On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:57:51 -0800, Prisoner at War
wrote:

On Nov 8, 12:30 pm, Eric Schweitzer wrote:
On 2007-11-08, dgk wrote:

On 08 Nov 2007 00:53:50 GMT, Eric Schweitzer
wrote:
Just a data point ... I've been riding in NYC for near 30 years, and
have been hit 6 times, 5 from behind (all during the day). 4 of those
times while stopped at a red light. Once by a cop. (I've learned to
look BEHIND while slowing for a light.)

The statistics are in. Ride at night. I think I am safer at night. I
have so many lights that driver slow down just to see what it is.

You're waiting at a light and got hit from behind four times? Someone
definitely stuck a "hit me" sign on your back.

That's another reason I never wait at lights.

Both the cop and a cab driver said "but why did you stop, you're a
bicycle". Seems expectations carry more weight than laws or common
sense. I'm supposed to ride through heavy cross-street traffic?
(The cop hit was on Lex at 72d, that cabbie on Third at 86th).


Wow, that's definitely one for the grand-kids!

I figured that getting hit from behind can't be as common as getting
hit from the side because drivers usually look ahead! The few times
I've gotten hit -- tapped, really -- was from the side, like drivers
trying to cut me off and such.

It's amazing we have such different experiences...I guess New York
really does have fourteen million different stories!

Really, that's pretty funny. I guess we're really not supposed to stop
for lights.