to push my monthly mileage to 508 in homage to my Furnace Creek 508 finish. I drove to Sellwood Riverside Park to start from, as many of my rides this month have. I'm still a little timid about riding with traffic after last November's issue and I have good access to the Springwater Trail and good parking options, restroom, water, etc.
As I was preparing to ride a rain shower arrived. The forecast called for increasing rain with up to a half inch falling during the afternoon. I was hoping this wasn't an early arrival of that weather system, but I did have the rain bike.
That shower soon stopped, and a little blue sky appeared between the swirling clouds. It was time to ride! I considered riding out and back on the Springwater the appropriate distance to reach my goal, but I prefer to not ride out and back. I also had the option of riding Portland's 40 mile loop (actually 38 miles) and by using the Williams Ave option could cut that to 34, just perfect for today's goal. It would still be mostly on paths with the remainder being on well marked bike lanes.
I went for the loop tour!
I started off northbound.
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| Tilikum Crossing |
I was enjoying the ride, being pushed along by a brisk south wind. I was aware that this was a loop route and I'd eventually have to be riding into the wind.
The path was dry and as long as one was looking the right direction the sky looked blue!
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| Steel Bridge, Broadway Bridge, and if you look carefully you can see the Fremont Bridge as well. |
As I neared the Columbia River the bike route on Williams gets moved over to Vancouver Ave to access a bridge over the Columbia Slough. Vancouver is a busier street, but has a marked bike lane.
As I approached Columbia Blvd the traffic light was red, and there where a few vehicles in the lane waiting for the green light. As is my normal procedure, I exited the bike lane and got in line with the cars. My mantra has always been "never get to the right of a car than can turn right". Getting in the lane eliminates the dreaded right hook, and also makes a few motorists mad because they think you should be in the bike lane, not THEIR lane.
Soon I had other cars line up behind me. I could feel their eyeballs on my back. The last time I was at this intersection I was behind a few cars as well. I ended up not making it through the light when it turned green.
I looked at the two cars and one garbage truck ahead of me. There were no turn signals on indicating that any of them intended to turn right. I cautiously moved back to the bike lane and moved forward while watching for last minute signals. My plan was to get ahead of the truck that was the first vehicle in line and stop on the crosswalk and wave and make eye contact with the driver.
Never quite made it that far. As I got about to the passenger side door of the truck the light turned green. The driver was prompt at getting started and be darned if he didn't turn right. I slammed the brakes and tried to turn right but the driver was turning close (as he should, instead of swinging wide into the left lane) I had nowhere to go. I clearly remember being on the ground watching the bumper of the truck going over me, and seeing the front tire rolling toward me.
I am thankful that the driver had quick reflexes (and didn't have radio playing loudly). He said he heard a hit and slammed on his brakes coming to a quick stop. The rear of his truck was still blocking lanes on Vancouver. I'm glad he choose to keep blocking lanes rather than proceed forward then get out to see what he might have hit. He was very remorseful and said he rode bike too. I was legally in the bike lane but I should have listened to my own advice and stayed in the lane with the cars, but he should have signaled, and should have checked mirrors before turning across a bike lane. He said he didn't see me, but I respond that he didn't look. There are enough bikes on streets in Portland that one always has to presume the likelihood of a bicycle in a bike lane.
The bike has some serious damage and is not ridable. I'll bring it in to my LBS and see if it is fixable.
On the plus side, I'm still here typing this, I got my 5 mile personal minimum, and completed the #ridingeverydayinNovember challenge.
Remember kiddos, never ride to the right of a vehicle that can turn right.
........Road Bike........Rollers.......MTB..........Lifecycle......Total
Today ......9.................0..................0....................0.............9
Jan.........26................ 0................0.....................0..............26
Feb.........7..................0................0.....................0...............7
March.......5.................0................0.....................0...............5
April.......0.................0...............66.....................0...............66
May.........0..................0..............79......................0...............79
June........2..................0...............0......................0...............2
July........64.................0...............0......................0...............64
August......11..................0...............0.....................0...............11
September......0..................0................0.....................0................0
October........0..................0...............0......................0................0
November.......483................0................0......................0...............483
YTD........589...............0...............154.....................0.............743
Update: The bike was fixable. The cost to do so was 75% of the cost of the bike when I bought it. I've submitted the bill to Portland Recycling and Disposal. Hopefully they reimburse me without pushing this into a more complicated and expensive process.
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