I got a call this week from a woman, I’ll call M, she happens to be a student at one of the prestigious higher educational institutes located along Mass. Ave. She told me she had what she called an accident with a bike she had bought for us this fall. Could I help her? The bike could not be ridden or wheeled to the shop.

So when I went to pick up what I expected to be perhaps a major repair, I was shocked to see that the whole front end of her bike had been crushed flat. It turns out that she had nearly gotten run over by a truck taking a right had turn after being stopped at a light. She said she was in the bike lane and the truck was in the next lane to her left. Traffic light changes, she assumed truck was headed straight…it wasn’t it took right hand turn; she goes straight and ran into the wheels…gets knocked off bike clear of the truck, but the bike gets run over. She is very lucky, minor bumps. However her bike is done for.

Our friend got to learn a very valuable life saving lesson with out serious injury. In all fairness, I had been hit three times while on bicycles and had to put down a motorcycle once, so I hold no judgment.

What I can say is this. Trucks are big, noisy, with lots and lots of blind spots. I used to drive one of those “Big Red Ones” back in the day….So I got to understand all about blind spots and not running things over. And because they were “Big Red Ones”…I got to see what happens when things like bicycles and trucks mix…the bikes always lose. And for the most part the riders do too, usually in a big way.

So now that we have arrived in prime bicycle riding weather….remember cars may be fast moving and trucks may be slower but, they can not stop easily nor see you in many cases at all. Always assume they can not see you and act accordingly.

Be seen and be safe!

Be Current Ride Vintage