Hit and Run - Page 3

06-01-2004, 04:55 PM

Chris wrote:

> 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]

06-01-2004, 05:11 PM

Claire Petersky wrote:
> 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.

06-01-2004, 05:11 PM

Claire Petersky wrote:
> 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.

06-01-2004, 05:11 PM

Claire Petersky wrote:
> 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.

06-01-2004, 05:11 PM

Claire Petersky wrote:
> 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.

06-01-2004, 05:11 PM

Claire Petersky wrote:
> 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.

06-01-2004, 05:19 PM

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

Frank Krygowski wrote
> 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.

06-01-2004, 05:19 PM

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

Frank Krygowski wrote
> 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.

06-01-2004, 05:19 PM

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

Frank Krygowski wrote
> 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.

06-01-2004, 05:19 PM

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

Frank Krygowski wrote
> 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.