Advocacy & Safety - I saw an accident

The light had just turned green on my road and a car going in my direction went straight. On the road to my right, a car was turning right on red. It didn't stop before turning. The car that was going straight could not stop in time, and it rear ended the car that just turned right. I was just before the intersection when I saw the accident. Luckily, no one was injured, but there was a lot of damage. I waited till the cop came and then told him what I saw. The driver of the car that turned right lied and said he was going straight on the road I was on and was rear ended. However, the car that was going straight left skid marks trying to stop. The driver got a ticket for an illegal right turn on red, and presumed to be at fault. He was acting belligerent to the cop. He said that he would go to court. I could go to court on his court date and state my testimony as a witness.
If I had been ahead, I could have been hit.

..ok..

Glad to hear nd2010!

Take note that the guilty party chose to lie right away... Even in the presence of witnesses.

I wonder how often that happens in a case where a cyclist is struck by a car... "he came out of nowhere," "he swerved... "

You get the idea.

The light had just turned green on my road and a car going in my direction went straight. On the road to my right, a car was turning right on red. It didn't stop before turning. The car that was going straight could not stop in time, and it rear ended the car that just turned right. I was just before the intersection when I saw the accident. Luckily, no one was injured, but there was a lot of damage. I waited till the cop came and then told him what I saw. The driver of the car that turned right lied and said he was going straight on the road I was on and was rear ended. However, the car that was going straight left skid marks trying to stop. The driver got a ticket for an illegal right turn on red, and presumed to be at fault. He was acting belligerent to the cop. He said that he would go to court. I could go to court on his court date and state my testimony as a witness.
If I had been ahead, I could have been hit.

Contact the police officer, and make sure your name is on the report as a witness. If you have the straight driver's contact info, let them know as well.

The light had just turned green on my road and a car going in my direction went straight. On the road to my right, a car was turning right on red. It didn't stop before turning. The car that was going straight could not stop in time, and it rear ended the car that just turned right. I was just before the intersection when I saw the accident. Luckily, no one was injured, but there was a lot of damage. I waited till the cop came and then told him what I saw. The driver of the car that turned right lied and said he was going straight on the road I was on and was rear ended. However, the car that was going straight left skid marks trying to stop. The driver got a ticket for an illegal right turn on red, and presumed to be at fault. He was acting belligerent to the cop. He said that he would go to court. I could go to court on his court date and state my testimony as a witness.
If I had been ahead, I could have been hit.

I am glad, you weren't hit.:)

Take note that the guilty party chose to lie right away... Even in the presence of witnesses.

I wonder how often that happens in a case where a cyclist is struck by a car... "he came out of nowhere," "he swerved... "

You get the idea.

How often: every single time I've seen an 'accident'. I wear a video camera, most times the car/truck driver changes their story on that being mentioned, but some don't.

The ones that don't change the story? Well, I really don't think they're lying per se, they just do not know what the truth is. When you listen to them, it is apparent they were completely unaware of what they were doing, and are rationalizing the situation to mitigate their own involvement.

I think it'd be way safer on the roads if drivers involved in accidents with bicycles were immediately removed from the roads and asked to retake their tests. The driving tests should involve some kind of psychological assessment.

How often: every single time I've seen an 'accident'. I wear a video camera, most times the car/truck driver changes their story on that being mentioned, but some don't.

The ones that don't change the story? Well, I really don't think they're lying per se, they just do not know what the truth is. When you listen to them, it is apparent they were completely unaware of what they were doing, and are rationalizing the situation to mitigate their own involvement.

I think it'd be way safer on the roads if drivers involved in accidents with bicycles were immediately removed from the roads and asked to retake their tests. The driving tests should involve some kind of psychological assessment.

I think in most cases, both factors are at work. When an accident occurs, often all parties are caught off guard and by surprise. They really don't know for certain what happened, and the human brain does go to work reconstructing in reverse to explain the circumstance.

That coupled with the natural propensity of everyone to (at best) stretch the truth to support the non-self-incriminating version of events to the impunity of many to simply lie their way out of any situation where they believe there is no means of conclusive proof is the reason why it is often hard to reconstruct an accident.

Video tends to eliminate some of the BS.

I hope the OP is prepared to appear in court for the accident victim in this case. Otherwise, justice may not be served.

Glad also that you were not involved.

Caruso

fortunately I now live in a place where it is completely illegal to turn right on red--- drivers LOVE pulling out right in front of cyclists. I hated living in the US where old men wearing hats thought that if they had 20ft of space, they could just pull out on a red. Same thing with asshats pulling out of parking lots onto busy roads.

Cyclists make rights on red without stopping too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cihI-o4PTXo

Cyclists make rights on red without stopping too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cihI-o4PTXo

how is it possible, even here in a&s, that a thread about an accident between two cars can steer into "cyclist scofflaw" territory within 12 posts?

but cyclist tend to at least be safe about it if they do : / the whole dying thing

in any case, i bet that driver is thankful you were there as a witness : )
my mother got hit one time and the insurance claimed that she was one percent at fault (get this) because: "she was there" . . . honest to god, the person that hit her blatantly ran a red light and told the cop "well if she hadn't been there, i wouldn't have hit her" . . . .

if it does end up in court, you could save that person a lot of grief : )

how is it possible, even here in a&s, that a thread about an accident between two cars can steer into "cyclist scofflaw" territory within 12 posts?
Sorry, wasn't trying to steer any conversation. The post just reminded me of the video clip I already had uploaded. All drivers break laws.

Now please steer back to whatever non-cycling unique topic this was originally about.

Al

I try and stay back a bit waiting at red lights on high-speed roads.

I've had a few incidents both on the bike and in the car where I was narrowly missed by sliding wreckage from collisions directly in front of me.

I try and stay back a bit waiting at red lights on high-speed roads.

I've had a few incidents both on the bike and in the car where I was narrowly missed by sliding wreckage from collisions directly in front of me.

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgYB6ECW3XQ

I wasn't narrowly missed, but if I had filtered forward I would likely not be posting here. That red car was first in line in the RTOL and it's front left quarter was slammed into. Filtering forward would have placed me directly between the front left of the red car and the station wagon that slammed into it.

Al