Truck backed over my bike

[LesTP]

So... I was in downtown SF this morning, turning from Mission onto New Montgomery. I was following a truck that looked like it was planning to turn... but I was mistaken: the truck wanted to park right before the intersection. So he pulled into the intersection halfway, with me following it, and then started backing up. I signaled him and a couple of cars that were next to me were honking too but he did not stop until he actually felt something crushing under his rear bumper - that was my front fork.

What could've been done differently? Not sure... I understand he did not expect me to be there, but I also could not predict him backing up. I wish there was a lesson to take from it but I don't know what it would be. I was in his blind spot (more precisely, I was outside of his visibility speck). I could've said "stay out of the truck's blind spot" but that pretty much means most of the road is off limits.

 

[slummy]

Possibly stayed far enough behind and in the left third of the lane. That way you might have been able to do a quick drop and roll to the left then right to just pull up along side

 

[monkeythumpa]

I am assuming this is a commercial truck like a UPS truck or a Ryder moving truck? The last thing you mentioned is the most important. You have to stay on the outside of the lane when behind big trucks for two reasons. First so they can see you, but that relies on them being aware. If you are on the side of the lanes you can see around the truck and are positioned to lane share or change lanes in case of emergency.

 

[danate]

The rule of thumb is that if you can't see their mirrors, they can't see you. You being the one with the most to lose, it's really on you to make contact with big trucks so they know you are there.

As already stated, stay to the side of the lane (usually driver side) and back far enough so you can see them in their mirrors. I do a lot of commuting and often won't even pass a truck in congested traffic until I see their little face in the mirror looking back at me.

So yeah, there is just about always a lesson to be learned, but it was still bum luck. Glad you made it out alright though!

 

[auditude]

Sounds like they were delivering @ Walgreens or somewhere thereabouts...

or just driving etc. doing what they do.

SF's a difficult place to be on two wheels. It's already been said, "leave enough room" for an escape, an out or whatever the situation necessitates.

Hope your bike makes a speedy recovery and be thankful it wasn't your body making the crunch sounds.

 

[EastBayDave]

SF's a difficult place to be on two wheels. It's already been said, "leave enough room" for an escape, an out For whatever the situation necessitates.

I would have taken to the sidewalk rather than have me bike hit...

Always leave an out...

 

[fourtogo]

You do need a escape route while behind trucks. If you can't see your self in there mirrors they can't see you ether.

 

[LesTP]

I don't know how well the suggestions would've worked - mid-morning traffic was pretty thick and the sidewalk had pedestrians and a hydrant, so not a whole lot of space to maneuver... In any case, he really stepped on the gas, so I only had a couple of seconds to react - enough time to scream OH SHIT MY BIKE but not really enough to do anything meaningful.

But anyway, thanks for the feedback... I hope for the next time... there will be no next time.

 

[slummy]

Maybe there was time to do exactly nothing, but out of curiosity:

At a busy intersection, are you in the habit of staying in gear with the clutch held in, or are you sitting upright and feet planted, bike in Neutral?

 

[auditude]

I don't know how well the suggestions would've worked - mid-morning traffic was pretty thick and the sidewalk had pedestrians and a hydrant, so not a whole lot of space to maneuver... In any case, he really stepped on the gas, so I only had a couple of seconds to react - enough time to scream OH SHIT MY BIKE but not really enough to do anything meaningful.

But anyway, thanks for the feedback... I hope for the next time... there will be no next time.

I'm painfully familiar with that intersection as I worked in the financial district for several years...of course, 98% of the time I took BART (not BARF :teeth) and I could see all the carnage - both pedestrian and moto related.

Of all the commercial vehicles to take heed to, the ones with the biggest psychos behind the wheel were the Muni drivers. If their grand mama were in front of them they'd mash the gas to make a red light (yes, not GREEN light but RED light), if their grand mama were trying to catch the bus, they'd mash the gas to avoid yet another passenger "holding up mah route, dammit!"

Muni...FTMFW!

The avg. delivery trucks just wanna get the eff outta dodge when they're in SF...unless it sunny outside...then they're just like the rest of us guys with one hangin' and two bangin' checkin' out the "scenery" :thumbup

The only other suggestion, which has already been made by a couple others already but, any time I'm approaching/around such a large vehicle with such limited visibility, I just assume the worst case scenario and start playing it out in my mind and planning to execute the escape or simply "just do it" and escape/ avoid it altogether.

Even though I may be perceived as an entitled prick on two wheels, I'm a prick on two wheels not getting crushed by a multi-ton heap of steel.

I know; sounds too simplistic and Monday Morning QB but that's one thing I'll never miss about working in SF is the feeling of "being in the way" while going about my day.

During am or pm rush (which is pretty much any time during business hours) everyone's jockeying to get to the next spot - be it on moto, pedal or feets...

Point being? "When in Rome...do as the Trojans!"

 

[TVC15]

What could've been done differently?

Get out of his blind spot ASAP. One of my biggest pet peeves is to never ride in anyone's blind spot.

Never pull up the to bumper of any vehicle when making stops on a motorcycle. Always leave yourself an out!

I usually leave a half car length or more when I stop behind any vehicle. Always leave yourself an out...that is also my motto in life!:mag

 

[LesTP]

Slummy, that depends. I was waiting any moment for the truck to turn and to follow him, so I was in gear with the clutch pulled in. If I was sitting at a red light, then neutral. My feet are on the ground most of the time anyway, I am 6'2"

 

[RightCoastBias]

I regularly drive my companies 24' box truck and often lose sight of motorcyclists who follow too closely. I am always looking out for other riders and with the huge blind spots on the truck, I signal for a long time before changing lanes. I've not had any close calls with hitting any motorcyclists, but I wish those who camped behind me would do so a bit further back so I can see them.

So I'll reiterate what others have said and suggest increasing following distance till you can see the mirrors.

 

[afm199]

Simply put, I never get close enough to a vehicle in front that their view of me is lost. If that's too much room and it gets filled up, it will get filled up with cars, not trucks. I am skert of trucks.

 

[Hammerstime]

Something tells me Les has never seen those stickers on the back of semis that show their blind spots or the ones that say. " if you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you. I always try to be able to see mirrors when I'm behind any cage, truck, bus, ect. If it's not safe to be on the left side of the lane, the right side just might work for ya.

 

[LesTP]

Thanks all for the comments... I've seen the stickers... it's not always feasible to position yourself right due to the traffic and the specifics of the intersection, and I think this was one of those cases... but I hear you, yes.

EDIT: so here were my choices: I could either stay in position A between two lanes where I would see the truck's mirrors but also will be within inches from the moving lane on the left - or I could've moved into B where I wouldn't see the mirrors but would have some space between myself and the traffic. Choice B seemed safer at the time...

In a new development, the truck driver's insurance claimed I was at fault.
So, if there's a lesson to take from here, that would be: get a witness first, collect your missing body parts later. I actually stopped one of the people nearby and asked for a phone # so it all worked out well - but if I did not do that, I'd now be paying $500 deductible and higher rates...

 

[Hammerstime]

What was making the right side so dangerous? Crackheads on the corner? Someone holding a sign about the end of the world? In the diagram above your safest spot was on the right side, with a view of the mirrors. If you really needed to be in spot B. Then you need to stay far enough behind the truck so you could see the mirrors. If you could have seen his mirrors he might not have turned you into a speed bump. If said driver didn't check his mirrors before backing up, then there is no safe spot.

 

[LesTP]

I wouldn't have been able to see his right-side mirrors, he was very close to the curb (bc he was parking, as I now realize).

 

[TVC15]

Thanks all for the comments... I've seen the stickers... it's not always feasible to position yourself right due to the traffic and the specifics of the intersection, and I think this was one of those cases... but I hear you, yes.

EDIT: so here were my choices: I could either stay in position A between two lanes where I would see the truck's mirrors but also will be within inches from the moving lane on the left - or I could've moved into B where I wouldn't see the mirrors but would have some space between myself and the traffic. Choice B seemed safer at the time...

Never be as close to the rear end of any truck as B shows.

Instead be as far back as the star...always leave yourself a way out.

 

[islemann]

Never be as close to the rear end of any truck as B shows.

Instead be as far back as the star...always leave yourself a way out.
View attachment 452676

Put yourself as far back as the '*' but please in lane position A. You're invisible for at least 175ft if you're directly behind a truck / van or tractor-trailer rig.

I drove a 36ft box truck in SFO for almost 6 years. Two collisions while making deliveries in teh city - lucky both with cages. First was a dimbulb who tried to squeeze between my truck and the curb. I was stopped, he took off my right mud flap and the front left corner and most of the left side of his Lexus. He still claimed I hit his car - even with all the damage showing that he was the one going forward. The second was a woman in a Mercedes who decided that my LOUD beeping backup signal, BRIGHT backup lights and four-way flashers all meant that I was going forward, so she pulled up to within 5ft of my lift-gate _while I was backing_. My lift-gate peeled her hood back to the firewall, the engine in her car was pushed under the passenger compartment. At 3mph. My 78,000lb truck didn't feel a thing.

You were VERY lucky that you weren't injured or squished dead. That sticker on the back of big trucks about blind spots? It's real. Truckers call the blind zone - "The DEAD Zone" for good reason.

One last bit for you - NEVER pass a truck on the right, especially in the vicinity of an intersection. Big rigs need room to swing and will pull left in their lane before initiation of a right turn, you can get squashed in the pinch zone. That rarely ends well.