Hit by a suburban!! (I'm OK)

[Running Mommy]

First of all I AM FINE, but it was a rather scary encounter. The worst thing was that it was my NEIGHBOR! And she is the nicest person you would ever meet, so I feel really bad.
It was a slow speed affair, but my bike did sustain a bit of damage.
Here is how it happened...
The weather was FABULOUS today, so I decided to take a ride this evening. I haven't been on my bike for a week, so I had an itch. I was about 2 miles into my ride when I approached a busy 4 way stop. As I was coming to the stop I heard a car so I turned and acknowledged that it was my neighbor. We waved to one another and she hit the stop a few seconds ahead of me. I unclipped and cruised up to the stop right anlongside her. She had given no indication that she was going to be making a right turn. I clipped my left foot back in ready to take off alongside her when it was our turn. All of the sudden she started to go making a right turn right into me. She nicked my front wheel and her mirror clipped my shoulder. I screamed and hit the side of her truck with my hand to get her attention. She immediately stopped and jumped out. Well in the midst of this I lost my balance and fell over on my right side. She thought she had really hit me and became hysterical. Her kids ( all SEVEN of them) started screaming MOMMY HIT MRS. AMOS!!! And then I heard her oldest son say "She's not dead. I see her moving" to which I had to laugh.
She was shaking and I felt really bad. She helped me up and we started inspecting the bike. A guy on a Kuota came up a couple of minutes later and helped me to inspect it as well. My right armrest on my aerobar snapped in half, and my bar tape is chewed up, but everything else seems to be in order. My wheel seems fine, tho we did have to straighten out my front brake. I ended up riding for an hour and she seems none the worse for wear. But I think I'm going to take her in tomorrow and have them put the front wheel on a trueing stand just in case. Body wise I'm fine. My shoulder feels like a bruise is brewing, and I know I'll have one on my right hip. Luckily my tuckus took the brunt of the fall, and god knows I have a lot of "soft tissue" down there to cushion the fall. :rolleyes:
Even though I'm ok, I won't say that it didn't rattle me. She told me that she looked over to see if I was next to her and didn't see me so she thought I had stopped behind her?? I guess being only five foot has it's disadvantages. Those vehicles are so large that I guess how I could see that she didn;t see me. I'm thinking maybe her side mirror obscured her view? I dunno. But the next time I come to a stop like that I will do things a bit differently that's for sure!!

ANyhoo, I added some pics of the damage to my photobucket site:

http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a157/tony66denise69/Misc%20pics/

Everyone stay safe out there!
Denise

Oh- one other odd thing.. It was like someone was trying to tell me something. First I decided to wear my new helmet tonight for the first time. I've had it since Christmas, but I finally decided that I needed to wear it since the other one is pretty old. And second, when I left my son came up and gave me a big hug goodbye. He NEVER does that when I go out to train.... Hmmmm...

[KnottedYet]

I'm sorry you had a collision. But I keep thinking about those 7 children in that Suburban...

[crazycanuck]

Oh dear! RM..Glad to see you're ok.

((((((((hugs)))))

7 children! :eek:

C

[margo49]

Yeah, you will be a bit shaken for a day or two. But no serious or lasting damage.
Remember that "She's not dead. I see her moving" line. It's a corker!

[LBTC]

RM I am so glad you're alright! And you sure can tell a story! It's not often I get to laugh out loud to a cyclist hit by a suburban story! "she's not dead" hahahaha

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[momof4greatkids]

Running Mommy, I am feeling sympathy pains for you! My goodness, and to have it be your friend and neighbor.

Yes I have no doubt Someone is looking out for you. Thank God you are safe and not seriously hurt.

I looked at a cyclist safety page just this morning and they advised that we ride as if we were invisible. Good advice since to many motorists we are, or even worse, they see us as targets.

[Bikingmomof3]

Running Mommy,
I am glad you are safe and not seriously injured! It must have been quite frightening. *hugs*

[7rider]

Glad you're okay.

[Jo-n-NY]

I am glad to hear everything turned out ok for except for a bit of bike damage and some bruising.

What a scary situation for both you and your neighbor and I am sure something the kids will never forget.

~ JoAnn

[Veronica]

I'm sorry Denise your post made me laugh. I just had a vision of all 7 kids (she needs a mini van not a suburban!) yelling that you were "kilt".

I'm glad you're okay. :)

V.

[Tri Girl]

ooooooo- glad you're OK!!! Scary stuff for sure!!! Get your baby checked out and see that she's OK, too!! "she's not dead. she's moving"- sorry that's just too funny!!!

That same sorta thing happened to me yesterday, too (was it in the air?). Actually, I was at a stop sign waiting to turn right and a car pulled up beside me and turned right- right in front of me. Cut me off as I was about to pull out. Made me cranky- and I did the first thing that came to mind (flipped him off- not very mature or wise, tho). Then I realized it was my neighbor. I almost rode to his house to say something, but didn't. What a jerk!

[Susan126]

First . . . I'm glad you are ok Denise!

And second, yes I think it is in the air! Someone turning right almost hit me on Sunday while I was riding in the Peninsula Metric. Sad thing is I was in a large group of cyclists, about 15 of us, spaced at different distances but you could see there were many of us. We were on a quiet back road when all of a sudden a caravan of "corvettes" started going by. I said to my daughter behind me that it must be a club out for a cruise on this beautiful day. Well they passed us fine. Then the last three corvettes approaced and they were going fast to catch up with the pack. These three got held up because of on coming traffic and could not pass us cyclists (no shoulders on the back roads here). Well we were coming to a T in the road. We were on the main road and the corvette caravan was turning right. Our route for the ride was straight so we had the right of way. Finally the last corvette passed and then without hesitating turned right! I hit my brakes, my daughter screamed and all the other cyclists yelled. He and his girl friend just laughed and zoomed on to catch up with the other cars.

So be very aware because many motorists are not! I'm just happy no one was hurt.

Sue

[GLC1968]

Wow, RM - I'm glad you are ok!

I have to ditto LBTC - it's not often that I get to laugh out loud (at work nonetheless) to a story about a suburban hitting a cyclist. Well told! :)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Cars have a very hard time seeing us when we pull alongside them. You're better off taking the middle of a lane at an intersection and waiting behind the car, not pulling up beside it. Glad you are OK!

[cosc]

RM, I'm so glad you prefaced your accident story with I'm o'k so I could laugh when I heard about the 7 kids.The kids will probably never let Mom forget that she ran over Mrs. RM. I hope you and your bike recover quickly from this scary accident.

[Jenn]

I'm sorry Denise your post made me laugh. I just had a vision of all 7 kids (she needs a mini van not a suburban!) yelling that you were "kilt".

I'm glad you're okay. :)

V.


Ditto...the image of the kids...But, OH I am so glad you are ok!!!

[surgtech1956]

Glad you're OK

[Running Mommy]

Thanks all, and yeah it was kind of funny. I mean really the only reason why I ended up on the ground was because I was clipped in on one side and the nick to the front wheel caused me to lose balance.
My neighbor came down lastnight to make sure I was ok, and this morning when I was coming in from my run I saw the oldest kid out putting out the garbage can. He told me that they were going to bake brownies for me. I told him that there was really no need and that I was fine, but thank you. I also asked if his younger sisters were ok or if they were scared by it. He said that the youngest one was scared at first but then she saw me laughing so she knows I'm ok.
I have to say again that this is the nicest family you will ever meet. My son plays at their house all the time, and yes there are seven kids! They are very religous and I've been told that in their religion the more kids you have the higher up in heaven you will go. I'm thinking that mom and dad are headed to the front of the class! :p
Now one other funny thing. This morning when I was headed out for my run my son said "Don't get hit by any suburbans mom" and we had a chuckle. So I was running through the residential streets and I came upon a lady that was climbing into her already running SUBURBAN!! I picked up the pace a bit to pass so that she wouldn't back into me! Could you imagine???!!! I think that Chevy has it out for me! :D

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think we Amaericans should take a clue from Europeans and make more cars that are closer in size to bicycles. :cool:

Obviously a family with 7 kids actually needs a large vehicle, but I see so many gigantic heavy RV's and pickup trucks driving around all day long with just one person in them- what a waste of our world's precious gasoline and oil. These are vehicles that are not being used to haul hay or lumber in- they are spotless. Why such massive 11,000 pound vehicles just for everyday errands??- just for going to the office, the bank, the drugstore.... oooh don't get me started....

[Running Mommy]

Oh Lisa I'm with you!!! I actually am hoping that my house up here sells so that I can move to the bottom of the hill and be closer to things! I'll be able to ride to the grocery store so I'm already looking at bike rack/ pannier options and thinking of picking up a cheapo bike I can attach them to. I ride whenever I can, and when I do have to drive down the hill I plan my trip carefully so that I get everything done and don't have to make extra trips or circle back for things.
But yeah, the gas guzzlers just get to me! Unf. it's a part of the american culture. Imagine if everyone was forced to park their car one day a week. It would be mutiny! That might be the one "cause" that would get people riled up! :cool:

[onimity]

Yea, it's no wonder she couldn't see you in so large a vehicle. I'm glad that you weren't seriously hurt and hopefully this will teach your friend that her car has a lot more blind spots than she realizes. I saw a thing on the news a while back where they had 20-some schoolchildren behind an SUV and the driver had no clue that they were there, he couldn't see them in the mirrors or through the windows.

I regularly have cars, but usually very large trucks and SUVs do things that would kill me if I'd have taken my right of way. And I think visibility is a big issue.

IMO these huge cars put a lot of people in huge danger, not to mention the awful gas mileage. Lisa, you are so right on. I do not understand why in a country with so much wealth and so many opportunities to improve the world we squander so much of both in building bigger, less-efficient cars and feeling like we *need* to drive them everywhere, even to places less than a mile from home. Often the big cars don't have any more space for people or things than a small car. They just have more armor.

I am glad that gas prices are rising. I hope that one day they are equal to the actual cost of all this gas that we are burning. OK, I'll step back off that soapbox. :eek:

RM, maybe you should encourage this family to start biking places together as their penance. :D Then they don't have to take that monstrously huge car everywhere. :)

Anne

[chickwhorips]

I'm glad to hear your ok. I know how some people drive down there. Not saying your neighbor is one of them. Glad all of you (including the kids) are ok.

[slinkedog]

So glad you're okay, RM! I had to laugh, too, at the "She's not dead, I see her moving" comment! :)

Hope you're not sore today!

[Python]

Glad you're OK. Had to chuckle at the "She's not dead, she's moving". Out of the mouths of babes and all that:D

My car is a large 4x4 (SUV) and I don't have a problem with blind spots. My mirrors are all set so they see out the back and down both sides of the car. If I'm in the least bit doubt, I'll physically turn round and look over my shoulder or even stick my head out the window. Better safe than sorry...and THINK BIKE!!!!!!!

My husband has a small car for his job (salesman). I hate driving it because even though it's half the size of my car it has a number of blind spots that no matter how you set the mirrors it still has blind spots, especially at the back.

[teigyr]

I am so glad you're ok! Yeah...that was funny. But scary. It could've been much worse.

I like to think good can come of all of this. Your neighbor is nice and I'm sure she feels bad about it. I bet she will be a bit more careful AND I bet she will warn others about being careful. Of course maybe she ought to sell her car too, it appears like it is having Christine characteristics.

How's your bike? Has it been checked out yet?

[missymaya]

Hey RM, I'm glad you're ok and that you got a chance to talk to the mom and the kid, to make sure they were ok too. Geesh, 7 kids huh?

[HappyAnika]

Glad to hear you are ok. One good thing will come of this, those 7 kids will grow up to be drivers who notice cyclists and give them room!

[mtkitchn]

Wow, Denise! How scary, but glad you're okay! And I have to agree with everyone else; your storytelling made me laugh!

[li10up]

Here I go speaking my mind again at the risk of everyone thinking I'm a "fill in the blank". :( But am I the only one (besides Lisa) that thinks you share the responsibility for this accident? If the woman beat you to the stop sign then it was her right of way, not the both of you, wasn't it? Shouldn't you have stayed behind her and allowed her to go first...regardless of if she signaled or not? Ok, I'm done....I too am very glad you are okay though. :)

[Geonz]

I had the thought but it had already been said - and I wasn't there.

[RoadRaven]

Glad all are ok, RM... but I know you were def ok because, when most people would be in shock or losing themselves in rage... you had presence of mind to notice the Kuota... :p

[makbike]

I'm glad you are okay. I hope your neighbor is okay as well.

I think the lesson here for everyone who rides is simply this - when on your bike think like you are in a car. That is, if you know you shouldn't put your car in a particular spot then chances are good that your bike shouldn't be there either.

Again, glad everyone involved is okay.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Here I go speaking my mind again at the risk of everyone thinking I'm a "fill in the blank". :( But am I the only one (besides Lisa) that thinks you share the responsibility for this accident? If the woman beat you to the stop sign then it was her right of way, not the both of you, wasn't it? Shouldn't you have stayed behind her and allowed her to go first...regardless of if she signaled or not? Ok, I'm done....I too am very glad you are okay though. :)

Read "The Red Light of Death":
http://bicyclesafe.com/

[bikerz]

I found out recently that one reason some people drive those really big SUVs is because they can get a big tax break if they own their own business - any vehicle over 6000 pounds used 50% or more for business can qualify. The tax break was originally intended for farm equipment, but since Hummers and other big SUVs qualify, lots of people use them this way. Isn't that crazy?

(I actually know someone who bought a hummer and got a whopper of a tax break. I guess you still have to pay for the gas though, and we all pay for the emissions!)

Here's one reference:
http://4wheeldrive.about.com/cs/drivingtipssafety/a/aa041603a.htm

[Mr. Bloom]

What a sense of humor. Sounds like they're blessed to have such an understanding neighbor as you!

Be careful!

[Crankin]

Of course she noticed the Kuota, because they are cool....
I love my Kuota!

[roguedog]

Great story.. thanks for the laugh!

Um.. is there a religion where the more bikes you have the higher up you go in heaven?

[wannaduacentury]

Denise, I'm glad you're alright, and yes, your neighbor will hopefully be more careful too- I wonder if the kids distracted her as well and I'm glad she stopped. I hope your bruise isn't bad and the bike came out mostly unscathed. Jenn

[Running Mommy]

Lisa VERY cool link. Thank you.
In my situation it was a bit different. I was about 20 or so feet from the stop when she came up on me. Prolly the only reason why she got there the few seconds before me is because I was unclipping and slowing at a more rapid pace. When we approached the stop sign she came up on me and we were neck and neck until less than 10 feet from the stop. When we waved to one another we were right there. I would have had to slam on my brakes or back up to get behind her.
But it all turned out ok, and like I said in my original post - next time I will do things differently... Perhaps you missed that part lil, but clearly I did take some responsibility. I'm lucky up here in that I don't have to ride with a lot of traffic, and I've never ridden in an urban setting, so things like that would not even occur to me. That's another reason why I liked that link Lisa. It brought up tips that would have never occured to me. I hope everyone reads it. So again, thanks.
Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend!
Ride safe, and check out that link!
Denise

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

...I'm lucky up here in that I don't have to ride with a lot of traffic, and I've never ridden in an urban setting, so things like that would not even occur to me. That's another reason why I liked that link Lisa. It brought up tips that would have never occured to me.

Hi Denise,
I live out in the country too, and I have only been riding a year- so I know just what you are going through. We country girls don't often think in urban traffic terms, and sometimes we hesitate when finding ourselves in odd traffic situations. I'm still learning too! I'm glad you liked that link, it's been posted on TE before, and it really helped me when I first read it not that long ago, as did the book "The Art of Cycling" (which completely changed the way I ride).
Bike safe everyone! :) ;)

[btchance]

Oh my gosh - I just saw this. I'm glad to hear you're okay. Stay safe out there girls.

[Tuckervill]

Obviously a family with 7 kids actually needs a large vehicle, but I see so many gigantic heavy RV's and pickup trucks driving around all day long with just one person in them- what a waste of our world's precious gasoline and oil. These are vehicles that are not being used to haul hay or lumber in- they are spotless. Why such massive 11,000 pound vehicles just for everyday errands??- just for going to the office, the bank, the drugstore.... oooh don't get me started....

Well, there could be other explanations. My husband drives an F150 crewcab pick up with the short bed. To give you an idea of how big it is, it is built on the Expedition/Escalade frame.

He doesn't fit in anything else. This is the smallest vehicle he can drive with any sort of comfort, and it's still not ideal. He's 6'7" with a 37" inseam. No, he doesn't play basketball. :)

I do my best to offset his gas-guzzler by not driving so much, but hey, we can only do what we can, you know? I try not to judge to harshly.

Karen

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

He doesn't fit in anything else. This is the smallest vehicle he can drive with any sort of comfort, and it's still not ideal. He's 6'7" with a 37" inseam. No, he doesn't play basketball. :)

I do my best to offset his gas-guzzler by not driving so much, but hey, we can only do what we can, you know? I try not to judge to harshly.

Karen

Whoa that's one big dude! :eek: I can see how he would need a big vehicle.
He'd be hitting his head against the ceiling in any small car!
At the other end of the spectrum....I saw a tiny teen girl who looked about 16 the other day, driving a HUGE rv- she could barely see over the steering wheel. She was talking on her cell phone (illegal here in NY but apparently no one pays attention to that law) while driving one-handed....made me kind of shudder as I passed by her on my bike....

[Jiffer]

Her kids ( all SEVEN of them) started screaming MOMMY HIT MRS. AMOS!!! And then I heard her oldest son say "She's not dead. I see her moving" to which I had to laugh.


That was my favorite part! Made me laugh out loud! :)

Seriously, though, I'm so glad you're okay and I think it's good for all of us to remember that motorists don't always see us ... even if they JUST SAW US! DH said he was "cut off" by an SUV recently, who pulled into the right lane right in front of him, almost causing him to crash into the curb (or whatever was there ... a parked car maybe?) He said he put his hand out onto the window and bonked really hard to get the driver's attention. Freaked out the driver, but it worked. Sounds similar to what you did. Whatever you have to do to get their attention.

DH also warned me a while back to be careful of big trucks, buses, etc. because they can't always see you in their mirrors. And to be aware they may be making wide right turns as you come up along side of them, etc. Your post is a good wake up call to be extra cautious around cars and never assume they see you or know what you're doing.

I feel for your neighbor. I always thought it would be one of the worst things to hit a pedestrian (or cyclist for that matter) and seriously injure them or kill them. Again, I'm glad you're okay.

[tangentgirl]

Yikes - scary! I'm glad you're ok, RM. Funny story tho - hope your bike's all good!

The other day I was riding home from work, and this little red car I was behind pulled one of those quick back-up-and-parallell-park moves. I swerved, but he totally didn't see me, and could have easily hit me if I hadn't been paying attention. I thought about flipping him off (not nice, and not a recommendation to anyone here), and then I looked and it was my coworker! D'oh. I kept going and just gave him a rash of *)$# at work the next day. Told him that if he killed me he'd have to take over all of my projects.