How many of us have been hit by a car in Chicago?

I haven't but my wife was. Door opened in the parking lane on Belmont near Racine. Knocked her off her bike and into traffic, a car slammed its brakes an stopped just short of her (helmetted) head. She has a deep scar on her shoulder. E.T. said she was lucky, they've seen bikers go through the window of an opened car door before. I've always been most nervous when riding on Wells in the loop because of the big El supports.

Any stories? What % of us have actually been hit or injured?

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Permalink Reply by cutifly on December 18, 2008 at 11:42am
Once by the side of a bus on the tall bike, almost once out of the ally on the tall bike. Once over by Peterson and Lincoln while a car started turning from the lot on the regular bike. No injuries, nothing serious. Dig.
Permalink Reply by roofis lee king on December 19, 2008 at 9:12am
ive been hit 2 times on bike (one time it was my fault ;) )
once on big wheel and once on foot
4 all together
my right knee took most of the dammage along with my right elbo.
some car blew a stop sign and plowed me on my green gt.
Permalink Reply by Todd on January 13, 2009 at 5:24am
I was riding home a couple of weeks ago through the UIC area (South of Roosevelt on Halsted) when a car passed me, saw a parking spot and pulled into it. I ran right into the side of her car, she was buzzed so I didn't confront her. No injuries or damage (to my bike) but it was damn scary.
Permalink Reply by Meghan on June 19, 2009 at 6:06am
I got hit by a car for the first time on sunday. I was riding down North Ave, coming up to the Damen/Milwaukee 6-way intersection and this car pulled out of their parking space into me. I swerved but the car was faster. I flew out into the lane but thankfully, no cars were coming. I am bruised but all right. I managed to fall softly and roll a little. Miraculous since I wasn't wearing a helmet (shame on me, I know). My bike was fine as well. The guy re-parked and got out and apologized profusely. I was shaken but told him I was all right but that next time, he might not be so lucky. Then he told me, "oh, I'm a bicycle rider too." To which I thought, That makes you an even bigger asshole! I didn't get his name or number, I didn't feel it was necessary as all of my bike and mine's moving parts worked. But I haven't left my house without my helmet once since then.
Permalink Reply by The Nefarious Dinosaur Patrol on June 19, 2009 at 6:47am
I got doored twice, hit by a cab that ran a light, hit by a bus that drove into the back of me, and just had my arm / shoulder broken in three places by some lady quickly turning though traffic into a parking lot in front of me. As soon as they put some screws in there to hold it all together, I'll be back riding again though...
Permalink Reply by Joe Sak on June 19, 2009 at 7:47am
Got doored by a Taxi on Madison by the Chase Tower

Got hit by a car that entered the bike lane to make a right turn yesterday on Damen, south of Fullerton, in front of the 7-11.
Permalink Reply by Jackie on June 19, 2009 at 7:58am
I got hit for the first time last Saturday. I was on Lincoln Ave going to Ribfest, and about two blocks away from it, A guy turned right over the bike lane and I swerved to avoid it. His car only hit the back of my bike, didn't touch me at all. The guy owes me a new wheel because the car bent it so much it doesn't turn anymore because it gets stuck on the frame.

I had my lights on even though it wasn't dark yet and I had been wavering between being ahead, parallel and behind the car for almost a half a mile. His response was "Oh, I thought I passed you" mine was, "No matter what, you HAVE to check your mirrors/look both ways... ESPECIALLY if you think you passed someone ... it's likely they're not far behind. If you think about it, our bike lane is to the right of you, so when you turn right, you're still turning over traffic, so you HAVE to pay attention"

.... People SUCK at driving. If I drive, I get honked at by other cars because I stop completely at stop signs (roll back), to check for bikes... and I'm just a super cautious driver... buuuut I hate cars so much, I prefer to not use one.....

People suck at driving.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on June 19, 2009 at 8:29am
Oh, the "I ride a bike too" excuse. I love it soooo much. It's also been brought up by drivers who are impatient assholes who yell at you for being in the way. Well, if you ride, and I mean in the street, then you'd know what a pain a bad stretch of road can be for a cyclist.

Glad to hear you came out of it OK Meghan.

Meghan said:
I got hit by a car for the first time on sunday. I was riding down North Ave, coming up to the Damen/Milwaukee 6-way intersection and this car pulled out of their parking space into me. I swerved but the car was faster. I flew out into the lane but thankfully, no cars were coming. I am bruised but all right. I managed to fall softly and roll a little. Miraculous since I wasn't wearing a helmet (shame on me, I know). My bike was fine as well. The guy re-parked and got out and apologized profusely. I was shaken but told him I was all right but that next time, he might not be so lucky. Then he told me, "oh, I'm a bicycle rider too." To which I thought, That makes you an even bigger asshole! I didn't get his name or number, I didn't feel it was necessary as all of my bike and mine's moving parts worked. But I haven't left my house without my helmet once since then.
Permalink Reply by mike w. on June 19, 2009 at 9:18am
How many? Apparently TOO many...

Let's see...

got broadsided by a Lincoln Mk4 and rode his hood about 20 feet before he stopped and i slid off onto my arse (that's what hurt!) My old Allego was toast, and i believe i gouged his hood pretty good. He was very concerned and tried to insist he take me to the e-room, but the bike was really the only casualty. The collision as totally my fault though, b/c i ran a stop sign while going around a loading mover's truck and into his path.

On Devon ave. (home of THE WORST drivers in Chicago, BTW) i got a ride on the fender of a car whose driver decided to head into a parking place. Took me across the curb and i landed on the sidewalk at the feet of two old guys who told me in heavy yiddish accents, "You should sue!" When the driver saw me get up, he jumped back in his car and took off. Got lucky on that one as i was only slightly bruised and the bike survived. The two witnessing old guys were a complete hoot, and i had the impression that they were old Vaudevillians.

Near misses too many to count. Many involve drivers trying to pull head first into parking places just as they pass me. Latest one was on Sheridan and Columbia by a lady who was taking her kid to the sitter. i was wearing a hi-viz yellow jersey and my blinky light was on (in daylight) so i know it wasn't my invisibility that was the problem. Gave her an earful of Billingsgate...
i have the misfortune of passing this corner daily at about the same time as she does in the AM, so i'm sure this scene will repeat again before summer's out.
That particular stretch of Sheridan is doubly dangerous as i also have to deal with caffeine addicts (some are CPD officers...) double-parking and rushing to get to the Starbucks that's right there next to the 400 Theatre.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 19, 2009 at 11:53am
I've been doored twice, both incidents within a few months of each other back in 2000. The first time was at Clark/Barry/Halsted. I was heading home from work, NB on Clark, bearing right onto Halsted. Some bonehead had parked illegally in front of Domino's and swung the door of his Jeep open when I was right next to it. I went flying sideways off the bike, landing hard on my butt in the middle of Halsted. I was grateful for the GOOD driver behind me. She stopped quickly, and stayed there with her flashers on, making sure that no one hit me while I was sitting there, stunned, with the wind knocked out of me. She started yelling at the idiot who doored me. Of course, he wouldn't accept any responsibility for being a clueless idiot. I had a broken tailbone. No harm to the bike.

Second time I was also riding home from work, this time NB on Dearborn at Goethe. A cab stopped at the stop sign, just to the right of the center line. As I was passing, his passenger got out on the right side, hitting me with the door when I was right next to it. I didn't fall all the way over, but wrenched my ankle. She was extremely apologetic and went up to her apartment to get me a bag of ice. She took responsibility, paid for a cab ride home, and was totally decent about the whole thing.

I've been lucky before and after that summer of disaster. Lots of close calls, but no other accidents. *knock wood*
Permalink Reply by Chris Ordanez on June 19, 2009 at 5:16pm
I was hit head-on by a guy heading toward me. I was waiting to turn left at the stop sign coming out of the Lincoln Park Savings Bank on Damen and the guy gunned it across the intersection right into me. Thankfully, he saw me at the last second and slammed on the brakes right before he hit me and he just whacked my front tire. The passengers were all screaming at him and he slurred out the window, "My bad, dawg." as he pulled around me. Dude was clearly wasted.

I wish I had gotten his license plate number, but I was so shocked that I hadn't just eaten his windshield that it completely skipped my mind.

So far, that has been the only time that I've been hit by a car, but I've had several near misses. One of the closest ones was actually by a pedestrian and not a car.

Oh, and dooring. Seriously, how are drivers still doing this? When I first moved to the city (back when I still had a car), one of the first things I was taught was to always check the side mirror before opening the door, for fear of having it get torn off by a passing car.
Permalink Reply by Tiberculosis on June 19, 2009 at 6:25pm
I was side swiped by a cab last Autumn in the loop. I was alright but my back wheel was a hard shell taco. Doored way too many times back in San Francisco.

Had a pretty funny crash though. A van thought he could turn left in front of me from the opposite direction off traffic into a Uhaul parking lot before I reached him. Nope. I totally did a Wile E. Coyote into the side of his van. I ended up being all right but wrecked my fork and front wheel.

Cardinal rule of accidents...no matter how "fine" you feel...stay down and ask for Police.

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