The Scariest Cars (To Cyclists)

Watch out for cars!

Cycling is generally a safe, relaxing sport, but that doesn’t mean it’s without its dangers. Biking on a trail can lead to some injuries if you’re not careful, but when you’re cycling on roads that cars use, then you’re flirting with a greater amount of danger. Any cyclist has probably had one or two experiences of close calls with cars when they could feel the displacement of air as the car sped past them.

Sound scary? It can be, which is why you need to keep your eyes peeled for cars on this list, which chronicles some of the scariest cars out on the roads, looking from the perspective of a cyclist:

-The Hummer.

The Hummer is famous for its gas-guzzling bravado, and the interior space requires that the Hummer takes up a lot of pavement. Drivers of Hummers can sometimes forget just how much power they have under them, so you can’t expect any Hummer to make concessions for you as a cyclist. Even if you think you have the first rights to the road, you’ll want to assume that no one is looking out for your safety except for one person: you.

-The Excursion.

The Excursion is a sports-utility vehicle (SUV) that, like the Hummer, is famous for its size. Even the name of “the Excursion” sounds intimidating. Many cyclists will find that the Excursion is similar to the Hummer, and is also to be avoided with just as much caution.

-Jeeps.

Jeeps can be fun to drive, but on the road they’re not the best friends of cyclists. Many jeeps can be opened up in warm weather, so you might not have to worry about blind spots, but it can be easy to lose sensitivity to ground-level cyclists when you’re on top of a tall jeep. Keep this in mind if you ever come across one.

-Large vans.

Vans frequently have gigantic blind spots, meaning that it’s much easier for the driver of a large van to miss the cyclist on the side of the road. Don’t cycle parallel to a large van or truck, as you can’t be sure that you’ll be able to predict its movement. Instead, slow down or change direction safely in order to avoid getting too close to large vans, as their wide turning radius can hit you even if you think you’ve got plenty of space.

You don’t have to view cycling as a scary sport – you don’t even have to cycle where cars might be. You can find trails that will completely erase any fear of cars you have. If you must share the road with drivers, be sure to understand that you understand the strength of passing cars than their drivers do.

Photo Credits: tvol

Originally posted 2009-04-17 05:09:56.

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