"I have never hit anyone before!"

[Grog]

I was commuting to work on my bike for the first time this year and seconds before this happened I was thinking "This is wonderful!" and "My heart is beating again!" after a month of taking the bus. It was all great.

I was on this bike route where there are push buttons for cyclists to change the light at major intersections (10th avenue, for local Vancouverites). I got to an intersection where the light was already green for me. I accelerated. Two SUVs were stopped on my left, and this Honda Civic was coming slowly on my right. Unfortunately, it didn't stop despite my screaming. :eek: When I realized that he would not stop I accelerated enough that he hit only my rear wheel, not my legs. (That would have sucked.) I went down spinning, somehow, and fell on my left side. And I was ANGRY (but calm).

As I was standing up, a guy in a SUV rolled down his window and yelled, "It was solid red!!!" Thanks.

Nothing broken on me or the bike. The car driver stopped and although he didn't seem especially troubled by the fact that he just hit me he offered many times to take me to the hospital and just gave me all the information I wanted. He seemed genuinely surprised that there was a light there, he said something about driving there every day and never hitting anyone! :eek: !!!!! Note: I was wearing this screaming orange and yellow safety vest and a bright blue jacket underneath. In broad daylight.

I was pretty shaken and annoyed, but otherwise the ride to work was still pleasant after that. Sadly, I discovered that my helmet was damaged in the crash, which will mean a significant expense to replace it (despite Bell's crash replacement program). I would rather not have called the insurance company, but I don't want to pay $100 out of my own pocket because this guy doesn't look when he's driving. And I forgot to take his phone number in the process. :(

I was debating whether to tell my husband - he's a worry wart - but now that I have to replace the helmet, I'll have to.

The good thing is that the insurance lady was really nice. It was worth holding 10 minutes on the line.

Ok, it's off my chest now, I can get to work. Thanks for reading.

[bmccasland]

Grog - :eek:
Glad you're OK. Did you do a police report? You should do a police report.

Hope tomorrow morning, when the achies start showing up that you're still feeling OK. What part of running a red light did the Civic not get?

[Running Mommy]

WOW Grog!!
Yes, you need to tell hubby!
I'm glad your ok, and you did the right thing by calling the insurance co.

And I'm kind of glad the helmet has visible signs, because that way you will be sure to replace it. People sometimes don't realize that they should ALWAYS replace their helmet after a crash.
Oh- and PM me if you need help with the helmet. I "know" people ya know...;)
Rest up, your owies will probably fester and really set in by tomorrow.

[Aggie_Ama]

What an idiot, hopefully he never hits anyone again! Glad you are mostly okay.

DH has stopped commuting between my work and his due to time, I now drop him off and he rides home in the evening. He said the other morning he dropped me off and was a bit under the weather (fever night before and that night) he noticed how he was not really alert. It SCARED him because he used to cycle the road yet he felt he wouldn't notice a cyclist that morning. There is no bike lane on he road. It is a sad realization as a cyclist even we get distracted in the car. :(

[keepclimbing]

:eek: That's awful! I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt. I agree about the police report.

Your story title reminded me of the guy I broke up with several years ago. His eyesight was nearly gone, but he insisted on continuing to drive. When I would argue with him about how dangerous that was for himself and others (and refuse to ride if he drove) he would say "I've never hit anyone yet!"

[maillotpois]

"I drive through red lights all the time and never hit anyone...." DUH.

Glad you are basically ok. Good for you for calling the insurance company. And it wouldn't hurt to get yourself checked over by a doctor. I would not be surprised if you are bit sore tomorrow.

[NoNo]

Glad you're relatively unscathed. What a scary feeling. I always flinch when I see a car flying up to a stop sign on a side street. Even if they stop, I'm never certain they're actually going to look, and really look, before they continue with their turn.

[ClockworkOrange]

Thankfully you are here to be able to tell us, could have been worse.

It is even more ironic, after I read your thread Riding Safety and Dorkdom

I think it was so bad, the attitude of that guy! :cool:

Maybe you should tell your husband, he would probably be so upset if he knew and you had not told him.

Anyway, so pleased you are OK.

Clock

[OakLeaf]

Wow, glad you're okay.

Don't feel bad about calling the insurance company. He'll at least have to think about being more careful every time he pays his insurance premium, for at least a couple of years.

[badger]

10th and Granville?

Good thing you or the bike weren't hurt! It's amazing how non-chalant some drivers are when it comes to cyclists. Granted some cyclists kind of bring it on themselves when they do stupid things, but not if you're in an intersection. And damn right he should have to pay for your helmet. If he knew better he would've left you his phone number not to involve ICBC, but his own fault.

My boyfriends hates that I commute, too. He was so happy when it snowed and I couldn't ride :rolleyes:

[Grog]

Thanks all for the kind words.

But your stories of semi-blind or -comatose drivers freak me out! The insurance lady said, "It's getting scary riding a bike in Vancouver, isn't it?" and I said, "No, actually, I'd rather be on my bike because I have more ways to escape. The drivers are really courteous, IF they see you. But most of the time they're just not paying attention." She agreed, "they're in la-la land." *sigh*

I do expect to be sore tomorrow morning and to have a big purple bruise on my thigh. Actually I feel the exact same as the time I took a spill on frosty pavement about a month ago. The insurance lady laughed when I said I was good at falling. Thank God, because right now a broken wrist would be a catastrophe - I need to finish writing my PhD thesis!!

Now I'm having second thoughts about not calling the police. It didn't cross my mind at that time, and I wish I had asked the guy in the SUV to stop and give me his info. But I don't expect him to contest the claim, he'll most likely just pay out-of-pocket instead of dealing with ICBC. I must say it's nice to have a central, public insurance company. It's not my-lawyer-against-your-lawyer unless there are serious damages involved. And I was in a rush to get to work.

Any Canadians have input on the importance of calling the police if there is nothing broken? What do drivers do if they just rear-end each other at low speed, for example? Maybe I'll call the non-emergency number just to be in the stats of cyclists hit by cars this year. :(

By the way, Badger: 10th and Fir.

*sigh* Ok, back to work.

[OakLeaf]

your stories of semi-blind or -comatose drivers freak me out!

Oh you have no idea. The thing I always emphasize is that their not seeing you has NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR BEING ON A BIKE. It's only that they assume (usually correctly) that the cop, prosecutor, judge and/or jury are not cyclists, and so "I didn't see them" becomes a valid excuse. The truth is, they don't see ANYTHING (and the authorities and triers of fact need to stop it with this idea that you become invisible the minute you get on two wheels).

Just last week someone rear-ended a fire truck with lights flashing in my area. The latest news is that although she will be charged with careless driving (assured clear distance in other states), she will not be charged with violating the move-over law, because two witnesses also didn't see the fire truck's lights and a third one said he "could barely see them." :mad:

Every couple of weeks someone rear-ends a school bus. A carload of kids rear-ended a garbage truck in the spring. They don't see ANYTHING. I've said it before, but that's why I nickname my hi-viz gear "Exhibit A." They still won't see me, but they'll be less likely to get away with it. :(


ETA: I don't know about Canada, but in the USA insurance won't pay unless you file a police report.

[badger]

I wouldn't bother with the police. They won't do anything. If he had hit and run and you got the license plate then it's another matter, but he did stop and you got some relevant ICBC info. Believe it or not the police apparently have other things to do, which baffles me because I see them all the time at Starbucks!! :p

I once was hit as a pedestrian on Drake/Pacific. I had the green light and my dog and I were running across the street when I got hit. Luckily my dog was to my left or he would've taken the brunt of it. I took out the woman's side mirror and the force knocked me down on top of my dog (he was ok). I look at it as both lucky and unlucky. Lucky that I only got away with bruising to my thigh and my dog was ok. Unlucky in that I got hit at all. A split second either way would have had very different and one possibly catastrophic ending.

The woman obviously stopped and was shocked but very cooperative. She said she'll follow whatever I decide to do. I was originally going to just do out of pocket, but people told me to go through ICBC. I've heard so many horror stories of ICBC but I had a very good experience. They gave me everything I asked for (chiropractor, replacement of my new jacket).

So, long and short, I wouldn't bother with police, they won't do anything.

[OakLeaf]

The point of filing a police report is not for them to "do anything," it's so the insurance company has your sworn statement on file and an easy third party way to have you prosecuted if you're defrauding them. That's why in the USA they insist on a police report. As I said, I don't know about Canada.

[badger]

I honestly don't think she'll get anywhere by reporting, and in fact, I don't even know if they'll take the report. Things do work differnently here. Minor fender benders don't require police reports.

When I was mowed down, police wasn't involved at all, nor was it necessary for me to file the insurance claim.

[Tri Girl]

Oh my goodness! I'm so glad that you're mostly unhurt. I know you'll be in more pain tomorrow, but I'm glad it wasn't any worse. What a goofy thing to say "I've never hit anyone." He's lucky he didn't hurt you worse.
I hope everything works out for you. Take good care of yourself!!!!

[Zen]

I once witnessed a car slam into the back of a tractor-trailer that was stopped at a light.
Well, not so much saw it as heard it.
What a noise! She obviously was not paying attention.

[bmccasland]

One of the reasons to file police reports is that it add to the statistics for accidents at certain locations. When Hwy departments do studies one of the things they look at is the accident rates, based on the paper trail. If there are no reports, then there are no accidents. Could have been one last week, but if there's no report, then it didn't happen. Must be a paper trail.

Besides, I pay taxes, and dang it, they're going to come out and file a stinking report. :mad:

[Serendipity]

Grog, glad to hear that you are okay. I tend to agree with those who recommend filing a police report. I know you said that you weren't injured, but there is always a chance that something may start bothering you several days down the road. A police report would be supportive in case you ever needed medical treatment at some point.
I live in Ontario, not B.C. so I don't know about filing a report post-accident, but I'm sure it wouldn't be the first time they've (police department) seen that!

[Grog]

Ok, I checked this in more depth.

This is what the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia says:

"Do I have to call the police?

Answer: You may be required to report an incident to the police if the combined property damage appears to exceed $1000 ($600 for a motorcycle).

You must report to the police in any of the following cases:

* Injury or death occurred
* A hit-and-run accident. Please note, police reporting requirements for hit-and-run claims may vary among police detachments around the province. You may be asked to contact ICBC directly for further information.
* A break-in or vandalism to your vehicle
* Your car is stolen

Make your police report within 24 hours if the crash happened in the city; within 48 hours if it happened in a rural area."

There is definitely no injury detectable with 24 hours. The lady at ICBC said that when I visit on Thursday to have them inspect my helmet, we can reassess how I'm feeling and file that as needed. (Ex: was I to need PT or something.) I have a claim on file already so this is sufficient.

I believe - although I still need to verify it - that the stats are provided by the ICBC in this province. That's what I recall from some news article about pedestrian-automobile accidents (the highest rate in Canada is in this province). ETA: I have checked. It seems that the police keeps track of people killed, injured, and of heavy damage as above. The ICBC counts all claims. So I'll be in the stats.

Insurance and roads are a provincial matter, so this might be different in other Canadian provinces...

And, for the record, if I was in the USA, I would definitely file a police report, and recommend everyone in a similar situation to do the same.

[kfergos]

That is so awful! I have no input on the police report comments, but I'm glad to hear you walked away OK -- and that your bike didn't get too much damage. Did you fall on the drive train/derailleur side? I know when I slipped on ice last Feb I fell derailleur-down and the "road customization" meant it never shifted quite right.

Speaking of drivers not seeing you: Last night I was riding home in the dark, with my usual super-bright flashing rear light on. A minivan came up behind me and passed so close it brushed the straps on my messenger bag, and let me say -- those straps don't stick out much at all. I heard the strap scrape along the side of the car, and it felt like something touched my leg (might've been the slipstream from the car; not sure). It was utterly terrifying. I can only assume that, like the person who almost turned left into me that morning, the driver didn't see me at all despite copious reflectivity and bright lighting.

[Aggie_Ama]

Blind or comatose drivers: My husband being sick is isolated but another scary thought.... My 76 year old Nanny recently was moved to assisted living. Before my dad made the choice for her she got lost on a road she drove everyday for the last 40 years, got stuck in her car when the alternator went out (didn't realize she could pull up on the power locks), drove on the wrong side of the road ("it was okay, there was no traffic") and left her keys hanging in her front door numerous times. She told me after moving into the home "I wish K(dad) hadn't sold my car, I wasn't going to go far but it would be nice to go for a drive sometimes or to get a few things". The scary thing is the number of commuters/cyclists (including me!) around her home. I try not to think to hard about the nutbars driving the cars.

Another scary case in point. My eye sight has gotten less than favorable, I can now not drive safely without my contacts. I got a letter from the license office saying I could just mail $24 and renew my license as is, with no vision restriction. I wonder how many people get to do this who actually need to be declared unfit to drive because they went legally blind? Sorry, big thread jack.

How are you today?

[Grog]

How are you today?

Surprisingly well, actually. I am not feeling sore at all. That bruise on my left thigh is something else though! Sort of small, maybe three inches long and two wide, but it looks *deep*. My neck and back are a little sore, but they were before the crash - I have done a lot of desk work/mousing in not-so-ergonomic position recently. :)

I'm off to ride to work now. :)

[gnGracie]

Thank goodness you're okay!

I'm amazed, reading some of these posts, how nonchalant some of these drivers seem to be after hitting someone. I would be HORRIFIED if I hit someone!!!

[singletrackmind]

Have that rear wheel checked for true while you're at it. Prolly ok or repairable, but might as well have that info at the same time as you're dealing with the helmet. Also check your gear, lycra's darned expensive to replace. If it's due to the accident you have no reason to feel bad. The driver's made a mistake, not you, and you shouldn't have to pay for that.

Glad you're alive and reasonably well despite being a more colorful character now! :):):)

[Grog]

Have that rear wheel checked for true while you're at it. Prolly ok or repairable, but might as well have that info at the same time as you're dealing with the helmet. Also check your gear, lycra's darned expensive to replace. If it's due to the accident you have no reason to feel bad. The driver's made a mistake, not you, and you shouldn't have to pay for that.

Funny you'd say that. I would have sworn the wheel was okay the first day I rode on it, and yesterday I noticed that the back wheel was definitely not true after all, and it's not getting any better so I'll have it inspected, trued, and fixed tomorrow.

No holes in the lycra or Gore jacket, though.

I don't mind being a "colorful character," there's something about it that makes me reconnect with my inner child. But I don't like being hit. :(

[badger]

with so much construction and people being in a rush to get nowhere fast, people just don't pay their full attention on the road.

Since I was hit, though, I am super careful whenever I turn left. Many times I get honked at from behind because I make sure there's nobody anywhere near where I'm turning. Take yesterday for example, I wanted to turn right, but there was a cyclist. I slowed down to let him pass me (otherwise I would've cut him off with very little room to spare). The guy behind me honked. Sorry, next time I'll mow the cyclist down so it won't slow YOU down. :rolleyes:

Where do you get your bike fixed? ever go to Mighty Riders?

[Grog]

Where do you get your bike fixed? ever go to Mighty Riders?

Ed's my man. :)

But I might have to go to Bike Doctor because I'm in a rush and Ed might be too busy.

Oddly though I have this "tradition" of getting my helmets from West Point Cycles. Maybe because it's an easy stop on the way to and from UBC... They have done kind things for me.

[badger]

you know, Ed scares the hell out of me!

[singletrackmind]

Funny you'd say that. I would have sworn the wheel was okay the first day I rode on it, and yesterday I noticed that the back wheel was definitely not true after all, and it's not getting any better so I'll have it inspected, trued, and fixed tomorrow.
I don't mind being a "colorful character," there's something about it that makes me reconnect with my inner child. But I don't like being hit. :(

Let's just say I don't like being hit either!

[Grog]

you know, Ed scares the hell out of me!

I'm laughing out loud. I can understand why. He's a bit of a shadowy character in some ways, but he's got a big heart and he knows his stuff really well. In my experience, he'll never try to over-sell someone and he'll try to make things work without getting you to pay a bundle.

This being said, I've found the shop incredibly busy in the past year, and sometimes I don't go because of that. I'm happy for him that it's working well though.

Ok, now I have to go there for my wheel. I'll do that tomorrow.

EDITED TO ADD: He knows a lot about fitting women on bikes and has a knowledge of the parts on the market that fit small people like me. (The shop sponsors the Chicks Cycling Club, which I used to ride with.)

[buddha_bellies]

Wow Grog! I'm so glad you're okay. Your story is quite scary alright.

I hope you are not too sore. Did you see a doctor yet? It might be something useful later on in case you need to see a physio or massage therapist and be covered by ICBC. DH also mention not to sign anything with ICBC just yet. Wait at least a few month to make sure you body is okay.

We dress like it's Halloween every time we bike. Put on all the lights and reflectors to say "LOOK AT ME"! And yet, there are still drivers out there that are not paying attention. What is a cyclist to do?

[Grog]

Well, well, well, things have evolved this week.

I mentioned earlier that the wheel was a bit out of true. The next day I rode only 4 km on the bike but it was getting worse. I had already arranged to see my favourite mechanic to get it trued. (Note to Badger: When I told Ed I had been hit by a car, he said "Oh no!" in a way that definitely would not scare you.) On the phone, he said, "You can't just true the wheel, I'll check your frame properly." OK.

I roll the bike into the store, he puts it on the stand, all the while continuing a phone call with who-knows-who, and starts taking measurements. He gets off the phone for a second and calls, "Your frame is totally bent." He took a few more measurements, then starts scratching things on a quote form. "How much did your bike cost?" I tell him. He hands me the paper: "Aluminum Frame, Bent; Handlebar/stem, Bent; Fork, Bent; Rear Wheel, Bent; WRITE OFF" and then a value for the bike plus helmet.

WRITE OFF?

Now I was not expecting that. My poor, trusty, fast commuter bike, a WRITE OFF?????? Because some idiot does not think it's necessary to look for street signals?

He said the ICBC (insurance) people would maybe ask for a second opinion, so I rolled into a nearby store (which I will name for locals if they ask privately) to have the bike cross-examined. Basically the mechanic there had a look at the frame - I don't know if he measured it - and said it was "just fine." He also discarded my concerns about steering (which had been a little weird). He wrote me a quote for the replacement of the saddle (I hadn't even noticed it was damaged), back wheel, and a full tune up.

Now I was really annoyed. I had someone whom I really, really trust tell me the bike was a write off, then another guy whom I don't particularly trust tell me it was just fine except for the back wheel. :confused:

Then I had to go to my ICBC meeting with the adjuster. The guy was really nice and sweet, and very nicely answered all my questions (some of them unrelated) about how the insurance system works. I was still a little bit shaken by my bike store visits but he said, "Well if you don't feel comfortable and safe riding that bike anymore just get a new one." I thought that was nice, but I also did not want to buy a new bike for no reason if the old one - which I have used for just six months - was just fine. I told the adjuster that I would get a third opinion and get back to him. "Whatever you want."

(Now that's pretty impressive for customer service.)

For those who wonder, it is indeed the insurer who creates accident statistics in British Columbia. The police really only attends serious accidents with lots of blood and twisted metal.

I also made a full statement. And my bike was thoroughly photographed (not that there is much to see).

So..... I called this other bike shop that sells Trek bikes (same as my commuter) and asked for an appointment with an experienced mechanic that knows something about frames and could actually go over the measurement and alignment with me. Saturday morning, I went there, and the very kind and patient guy indeed showed me everything. The frame IS bent. Not by a whole lot, just under a centimetre, but a lot more than what would be within the manufacturer's tolerance. He also spent quite a bit of time examining the fork and told me it was also bent. That would explain why I was trying to go in one direction and my bike wanted to go another way. Case closed.

So I'm shopping for a new commuter bike. The last store I visited is going to bring in a couple of bikes in my size for me to try, so I'm going back there on Monday. I don't have the time to shop around and I am quite comfortable getting another Trek, which I think is great value for the money. With some luck, I'll have a new bike mid-week.

I'm really glad I'm reaching closure on this because I don't have the time to deal with this right now. But it's still exciting to get a new bike. Follow this story on another thread for a discussion of disk brakes!

*The End* (sort of)

[bmccasland]

So 2 out of 3 mechanics declare your old bike beyond repair/unsafe to ride and you need a new one. 1 cm out of whack can be a lot in the long run, am glad they caught it. Guess shop number 3 doesn't really want long term customers?

Sorry you have to send your old bike to the heap, but at least you know you're not crazy it was the bike out of true! Have fun with your new bike. We'll want pictures when you get it.

Maybe this horrible saga will be over soon.

[Blueberry]

That sucks, Grog, but I'm really glad they caught it (and I'd worry about the shop that said it was fine). Happy selecting a new bike! At least It'll be covered:)

CA

[badger]

my experience with ICBC was pleasant and positive, too. I think they're more helpful of pedestrians and cyclists because you can't really fudge the fact you were hit. And when you go up against a big hunk of moving metal, it doesn't matter if you were at fault, your body's not going to go unscathed.

I'm glad things kind of worked out for you. Sucks you got hit and the bike's been condemned, but at the very least it will be replaced (maybe with a better one??)

[shootingstar]

I'm sorry Grog that this nightmarish incident even occurred in the first place.

Didn't have time to read much on forums during my vacation outside of Canada for past week until glancing now.