It's my position as a driver that until no individual on a bicycle ever breaks a traffic law, no driver should no driver should ever be held responsible for running down any cyclist at any time.Cyclists should always me mindful of the fact that when I'm making a right-hand turn, or opening my door into traffic, checking my side view mirror is a somewhat difficult thing to remember to do. And if I end up killing you, well, you're engaging in extremely risky behavior.
You might think this is some crackpot but unfortunately this mentality comes through in the way a lot of people in DC drive around cyclists (and DC Metrobus drivers are not exempt!).
Personal Example: I was in the bike lane northbound on 14th Street. One block the bike lane was partially blocked by construction, forcing me to move left closer to traffic. Sure enough, my elbow was grazed by a passing car. The driver stopped (a uniformed Metro security officer) and while swearing at me checked his mirror, never once asking if I was injured (I was not). See, like the commenter above, this driver felt that it was my fault because I was on his road. I deserved to be hit, and woe unto me if I caused any damage to his precious car.
It's pretty obvious what happened to Ms. Swanson...she was in the bike lane heading west on R street, continuing straight across Connecticut. The garbage truck, also on R street heading west, made a right turn unto 20th, running into Swanson in the intersection. Cyclists call this a right hook. And, this morning, it nearly happened to me in the same intersection. I stopped at the stop sign there and the car next to turned in front of me, cutting me off. the driver never checked the bike lane...she was talking on her cell phone.
But damn me anyway for being there on my bike...
