Close call with driver holding cell phone

@DrP 161131 wrote:

I had just gotten off the Custis heading east bound at the west exit towards Harrison and was on Fairfax stopped in the lane at the corner with Harrison at about 6:25 pm – full daylight. I was waiting for traffic to clear on Harrison to turn left. A car was heading north on Harrison and started turning onto Fairfax right into me. Luckily the driver noticed me stopped before hitting me. She did apologize and claim that the sun was in her eyes. I noticed the cell phone in her right hand (she was using only her left to turn the wheel) and I told her to put the phone down and do not drive holding the phone. This was not to her liking and excuses started to be made as I told her that she should never drive holding her phone. She then became less apologetic and drove off.

I still had to wait to turn left – Harrison was oddly busy – and another car decided to turn left. Just as she approached, she put her right hand up to her eyes to shade the sun and did NOT turn into me. Clearly she was not holding a cell phone.

I have frequently been nearly hit at this intersection – only a few people stop and apologize inches from me. I am stopped waiting to turn and folks heading north turning left cut that corner when these occur. Not much I can do differently other than avoiding the intersection (I did have to quickly pick up my bike from under me and move to my right one time to avoid being hit. That one was the worst.). (and many heading into the church parking lot isn’t much better).

Both in the US and in Germany I routinely encounter drivers cutting the corner on left turns when there is no motor vehicle they might hit. Time for driver re-education camps (on this and way to many other things ).

@DrP 161131 wrote:

I had just gotten off the Custis heading east bound at the west exit towards Harrison and was on Fairfax stopped in the lane at the corner with Harrison at about 6:25 pm – full daylight. I was waiting for traffic to clear on Harrison to turn left. A car was heading north on Harrison and started turning onto Fairfax right into me. Luckily the driver noticed me stopped before hitting me. She did apologize and claim that the sun was in her eyes. I noticed the cell phone in her right hand (she was using only her left to turn the wheel) and I told her to put the phone down and do not drive holding the phone. This was not to her liking and excuses started to be made as I told her that she should never drive holding her phone. She then became less apologetic and drove off.

I still had to wait to turn left – Harrison was oddly busy – and another car decided to turn left. Just as she approached, she put her right hand up to her eyes to shade the sun and did NOT turn into me. Clearly she was not holding a cell phone.

I have frequently been nearly hit at this intersection – only a few people stop and apologize inches from me. I am stopped waiting to turn and folks heading north turning left cut that corner when these occur. Not much I can do differently other than avoiding the intersection (I did have to quickly pick up my bike from under me and move to my right one time to avoid being hit. That one was the worst.). (and many heading into the church parking lot isn’t much better).

Have you tried putting your headlight on, even during the day (at least for this part of the ride)? If the sun is behind you it might help you to be seen.

Of course it won’t help you to be seen by drivers enjoying streaming content on their mobile devices.

@DrP 161276 wrote:

…My having a light is unlikely to do much unless I aimed it at the northbound traffic.

I have done pretty much that when my TRI mulch detour took me across the access roads to Memorial Bridge. I have a Light & Motion Urban that swivels (pretty much a requirement for mounting a light on mustache bars) and pointed it directly into oncoming traffic in flashing mode when crossing. I’ve never been hit at those locations so a data point of one says this is a good safety plan.