Encountered too closely

[ladyjai]

I hate this computer, I spent an hour writing this up, and the stupid program crashes. I apologize if this is too detailed for you, I wanted to make sure I'd gotten the details down while they were still as fresh as they were.

This morning I took i easy as I was going to be racing tomorrow with a friend, and wanted to make sure i had a full glucose store available to me. Yes, was, past tense. My plans changed dramatically when i was a quarter of a mile from work, and a car hit me.

i was in the left hand turn lane, there were a few cars in front of me, i was sitting on the trigger for the green arrow. it's one of those little things which always makes me smile, i can give the cars a green arrow, me, little bicycle :-D. we get the arrow and we're off. I notice a little black car in the right turn lane, antsy. what's she going to do? she starts forward, then stops. ok, good, I power up faster and continue in my direction. then, she decides, "why not?" and charges forward as well. Too late in my turn to pull away, and she's turning into the left hand lane (I'm aiming for the right). She hits me in the crosswalk, a fact which will come back to bite me.

my body is the main contact point, creating a thud not unlike the sound of car upon car from a distance inside my work building. My hood smashes her window in (driverside) and I managed to pull my bike to the left a little tighter and she continues on as I land on the same side that her car hit me on. I look up to see her car driving off, and pain filling my mind along with an incredible amount of anger at this woman, and the frustration of my work building being just a breath away... I scream. i'm crying and screaming, laying amidst a pool of broken glass, legs tumbled around my bike. My back feels as though she hit me there instead of my side, and I can't move. between screams, I check to make sure I can wiggle my toes, and rest my head on the ground. I do not think it ever made contact. Interesting to note, I don't think I let go of the handlebars until I landed, and even then, I don't remember releasing. There is a blood blister on my thumb from where the brake pinched my finger...
After a few good screams, I decide it hurts to much to scream, and just sob as i can. My eyeglasses (was wearing prescription today) are missing one of the lenses, and I wonder if it is shattered amidst the glass I'm laying in.

A thought of worry for the bike fleets through my head, but I can't move to get up, much less check on it. After what seems like ages, someone comes up and asks if I'm ok. If I was OK, I'd have gotten up, wouldn't I? "No, I can't move."

They take my bike away, I feel like protesting, but what good is keeping it right next to me? The paramedics arrive and the questions begin, at one point, I'm answering two at the same time. One of the medics is an angel, or maybe a cyclist himself, and reassures me that my bike looks like it's in pretty good shape. They strap me to a board, which is incredibly painful. my lower back and tailbone area is the main source of pain (with my right ribs adding in when they start moving me around). My toosh is well padded, and never meant for flat surfaces, being bound to it intensifies the pain and they end up giving me padding under one knee and on one side of my back. They cut my tights off to get at a cut on my knee :-(.

I ask what they are going to do with my bike as they start strapping me down. They reassure me that they'll bring it along to the hospital with me. I look over and see a pair of medics putting it on the very top of the firetruck! weee, Carrottop gets a special escort! though I do hope they tie her down before I turn my head and leave her in their care.

Soon we are making our way to the trauma center at a nearby hospital (ER is closed there) on the way, they cut my jersey and underlayer so they can put in an IV. the medic contacting the hospital is reporting my status and my ears tune in when he says "she had her seatbelt on."

I start laughing, even with the pain of my side and tell him "helmet, I had my helmet on."

"don't worry, they don't hear half the things I say," he tells me.

When we arrive, the nurse meeting us asks, "She was wearing her seatbelt on a bike?"

I start laughing again and tell the medic on my left, "They did hear." he just smiles and agrees.

They get me on the table and the flurry of activity ensues, x-rays, questions, and more. they cut off the rest of my clothes. :-( In the midst one of the medics tells me that my bike has been locked up somewhere inside.

The folks there can only get ahold of my work, so i'm in for a lonely time, but at least my work knows not to worry, or to worry?

the officer arrives and remember that thing that would come back to bite me? He told me I was riding on the wrong side of the road. NO! I wasn't! poke the angry bear, lol... I emphatically emphasized I was not in the wrong there, explaining my side, and asked if he would make sure the report was rectified. He said something about that was the problem with eye witnesses, a bit of a chill, I do hope he changed the report accurately. However, she did not get the ticket she deserved for that. She did get a ticket - for not having insurance. GRR. 05 vehicle, and no insurance.

he leaves and I'm sent off for a cat scan. they finally get me on a bed, and off that board. but I'm still on my back, laying on a flat bed, no pillow! and what's worse, they won't let me eat!! it's 10 and I'm accustomed to being able to eat at least 2 snacks by that time. and she tells me that I likely won't see food before mid afternoon

I get ahold of Mike first and he hurries over and stays with me until he has to get to class. then I get a few more visitors and my brother brings me flowers and a balloon this is the bro who we pretty much hated each other growing up. He really has grown up nicely. he teases me, asking me if I'm going to be scared of the bike. I ask him if he's never going to ride a motorcycle again, since he falls so much.

eventually, they let me up to go to the restroom, I refused to use the bedpan, so a major relief! around 3 i am informed that i can eat something, and walk a few laps around the hall, then I can go home! yes!! I try to call their food thing, get no one. So i get some stuff from my bag, and pace the hall three times.

Soon I'm signing out, and have to lay down as I have a dizzy spell - walked to fast. They get me a wheelchair. I'm told that I have nothing wrong with me. No broken bones, bruised insides or anything they can find. yay.

then another heartmurmer happens when I'm told they don't have my bike there, that the police impound likely has it. no.... my bro's calling the police when, in the next room, another nurse starts talking about my bike being here. yay! my bro fetches bike, I'm wheeled down and we're out of there!

all in all, God was taking care of us. as I can tell so far, it look as though the only damage to the Carrottop is to the rubber coating of my hood, the bar tape, and my bike computer (and probably a few new scratches). i can't fully check it out, as I tried to lift it and it literally felt like it quadrupled in weight.
And I'm not broken or damaged too much, extremely sore. i've got doc's orders to stay home 2 days, and hopefully, I'll be ok to do a small ride saturday. He told me I can do things as I feel I can, so that's cool.

Special blessings on faith and patty, my two wonderful nurses. and thanks to God for allowing me to survive this incident without any of the deadly damages that could have happened.

though I'm not sure what the moral of the story is, yet. I'm not looking forward to having to replace my gear, hopefully the black car's owners are good hearted, and i don't have to use my roommie's dad.

I do think this'll be a slight setback in my training though

[Grog]

Oh! Ladyjai, this is a terrible accident, and a totally stupid one. It angers me so much every time I read or hear of drivers misestimating the speed/trajectory of bikes in traffic. People just have no idea, and too often make very stupid judgement calls just to save a few seconds. Arrrrg.

I am really reassured that you're (relatively) okay, which means alive and in one piece. Have lots of rest.

*big hug*

[crazycanuck]

Ladyjai, PHEW...So glad you're ok.

I do hope you take care of yourself in the next few days. By the sounds of it you already have someone to watch over you!@@@@


c

[Veronica]

So scary! I'm glad you're okay. Take it easy for a bit. It's good the police know who the driver of the car was.

V.

[ladyjai]

thank you


when i think of what might/could have been, i'm overwhelmed with gratefulness. i hear of too many broken ribs and other major injuries when cars and bikes meet.

i find if funny in a twisted, odd way, that my bike has more road rash than me. I guess it a good thing this didn't happen during summer.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Wow - totally frightening. I'm so glad that you're OK.

--- Denise

[Selkie]

LadyJai - You take good care of yourself and allow yourself to be completely pampered while you are healing. I am in awe of your ability to keep your sense of humor about something completely terrifying. It could have been so much worse---you got quite the guardian angel. Good thoughts and prayers are coming your way--I know you'll be rested up and ready for a short ride on Saturday Also glad Carrottop is ok, too.

[DirtDiva]

Hey dudette. Really glad to hear you are okay, if rather sore. Take care.

[nuthatch]

I repeated your tale to my son, who is learning to drive. I'm hoping it will be an example for him to always behave predictably while driving! I'm so glad you are okay!

[snapdragen]

Did I read right? She drove off? Wouldn't that be hit and run?

Glad you weren't seriously hurt, you and Carrottop will be out and rolling in no time.

[Duck on Wheels]

and she continues on as I land on the same side that her car hit me on. I look up to see her car driving off (...)

the officer arrives and remember that thing that would come back to bite me? He told me I was riding on the wrong side of the road. NO! I wasn't! poke the angry bear, lol... I emphatically emphasized I was not in the wrong there, explaining my side, and asked if he would make sure the report was rectified. He said something about that was the problem with eye witnesses, a bit of a chill, I do hope he changed the report accurately. However, she did not get the ticket she deserved for that. She did get a ticket - for not having insurance. GRR. 05 vehicle, and no insurance.
(...)
I'm not looking forward to having to replace my gear, hopefully the black car's owners are good hearted,

First of all: Very relieved to hear at the end of this tale of woe that you're OK! Then, on reflection, a bit puzzled by several things, and as a 'furriner' these are things I may need to understand. They sure sound different from what I'm used to back home.

1) You saw her car driving off. Was this an attempted escape? Did she try to run? And if so, why no ticket for that?
2) Back when I got a car for my year in CA in 1999, I had to show proof of insurance to get it registered and take it off the lot. Is this no longer the case? Or maybe varies from state to state? Come to think of it, when I went to reregister the car in WI this year and had my insurance in hand, they didn't check on that until and unless I was in an accident. THEN they might penalize me if I wasn't insured. That does make me a bit nervous on the road here.
3) In Norway all parties fill out a written report and sign off on it. Here only the police write the report, which you don't even see until weeks later. So what do you do if the report is wrong?
4) You say you hope the car's owners are good-hearted. Are THEY insured? Was it only the driver who was uninsured? Because, if the owners are insured, aren't they legally liable for anybody they allow to drive the car? If so, then their insurance should cover. Also, if neither the driver nor the owners were insured, wouldn't they still be legally liable? Just that you would probably have to sue them to get them to pay up, and if they're broke you may never see the money even if you're awarded damages. Right? You might check with your own insurance whether they cover your legal expenses in that kind of case. And whether your (car) insurance covers you for damages from an uninsured driver. On your bike you might still be covered by that since your still a vehicle on the road ... or? Any lawyers out there in TE country who know this stuff?

I was in a 2-car accident just after Thanksgiving (kid speeding so he lost control in a curve). Like you, I was lucky to have no lasting injuries. Unlike you, the guilty party had insurance. Now I'm just waiting to see what my costs are going to mount up to (may still need more treatment for neck sprain), but at least the other driver's insurance company has agreed to pay. They've already paid up for my mom's car, which was totalled.

[runnergirl]

Oh My GOSH!!!! So glad you're alright! Keep us posted on the driver/insurance situation. I'd file a complaint with the police department if I were you, and/or at least get a copy of the report.

Also, be sure to take the bike to the LBS and have them check the frame, esp. if it's carbon it needs a tap test done to be sure it didn't take more impact than it should have.

[ladyjai]

bikeless:

1. I did, but apparently she didn't go too far, she was still around when someone came to check on me. I guess the broken window and the woman screaming at the top of her lungs indicated she shouldn't run....

2. It is illegal to drive without insurance. since the car is new, unless her husband paid cash, the car is supposed to be insured. she was ticketed for not having insurance, they might have insurance, just not at hand, and then there's the part where if they took a loan out, the loan company would have some kind of insurance on the car as well. maybe. I get to try to look into this today, not looking forward to it...

3. I don't know. I'm going to talk to a lawyer today.

4. they are not insured. at least, the paper the police gave me with their information said not. legally, they are liable, it may be a long battle to get what I am due, though. and you're right, if they're broke... I do not own a car, thus I do not have car insurance. and technically, according to az law, the bicycle is not a vehicle, but we are awarded almost all the rights and rules that a vehicle has/must adhere to.

runnergirl, I'm going to have to try to get my bike in, the frame is steel, but the fork is carbon, and Mike was checking it out, and it looks as though it's been bent a hair.. bleh

[Trek420]

ladyjai....sooooo glad that you are ok

"the frame is steel, but the fork is carbon, and Mike was checking it out, and it looks as though it's been bent a hair.. bleh"

as I can attest (see thread somewhere here titled sumthin like "bonehead move of the year") a steel frame is repairable almost no matter what you do such as drive it into the garage roof....

Yet another reason to love steel.

I'd replace the carbon fork, hope the insurance gets you a real puhrty one! Wait till the adjuster finds out "that part costs what??!!

But what's most important is that you are ok.

[ladyjai]

yes, steel is wonderful for many reasons. of course, it would be the fork that'll be damaged . I think i'll be taking it into the shop tomorrow while I'm at work.

I am meeting with my lawyer on saturday, and he told me the police report isn't as important (one of my concerns) I'll keep you gals updated.