The Chainlink

Annoyed at myself for getting into an accident with a car today...

So, I was riding southbound on Wells, near Chicago and am minding my business in the bike lane. Light countdown signal shows 5 seconds so I start to hammer to get through intersection before it hits yellow. I was focused on that and didn't keep my wits about me. 

You guessed it, a car also wanted to get through the light and decided that the car in front of them was slowing them up. So, they did what came natural and pulled right, into the bike lane and my path.

I was lucky as I saw the movement and veered very wide; still the fender and bumper lifted my rear wheel and swung me around. Luckily, I stayed vertical and was able to cruise to the curb without eating pavement. The car had a pretty good scrape from my skewer/hub.

I guess what really annoyed me was that it was a really, really dumb situation. Me, I should have expected that action in that situation (only because I have a very low expectation of drivers - I am one, too). I was also very annoyed, angry even at the driver. She kept asking me if I was okay (nice, I admit) but all I could say was that I was angry because it didn't need to happen - that all she had to do was notice myself and half a dozen other bikers that she had passed on her way to this stoplight.

I called the police immediately to file a report. I felt being less than a 1/4 mile from where a fellow Chainlinker lost his life less than a month ago was ominous. I just sat there taking it all in. The police failed to show after thirty minutes; I told her I was fine and I was going to work. But, in a stern old-man voice, I told her she needs to be aware of her surroundings and that it could have been worse. (I told myself that I was a knucklehead for not expecting something like that.)

I am sitting here trying to rationalize continuing my commute via this route or at all. I commute year round and really enjoy it, but man, this was a bit close for comfort.

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Permalink Reply by Juan Primo on October 26, 2012 at 8:25am

Annoying, yes, but it sounds like everyone came out pretty unscathed from this near disaster.  You coulda needed facial reconstructive surgery but you didn't.  She could have gotten a big ticket for lane usage and hitting a cyclist but didn't.

 

Hopefully she learned a lesson and feels fortunate that her thoughtlessness didn't kill a cyclist.  I think you'll be even more aware and will think four steps ahead of traffic rather than three steps ahead.

 

Anyone could do anything better, but really, I doubt anyone here would think you were at fault in any way.

Permalink Reply by Sarah D. on October 26, 2012 at 8:32am

Have you followed up with the CPD no-shows? 

Permalink Reply by blair on October 26, 2012 at 9:05am

I wonder how many accidents aren't reported due to CPD never showing up or showing up hours later.  I assume that accident data would be more accurate and hit-and-runs would decrease if they showed up minutes later.  I was hit in May - ambulance was there in about 90 seconds.  CPD didn't show up for an hour and a half when I was getting my head cleaned out in the ER.  And that's only because I asked for a police report FOUR times.

Glad you're okay though! 

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on October 26, 2012 at 10:25am

I am sitting here trying to rationalize continuing my commute via this route or at all. I commute year round and really enjoy it, but man, this was a bit close for comfort.

Glad you are pretty much okay, and I hope you won't give up your commute.  There must be a reason you do it, so maybe focus on that again.  Juan and Clint are right.  As to changing your route, I would be interested to hear if you find something better than Wells.  It seems to me nearby parallel streets are worse and side streets through there often don't go through.  At least on Wells there is the advantage of numbers.

Permalink Reply by Steve Courtright on October 26, 2012 at 10:54am

Glad you are ok.  It often occurs to me when I hammer through a yellow light that it seems riskier than waiting.  After reading of your close encounter, maybe I will take it a little easier from now on.  Thanks for the reminder that anything can happen.

Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on October 26, 2012 at 12:14pm

You can always go to a police station and file a report there.  You do not have to wait for the cops to come to you.

Also, my personal move in this situation (light countdown. . . )is to slow down and wait for the next light.  No criticism of your legit speeding up, but my strategy is always go slow, don't stop; and the lights on Wells do change pretty quickly.

What's the start/stop point of your commute?  Maybe CLers can suggest alternate routes with less traffic.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on October 26, 2012 at 12:15pm

+1 as I think of a couple of yellow lights I raced through this morning!
 
Steve Courtright said:

Glad you are ok.  It often occurs to me when I hammer through a yellow light that it seems riskier than waiting.  After reading of your close encounter, maybe I will take it a little easier from now on.  Thanks for the reminder that anything can happen.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on October 26, 2012 at 12:39pm

Norman,

Glad to hear you're OK and did not sustain any serious injury or damage.

Were you passing the cars on the right while trying to make the light?

That is one thing I very hesitant about: Passing moving cars near an intersection, since I see cars turning unexpectedly and without looking almost daily. It is not an issue when you ride with the flow, but if you are passing, you might get squeezed, or worse. If I have to pass moving cars on the right, I always do it at a speed slow enough to be able to stop on a dime, even if that means missing the light. 

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on October 26, 2012 at 12:50pm

In my experience, if you call 911 and they ask you if you need an ambulance and you say yes, you will get a quick response and often a police car will arrive with or even before the ambulance. If you say no you're probably looking at at least 45 minutes until a police car responds.

FYI non-emergency accidents are one of the things that they're getting ready to block from the 911 system (i.e. they won't even put it through but will tell you to go to a police station.)

122782_ said:

I wonder how many accidents aren't reported due to CPD never showing up or showing up hours later.  I assume that accident data would be more accurate and hit-and-runs would decrease if they showed up minutes later.  I was hit in May - ambulance was there in about 90 seconds.  CPD didn't show up for an hour and a half when I was getting my head cleaned out in the ER.  And that's only because I asked for a police report FOUR times.

Glad you're okay though! 

Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on October 26, 2012 at 12:53pm

I'd also add: sorry for not first expressing happiness that you are OK.  That's all that matters after any kind of accident.  Bikes and cars can be replaced or repaired, people not so much.

Second, have you all noticed how variable those count-down numbers are?  At some lights, it turns to yellow at Zero.  At others, it turns to yellow at 3 seconds (Glenwood and Ridge, for instance).  It would be better if they were all identical.

Third, should've read all the comments before suggesting you ask for alternate routes.  I'd second Wabash, but without knowing the destination, it's tough to plan alternates.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on October 26, 2012 at 1:36pm

Yes - glad you are ok! As has been noted, it could have been a lot worse. I have one minor quibble with one of your assertions:

You guessed it, a car also wanted to get through the light and decided that the car in front of them was slowing them up. So, they did what came natural and pulled right, into the bike lane and my path.

There is nothing natural about pulling right. Clearly it is habitual for a lot of drivers, but it is not natural it is learned behavior. It is dangerous and needs to be called out whenever it happens because a car or truck passing another car or truck on the right can be fatal for bicyclists. Driver behavior in the USA is deeply messed up in this regard. 

I'm not saying that we don't need to be careful in situations like the one you describe. I'm just saying that we need to do whatever small (or large) thing we can to stop drivers from passing on the right. If you are driving don't do it. If you are a passenger and a driver does it - call them out on it. If you are in a cab and it happens, tell the driver that if it happens again there will be no tip - etc.

Permalink Reply by Cheryl on October 28, 2012 at 8:19am

I've become very concerned about this. After experiencing a police no-show myself, and reading about multiple such incidents on Chainlink - including ones in which ambulances are involved - I feel that the data is seriously skewed. This seems like an area ripe for advocacy by Active Trans and/or the cycling community. 

122782_ said:

I wonder how many accidents aren't reported due to CPD never showing up or showing up hours later.  I assume that accident data would be more accurate and hit-and-runs would decrease if they showed up minutes later.  I was hit in May - ambulance was there in about 90 seconds.  CPD didn't show up for an hour and a half when I was getting my head cleaned out in the ER.  And that's only because I asked for a police report FOUR times.

Glad you're okay though! 

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