COCONUT GROVE, Fla. – A South Florida man told Local 10 News he was on a leisurely bike ride home late Tuesday afternoon in the bike lane in Coconut Grove when he was struck by a car.
"It is the first time I have ever put the camera on the bike," Reid Welch said.
Welch was riding over 20 mph when a driver suddenly cut him off in the bike lane.
"He forgot to check his rearview mirror. He forgot to use his turn signal," Welch said.
Welch didn't suffer any broken bones, just some bruising, swelling and a bad case of road rash.
Welch knows he is lucky he wasn't hurt worse, but he said he learned two things from the accident: You get a false sense of security from being in the bike lane and many drivers don't know how to make a right-hand turn when a bike lane is present.
After checking to make sure the bike lane is clear, drivers should put on their blinker and get close to the curb.
The bike lane is a vehicle lane and it is not just for bikes.
"If you were in the center lane of a four-lane or three-lane highway, you wouldn't make a right turn from the center lane. You would move over to the far right lane," Welch said.
Welch said he is not mad at the driver, who stayed at the scene, and helped him get medical care. He said he posted the video of the accident on YouTube to make others aware.
"Here we have a chance to educate drivers and also educate cyclists," Welch said. "I won't let somebody else's mistake like this one hurt me again in the future. I will be extra vigilant."