We hear a lot about the “war” between cars and cycles. It even crops up, benignly, in the comments on our Northgate Station post earlier this month.
On Friday we got a different kind of story from Sarah, who wanted to reach out to a cyclist she and her husband almost hit in one of our roundabouts.
The incident apparently ended with the cyclist screaming at the car, and Sarah and her husband – cyclists themselves – distressed.
“I didn’t like how things were left; of course there was no opportunity for communication,” she writes. “But we are neighbors up here and I feel like it’s important that we all be on the same team, especially with rising crime in our city, etc. I’d like to think he was just having a bad day and is not naturally this violent a person, but I was totally shaken by this.
“Is there any chance you could post the following open apology to this fellow, just in case he might happen to see it? The thing I love about Maple Leaf is how tightly knit the community is; this morning was a sad thing, and I want to feel like maybe we can make amends.”
Her open letter is below:
To the biker (a man with thick – wavy? – silver hair, white bike) at the roundabout at 12th and 90th this (Friday) morning:
I want to apologize to you. My husband and I yielded to let two cars go ahead of us before entering the roundabout. I know you feel that you were cut off, because you were on the right. I hope you will believe me when I tell you that neither of us even saw you until we had already entered the roundabout and were halfway through our turn. My husband actually tried to slam on the brakes – I know, because I gasped….
I think my husband heard me gasp and realized he couldn’t stop in time to allow you to turn, so he stepped off the brake and cut the turn as tightly as he could, trying to give you room. You were angry. I understand. I hope you will believe me when I tell you that both my husband and I actually do bike to work on a fairly regular basis, and that I know your anger. But I hope that you can understand that this was not an act of aggression or malignancy on our part; we simply did not see you.
I was deeply distressed at how things were left because I am concerned about biker/car relations in this city, and I think that what we really need is more and better communication between bikers and cars. We respect bikers. We respect you. There wasn’t an opportunity for us to communicate this morning, so I have written the folks at Maple Leaf Life in hopes of getting ahold of you somehow and expressing our very sincere apologies. We really just did not see you until we were already in the roundabout.
Furthermore, as this happened near our home (and it seemed like you were just setting out for the day), I assume that we are neighbors up here in Maple Leaf. What I have found particularly special and meaningful about living in this community is how tightly knit this neighborhood is. I feel like Maple Leaf is remarkable for the way its citizens band together and hold the line against rising crime pressing in on us from Northgate and Lake City; we look out for each other. It’s important to both my husband and I that we be good citizens and good neighbors.
Can we chalk this morning’s incident up to human error/failure of vision and bury the hatchet? If it would help, I’d love to sweeten the deal with a jar of of my homemade wild-foraged salmonberry jam.”
Joel — It’s legal. These are not roundabouts, they are traffic circles.
By the way, this letter of apology was awesome. I don’t cycle much anymore, but I think it’s great that people give each other consideration on the road.
No one should ever cut a left turn through the roundabouts. I can’t believe that this isn’t a law (if it isn’t). I’ve been almost nailed twice on my own street thanks to that approach. It’s lazy, careless, and dangerous driving. A bad trio.
It’s reassuring we have such kind, caring neighbors. Whether they went a bit overboard in their apology is irrelevant; there’s no “book” on how to do this, and their way is infinitely better than a fistfight (or worse) at the intersection.
Too bad more people aren’t as highly evolved.
Just because the Angry Bike Guy was on the right, does not mean he has right-of-way.
If you already let two cars through; I would assume you were at the intersection before ABG and you would have the right-of-way regardless of ABG’s orientation.
Either way, no harm no foul.
Thank you Maple Leaf Life for posting this and to the poster for their heartfelt apology and concern. Unfortunately, the comments section started to tilt to axe grinding at #5. That still beats the comments section of the Seattle Times or Seattle Bike Blog though.
I am guessing the bike guy was yelling in part because he was scared, it was a close call. Every comment I’ve read makes some sense. You’ve done the right thing so now try and let it go.
Unless he was hurt or knocked down , don’t see what big deal is? those situations happen everyday,all day in the big city, even in Maple Leaf for Lifedom, when u commute by bike. Its okay for him to yell and scream at you, it was probably deserved. But don’t let it get the best of you , yes Marionberry Jam may sound delicious to him, but a middle finger thrown back could be just as sweet. Grow some skin and chalk it up as one of many of life’s close calls.
I’m not a cyclist but I am a motorcylist and I ride with the assumption that I’m invisable to all around me and for the most part I am. I don’t get angry with people who don’t see me and change lanes into mine or turn infront of me because that’s part of the risk you take riding such a vehicle. I wish bicyclist had the same understandng, but they seem to have such an attatude toward everyone else they share the road with. I’ve seen cyclists kick cars and scream at drivers, they just don’t seem to get that they are vulnerable and need to ride accordingly.
If you are going through a roundabout fast enough to not be able to brake to avoid a person on bike, who is travelling in the same direction and thus diminsihing the relative speed of your vehicles, then how the heck are you going to avoid the pedestrian you didn’t see?
The solution is simple. Slow down. Do not assume that what lies around a blind corner is open road.
You are a kind person with a heart! It traumatizing to know you almost hit a bicyclist or a pedestrian. We try to be careful, but no one is perfect.
My problem with certain cyclists is that some “think” that every driver can see them during the day or night without wearing bright clothing during the day or using flashing lights at night. Dusk is the worse time to see pedestrians or cyclists, but there are far too many cyclists who assume because they can “see” that we drivers can see them equally as well. No, we cannot.
Countless times I see cyclists riding without helmet, wearing dark blue or black and the bike is dark colored too.
On some of our Seattle days it makes it difficult to see them as some of them “skitter from the street to the sidewalk and skitter back again”.
Great to see the letter. Far too often the fire that generates the so called war between cars and bikes is flamed by both parties holding onto their judgements made quickly in a stressful situation. Both sides could benefit from reading letters like this in environments other than out on the street….PS – Maple Leaf for Life!
The war with cars and bikes will wage for a long time. Too many people arent thinking, and if they are they are thinking about their own self interests, whether they be on bike or in a car. Keep your tires and your spandex out the cracks, bikers and drivers alike.
Roundabouts are tricky. Not everyone understands the rules. They aren’t like roundabouts in the UK, and there is some ambiguity to the law (not precisely illegal to “cut” the roundabout to the left, but you’re 100% liable in any accident.)
As a driver, I approach with caution and flexibility. Often the other vehicle is in the wrong, but this is just not the place to try and assert your rights. Bicyclists would be well advised to adopt this same strategy at the numerous roundabouts in Maple Leaf.
Many times I see bicyclists who do not stop for red lights or stop signs. I get concerned that too many bicyclists don’t want to follow the same rules of the road which does include slowing down and even stopping.
As someone who exclusively bikes around, I really appreciate someone reaching out for this type of situation. There aren’t really any good opportunities to apologise at the time.
Those times that I’m in the wrong, all I can do is yell an apology and hope they hear me through steel and glass.