Another car hitting cyclists - this time, it's me!

[MM_QFC!]

MM - Her negligence and general all-round stupidity endangered the lives of not only you, but also the life of the child in the car with her. Apparently she hasn't figured this out yet? If they take away her license, they need to force the sale of the vehicle too, otherwise I'll bet you a TE gift certificate that she'll be driving again. Taking away someone's license does not stop them from driving. Taking away their wheels is what stops them.

Agree on all counts, although she is not the registered owner of the car that she was driving, nor is she the policyholder (she is insured on the policy though). The prosecutor's criminal charge of DUI will suspend her license to drive and the 3 counts of reckless endangerment speak to the driving violations, so it "should" impact her ability to drive. Also, I am not involved in any recommendations re: punishment. What I am allowed to do in the victim impact statement is to describe how her actions/negligence/recklessness/crimes have affected me: physically, emotionally, etc and all of the ways that my life has suffered the effects from her. I will only speak to those areas in my statement.
However, if I'm called as a "witness" called by the prosecutor (not likely, as he anticipates that she'll plea out), I can certainly describe all that happened when she drove right into me and my bike.
I full-on agree that - given what her public record looks like - she should have had her driving privileges yanked. She has shown too many times that she has no care about anyone else when she's behind the wheel anyway.

Hey, does anyone know anything about a 'salvage buy-back' if I want to keep a bike part or 2? The property damages settlement is pending and I have to return all of the destroyed property, including my bike to my attorney's office for the liable insurance company to take. I'm going to write on my frame that it was hit by a car at high speed and is unsafe to ride, but I think I want to keep a wheel for future fundraising (for my AIDS rides 'spoke sponsors'; I tie a red ribbon on spokes for donations...then all ribbons come on my ride with me) as well as sentimental reasons.
Thanks for any info you can provide...
Mary

[Tuckervill]

They offer buy backs on cars. The insurance company wanted me to pay $2500 for my wrecked Beetle. I don't know why you wouldn't be able to get the parts you want.

And don't just write on the frame--engrave it with a Dremel tool or something!

Karen