Idiot driver uses Burrard Street separated bike lane, almost hits cyclist (video)

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      For a moment, this video gives viewers the impression that Vancouver's separated bike lanes are a multi-modal paradise.

      We see a driver, a cyclist, and a pedestrian making use of the Burrard Street lane, near the Burrard Bridge, in seeming harmony.

      That is until the driver leaves the bike lane and makes a right turn across it, coming very close to creaming a cyclist.

      The cyclist manages to swerve out of the way and shouts a sexist slur at the driver.

      Comments

      14 Comments

      So what?

      Aug 7, 2014 at 10:36am

      I work DT and see this all the time. It's nothing new..

      MD

      Aug 7, 2014 at 10:47am

      The cyclist that almost got killed trusts drivers far too much for my comfort level.

      I see that turn signal on the car, I am braking, notwithstanding my right of way.

      My working assumption is that people will do what they should not and place me at risk.

      I actually thank pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists who do they proper thing these days - takes less energy than yelling at the idiots.

      At least this person had the decency to signal before cutting the poor guy off...most can't even do that.

      Then again, you can go hours on a bike lane and not see a cyclist signal properly either.

      Bikesareannoying

      Aug 7, 2014 at 10:58am

      Bicyclists in this city act like they are invincible, I hate driving DT because of them. This incident wasn't the bikers fault, but I don't blame the driver for getting confused with all the stupid bike lanes and egotistical bicyclists in this city.

      RUK

      Aug 7, 2014 at 10:59am

      @MD

      I wonder at the trustingness of Vancouverites too! I am all rigged up in safety gear (flashers on the bike even in summer) but never assume that I have been noticed over the driver's preoccupation with destination, time, and the possible need to operate lipstick with one hand and text with the other.

      If we would all take a little more time and reflect on the non-necessity of shortening our already fragile lives....

      New Rules

      Aug 7, 2014 at 11:54am

      The problem with the bike lanes is that they are new and drivers aren't used to not being allowed to turn right. How stupid, not being able to turn right especially when turning left is so difficult downtown and banned on many roads. Where cars are allowed to turn right across bike lanes the cyclist must stop and give way for the car if the car gets to the intersection first. A car turning right has to look left for cars coming through the intersection, they also have to look ahead for people turning left onto the same road they are turning right onto. Now they have to look to their right and behind to see if a cyclist is coming as well. Cyclist need to be more vigilant after all they are the ones who will be injured.

      Meg

      Aug 7, 2014 at 2:15pm

      @ New Rules
      No, that's incorrect. Cars turning right across the bike lane are crossing a lane of traffic and must wait for both lanes to be clear before proceeding. That's pretty difficult, so the city has restricted right lane turns at many intersections.
      Cars are insured and licensed because driving is a greater responsibility than cycling; they therefore need to be vigilant when they are crossing areas designated for other modes (sidewalks or bike lanes) because their lack of care has greater consequences. We all pay for the roads through property tax, so cars must learn to share.

      Confusing

      Aug 7, 2014 at 2:45pm

      Some right turns are confusing when crossing a bike lane, such as turning into a driveway or an alley. An example is the Hong Kong Bank of Canada underground parking. It's on a slope and many cyclists go over the speedlimit heading north and suddenly appear while you're turning in to the driveway.

      @ Bikesareannoying

      Aug 7, 2014 at 2:54pm

      Oh stop. Just stop. No more about how "egotistical" and "arrogant" cyclists are. At least get together with your fellow carbon-curmudgeons and try to come up with some new adjectives to describe us!

      I'll ride where I want, how I want and fuck anyone who thinks I shouldn't, can't or won't because it's "annoying".

      "Oh, stop the cyclists, they're so rude and annoying!" You know what? I happen to agree that lots of cyclists behave like total dickwads on our streets and when I see that it makes me fume. On the other hand, they're on bikes, so automatically they are doing something right. Able-bodied people driving less than 10 km trips in cars (usually solo) have NO right to complain and should shut up, keep their heads down and hope they scrape into a decent afterlife (chances aren't good though so I'd suggest starting to cycle right away and hope your God takes notice and moves you up the waitlist. Hnyuck hnyuck!!)

      Opus the Poet

      Aug 7, 2014 at 4:25pm

      It's not like the driver did not know there was a bike lane there when she made the turn seeing as just a short block before she had to merge to the left to get on the other side of the barrier. That was what, maybe 200 feet? You would have to have the attention span of a goldfish to "forget" a lane of traffic to your right in that amount of time.

      blah

      Aug 7, 2014 at 9:28pm

      It's pretty stupid to ask a driver to look left, look straight ahead, look right AND look behind them before turning right. By then, you better look left again because enough time has elapsed that a car you didn't see previously is now coming from your left. Of course, then you have to go through the whole head roll again. It would make a lot more sense for the cyclist to stop for right turning cars. But hey, we can't expect cyclist to actually take some responsibility can we? Blame it on Mayor dumdum for creating a situation where vehicles have to cross a through traffic lane. It's the attitude that cyclist are always first that leads to so much trouble in Vancouver. And as previous people have posted, the cyclist better expect that they aren't seen. That's the first thing I was taught as a motorcycle rider. Basically it's called defensive driving. But I don't expect most cyclist are familiar with the concept. It's like all the droids that cross the street with their icrap stuck in their ears without looking. You may be right, but there's no point in being dead right.