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Old 05-21-2014, 11:00 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,058,726 times
Reputation: 9478

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Quote:
Originally Posted by BriansZ View Post
How is traffic in that area? My first thought was that the truck was in traffic and had not recently passed the cyclist. By the time he got up to where he was turning, he made his turn. If a cyclist is traveling at 20mph when traffic is crawling, they need to be careful. I do quite a bit of running/cycling, and I've learned that you have to look out for yourself while out there.
2100 RM 620 almost always has heavy traffic on it and lots of turning vehicles going into all the shopping centers and businesses along there. At 1:30 PM Saturday I'm sure it traffic was heavy.
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Old 05-21-2014, 11:13 AM
 
Location: Hutto, Tx
9,249 posts, read 26,691,351 times
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Don't forget that semi's have a certain length of blindspot. They're really high off the ground so they may not see things close to the cab.
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Old 05-21-2014, 12:04 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,395,703 times
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If you are driving OR cycling on the shoulder, it is your responsibility to be aware that vehicles may be turning right from the authorized lane of traffic and may not see you - you should watch out for them. The cyclist's rate of speed was mentioned - it is possible that they just assumed that the semi would wait for them or speeded up to try to beat it in order to not have to stop and wait for it to turn and that's why the analysis by the people with the actual facts in front of them was what it was?
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Old 05-21-2014, 12:08 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,269 posts, read 35,630,016 times
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Too many unknowns, so it is impossible for a call to be made on 'fault' without further details; however, I can see how it could happen that either party could be considered at fault (or either not at fault), depending on those details.
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Old 05-22-2014, 11:33 AM
 
Location: Holly Neighborhood, Austin, Texas
3,981 posts, read 6,735,213 times
Reputation: 2882
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoadWarrior12 View Post
Which only means that the cyclist was legally traveling in that improved shoulder. Does not remove the burden of care to ensure that motor vehicles can traverse the space in their right of way.

Basically, it's legal for them to be there, but it's not a protected lane.

Reason #1 that I never ride on 620 or 360. Parmer/RR used to be the best, but with all the development out there it's probably time to dust off the trail bike.
Which also means that turning vehicles crossing his path have to yield to him. If a car had been using the shoulder to make an upcoming right turn and the truck turned into them it would also be the trucks failure to yield.

Not sure what you mean by "protected lane." In this case it functions just like the other normal lanes.

Don't blame the lack of infrastructure but rather the drive you did not look where he was turning into before he did so. 100% human error and the other vehicle (the cyclist) cannot necessarily do anything when a truck is coming at him at speed.
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Old 05-22-2014, 11:35 AM
 
Location: Holly Neighborhood, Austin, Texas
3,981 posts, read 6,735,213 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gpurcell View Post
It's fundamentally unreasonable to expect drivers making a right turn to expect or look for someone coming between them and the right curb--even when there is a bike lane. Typically the driver will be looking in almost the opposite direction to make sure no traffic is coming on the cross street.
Right hooks are illegal and therefore it is the duty of the passing/turning motorist to check the bike lane before turning:

Bike Safety Tips: Avoid the Right Hook | Bicycling Magazine
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Old 05-22-2014, 11:36 AM
 
Location: Holly Neighborhood, Austin, Texas
3,981 posts, read 6,735,213 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by love roses View Post
Don't forget that semi's have a certain length of blindspot. They're really high off the ground so they may not see things close to the cab.
When the other vehicles is coming from the opposite direction there is no blind spot. If the truck was coming up behind the cyclist and then deciding to make a right turn they should obviously notice the cyclist as they are passing them.
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Old 05-22-2014, 11:38 AM
 
Location: Holly Neighborhood, Austin, Texas
3,981 posts, read 6,735,213 times
Reputation: 2882
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady View Post
If you are driving OR cycling on the shoulder, it is your responsibility to be aware that vehicles may be turning right from the authorized lane of traffic and may not see you - you should watch out for them. The cyclist's rate of speed was mentioned - it is possible that they just assumed that the semi would wait for them or speeded up to try to beat it in order to not have to stop and wait for it to turn and that's why the analysis by the people with the actual facts in front of them was what it was?
If you are unsure of your speed relative to another vehicles caution would dictate that you wait and not go for it.

Being aware is one thing, being able to do something is another. And basically there was nothing in the article indicating that the cyclist did not have right of way. We usually don't have situations where both vehicles have right of way or neither do, it is either or.
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Old 05-22-2014, 11:43 AM
 
2,283 posts, read 3,855,492 times
Reputation: 3685
Quote:
Originally Posted by verybadgnome View Post
Which also means that turning vehicles crossing his path have to yield to him. If a car had been using the shoulder to make an upcoming right turn and the truck turned into them it would also be the trucks failure to yield.

Not sure what you mean by "protected lane." In this case it functions just like the other normal lanes.

Don't blame the lack of infrastructure but rather the drive you did not look where he was turning into before he did so. 100% human error and the other vehicle (the cyclist) cannot necessarily do anything when a truck is coming at him at speed.
You're ignoring the fact that the investigators in this case specifically cited there speed of the cyclist as a contributing factor in this accident, as well as the fact that the shoulder does not function as a normal lane in this case. Using your other car turning example, what if that car was attempting to travel straight past the driveway on the shoulder (as this cyclist was).

Citing the speed of the cyclist tells me that the truck had already entered their turn, prior to the rider entering the "intersection". As this was not a protected lane, the cyclist has the greater duty to yield to traffic.
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Old 05-22-2014, 11:46 AM
 
1,430 posts, read 2,375,504 times
Reputation: 832
Quote:
Originally Posted by verybadgnome View Post
Right hooks are illegal and therefore it is the duty of the passing/turning motorist to check the bike lane before turning:

Bike Safety Tips: Avoid the Right Hook | Bicycling Magazine

"A motorist passes a cyclist on the left and turns right into the bike's path."

What I described is not a "right hook."
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