1. How NOT to Get Hit by Cars
Please read on. This is not an appeal for bicycle riders to just wear a helmet and to pay attention to
the rules of the road. It doesn’t matter how good your helmet is if you get hit by a car. The secret to
staying safe and avoiding a call to a Portland bicycle accident lawyer, is not to get hit by a car in the
first place. We offer here our Top 10 reasons cycling accidents occur, and the best ways to avoid
getting hit by a car. The truth is you’d be better off following these tips without wearing a helmet
and not getting hit, than to wear a helmet and think that’s the last precaution you need to take,
leading you to get knocked off your bike and facing frightening injuries or worse.
1. The right cross. Far from being a boxing term, this is actually the most common way for
a bicyclist to get hit. Riding happily down the street, the cyclist is suddenly confronted
with a car pulling out of a side street, driveway or parking lot on the right. This gives the
cyclist no time to avoid the collision, and as any bicycle accident lawyer will tell you,
when a car hits a bike, the car wins...every time. To avoid the right cross:
A. Get a light and get yourself seen. Consider bright, flashing LED lights, even for
daytime driving. If you can mount a light or lamp on your helmet, it’s even better,
because when you look directly at a driver, you’re shining your light right at them,
increasing your chances of being seen. Make eye contact any time it’s possible.
B. Wave your hand if you can’t make eye contact. Moving your arm left and right
makes a motion that doesn’t match the flow of traffic, making it more likely to be
spotted. Consider getting an air horn (really loud) for your bike, and if all else fails,
shout “Hey!” if you see a car pulling out. Being embarrassed is better than being
flattened.
C. We know it’s not fair, but slow down if you think you haven’t been seen. If you
haven’t made eye contact and you think there’s any chance you haven’t been seen,
make sure you can come to a complete stop if necessary to avoid the collision.
D. It may go against your natural instinct, as well as your desire not to be hit from
behind, but move over to your left a bit. The further right you are, i.e. closer to the
curb, the more difficult it is for cars coming from the right to see you. Being seen is
the number one key to avoid being hit. On faster roads with fewer intersections, it’s
ok to stay a bit further to the right, but statistics show you’re far more likely to be hit
by a car coming from the right that can’t see you than a car coming up from behind
that can see you clearly.
2. The door prize is one you don’t want to win. One of the top three causes of bicycle
accidents is caused when a car door is opened directly in front of an oncoming cyclist.
Once again, moving over to the left is the best way of avoiding this type of accident, in
spite of a cyclist’s natural inclination to worry about cars behind not being able to get
past. The fact is the further left you are, the less likely you’ll have the door of a parked
car opened right in front of you.

2. 3. Crosswalk danger. People riding bikes on the sidewalk are difficult for drivers to see
when they’re turning right from one street onto another. Many cyclists are hit as they
leave the sidewalk and enter the crosswalk. Avoid this by:
A. Get that headlight on, even during the day.
B. Slow down, so you can stop if a car suddenly turns in front of you.
C. Stay off the sidewalk. You probably shouldn’t be there in the first place, but if you
are, the rules state you shouldn’t be going any faster than a pedestrian would
normally walk.
4. Riding the wrong way really is riding the wrong way. Moving against the traffic is such a
bad idea for so many reasons, suffice it to say that if you’re riding on the left side of the
street, towards oncoming traffic, you’re three times more likely to be hit than if you’re
on the right side of the road; for child cyclists, that figure increases to being seven times
more likely to be hit. In fact, one in every four cycling accidents happens when the cyclist
is riding against the traffic. And just a question—how do you plan on making a right hand
turn?
5. Stay out of the blind spots at red lights. Cyclists are killed every year by pulling up along
the right side of a car or truck at a red light. As the light turns green and the cyclist pulls
off, the car or truck makes a right hand turn, and disaster is unavoidable. To keep this
from happening, simply take up a position behind a car while waiting at the red light.
This will make you highly visible to the cars behind you, and you won’t be in danger if
the car in front makes a right turn without warning.
6. The right hook. Returning again to the boxing terminology, this knockout occurs when a
car attempts to pass you just before an intersection, then makes a right hand turn
directly in front of you, giving you no time to avoid running into them. Keeping to your
left and taking up the whole lane at the intersection will actually prevent this type of
accident, because the car behind you won’t be able to safely get around you without
pulling into an oncoming traffic lane. Don’t worry about holding them up for a few
moments. Would you rather be an annoyance or a statistic? Keep your eyes on the car
behind you as you approach any intersection. If you don’t have a rear view mirror on
your bike, make it your next purchase.
7. The right hook, but this one’s yours. You’re coming up on a car or even another cyclist
who is moving too slowly for your liking. You go to pass them on the right when without
warning, they pull right to go into a parking lot, parking space or side street. The collision
is inevitable, and to be honest, this one’s your fault. A bicycle accident lawyer will tell
you that the most obvious way to avoid this accident is to never pass on the right. If a car
is moving too slowly, stay behind it until it either goes faster or you can safely pass it on
the left.
8. The left cross. This is similar to No. 1 above, when a car turns left in front of you as you
enter an intersection. Being seen through the use of lights, bright clothes, eye contact,
waving or shouting are the best ways to avoid this type of accident. Not passing other

3. vehicles on the right—when you become virtually invisible to cars coming from the other
direction—is another.
9. The attack from the back occurs when you’re cycling near the right side of the lane and
have to pull out to avoid a car door opening or some other obstruction. Bang! You get
hit from behind. To avoid becoming a casualty of this common type of cycling accident,
remember to never move left without looking behind you first. Also, you should never
move left without first signaling your intention to do so. If you stay in the main traffic
lane to begin with, you’ll avoid the necessity to suddenly pull out into the path of traffic
coming up from behind you.
10. Being hit directly from behind, even when you haven’t pulled out to the left is
something cyclists fear the most, but statistics show this is one of the rarest types of
cycling accidents. Less than 4% of all collisions between motor vehicles and cyclists occur
in this manner. Nevertheless, to avoid this type of accident, high visibility and lane
positioning are what will protect you the most. Other things you can do are avoid roads
where traffic is moving at a higher speed, try to stay away from dark roads, and get a
good rear-facing light for your bike. Use reflective clothing and vests and again, get a
mirror for your bike, so you can see when cars are coming up from behind you,
especially if they’re moving at a high rate of speed. Finally, try to not hug the curb. This
may be counter-intuitive, but it will increase your visibility and also give you some
“wiggle room” in the event of having to take evasive action.
Staying safe while riding a bicycle on Oregon roads is not just a cyclist’s responsibility. Having said
that, the problem is when a car and a bicycle come together, the car might get a scratch or two, but
the cyclist is highly unlikely to be so lucky. Following the safety tips we’ve listed here will go a long
way to keeping you healthy and making your cycling experience more enjoyable. Sadly, Oregon
bicyclists had a bad year in 2011, and more than 100 lost their lives; more than a thousand were
injured. If you’ve been a victim of “The Right Cross, The Right Hook or The Door Prize,” or in any way
been injured through another road user’s negligence, don’t hesitate. Contact an experienced,
excellent Portland bicycle accident lawyer who will explain your options in detail, help you deal with
the insurance companies and fight hard to get you the compensation you deserve.