Advocacy & Safety - just got hit by a van

I was on my way to the public library to use the computer when, about 10 minutes ago, I got rear-ended by a van at a traffic light. The van "tapped" my rear wheel, and I fell over to the side, practically onto the sidewalk. The driver just took off. I actually don't think he/she/it know I was hit. I whacked my leg on the top tube as I went over, and my bike has a bent rear wheel. I'm not angry, but it sucks that things like this happen.

Sorry to hear about this. Glad you're okay.. bummer about the wheel. Could have been worse though...

Where were you stopped relative to where a motorcyclist would probably have stopped at that intersection? If it's not the same spot, why not, and do you think it would have made any difference had you been stopped, say, in the center of the lane?

I would be angry. Especially at the fact that they didn't stop. How could they not see you if they ran into you from behind?

You're not providing enough information. Anyone who has struck you behind will either push you forward or you will end up smashing onto their wind shield.

Did you just get brushed by the car? What?

I'd be beyond angry,considering they just took off. :mad:

Did you get the plate #? I keep a Sharpie marker on me whenever I ride in case I need to jot down a plate. Writes on just about anything.

Inconvenient banking

As an aside to you... Close her account and then simply open a joint account... be sure that you use the term OR and not AND in the account... You or her should be able to write checks... etc.

I agree with jake, no one sure have to put up with that. Also they should always give you some proof that a transaction has occured... if they told you that you are on her account, you should be able to point to some record of it and then have them resolve the problem.

RE your check... she still has to endorse it... but she doesn't have to be there. Heck you should be able to both endorse it and then drop it in a deposit box somewhere without even dealing with a human. Got ATMs?

Sometimes you have to push the system back into their faces...

As an aside to you... Close her account and then simply open a joint account... be sure that you use the term OR and not AND in the account... You or her should be able to write checks... etc.

Ah, I could, but then why should we have to change all of our direct deposits, the mortgage payment, cable bill, power bill etc... when they can just change the name. And it actually varies branch to branch. Some branches see me on the account (and her correct married name), some don't. I still prefer face to face deposits, not a techno phobe, it's just something I prefer.

Back on topic... After reading a second time, it doesn't sound like a rear end job. More of a quarter panel nudge??? Hopefully it is just a re-true.

Wow, major non-sequitur

It's pretty clear he was stopped off to the side of the van. In fact, I would not be surprised if the van was already stopped at the light when the Canuck got there, who stopped off to the side and perhaps just in front of the corner of the van or something.

Since the van just took off, it sounds like the whole thing happened when the light turned green.

I would be very surprised if canuckbiker was at the light first, stopped vehicularly in the center of the lane, and the van pulled up and rear-ended him.

So, tell us what happened already!

Serge

I fell over to the side, practically onto the sidewalk
Since he fell so close to the sidewalk, that proves he was stopped too far to the right.

I was not stopped in the centre of the lane as I should have been (lesson learned). The corner of the van actually just barely tapped my wheel, but it was in such a way that it knocked me over. The light did turn green right after it happened. Right after it happened, I was so relieved I wasn't splattered all over the road I wasn't angry, but since it's over and I've had time to think about it, I've gotten pretty pissed that they just took off. I didn't get the plate number, but I know exactly what the van looks like, and could probobly recognise it again if I saw it.

Think of it as an important lesson. But what is the lesson?
One might think the lesson is that in this case, you should have been stopped further to the left. But if that's the only lesson, the implication is that to learn you have to make mistakes. That approach might work fine for something like tennis, where mistakes can't cost you your life, but I think it's prudent to do some advanced learning in traffic cycling.

I strongly recommend that you get a copy of Effective Cycling by John Forester, study it carefully, and give it a lot of thought.

If you had done so about a month ago, you would have known how to position yourself to avoid this type of collision, and countless more, prior to it and them happening.

Traffic cycling is too dangerous to learn via the school of hard knocks.

Serge

Think of it as an important lesson. But what is the lesson?
One might think the lesson is that in this case, you should have been stopped further to the left. But if that's the only lesson, the implication is that to learn you have to make mistakes. That approach might work fine for something like tennis, where mistakes can't cost you your life, but I think it's prudent to do some advanced learning in traffic cycling.

I strongly recommend that you get a copy of Effective Cycling by John Forester, study it carefully, and give it a lot of thought.

If you had done so about a month ago, you would have known how to position yourself to avoid this type of collision, and countless more, prior to it and them happening.

Traffic cycling is too dangerous to learn via the school of hard knocks.

Serge
True. I will look into getting that book. With the potential dangers of cycling in traffic, my next "lesson" could involve me having to be wiped off the road with a sponge.

Think of it as an important lesson. But what is the lesson?
One might think the lesson is that in this case, you should have been stopped further to the left. But if that's the only lesson, the implication is that to learn you have to make mistakes. That approach might work fine for something like tennis, where mistakes can't cost you your life, but I think it's prudent to do some advanced learning in traffic cycling.

I strongly recommend that you get a copy of Effective Cycling by John Forester, study it carefully, and give it a lot of thought.

If you had done so about a month ago, you would have known how to position yourself to avoid this type of collision, and countless more, prior to it and them happening.

Traffic cycling is too dangerous to learn via the school of hard knocks.

Serge

If you're in the right wheel track, and your bike is not pointing straight ahead, and the front wheel just a bit to the right, a slight bump from behind should send a person to the right, onto the sidewalk. The center of the lane is not necessary to be seen, and does not necessarily afford the best" place to be seen.

I guess it never occurs to Serge that the van driver maybe wasn't paying attention, had poor depth perception, or was stoned or drunk. That if Cunuck had been in the center of the lane it could have been worse. Knocked down in front of a van that then proceeds to run over him. Instead Serge wants to brow beat people about their riding style and blame the cyclist. To Serge the driver is always perfect and it's the cyclists fault if they aren't following his holy rede.

I know the cyclist is not always right, but until drivers stop changing the radio station while talking on the cell phone, juggling a lipstick and a big mac at the same time with a dozen screaming kids in the back of their mega ton SUV.....well some of your rants ...er advice is just too scarry and I suspect pisses off more drivers and sets them off in muderous road rage for the next cyclist they come across.