Advocacy & Safety - Hit an Run Vashon Island, WA/Lack of Police Response

Friday July 15th my husband was a victim of a hit and run accident on Vashon Way SW. We were approximately 1.5 miles from the Vashon Ferry terminal at about 9:15am As we were pedaling up the hill a hugh dump/gravel truck with a trailer (bright purple) passed my husband, the truck was too far over on the shoulder, and the trailer took my husband out. My husband was down and bleeding on the road when a jerk of a motorist, sped towards him honking his horn! Nice! I thought people on the Island were supposedly more civil then people from the city. Thankfully my husband is still with me, with a broken right hand, a bent rear wheel that needed to be trued and a busted seatpost.
The worst part came when we attempted to report the accident. We had already left Vashon Island
and were in Seattle. We sadly discovered in order to get the King County Police to take an accident
report, you'd have to be in King County. (not Seattle) So today we drove to King County to file a report.
The King County Sheriff shows up and basically found 19 new ways not to take an accident report.
I won't go into all the gory details, but I was reminded once again that cyclists are lower then dog turds!
My husband asked, at one point, if he were a dead body, would they, KIng County Sheriff's department
investigate? We received no response to the affirmative.

I'd have been in trouble for making a comment about how if an officer was murdered right in front of me, I'd be deaf, dumb, and blind.

Im moving to Seattle August 17th. I hope to find it at least more bike friendly then Central Florida. I guess we shall see.

I won't go into all the gory details


Without the details, we have no way of understanding what happened.

I'd have been in trouble for making a comment about how if an officer was murdered right in front of me, I'd be deaf, dumb, and blind.

I think you misread... I think Marge's husband said if he (referring to himself) were a dead body would the police even bother to investigate.

I don't think Marge's husband said if there was a police officer's body laying on the side of the road, would they investigate.

Marge, that's terrible... were you able to get any details on the truck that hit you at all? Was it a city truck? I'd investigate it further, then plan to sue the company the truck belonged to. Someone should take responsiblity for your medical bills and your husband's time off work.

Good luck!

Koffee

I thought people on the Island were supposedly more civil then people from the city.

richer maybe... I have found that many people that have more money then others tend to be bigger A-holes.

sorry to hear about your husband.

tell me again someone, how dangerous is it to ride on sidewalks?

Okay, more positive follow up. The more we thought about it the angrier we became. Ron has a broken right hand that eliminates him from the RSVP. (Ride from Seattle to Vancouver B.C., Auguust 5th and 6th. ) and a helluva lotta of other cycling. We called the King County Sheriff's office for the fourth time and asked to speak to a supervisor. As luck would have we got a female Sgt., who was a cyclist herself and more then willing to take a police report. So justice grinds very slow.

I think you misread... I think Marge's husband said if he (referring to himself) were a dead body would the police even bother to investigate.

I don't think Marge's husband said if there was a police officer's body laying on the side of the road, would they investigate.

Marge, that's terrible... were you able to get any details on the truck that hit you at all? Was it a city truck? I'd investigate it further, then plan to sue the company the truck belonged to. Someone should take responsiblity for your medical bills and your husband's time off work.

Good luck!

Koffee

No Koffee, I didn't misread. If they had acted that way with me, that's the comment I'd have made that would get me in trouble with them. ;)

tell me again someone, how dangerous is it to ride on sidewalks?

Sidewalks are fine... if you're going sub 10mph.
But if you are actually riding at a decent clip, you put pedestrians in danger by being WHERE YOU SHOULDN'T BE.

It's a sideWALK.

No Koffee, I didn't misread. If they had acted that way with me, that's the comment I'd have made that would get me in trouble with them. ;)

My bad.

Anyway, sounds like there may be some resolution. I can't believe that this truck can't be tracked down. If it's a gravel truck, it has to come from some company. How could a truck hit someone and not sustain damage? :-/

Koffee

...tell me again someone, how dangerous is it to ride on sidewalks?

There are no sidewalks on that hill, or the road into the town of Vashon.

Sidewalks are fine... if you're going sub 10mph.
But if you are actually riding at a decent clip, you put pedestrians in danger by being WHERE YOU SHOULDN'T BE.

It's a sideWALK.

word.

and I'll have to retract my statement about rich people/vashon island...:)

I was thinking of Mercer Island..

keep us posted on this case.

The worst part came when we attempted to report the accident. We had already left Vashon Island and were in Seattle.

I think you would of had a better response from the police if you had reported at the time of the accident, not hours later in another jurisdiction. By that time the police don't have much to go on, though your first deputy should of taken the report. I have been riding on that island for years and have found it to be pretty bike friendly.

Another tip when I ride the island I wait at the ferry terminal until all the traffic has cleared before I climb the hill. Much less safer that way.

Sorry to hear he is missing the RSVP I am doing it for the first time this year sounds like a blast.

Last time I checked, Seattle is in King County.

Last time I checked, Seattle is in King County.

Yes but it is under the jurisdiction of the Seattle Police Department, not King Co Sheriffs. Thats besides the point They really should of reported it at the time not when they got home, then they would have had a response and not run into a bunch of red tape.

You live in Portland if you had an acident in Scapoose would you drive(ride) to PDX and report it?

They really should of reported it at the time not when they got home, then they would have had a response and not run into a bunch of red tape.
I totally agree with this.