A classic.
This video from China shows a female motorcyclist recklessly driving right alongside a large vehicle—disregarding the extreme risk—and subsequently being run over. This is likely what it feels like when your life flashes before your eyes.
Video
The Blind Spot of the “Deadly Crescent Curve” in Chinese Motorcycle Accidents
Accidents like this one—where a two-wheeled vehicle is run over after riding alongside a large vehicle—are a recurring pattern in China. According to the Beijing Public Security Bureau’s Traffic Management Bureau, accidents frequently occur when e-bikes or bicycles riding alongside a large vehicle are caught in the blind spot created by “off-tracking” (or the “inner-wheel difference”)—a phenomenon where the rear of the vehicle follows a tighter turning radius than the front wheels. This specific blind spot is commonly referred to as the “Crescent of Death.” According to the Chinese government’s official web portal, there were 436 major road traffic accidents nationwide in 2023 resulting in three or more fatalities, a 12% decrease compared to 2019.
On April 20, 2019, at an intersection in Beijing’s Haidian District, an e-bike and a bicycle were caught in the blind spot caused by the off-tracking of a heavy-duty dump truck making a right turn; two people died, and one was injured. Three days later, on April 23, a mother and daughter on an e-bike were killed at an intersection in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, due to the off-tracking of a large truck. Both incidents shared the common factor of e-bikes being caught in the large vehicle’s blind spot.
In contrast, on June 24, 2024, at an intersection in Tongxiang City (Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province), an electric scooter entered the blind spot of a large semi-trailer making a right turn. A female police officer on patrol shouted “Stop!” prompting the driver to brake suddenly and avert a collision. Although the blind spot scenario was the same, unlike the two 2019 incidents, this case was prevented before a collision could occur.
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