Many bicyclists have been killed trying to cross large, multi-lane roads at mid-block locations and unsignalized intersections. Usually the cyclists weren't hit in the lanes that were closest to their starting points, but in the more distant lanes. Even when cyclists get hit trying to cross 2-lane roads, they often make it across the adjacent lane then get hit by a car in the opposite lane.
Most cyclists don't have trouble realizing when a car in an adjacent lane is too close for them to cross. But some cyclists seem to have trouble knowing when a car in a more distant lane is too close. Perhaps they underestimate how much time it will take them to cross multiple lanes, overestimate how much time it will take cars in the more distant lanes to reach them, or a combination of both.
Before trying to cross large, multi-lane roads, always remember that the extra time it takes you to reach and cross the more distant lanes gives cars in those lanes extra time to reach you! Cars in those lanes need to be farther back down the road than if they were in nearer lanes.
Only try to cross a road if you are absolutely certain that you have enough time. Your life may depend on it!
In this first animation, even though the 3 cars are traveling side-by-side and at the same speed, the 3 bicyclists get across the first 2 lanes but get hit by the car in the 3rd lane. (Note: The bicyclist crossing times shown in the animation are just examples. Many bicyclists — as well as pedestrians — would take much longer to cross three traffic lanes. See the table below for how many feet a car will travel at various speeds in from 1 to 12 seconds.)
In this animation, the cyclists cross with a safety margin for each lane.
| Speed | Feet traveled in | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (MPH) | 1 second | 2 seconds | 3 seconds | 4 seconds | 5 seconds | 6 seconds | 7 seconds | 8 seconds | 9 seconds | 10 seconds | 11 seconds | 12 seconds |
| 20 | 29.33 | 58.67 | 88.00 | 117.33 | 146.67 | 176.00 | 205.33 | 234.67 | 264.00 | 293.33 | 322.67 | 352.00 |
| 25 | 36.67 | 73.33 | 110.00 | 146.67 | 183.33 | 220.00 | 256.67 | 293.33 | 330.00 | 366.67 | 403.33 | 440.00 |
| 30 | 44.00 | 88.00 | 132.00 | 176.00 | 220.00 | 264.00 | 308.00 | 352.00 | 396.00 | 440.00 | 484.00 | 528.00 |
| 35 | 51.33 | 102.67 | 154.00 | 205.33 | 256.67 | 308.00 | 359.33 | 410.67 | 462.00 | 513.33 | 564.67 | 616.00 |
| 40 | 58.67 | 117.33 | 176.00 | 234.67 | 293.33 | 352.00 | 410.67 | 469.33 | 528.00 | 586.67 | 645.33 | 704.00 |
| 45 | 66.00 | 132.00 | 198.00 | 264.00 | 330.00 | 396.00 | 462.00 | 528.00 | 594.00 | 660.00 | 726.00 | 792.00 |
| 50 | 73.33 | 146.67 | 220.00 | 293.33 | 366.67 | 440.00 | 513.33 | 586.67 | 660.00 | 733.33 | 806.67 | 880.00 |
| 55 | 80.67 | 161.33 | 242.00 | 322.67 | 403.33 | 484.00 | 564.67 | 645.33 | 726.00 | 806.67 | 887.33 | 968.00 |
| 60 | 88.00 | 176.00 | 264.00 | 352.00 | 440.00 | 528.00 | 616.00 | 704.00 | 792.00 | 880.00 | 968.00 | 1,056.00 |
| Feet traveled = speed × 5,280/3,600 × seconds | ||||||||||||