Washington DC - hit by car

[mponchione]

Cross posting this on the commuter forum and the advocacy/safety boards as well.

I'm from DC and was riding home on Connecticut Ave last Tuesday and was hit by a car and fractured my clavicle in 2 places. Accident happened just north of the Van Ness metro station at about 8:00 pm. I had my front light blazing and was riding on the right side of the right lane (Conn. Ave is 2 lanes north, 2 lanes south for those unfamiliar). Car was parked on the right side and swerved into the right lane, I swerved into the left lane to avoid, but he kept turning, as to do a U-turn across 4 lanes to head south. As he was coming perpendicular to the northbound lanes, I braked but had no time to stop, so I crashed into his driver front wheel and was jettisoned over the hood onto the road, landing squarely on my right shoulder, causing a "high velocity" break of the collarbone. Only other option was to swerve into oncoming lanes.

Driver stayed at the scene and provided the police with insurance and other info as the EMTs attended to me. Driver admitted that he was making an improper turn, and two witnesses agreed that he left me no choice but to crash into him. Police cited driver and I have the police report.Plan to approach the driver's insurance co for damages. LBS is to inspect the bike tomorrow, so not sure if that's an issue, but the EMTs had to cut off my bib shorts and jerseys and I have some other costs.

My point - everyone please be careful. I think I was doing everything I could have done to not get hit, but was hit anyway by a driver who decided not to look before pulling out or signal his intentions.

Also, if anyone has a better commuting route from Chevy Chase DC to downtown, please pass it on. I usually leave before 8:00am and return after 8:00 pm and prefer to ride on the roads, as most of the trails are not lit up at night.

Safe riding.

[Air]

Ouch - good luck with the healing; glad you weren't hurt worse.

Effin' stupid drivers - people like that need their licenses revoked, not just a citation. Grrrrr.

[Helmet Head]

This is the reply I posted in Advocacy & Safety. Any further comments on what I'm saying here probably belong in that forum.


...
I had my front light blazing and was riding on the right side of the right lane ...
...
My point - everyone please be careful. I think I was doing everything I could have done to not get hit, but was hit anyway by a driver who decided not to look before pulling out or signal his intentions.

I'm glad you're well enough to post this and hope you heal quickly!

Apologies in advance for this unsolicited advice, but I have to disagree with your assertion that you were doing everything you could have done to not get hit, and would like to explain why I think this.

I would also not be so quick to conclude that the driver pulled out without looking. It's certainly possible that he would have pulled out even if there had been a motorcyclist or even a bus passing you at the time, and thus crashed with him too, but what seems to me much more likely is that he did look, but only enough to make sure the lane was clear, and did not pay attention to the "right side of the right lane", because he probably did not expect to find traffic there. Sure, in retrospect, duh, that's where most bicyclists ride, but bicycling is relatively rare, and if he was in a hurry, he could have easily just quickly checked the traffic lane, noticed that it was clear, and gone for it.

Regardless of whether that's what happened, it's possible. So, to reduce the possibility of being overlooked, some people, including John Franklin (author of Cyclecraft), recommend that cyclists do not normally ride "on the side of the right lane", particularly when faster same-direction traffic is not present. I go so far as to say it's a bad habit to habitually ride "on the side of the right lane", and, yes, I realize that this is what the vast majority of cyclists do, and what the law seems to require. But that does not help your broken clavicle, does it?

And the "cyclists must keep right" laws usually do not apply when faster same direction traffic is not present. For example, note the language in California's CVC 21202 (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21202.htm):
21202. (a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway...
The "keep right" law clearly does not apply when the cyclist is moving as fast as (or faster than) "the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time", and so cannot apply when there is no other "traffic moving in the same direction at that time".

I'm all for consciously and purposefully moving temporarily to the right side of the lane in order to let faster traffic pass when they are there and it's safe and reasonable to do so. But when they're not there, I prefer to be much further left, often closer to the left tire track than the right tire track. I also find that just being "out there" helps me stay more alert, and helps keep my mind from wandering.

Of course, adopting the practice of using more conspicuous lane positioning whenever safe and reasonable does not guarantee you will never be overlooked, but I am certain it significantly improves the odds that you will be noticed, and it gives you more room to maneuver in case you are overlooked. Perhaps most importantly, it improves your sight lines to potential hazards in front of you. In this case had you been further left and still overlooked, you might have noticed what he was up to sooner, and could have started slowing sooner, and you would have had a head start laterally (being further away from him), and maybe could have avoided him.

This practice of defaulting to a centerish/conspicuous position and moving aside only when necessary, safe and reasonable, is significantly easier and more practical to implement with a mirror that you can use to periodically quickly glance back into to establish and maintain rearward situational awareness, so that you know when faster traffic is approaching from behind, and can plan accordingly.

[The Human Car]

Heal well and heal fast.

For route help I recommend http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BikeWashingtonDC/

Consider yourself lucky not too long ago we had a DC cyclist sited at being at fault when a motorist U turned in front of him. Why? Because he was riding too far right. (Cops confusion over safety advise and the law.)

My tip for improved safety, get a blinking front safety light.

[Nick Carraway]

I'm so glad you're OK. I saw the aftermath of your accident that night walking home from the gym. I could tell there was a cyclist involved, but did not see you, so had no idea how bad it was. Needless to say, though, fracturing your clavicle is pretty sucky. Hope you're back on your bike soon.

As far as routes, is going through the Park an option for you? (I'm not sure I'd love doing that at rush hour.) Or what about taking Reno Road for part of it - not great, either, but at least it keeps you off of CT for part of the way.

[CoreyD]

Glad that you're ok and I hope the insurance covers all your damages. 5 or 6 other riders and myself all got nailed pretty badly in different accidents in DC in early Oct 2007, so I can sympathize.

[Relaxer]

I'm glad the driver didn't just take off. I've been hit several times over the last 15 years (fortunately, none leading to serious crash or injury) and in more cases than not, the driver sped off.

Very sorry to hear about your injury, especially in that location. I've biked up Connecticut hundreds of times and thus far have avoided the wheel. Thanks for posting what happened to you.

[damn_user_name]

Glad you're ok, and it doesn't matter where you ride in the lane, or what lane you ride in, people that are only looking for vehicles are only going to see vehicles. Even if he did see you it most likely wouldn't have computed in his "gotta drive home from work and pick up milk on the way" mind.

Anyway, don't jump the gun too quick with his insurance co. I know this sounds awful but he was at fault and if, 6 months after your shoulder has healed, you're riding and still feeling pain you could end up needing physical therapy or more. And if you settle for the current bills and you have issues down the road you're pretty much screwed. Get yourself back on the bike, let them take care of that, but don't settle 100% until you're sure there is no more after math. Once you settle it's all over, even if your arm falls off 3 years from now, it's all over...

[mponchione]

Thanks for the well wishes.

DUN, thanks for the advice. You are entirely consistent with the legal advice I have received.

As for other routes, Reno is an option. More narrow and no shoulder, but also not parked cars on the side. On balance it probably is better than Conn. In the future I may use Nevada/Linnean/Brandywine to the 30 streets, then down to 29th to Calvert to 19th behind the Hilton.

Relaxer, I believe I've read posts where you state that you do a Connecticut - Wisconsin loop, and sometimes at night. How is Wisco after 8:00 pm? I would think the lights would result in a lot of stop-and-go.

Next project (after healing) - getting a super front light, perhaps two. I'll head over to one of the other boards for recommendations.

Cheers,
M

[CoreyD]

I ended up getting one of those Cateye Opticubes. Good for letting cars see you, not so good for making streets more visible in the dark though.

[Miguelangel]

Oh ! im terribly sorry I hope you heal fast. If you have never broken your collarbone..I'm in my 5th week of recovery..Believe me ....it gets much better after the 2nd/3rd week. By the third week the bone starts to build enough to hold toghether... I just hope you r a lefty.. I went to my Sports medicine MD this week and he said I had to be patient..told me I had to at least wait two more months before going back in the bike... Your ribs ok??? You were lucky the driver turned out to be a responsible one. I hope your bike did not suffer much.
Small tip: If its a pita sleeping in bed .... get a good recliner... If you dont have one rent a good one... I slept on a great one for three and ahalf weeks (mainly cause I had 3 broken ribs too) but it gives you a good rest and more comfy than a bed for your arm!!!
heal fast