Bicycle Commuter Terror

I assume that every car on the road is out to kill me. This is what runs through my head every day when I commute to work on my bike. It is not the most pleasant way to start my day, but it keeps me alert and cautious when riding my bike on roads shared with cars.

I have ridden the three-quarter-mile stretch of Modoc that parallel the proposed Modoc Multi-Use Path over 2,400 times in my commutes (thank you Strava for keeping count). A little over five years ago I was struck by a car making a left turn onto Modoc from Via Zorro. I was coming down Modoc, in the bike lane, wearing a helmet and bright cycling kit. I even raised my right hand and waved at the driver who was looking directly at me through his window. He then looked right and pulled out into the bike lane striking me. I went across the hood and thankfully landed on the other side of his car without injury. He was shaken and explained that he could not see me because of the sun glare on his window.

I get it. But this all could have been avoided. He could have rolled down his window to get a clearer view, or I could have been riding on a dedicated bike path, the Modoc Multi-Use Path. Not everyone who gets hit by a car will be as lucky as me. Please support the Modoc Multi-Use Path.