Hit

Welp, I suppose that the myths are true.  If you bike long enough - you will get hit by a car.  I try my best to swim out of my anger pool and just be enthralled that I wasn't seriously hurt.

 

The Story:

 

Location: Irving and Broadway Intersection

Direction: East-bound

Aggressive Biking Mode: OFF

 

As I was enjoying the post-rain sunshine on my way home from the Lincoln Square 'AppleFest' I was struck by a white Bonneville that was driven by a black male with dreds. 

 

As some of you might know, this intersection gets a little crazy, as there are typically cars stopped turning left onto Broadway or Claredon.  As I rode through the Broadway intersection, there was NO cars waiting to turn left.  However, apparently despite the moving traffic this driver wasn't satisfied with his position in line.  From behind me - he passed the car in the left lane (which was NOT stopped, but moving along normally) and attempted to squeeze between me on my bike and said car.

 

I first noticed this when I saw the corner of his car approx. 4 inches from the heel of my left foot.  Before I could completely get out, "OH SHI...!", he floored his car rolling me and my bike down the side of his car ripping his side mirror off, dangling now from a single cable.  There was no doubt that he saw me, tried this dumb move, and then ran.  He saw me, he definitely heard me (between me yelling some explicatives and the sound of me hitting his car), but no...he ran.  A young couple driving an SUV behind me stopped to check to see if I was okay, and then offered to chase after the guy in an attempt to get his plate.  I very appreciatively accepted their offer, unfortunately, they came back in a few minutes with nothing - idiot driver had gotten away.

 

With the acception of a nice bruise and cut on my leg, everything - including my bike - is fine.  Now I'm only mentally scarred.  I've been commuting 19mi (each way) to Elmhurst about once a week over the last few months.  Now I'm freaked to ride. 

 

Question: How long after you got hit did you get back out?  Change anything? Any wiser?  Or are we all just destine to become a speedbump?

 

Ride on,

-Brian

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Moc Artsy on September 27, 2011 at 3:00am
I also got back on immediately and haven't looked back. The longer course of riding in the city is to learn what will keep you safe and what will put you in danger. Getting hit is just the most difficult of all the learning experiences. Be grateful you were not hurt badly. In my case, I changed my route and
I no longer ride on the bike-unfriendly stretch of south State Street where I was hit, and I will NEVER try to go left of a CTA bus that pulls suddenly to the right. I'll just stop and wait. Also, you may discover that your injuries are a little more than you initially felt in the direct aftermath of the impact. Good idea to have yourself checked out be a physician. Check out damages to your bike, as well, and make sure it's still completely safe to ride.
Permalink Reply by John Wayman on September 27, 2011 at 3:48am

That sucks, I guess I waas a little luckier.

 

I got hit this weekend too. Bryn Mawr and Kedzie...Going straight East through a green and the guy in the turn lane never saw me. Fork bent up into my frame and buckled the top and down tube...My vintage 1973 Zeus, Spanish road bike is unrideable. I'm sore and ok and ready to get a new bike but the problem is that in working with his insurance company, Allstate, they have no way of assigning a value to what is basically an irreplaceable bike. In the past, what few Zeus I have seen on Ebay were in Europe and listed at around $2000. The people who built the bike for me are going to send something in to insurance with basically their appraisal of what it may cost for me to get another Zeus...If I were to even find one.

 

Do you guys think that whatever they come up with will be enough evidence for Allstate to make a payout or are they going to be dicks about it?

 

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on September 27, 2011 at 3:59am

After any kind of accident, I've found it best to get back on and ride as soon as I was physically able.  I'm glad that you weren't badly hurt.  I agree this it's a tricky intersection.  I've had near misses there but never got nailed.

 

If you feel like it would help to talk to someone, check out the Crash Support Group, which happens to meet tomorrow night.  Sometimes it can make a big difference to talk about your experience with other people who have been there.

Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 27, 2011 at 4:04am
It is not surprising to know that most of these d-bags live in the hood, about a 3mile radius, lame ass cagers =P

sten said:
The vindictive person in me wants to suggest you stake out the intersection in case that's part of his commute and he'll be there tomorrow for you to get his plate.
Permalink Reply by Joe Willis on September 27, 2011 at 5:49am
I live right there and will keep a lookout for the car and if I see I will snap some pics of the plates for you.

After being hit twice and doored once (over the last 6 years) my best advice is to gee right back on and ride. Try starting on streets you are very comfortable on and slowly progress up to the bigger faster streets and you will be fine.
Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on September 27, 2011 at 8:48am

I've had 2 accidents/wrecks this summer one solo one in a group of bikes.

It has made me more careful and I take less chances now.

Hopefully by next summer the memory will have faded and I can resume weaving in and out of traffic on my way home.

 

Molly said:

 I got hit in July and rode as soon as my bike was fixed. I am more paranoide now and am noticing the cars next to me while I am riding, more than ever.

 

It made more defensive(careful).

Permalink Reply by Brian on September 27, 2011 at 12:37pm

Thanks for all the replies.  No, I did not call the police to submit a report - after it happened I just felt like if I wasn't seriously injured the CPD would just give me hell about it.  Next time, hopefully not, but I'll call it in.  Haven't gotten out yet - but I'll blame the crap weather instead of my own stubbornness.

 

Sorry to hear so many of you had similar situations.  I'm just glad that my bike is okay - I just posted a few weeks ago about how proud I was for fixing it and getting back out, go figure!

 

Ride on,

Brian

Permalink Reply by Billy Poore on September 27, 2011 at 2:25pm
I was hit back in 2009 bad enough to destroy everything on my bike besides the cranks, bb, and rear wheel.  After about a week, I had another bike running, due to the donations from some amazing friends.  I didn't really feel any different about riding, except now I do not "take chances" by trying to charge through a yellow light.  Not that my accident had anything to do with that.  I was hit by a early 30s male who was drunk, driving without headlights on, and he blindly pulled out of a parking lot with 0 visibility into oncoming traffic.  I was unfortunate enough to be only within maybe 15ft from his vehicle at about 15-17mph.  It sucks you had to go through somebody else idiocy as well, don't let it stop you from riding!
Permalink Reply by S on September 27, 2011 at 6:12pm
I'd call CPD regardless.  They probably won't give you hell and frankly the report could come in handy if you discover that there's something wrong with your bike that you didn't initially notice or you have an injury that didn't become apparent for a while.  In those cases, the police report would help significantly in getting the driver's insurance company to pay up for expenses.

Brian said:

Thanks for all the replies.  No, I did not call the police to submit a report - after it happened I just felt like if I wasn't seriously injured the CPD would just give me hell about it.  Next time, hopefully not, but I'll call it in.  Haven't gotten out yet - but I'll blame the crap weather instead of my own stubbornness.

 

Sorry to hear so many of you had similar situations.  I'm just glad that my bike is okay - I just posted a few weeks ago about how proud I was for fixing it and getting back out, go figure!

 

Ride on,

Brian

Permalink Reply by Melissa Ferguson on September 28, 2011 at 5:44am

I did not/was not able to get back on the bike immediately after my most recent crash due to injury.  And it took me 2 MONTHS to get the nerve back up to ride more than the mile and a half to my kid's school.

 

I would say I DEFINITELY now suffer mild ASD/PTSD-like symptoms when I ride (severe anxiety when crossing intersections, flashbacks of the situations that led to previous crashes), but they are starting to subside with successful positive reinforcement.  But definitely, the more I put it off, the harder it was to just go out and do it.  So if you CAN ride, DO ride.  The sooner you do, the sooner you don't second-guess yourself and your choices. 

 

I did modify my route a bit, and I never thought the day would come that I would choose the LFP over a city streets, but I now ride out of my way to not cross downtown (E-W) during rush periods.  That new protected lane on Kinzie has been a blessing to my nerves.

 

And I concur that no matter how minor, you *should* file a report with CPD.  If for no other reason than the number of incidents reported at that intersection can be used to back up the assertion that it is dangerous and changes are needed.  But also, this could very well be habitual practice for the driver in question... I'm not sure based on your telling of the incident that you could say without question that he didn't intentionally hit you.  If that's the case, nothing stops him from doing it to someone else... and having more than one incident on record can make a difference in someone else's case.

Permalink Reply by Rachel Miller on September 28, 2011 at 6:38am
I'd say get back out there when you're ready, and if it helps, just take short trips to the store or to grab food or something to start out.  I got hit by a cab a few years ago and broke my shoulder, so I wasn't able to ride either way and by the time my injury healed I was itching to get back on a bike.  Last winter, I was in an accident that left me with a concussion and I was on my bike the next day.  I had to lay off for a few days, but I wasn't able to keep away from my bike for very long :)  You'll be okay!

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