Hit and Run

Quoted message said:

When I went to get my bike to ride home, I had pangs of irrational panic.

This stuff passes. After bike spills, I'm always freaked by every patch of
sand for awhile. It happens with car-driving, too. After 30 years of driving
accident-free, I got T-boned in an intersection a month or so ago, and I was
freaked every time I got behind the wheel for a week or so. As I say, it
passes....

Quoted message said:

As I say, it

passes....

Happenned to me last July and broke a couple bones (fractures)
Took 2 months to get the car's ID
I often worry about being rammed by a 60 mph car from behind
Has not happenned yet and if it ever does I probably wont remember, haha

This sure does sound like a lot of people getting whacked by cars. Let's
here the others. Bring your tales. I was thinking about getting a road bike
but I definitely can't aford a huge accident( 3 children).

Chris

"John Allen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

As I say, it

passes....

Happenned to me last July and broke a couple bones (fractures)
Took 2 months to get the car's ID
I often worry about being rammed by a 60 mph car from behind
Has not happenned yet and if it ever does I probably wont remember, haha

Chris said:

This sure does sound like a lot of people getting whacked by cars. Let's
here the others. Bring your tales.

Let's also hear the "NOT getting whacked by cars" tales. There are two
sides to the story, no?

Do I need to go first? ;-)

--
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com.
Substitute cc dot ysu dot
edu]

Claire Petersky said:

I was coming down Dearborn at about 20 mph in to work this morning, 8:45 AM,
full morning daylight, and was right hooked by someone turning in to
Chinatown. He didn't use a turn signal. I could see him angling in to make
the turn, so I was braking hard.

I nearly managed to miss him. I hit the back of the guy's car at a pretty
low speed considering, then hit the ground. Me, I'm fine, just a scrape on
the elbow. Bike appears fine. Water bottle is totaled, though -- rolled out
into the street and got run over by a truck.

The driver didn't bother to stop to find out what might have gone thump on
the back of his car. Instead, he high-tailed it out of there. I filed a
hit-and-run police report this morning: license number 275 LUM. Police
seemed to take it pretty seriously.

There was a witness, another cyclist right behind me on Dearborn. He was a
young fellow, long hair and beard, pant legs rolled up with bright red
socks, beater bike. I was ahead of him, then he passed me, then I passed
him. I was thinking that if he had been in front, maybe he would have been
more likely to have gotten seriously whacked -- a beater bike might not have
the same braking power; he might not have noticed the car starting to make
the turn. Better my scraped elbow than his brain like jelly on the pavement.
A construction worker was another witness, and confirmed my license plate
ID. The police have the witnesses' names and phone numbers.

When I went to get my bike to ride home, I had pangs of irrational panic. I
had no problem completing the ride in to work after the accident, but I was
still on adrenaline. By the afternoon, all that wore off, and I approached
the bike with a very weird feeling. But my life is structured on using the
bike to get home, so I got on. Then, I was sure to ride through the same
intersection as the accident, just to affirm that I was not going to be all
freaked out, and it was okay.

I rode in sort of a "letting it all go" mode in the afternoon, feeling very
easy-going about traffic and cars. Maybe that's the head space I really need
to be commuting in these days.

Yup, the Right Hook turned me off from riding for a long time. I almost
slid under the wheel of a monster truck. Figuring I'd rather have a
broken arm than a crushed thorax, I just launched into the truck's
fender instead. I guess it fended me off successfully!

My boss one day expressed her concern for my safety as a bicyclist
because most drivers, in her opinion, are not paying attention
(including herself!). In a way, this firmed my resolve to commute even
more, because I am not about to stoop to the lowest common denominator
of stupidity.

I really like the hightened level of attention required to bike around.
Driving (or, if you live in Chicago, parking your way to your
destination) is pretty darn boring.

I think slowing down a little bit is a great tactic to keep yourself on
the bike. Just cruise along, and soon enough you'll be pounding the
pedals again. I did that after a broken collarbone and it worked great.

Chris said:

Quoted message said:

This sure does sound like a lot of people getting whacked by cars.

Let's

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

here the others. Bring your tales.

Frank Krygowski wrote

Quoted message said:

Let's also hear the "NOT getting whacked by cars" tales. There are two
sides to the story, no?

Do I need to go first? ;-)

No, let me go first. I have put between 2 and 5 thousand miles a year on the
road bike for the last 20 years or so, which is a lot of hours, and have not
come close to being hit by a car. I wish I could say the same for my time in
the car and on the motorcycle. Got busted up with both of them. The clear
conclusion is that bicycling is safer than any other mode of transportation.

Sorry to hear about your accident. I have had 2 near misses in the past 3
weeks. Both were in broad daylight where I was riding in an obvious,
predictable way. In one instance, I was signaling that I was taking the left
fork in the road. Without warning, some jamoke accelerated around me to the
left and made a sharp right turn in front of me. I jammed on my brakes and was
balancing on my front wheel on about a 30 degree angle with my back wheel off
the ground. Somehow I held it together. I still don't know how I didn't get
killed.

My favorite recent experience was last Tuesday afternoon. I was riding along a
2 block stretch of busy road that I needed to transit to connect a couple of
less traveled roads. A woman in a Mercedes slowed down, rolled down her window
and shouted "Get a car!" She turned onto the road that I was turning on to.
As fate would have it, she got stuck at a red light at the next corner. I rode
up along side of her and replied "Get a life, Cow!" This woman spent the next
half mile driving alongside of me, honking her horn and screaming about "How
dare you speak that way to me with a child in the car." I thought that her kid
didn't need anyone else to learn bad behavior from.

Ride through it, Claire. Be careful, but ride through it.

Best,

Joel Solomon

Joel Solomon said:

Sorry to hear about your accident. I have had 2 near misses in the past 3
weeks. Both were in broad daylight where I was riding in an obvious,
predictable way. In one instance, I was signaling that I was taking the left
fork in the road. Without warning, some jamoke accelerated around me to the
left and made a sharp right turn in front of me. I jammed on my brakes and was
balancing on my front wheel on about a 30 degree angle with my back wheel off
the ground. Somehow I held it together. I still don't know how I didn't get
killed.

My favorite recent experience was last Tuesday afternoon. I was riding along a
2 block stretch of busy road that I needed to transit to connect a couple of
less traveled roads. A woman in a Mercedes slowed down, rolled down her window
and shouted "Get a car!" She turned onto the road that I was turning on to.
As fate would have it, she got stuck at a red light at the next corner. I rode
up along side of her and replied "Get a life, Cow!" This woman spent the next
half mile driving alongside of me, honking her horn and screaming about "How
dare you speak that way to me with a child in the car." I thought that her kid
didn't need anyone else to learn bad behavior from.

Ride through it, Claire. Be careful, but ride through it.

Best,

Joel Solomon

See what I mean? Driving is so boring that the cow has to hassle you
for something to keep her mind occupied. Her pathetic life has driven
her to being a butthead.

Claire Petersky said:

I was coming down Dearborn at about 20 mph in to work this morning, 8:45 AM,
full morning daylight, and was right hooked by someone turning in to
Chinatown. He didn't use a turn signal. I could see him angling in to make
the turn, so I was braking hard.

I nearly managed to miss him. I hit the back of the guy's car at a pretty
low speed considering, then hit the ground. Me, I'm fine, just a scrape on
the elbow. Bike appears fine. Water bottle is totaled, though -- rolled out
into the street and got run over by a truck.

The driver didn't bother to stop to find out what might have gone thump on
the back of his car. Instead, he high-tailed it out of there. I filed a
hit-and-run police report this morning: license number 275 LUM. Police
seemed to take it pretty seriously.

More than anything, I'm glad you're still well enough to post tonight.
Hope they catch the jerk!

Pat

Email address works as is.

Joel Solomon wrote in part:

<< Mercedes slowed down, rolled down her window
and shouted "Get a car!" She turned onto the road that I was turning on to.
As fate would have it, she got stuck at a red light at the next corner. I rode
up along side of her and replied "Get a life, Cow!" This woman spent the next
half mile driving alongside of me, honking her horn and screaming about "How
dare you speak that way to me with a child in the car." I thought that her kid
didn't need anyone else to learn bad behavior from. ...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

May I ask: where did the incident with the cow occur?

Robert

Quoted message said:

My favorite recent experience was last Tuesday afternoon. I was riding

along a

Quoted message said:

2 block stretch of busy road that I needed to transit to connect a couple

of

Quoted message said:

less traveled roads. A woman in a Mercedes slowed down, rolled down her

window

Quoted message said:

and shouted "Get a car!" She turned onto the road that I was turning on

to.

Quoted message said:

As fate would have it, she got stuck at a red light at the next corner. I

rode

Quoted message said:

up along side of her and replied "Get a life, Cow!" This woman spent the

next

Quoted message said:

half mile driving alongside of me, honking her horn and screaming about

"How

Quoted message said:

dare you speak that way to me with a child in the car." I thought that

her kid

Quoted message said:

didn't need anyone else to learn bad behavior from.

Ride through it, Claire. Be careful, but ride through it.

Best,

Joel Solomon

I must say, I wouldn't have been so nice.

Curt

"Frank Krygowski" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Chris said:

This sure does sound like a lot of people getting whacked by cars.

Let's

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

here the others. Bring your tales.

Let's also hear the "NOT getting whacked by cars" tales. There are two
sides to the story, no?

Hey, I've been riding for 35 years (not continuously, you comedians) or so,
and this is the first time I've had a bike/car collision.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Please replace earthlink for mouse-potato and .net for .com
Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

"Claire Petersky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:3g8vc.28341$3x.5282@attbi_s54...

Quoted message said:

I was coming down Dearborn at about 20 mph in to work this morning, 8:45 AM,
full morning daylight, and was right hooked by someone turning in to
Chinatown. He didn't use a turn signal. I could see him angling in to make
the turn, so I was braking hard.

I nearly managed to miss him. I hit the back of the guy's car at a pretty
low speed considering, then hit the ground. Me, I'm fine, just a scrape on
the elbow. Bike appears fine. Water bottle is totaled, though -- rolled out
into the street and got run over by a truck.

The driver didn't bother to stop to find out what might have gone thump on
the back of his car. Instead, he high-tailed it out of there. I filed a
hit-and-run police report this morning: license number 275 LUM. Police
seemed to take it pretty seriously.

Sorry to hear about your accident. I hope there is some repercussion for the
driver, sounds like the police have all the info if they want to pursue it.

Some years ago I was riding down Ballard Avenue at around 20 mph when a guy in a
shiny new BMW came up to a stop sign on a crossing street. He looked me right in
the eye and pulled out in front of me. I don't know how fast he thought I was
going, but there was no way to miss him. I was braking with the rear wheel in
the air and still hit him pretty hard, square in the middle of the driver's
door. The stem was not too tight so the handlebars got twisted off center. I was
about a few feet from his car straightening the bars when he got out to inspect
the damage, with an expression of dismay. The bike was OK. He, on the other
hand, was looking at a sizable bill to fix his stove-in door. I said: "You're
lucky I'm not injured, you should be more careful." And I rode away...

Joel Solomon said:

My favorite recent experience was last Tuesday afternoon. I was
riding along a 2 block stretch of busy road that I needed to transit
to connect a couple of less traveled roads. A woman in a Mercedes
slowed down, rolled down her window and shouted "Get a car!" She
turned onto the road that I was turning on to. As fate would have it,
she got stuck at a red light at the next corner. I rode up along
side of her and replied "Get a life, Cow!" This woman spent the next
half mile driving alongside of me, honking her horn and screaming
about "How dare you speak that way to me with a child in the car." I
thought that her kid didn't need anyone else to learn bad behavior
from.

Please use proper terminology.

Her offspring is obviously a CALF.

Bill "would have been tempted to show her my HOOF" S.

"cheg" wrote

Quoted message said:

Sorry to hear about your accident. I hope there is some repercussion for

the

Quoted message said:

driver, sounds like the police have all the info if they want to pursue

it.

Quoted message said:

Some years ago I was riding down Ballard Avenue at around 20 mph when a

guy in a

Quoted message said:

shiny new BMW came up to a stop sign on a crossing street. He looked me

right in

Quoted message said:

the eye and pulled out in front of me. I don't know how fast he thought I

was

Quoted message said:

going, but there was no way to miss him. I was braking with the rear wheel

in

Quoted message said:

the air and still hit him pretty hard, square in the middle of the

driver's

Quoted message said:

door. The stem was not too tight so the handlebars got twisted off center.

I was

Quoted message said:

about a few feet from his car straightening the bars when he got out to

inspect

Quoted message said:

the damage, with an expression of dismay. The bike was OK. He, on the

other

Quoted message said:

hand, was looking at a sizable bill to fix his stove-in door. I said:

"You're

Quoted message said:

lucky I'm not injured, you should be more careful." And I rode away...

You really should have told him to buy a sturdier car next time, instead of
that flimsy POS...
--
mark

Quoted message said:

Wed, 02 Jun 2004 03:00:01 GMT, <Robvc.34783$js4.2013@attbi_s51>,

Claire Petersky said:

"Frank Krygowski" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Chris said:

This sure does sound like a lot of people getting whacked by cars.

Let's

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

here the others. Bring your tales.

Let's also hear the "NOT getting whacked by cars" tales. There are two
sides to the story, no?

Hey, I've been riding for 35 years (not continuously, you comedians) or so,
and this is the first time I've had a bike/car collision.

It's a well established rumour that a close call every six months
keeps you alive.

My one and only truck/bike collision happened within the first two
months of owning my first "ten speed" at age 21.

Last week on Georgia Street I was presented the perfect opportunity to
take out a brat in a SAAB. She right hooked me but I saw setting up,
weighed the options and made a decision to not throw a hip check into
her rear quarter panel and start screaming for my lawyer.

She deserved it but I was on a different mission.
--
zk

Claire Petersky said:

I was coming down Dearborn at about 20 mph in to work this morning, 8:45 AM,
full morning daylight, and was right hooked by someone turning in to
Chinatown. He didn't use a turn signal. I could see him angling in to make
the turn, so I was braking hard.

I'm sorry to hear about your accident. It sounds like you handled it impeccably
and avoided what could have been much worse - alert, perfectly controled,
reactive. And good for you for getting the doofus' license number!

Quoted message said:

When I went to get my bike to ride home, I had pangs of irrational panic.

Well, I wouldn't call it irrational!

Quoted message said:

But my life is structured on using the
bike to get home, so I got on.

Great spirit. Much more than your life being structured on using a bike to get
home, I have the impression that your joy is physically intricated with the
sensation of biking. You even dream about it as the symbol of incarnate life
itself. There are plenty other ways to get home, but the joy, that harmonious
spirit-body link, is not so easily replaced, and needs to be retained. When I
fell off my bike this winter (a far more trivial accident than yours), I had
panic for many weeks afterwards. But I was driven to carry on by the memory of
how much I had enjoyed biking in the previous summer, and what a pity it would
be to lose such a source of endorphins in my life.

Quoted message said:

Then, I was sure to ride through the same
intersection as the accident, just to affirm that I was not going to be all
freaked out, and it was okay.

You're an example to us all.

EFR
Ile de France

Glad to hear you aren't seriously hurt, Claire. I hope plod (UK slang for the
police) has the idiot driver up in court before too long.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om$

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

Oh, and something else - have you thought of getting one of those really loud air
horns? In a situation like this it would make you harder to ignore. I bought one
but am so uncoordinated on my controls (have trouble even actioning the ding-dong
bell), that I think it would be a distraction I wouldn't have the presence of mind
to use. But I hear stories of accomplished cyclists using blast-horns in traffic to
excellent effect.

EFR
Ile de France