Have you ever been hit by a car?

[EoinC]

Originally posted by Beastt
Just make sure you really want one before you ride with one because once you've had a taste of knowing what's coming up behind you, it's twice as scary trying to ride while blind to the rear.

Here in Malaysia, no cars, trucks, motorbikes, tanks or other weapons of mass destruction utilise mirrors - nobody looks sideways, let alone rearwards. Driving is based on the theory that the other driver won't want to damage his/her vehicle. Stops / Give Ways / Merges don't apply. Hell, with so much going on in front and beside me, I (as a minimal impact collision object) don't have time to be concerned about what is behind me.
A mate was walking back home along a footpath-less stretch of road last week and the oncoming cars were coming very close. Each time one came too close, he flicked his arm out and knocked their wing mirror (they would have heard it and thought that they'd hit him). On that 1/2 km stretch of road, he knocked 12 cars and not one of them slowed or stopped to see what had happened.
I have physical contact with cars pretty much each time I go out on my fixie over here, but I'm probably the cause as often as the victim. I tend to get my interval training from chasing after taxi's who've cut me off. They find it intimidating having a big honky on a bike catch up with them and lean in their window giving them a verbal rundown on their apparent driving skills. Pretty easy to catch up to vehicles here as they go from one log jam to the next - and it's much more fun than riding rollers.
Regards,
EoinC

 

[Gittins]

I feel like my answer doesn't quite fit the five choices. I hit the back of a car, but it WASN'T my fault. A lady cut me off so closely, there was nowhere to go but into her bumper, then down to the street. She drove about a block away, got out to see that I was still alive, then sped off.

For the most part, I've been very pleased with how the drivers of Okinawa treat cyclists. Any tap on the horn is either a "hello" from someone who knows me or a "heads up, I'm going to pass you on a narrow stretch of road". My favorite shortcuts are the narrow roads that are about one and a half compact Toyota wide. A car and a bike can pass each other slowly, with two cars, one has to pull over to let the other pass.

 

[Gittins]

Originally posted by davlbrown
What rear view mirror system is best?

I've tried the tiny mirror at my temple, but didn't care for it. I prefer to use my ears. Until Detroit and Yokohama come up with 200 pound mass-produced electric cars, I can hear the gas-guzzling soon-to-be-extinct dinosaurs approaching just fine. I can distinguish between a compact car, van, small SUV (I live in Japan, Hummers wouldn't FIT), or Hino dump truck.

A slight turn of the head is all I need most of the time. When I first started commuting I had to practice the full rear view, by touching my chin to my shoulder. It's a little weird switching shoulders (and side of the road) going back and forth between the US and Japan.

The rear view that's most important to me is that THEY see MINE. Don't apologize for using the roadway by sliding to the gutter or in the gravel.

 

[mikeller]

Once...won't forget it. Crossing an intersection with the signal in my favor; unknown to me, I was being overtaken by a Camero. The Camero cut me off as it turned right.

Don't know how I came to be clinging to the groove in the rear window as I pounded to get the driver's attention. We were both pretty scared!

Car stopped and I walked back to the intersection to retrieve my Cannondale.

I was lucky not to be Road Kill that afternoon!

 

[utahsowle]

I've been hit twice in last 3 years after 20 years of riding. Both times drivers fault, once driver turned left into me breaking several ribs and puncturing lung. Driver had no lic. but insurance did cover. The second time I have no clue except what marks it left in my head from the mirror on the truck knocking me out breaking collarbone, several ribs and again puncturing lung along with numerous other scars aand bruises.
My best suggestion is to ride very defencively expect the driver to do the stupid thing and you will survive. Yes I'm still riding and really enjoy it.

 

[moltar]

Don't know how I came to be clinging to the groove in the rear window as I pounded to get the driver's attention. We were both pretty scared!

I've done the same thing, but on the trunk lid of a '66 Thunderbird, after passing him on a downhill he had to floor it to pass me to turn right! Into a gravel parking lot, spitting gravel, with me trying to knock out the rear glass.
Only injury was the T-bird's quarter panel. Instead of chewing him out, I remarked in admiring tones how well his car went at wide open throttle! It took a moment to sink in, but it made the right impression.

 

[cordedpoodle]

Never been hit but I've instructed my family to sue the pants off anyone who hits me. Lawsuits are finally the only way we are going to get the minority of jerks to realize that our lives are more important than the 10 or 15 seconds they save by driving in an unsafe manner. Some of you guys have been too nice to people who hit you. At the very least they should have to compensate you for your bike and your time in replacing it. I'd say $100 per hour is not too much for my time.

On the road I wear helmet and leather work gloves and heavy denim if it's cool enough. I'm as totally aware of cars around me as I can be. I don't trust any of them. The only way to be.

One thing I do differently is if there are two lanes and not enought room for a car to pass in my lane I hog the lane. I make them actually turn their steering wheel. Go around safely or hit me. Otherwise too many of them will try to pass unsafely.

I'd really like to have a bike that is completely reflectorized as well as reflectorized clothing. I commute all the time on my bike. My next upgrade will be a heavy duty light system.

 

[jcafcw]

Never been hit by a car but had a near miss this morning. Cycling quietly away at the side of the road just coming up to a junction when a car came speeding from behind me and just cut across me to turn into the new road. Without a quick reaction to hit the brakes I would have hit the car and done a Superman impression.

 

[hippy]

Mine were relatively minor, but it seems that aussie drivers don't like stopping
and seeing if you are alright. So much for being a 'nice' bunch of people!

hippy

 

[James Bruce Gil]

I have been hit twice in the last eighteen months after 49 years of cycling with no mishaps.

Fortunately, I saw it coming both times and was able to position my bike so I was thrown clear of the road. Even more fortunately there were no power poles trees etc so that I was able to roll and only suffered bruising & some minor skin loss.

On both occasions the idiot drivers were talking on hand held cell phones. One driver even admitted that he was writing down details of the call at the same time!

It makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Kind regards

 

[bikeguy]

I have been hit my a car once that pulled off the curb, very slow, struck me in the thigh and I was fine. I have hit an opened car door but was ok. I struck a motorcycle that pulled out of a laneway in front of me. He lost control of his motorcycle and fell over and I stayed upright but was in a bit of shock because his handlebar hit me in the ribcage. I hopped onto the hood and landed on my feet (and was uninjured) off an SUV that pulled a U in front of me on a road most certainly not made for U turns.
I have struck and knocked out a pedestrian whom the paramedics I ran to thought had fallen asleep on the road because he had a little bottle of alcohol on him. After I yelled again that I had hit him after he decided to run out in front of me they finally got the picture although made little effort to properly check him (I have a basic first aid now so I know what should be done at the basic level). I have narrowly missed striking 2 other pedestrians who have just run across the street in front of me. I have avoided collisions with cars by swerving or braking hard that undoubtedly would have resulted in severe injury. My worst accident just occurred recently where I braked to avoid striking a cyclist in front of me and head planted into asphalt knocking myself out and hurting my left shoulder and neck. No broken bones and my head is okay, but my shoulder still hurts a lot sometimes and I can't really use my left arm for lifting anything..aahhh.. cycling.. gotta love it.

 

[deejbah]

I was involved in two accidents on the same day on the same road a year apart. The first accident involved an elderly driver who decided that making a right-hand turn just as I got in front of her was a really good idea. There was no malice involved, just complete NFI. She saw me, but for some bizarre reason thought that I, the person with the right of way, would stop for her to enter the road. Her front bumper bar cut a nice gash in my leg and I got some nice bruising and other cuts from being taken over and off the bonnet, where I ended up on the road with traffic coming torwards me. Thankfully she wasn't going to fast and I wasn't concussed, or I would not have had the reflexes to get up almost straight away and not get run over. My bike ended up about 30-50m down the road from me. The driver was very shaken (probably as much, if not more so than me) and fortunately, I got her details and she later agreed to pay for my bike repairs without any hassles. I got some money for injury from the government insurer, as it took me a while to recover and I still have a nice 5cm scar on my leg.

The second accident happened because someone wanted to get somewhere quick and accelerated hard across a crossroads where a main road met a sidestreet. I was blacked in by a bus, so I had nowhere to go when they ran right in front of me. I hit the car about midway, and somersaulted out of the pedals, over the car and landed on my back. Again, I was lucky that I suffered no major head injury and that nothing was broken.

I've also been clipped by mirrors a couple of times, but nothing real serious happened.

 

[gdiza]

i haven't been hit by a car yet or taken a serious fall... yet

when i'm cycling i'm very concious, if i feel uncomfortable or anything, i start to drop speed and stuff.

prevention is better than cure.

 

[adamallstar]

as i was riding home from school down a 4 lane rode with an island in the middle i was passing side street and i noticed a lady was in the middle of the intersection turning onto the side street i was about to cross. i slowed a bit, thinking she saw me, it was in the middle of the day and i had bright colored clothes on and a bright red bicycle. i then realize the ***** isnt gonna yeild to me (even though i had the right-away) so i slam on my brakes and end up falling over and sliding into her car as she runs over the back part of my frame and rear tire... i see her car bounce from the hit as i make sure that i was still in one piece, the lady then slows to a stop gets out and says "did i hit you" and i said "yeah what the heck are you gonna do about my bike" and the ever famous reply i got from her was "that ain't my problem" then the ho jumps back in her hoopdie and drives off, mind you i'm in the 3rd ward of houston, tx (tha' getto)

fortunately i got her license plate number and the phone number of two pepole that saw the whole thing... after contacting the police department she received several tickets and i got nice chunk o' change to put towards my next bike purchase

oh... she totally messed up my rear wheel, broke my derailleur hanger off and bent up the back of my frame, totaling the bike... centurion ironman with shimano 600, i loved that bike

 

[kf5nd]

that'll learn ya - don't go ridin' in the 'hood no mo'

later

writing to you from Galleria area, Houston

 

[Beastt]

that'll learn ya - don't go ridin' in the 'hood no mo'

later

writing to you from Galleria area, Houston

Tongue in cheek?

 

[adamallstar]

that'll learn ya - don't go ridin' in the 'hood no mo'

later

writing to you from Galleria area, Houston

word, i gots to be watchin' my back in da hood... shoulda had my 9

i woulda busted a cap

 

[awolfey@optonli]

Got side-swiped yesterday by a car that crossed two lanes to turn right in front of me. I didn't have time to avoid it. I hit it and flipped onto my back. My neck and lower left back (where I landed) is sore, but not bruised yet. Helmet saved me from head injuries. There was a police van right behind us, so they made a report. My bike seems to be fine, but I need to check it out further. I think I'll be sore for a while, but that's not too bad, considering.

 

[cdawnreed]

I am new to riding and was out on my 3rd ride, yesterday. Was on the last mile of a 26 mile ride, with an experienced rider. He was about 300-400 ahead of me, and we were approachign a two way stop, with the other direction having to stop. There was a truck stopped there, he went through and I thought I saw the driver look my way and see me approaching, but he didn't. He pulled right out in front of me, I through on brakes, and screamed. I rammed right into the right side of his pickup truck. I just buckled and fell to the ground, after my head shoulder and leg took the impact. I laid on the ground for several minutes before being able to stand up. Went to the ER and they ran X-rays and Ct scan. Nothing is broken and I dont' have a concussion, but I am black and blue all over and I hury soooo bad! It's a shame because I was more worried about my new TREK 2100 than I was about myself. My bike is probably totaled, and I am scared to death to ride in traffic. I hope I can find enough courage to get back on the saddle?

 

[tmccall]

My bike is probably totaled, and I am scared to death to ride in traffic. I hope I can find enough courage to get back on the saddle?

Do it! Get back out there and ride! I've been hit three times in the past twenty some years (once by an on duty police officer), lost two bikes in the process and a fair bit of my legs, back and back side. I won't quit!