Crash

[RogerJ]

ARGH....

 

I was doing my regular commute today and about 1 mile out from work, thought to myself, "you know, the last 3/4 miles of this ride are the most dangerous".

 

I was less than 1/2 mile from work and someone turned right over me in the bike lane. Luckily, I saw enough of this coming to slow down some, but I was knocked over and slid under the car, which stopped before running over me. His first claim was that he didn't see me. However, I pointed out the 2 front lights (one steady one flashing), 2 rear lights (one steady, one flashing) and my bright yellow jacket and rain fly over my pack. He stopped with that line of reasoning pretty quickly.

 

Net toll:

 

• Leg cuts
  
• Leg road rash
  
• Sore hip
  
• Sore elbow
  
• Front wheel out of true
  
• Headlamp battery might have loose wires
  

 

Considering that I ended up with my leg under the car, I feel pretty damned lucky to have ridden the rest of the way to work.

 

Everything will be OK.

 

Thanks for letting me rant about this.

 

-r

[EWolfe]

Glad you're OK Roger.

[counterfeitfake]

Scary! I'm glad you're ok.

 

I'm sure he didn't see you, though. I'm an attentive driver, but I know I have had near misses while driving with pedestrians and bicyclists because I'm just not tuned in to them. It's a real problem, I don't think it matters how many flashy lights are on a bike, when drivers are behind the wheel they're looking for other cars. The same problem exists for motorcycles.

 

I fear the only real way car drivers will become more conscious of two-wheelers is by having to deal with more of them on the road. How do you think it could be addressed?

[archenemy]

Fuck inattentive drivers.

 

I think most everyone drives around like wherever it is they have to go is more important than the safety and the lives of everyone around them.

 

I am not a perfect driver, but I am a considerate one. I have screwed up on the road plenty, but I wave an apology, not flip someone the bird. But when I am off the road, I actually think I get road rage b/c I think of all the assholes driving around like this. And I think that driver saw you and figure he could make it around the corner even if you had to "slow down a bit" without bothering to consider how very dangerous this was to you. I hope he falls down a flight of stairs, or at least tells all his buddies that he almost killed/crushed/maimed someone today with his car and to please be more careful cuz he sure wished he'd been.

 

my own mini rant over--hope I didn't detract from yours...

[Alasdair]

Make sure he pays for a full tune up of your bike, and at least a doctors visit. Contact his insurance company and let them know about the accident. When you speak to the insurance company they will try to get you to admit 5% fault or some bullshit like that. DONT!!!! Make sure you tell them while they are recording the conversation that he was 100% at fault.

 

This is important. I have been hit by a car and did not fair as well as you and learned a lot of lessons from it. More than anything else it is very important you contact his insurance company so it is on his record. They record everything whether a claim was made or not. If he does it again he might be taking the bus for a while.

[archenemy]

This is good advice!

 

What happened, did you get talked into accepting 5% and have them screw you?

[RogerJ]

I fear the only real way car drivers will become more conscious of two-wheelers is by having to deal with more of them on the road. How do you think it could be addressed?

 

I have a couple of observations. First, my resume includes between 5-7K of bike commuting to and from work, so I see a lot.

 

I'd agree that more cyclists heightens awareness. I seldom even have near misses in the areas where bike traffic is higher and consistent.

 

As for the bike lanes, they are a double edged sword. When I am on a 40+ MPH road, they are wonderful. ORS statues state that a cyclist must be in the bike lane when one is present. This area is a case where the presence of a bike lane probably creates situations like the one I was in. My best bet for visibility would be to park my ass in the road with car traffic. It's hard to miss blinky lights and high viz clothing when it's in front of you. This is the approach I take when riding in the city proper. It's also no hindrance to autos since traffic is metered to about 15MPH or less. My inclination going forward is that I'd rather get a lecture from the authorities or a ticket than to use that particular bike lane anymore.

 

At least the motorist didn't start on me for not having a MLU or dog!

 

-r

[RogerJ]

Thanks for the insurance note.

 

I already got his insurance, and told him that his insurance will cover this. I made the mistake of not getting in in my last bike car crash in 1999.

 

I once had to do a deposition on a bike\car crash where some very old and feeble man hit a cyclist and knocked him over the car, ala Hollywood stunman style. I was a block away and witnessed the whole thing. The driver was unable to discern whether the guy wiht the busted bike and blood all over or me coming to the scene was the one he hit.

 

The insurance company so badly wanted to make it the cyclists fault.

 

-r

[archenemy]

What is up with that? Certainly there are human beings who work at insurance companies? Some of them must ride bikes or have family members who do. What is wrong with people?

 

I don't ride a bike, but I used to ride a motorcycle. I finally sold my last one when I moved to Seattle and had so many close calls in such a short period of time that I was freaked. I don't know if its SEattle or if it is a progression of more selfish driving attitudes. It scared me away from riding (a bike) on the roads as well, which sucks.

[Alasdair]

I ended up doing quite well from the whole incident, but I was also very patient. The key to insurance companies is they want to get the claim off their desk and closed as quickly as possible. The longer you string it out and ask for too much the more desperate they are to close the case. Dont threaten them with a lawyer because then they wont bargan at all. I simply told them the dollar amount I wanted. I determined this by calculating every hour I missed climbing and multiplied it by my hourly salary from work at the time. I gave them this figure in addition to lost time from work(which is never a problem to get money for). I wrote them a letter telling them that my free time was more important to me than missed work. They informed me this was too much money so I told them to call me back when they have a check for what I asked. To make a long story short, after 1.5 years of gradually increasing offers and me hanging up on them they finally called one day and offered me $100 less than what I asked for. I had a check later that afternoon. I did tell them at some point if there is one thing I hate more than insurance agents it is personal injury attorneys, but if I had to use one I would.

[foraker]

Certainly there are human beings who work at insurance companies?

 

Yes, but they are human beings with families to feed and mortgages of their own to pay and a thin manual in front of them that says 'Deny and Delay' with a footnote that says 'Or seek employment elsewhere'. If they do decide to pay out, realize that their first POA is to give you a low-ball settlement. If you don't immediately accept it and decide to lawyer up, prepare for a big expensive fight.

[E-rock]

Scary! I'm glad you're ok.

 

I'm sure he didn't see you, though. I'm an attentive driver, but I know I have had near misses while driving with pedestrians and bicyclists because I'm just not tuned in to them. It's a real problem, I don't think it matters how many flashy lights are on a bike, when drivers are behind the wheel they're looking for other cars. The same problem exists for motorcycles.

 

I fear the only real way car drivers will become more conscious of two-wheelers is by having to deal with more of them on the road. How do you think it could be addressed?

 

 

Sounds like the excuse list of a shitty driver to me.

[archenemy]

Oh please. If their ethics were against the bullshit, they'd get another job.

[foraker]

They probably do in time. I don't know the turnover rate in the insurance industry by I reckon it's not low. That'd just be a guess though. Otherwise, by your argument, the only people in the insurance industry are those without ethics ergo they aren't compassionate human beings, which is what you asked to begin with.

[olyclimber]

JEEZUS!!! Just because Roger actually gets in an accident he gets all the attention??? WHAT ABOUT MY NEAR ACCIDENT THREAD????? HELLO!!!!!

[counterfeitfake]

Sounds like the excuse list of a shitty driver to me.

 

Ok, I'm glad you drive perfectly then. Doesn't really address why others don't, or how to solve it.

[tvashtarkatena]

Last week someone slammed into my door in a parking lot and didn't leave a note.

 

I'm still shaken up about it.

[archenemy]

They probably do in time. I don't know the turnover rate in the insurance industry by I reckon it's not low. That'd just be a guess though. Otherwise, by your argument, the only people in the insurance industry are those without ethics ergo they aren't compassionate human beings, which is what you asked to begin with.

Stop using circular reasoning with me. Can't you see I am already confused?

[RogerJ]

JEEZUS!!! Just because Roger actually gets in an accident he gets all the attention??? WHAT ABOUT MY NEAR ACCIDENT THREAD????? HELLO!!!!!

 

It only counts if you have a near miss with a Taun Taun.

 

-r

 

PS it wasn't an accident it was a crash (another term to use with insurance companies)

 

[E-rock]

Sounds like the excuse list of a shitty driver to me.

 

Ok, I'm glad you drive perfectly then. Doesn't really address why others don't, or how to solve it.

 

I'm hardly a perfect driver, but if I nearly kill a WELL LIT cyclist ABIDING TRAFFIC LAWS because I didn't see him, the problem isn't that that I wasn't TRAINED to see cyclists, or didn't properly condition myself earlier in my driving career to see them. The problem is that I was inattentive and didn't see the cyclist, period, hence I'm a shitty driver.

 

A little bit of cognizant dilligence behind the wheel (and in many other aspects of life) goes a long way towards making up for any perceived deficiencies imposed on me by the collective consciousness.

Edited March 1, 2007 by E-rock

[tvashtarkatena]

Old ladies are even harder to spot.

 

If you don't see someone, that's definitely YOUR problem. A cyclist has no legal responsibility whatsoever to make themselves more visible, even if it's a good idea. If you hit them, that will definitely be your problem in court. Learning to look more carefully, anticipate, and be more attentive is the responsibility of every driver. If you can't sign up for that, take the bus.

[StreetBoss]

hmm..I was just in New York City and brother there are little to NO bicycles on the road for good reason - they'r targets.

 

When I see bikes in the morning on very congested roads with everyone only focused on their make-up, latte, celly, balckberry or wacking off I have to admit that's taking your life in your own hands.

 

Sorry for your crash..rant on.

 

[Alasdair]

hmm..I was just in New York City and brother there are little to NO bicycles on the road for good reason - they'r targets.

 

When I see bikes in the morning on very congested roads with everyone only focused on their make-up, latte, celly, balckberry or wacking off I have to admit that's taking your life in your own hands.

 

Sorry for your crash..rant on.

 

 

ONe more reason that I will never live in New York. Over rated dump if you ask me.

[tvashtarkatena]

hmm..I was just in New York City and brother there are little to NO bicycles on the road for good reason - they'r targets.

 

When I see bikes in the morning on very congested roads with everyone only focused on their make-up, latte, celly, balckberry or wacking off I have to admit that's taking your life in your own hands.

 

Sorry for your crash..rant on.

 

 

No one needs to drive at all in NYC.

[counterfeitfake]

If you don't see someone, that's definitely YOUR problem. A cyclist has no legal responsibility whatsoever to make themselves more visible, even if it's a good idea. If you hit them, that will definitely be your problem in court. Learning to look more carefully, anticipate, and be more attentive is the responsibility of every driver. If you can't sign up for that, take the bus.

 

If I don't see someone and I kill him, it becomes a problem for both of us. Why do you want to talk about legal responsibilities and who's going to lose in court? Isn't it more productive to talk about how to prevent accidents?