*Don’t Do This!!*
This week, I wanted to focus on safety breaches that I have witnessed on
CVC rides. Yes, I have been keeping a list of the most egregious
violations, ready to “out” all the violators among us. I pondered the idea
of implementing a card system of red and yellow cards a la soccer, or
having a “Violator of the month award” to recognize those who
flout the rules. This weekend on our Saturday group ride, I had an
epiphany, namely that I would be in the running for any such dubious
distinction. The trigger for my sudden realization was our route change,
which included a detour south on Moorpark Boulevard to turn left on Read
Road to avoid traffic. This was the site, about 2 years ago on a Pub ride
where I was almost taken out by a car during my attempt to turn left onto
Read. So, I thought that I would detail the circumstances and lessons
learned.
The map and associated Google picture are below (double click or drag edges
to make larger—photo is cyclist perspective; map is in standard N-S
orientation). We were riding up Moorpark in a group of about 15-20. I
approached Read coming around a rightward turn on Moorpark. I looked at
my radar and shoulder checked. Then I steered out of the bike lane to
traverse to the left-turn lane. I heard a collective group scream when I
was about 2-3 feet into the lane, then I aborted the turn, just as a car
blew by me at 50 mph. I have played this over in my head a thousand times
and still don’t quite understand how I put myself in the line of fire.
Here are my conclusions:
1. There was a curve in the road that went clockwise to the right on
the approach to the left-turn lane (coming from the top/ north on the
map). When I shoulder checked and relied on radar, the curve limited
my line-of-sight and the line of sight of my radar. On a rightward curve,
a left shoulder-check would likely miss an oncoming car since approaching
traffic would approach from behind and to the right.
2. I have arthritis in my neck, with a limited range of motion,
especially to the left. I should have compensated for this by twisting
around further from my waist or also doing a right shoulder-check.
3. Or, even better, I should have stopped my bike and surveyed behind
me to reassure that I was 100% clear on a stretch of road that I sensed was
dangerous.
3. I let my guard down. This reflected complacency on my part coupled
with my reliance on an assumption that didn’t pan out, namely that a
shoulder and radar check were reliable under the circumstances. This was a
type of confirmation bias. Every left turn that I have ever done turned
out OK, so this turn should also. But, turning left around a curve was a
fraught decision, with an added layer of risk.
4. The group saved me. If I was riding alone, I probably wouldn’t be
here to tell the story.
5. Left turns are inherently risky, and some street configurations
magnify the risk (e.g. crossing Kanan to and from Lobo, taking a left turn
approaching Mulholland from Las Virgenes going south). I have seen or been
involved in some close calls on these left turns.
Lessons learned:
1. Always be vigilant—never let your guard down!
2. Never, ever make assumptions! Most of the time, such assumptions
might work out, but in the unlikely event that the assumption(s) are wrong,
the consequences could be severe.
3. I believe that there are safety benefits to being in a group, the
most important that the group has your back.
4. Left turns necessarily traverse one or more traffic lanes from
oncoming and opposing directions. Each turn is unique and requires careful
assessment. Don’t be afraid to pull off the road and wait for an opening,
or if there is a 4-way intersection, to cross as a pedestrian with the
light.
If anyone has a near-miss story and wants to discuss the circumstances and
lessons learned, let Carla or me know.
Stephen Levinson
