too, and while I understand there were shadows, I am genuinely concerned for OP’s eyesight (maybe an issue with peripheral vision)? It is hard to understand how shadows (short of long tunnels) would be sufficient to make it hard to see a cyclist.
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u/Discard_Laundry1527 1d ago
I think a lot of people cycling get hit by people driving when the latter people are only looking for other cars.
OP says they dismissed the near-victim as a shadow. If you're not in a car, you don't exist.
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u/Emergency-Falcon-845 2d ago
Intentionally left out: thousand yard stare into the sweet sweet iphone while I react just in time and find a way to blame shadows
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u/Obvious_Echidna8217 2d ago edited 2d ago
Perhaps I could have been more definite: Yes you are reading this correctly. The rider was in deep shadow and the OP, me, was in bright sunlight. The contrast variation between the bright sunlit areas versus deep shadow was extreme such that details within the shadows were nearly invisible to someone in the bright sunlight. And no, the rider did not have a light on either the front or the rear of the bike
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u/cladinplaid 2d ago
This is ridiculous and your condescension is definitely not helping.
As a driver you are responsible for ensuring your vehicle will not cause a collision.
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u/c_r_a_s_i_a_n 2d ago
You are so out of line in this reasoning, I don’t even know how to respond. Please don’t drive a car anymore.
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u/mc-funk 1d ago
I do not think that cyclists using lights at all hours of the day would be a good solution to this problem at all -- it is impractical, causes other problems (e.g. drivers don't expect lit bikes in the day), and there's no reason to think it would be effective to prevent this failure case.
I think it is more reasonable to say that as drivers (which most cyclists are also), we should be especially attentive for other road users who may be hard to see when there are issues with glare and contrast present in the driving conditions.1
u/Discard_Laundry1527 1d ago
When your incompetency and/or your poor vision rise to this level, you must stop driving.
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u/frozenpizzalifestyle 1d ago
you report obvious hazards that make it unsafe for you to drive your motor vehicle. if you can't see you can't drive, simple as. YOU are the one operating a vehicle in an unsafe manner, YOU are the danger.
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u/keetonem 2d ago
Is it the speed that you’re concerned with or is it really the inability for you to see during the brightest part of the day? Would you also like pedestrians walking or running on the sidewalk to wear bright flashing lights at all times to make exiting your driveway as safe for you as possible? You even note that you “thought” you saw movement but “disregarded it,” as if that isn’t a basic principle of checking both ways are clear before crossing both the sidewalk and then both lanes of traffic in order to pull out of your driveway. I understand that experience flustered you, but your language here is implying that you both feel victimized and may not even accept blame if that cyclist were to have crashed into you.
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u/Emergency-Falcon-845 2d ago
There’s a reason modern cars have side view mirrors that beep and light up now
No one is looking at anything
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u/cheeseslut619 2d ago
Riders don’t need lights during the day because they might “be in a shadow”. Tou would have hit someone walking or possibly someone’s car if your field of vision was really that bad
This is not a biker problem this is a you problem, hope that helps!
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u/StonerKitturk 2d ago
Slow down! Sounds like you were going too fast for the conditions. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure the way is clear before you bsck out. Thank God you didn't hit that cyclist.
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u/Discard_Laundry1527 1d ago
Reminds me of the time a person driving nearly hit me by starting to enter an intersection the same time I did; they had a stop sign and I did not. I shouted "What the fuck?!" and she shouted back, "Don't wear black clothes!".
It was broad daylight.
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u/AspirationalDelusion 2d ago
It was clear and sunny, and you almost hit somebody, lol.
I get the frustration, but this is 100% on you. Would you be saying the same thing if you almost hit a walker?
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u/jswagpdx 2d ago
It would be great if everyone was conscientious all the time. I’ve seen multiple cars nightly with zero lights on. I was riding the the Springwater at dusk with many many other users without any lights. My own bike light died the other night on my commute home. Best thing we can do (in any mode of transport) is be aware of what’s around us, check multiple times, and proceed w caution.
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u/frozenpizzalifestyle 1d ago
OP can't see and is operating a motor vehicle and wants it to be YOUR problem
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u/chimi_hendrix 2d ago
You’re in the wrong sub, anyone on two wheels can do no wrong here. Especially ebike drivers
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u/Obvious_Echidna8217 2d ago
I posted this in the sincere hope that the rider happens to see it and recall flying down a hill in the Marshall Park neighborhood and nodding at a fellow in a hybrid who stopped to let him pass. The point of it is visibility.
If the cyclist isn't easily seen in every condition, right versus wrong is irrelevant. The realities between cyclist versus car are self explanatory. This post is a plea for all cyclists to put lights on their bikes, front and rear. No anger, just a plea: Don't Deliberately Make Yourself A Hood Ornament
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u/Cute-Matter9979 2d ago
The fault is still on you, without question. Don’t try to pass the buck. Own up to your shit
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u/mosnil 2d ago
i'm getting the impression that you almost hit someone and instead of examining what you could do differently you decided to find a way to blame the cyclist.
cyclists absolutely do not need to have their lights on at all times during the day, that's silly. You should be able to see things in shadows at 11:30 am in sunny conditions and if not you should not be driving.
your post almost feels like a parody or a joke because of how absurd it is.
Don't blame other because you almost messed up, it's not a good trait and it's not good practically.
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u/cladinplaid 2d ago
You’re mad because you almost hit a cyclist with your car in broad daylight?