Commuting - I can't believe she just did that (crash story)

Third commute on my brand new Surly LHT this morning. Beautiful day. I'm pedaling along down a fairly low traffic boulevard, totally enjoying myself, going through an intersection with a gas station on the right. I had a SUV on my left rear. As I approached the gas station this lady in a white Mercedes pulls up, stops at the sidewalk, looks to her left, makes eye contact, looks right, then pulls out and stops and blocks both south lanes and waits for a north bound car to clear!

The SUV and I both do emergency stops. I being in the right lane where there was some sand build up, I ended up sliding the front and rear wheels and went down on my left side.

As I'm laying there with the bike the lady waits for the oncoming car and drives off. The guy in the SUV gets out to ask if I'm OK. After getting unclipped, untangled and getting up I decided I probably was OK. A little scraped up on the left elbow, forearm and side of knee and calf, but nothing serious but I'm kind of sore now.

More important the bike is OK. The only things that touched the road were me, the end of the left pedal and pannier.

I can't believe that the idiot didn't see me or the SUV right beside me. I had my light on and flashing, wear a HiVis jersey and was in the right wheel line of the right lane. She looked right at me and then pulled out.

Neither the SUV guy or I got her license so there's nothing we can do, but for crying out loud, it was a brand new bike!!!

When I ride through that area I'll be watching for that car and driver. If I see her and can catch up with her I would really like to talk with her. It won't do any good, but

IT WAS A BRAND NEW BIKE!!!!!

OK vent over.

I thought there were a lot of bad drivers before I started riding again. Now at I am riding I am astounded at how many bad drivers there really are and how much they just don't care.

I thought there were a lot of bad drivers before I started riding again. Now at I am riding I am astounded at how many bad drivers there really are and how much they just don't care.

Sadly, this is the truth. Glad you're okay, brotherj! Be careful out there.

Glad you and your bike are okay!

The first scratch is always the hardest.

Check with the gas station for security video. It may have her plates recorded.

IT WAS A BRAND NEW BIKE!!!!!

"Well, it still is!"

Sorry. Had a Lethal Weapon 2 moment, there.

The first scratch is always the hardest.

so so so true.

You should have kept going, taken the hit and picked up a nice settlement. Live the american dream baby :thumb:

But seriously, sorry to hear about that. It doesn't sound like the frame got knocked up though, so be happy nothing but replaceable aesthetics were hurt on your bike. Should have tried to chase her down and tip HER car over. Yeah, that'll teach her to mess with cyclists :mad:

...a white Mercedes pulls up, stops at the sidewalk, looks to her left, makes eye contact, looks right, then pulls out and stops and blocks both south lanes and waits for a north bound car to clear! ...
I can't believe that the idiot didn't see me or the SUV right beside me.

Didn't see you? No. Didn't give a crap? Yes.
A Mercedes gives you the power to ignore all other vehicles on the road, didn't you know that?

I had a similar episode a decade ago. One key difference is that I was driving a commercial 40-ton tractor-trailer rig. That's right, a woman failed to notice a full-size truck pulling two trailers even after looking right at me. It is always a challenge to keep anticipating the unbelievably stupid things carcissists do. I think they just drive by habit. If they are used to pulling out after a certain amount of time, they pull out whether someone is there or not.

makes eye contact

means nothing

at times like these i really wish to stop the driver, ask for their license, and chuck them as far as possible then go on with my day... people like them should NOT have a license to any motor driven vehicle.

I had a similar episode a decade ago. One key difference is that I was driving a commercial 40-ton tractor-trailer rig. That's right, a woman failed to notice a full-size truck pulling two trailers even after looking right at me. It is always a challenge to keep anticipating the unbelievably stupid things carcissists do. I think they just drive by habit. If they are used to pulling out after a certain amount of time, they pull out whether someone is there or not.

^^^ Meds. Lots and lots of meds.

at times like these i really wish to stop the driver, ask for their license, and chuck them as far as possible then go on with my day... people like them should NOT have a license to any motor driven vehicle.

That would be about two-thirds of Cuperchino's population.

There was no eye contact made... all she did was turn her head in your direction... she saw nothing.

Glad you are ok! Tracking her down will not help, but maybe next time she does it she will do it in the path of a very large vehicle that is also not paying attention. Karma sucks. ;)

Check with the gas station for security video. It may have her plates recorded.

I didn't think about that. Good idea, but since there wasn't an accident it probably wouldn't do any good.

Overall I'm just writing it off as learning experience. I've been commuting over this route for almost 5 years and am constantly amazed by the incompetency of drivers. The scary thing is that it seems to be getting worse recently. We've had a number of cyclists seriously injured and killed in and around Columbus Ohio recently by inattentive drivers.

It's just frustrating that no one seems to be held responsible for their actions anymore.

I had a similar episode a decade ago. One key difference is that I was driving a commercial 40-ton tractor-trailer rig. That's right, a woman failed to notice a full-size truck pulling two trailers even after looking right at me. It is always a challenge to keep anticipating the unbelievably stupid things carcissists do. I think they just drive by habit. If they are used to pulling out after a certain amount of time, they pull out whether someone is there or not.So, was she smeared into a greasy spot on the road?

Its crap like this that is why I am looking at some of these cheap cameras on the market now. A tleast they will have some video to convict the POS that takes me out.

I didn't think about that. Good idea, but since there wasn't an accident it probably wouldn't do any good.

Overall I'm just writing it off as learning experience. I've been commuting over this route for almost 5 years and am constantly amazed by the incompetency of drivers. The scary thing is that it seems to be getting worse recently. We've had a number of cyclists seriously injured and killed in and around Columbus Ohio recently by inattentive drivers.

It's just frustrating that no one seems to be held responsible for their actions anymore.
Wasn't an accident? You fell down. You have a perfectly valid claim for both the pedal and the pannier.

People don't learn without consequences.

means nothing

It means nothing? I disagree. It means there is a better chance (not a guarantee) that the driver did actually see you and will wait, than if they never looked your way at all.

I'm glad you weren't hurt too bad brotherj.

The first scratch is always the hardest.

Yep, you got it over with.

Wasn't an accident? You fell down. You have a perfectly valid claim for both the pedal and the pannier.

People don't learn without consequences.

I agree. This person's actions caused you damage and injury. If you'd done the same to that person's precious car, I guarantee you she would have had the cops there to take a report.

Sounds like maybe she is from China. It is Normal procedure over there. Doesn't make it acceptable here, of course.

Get well soon.

Didn't see you? No. Didn't give a crap? Yes.
A Mercedes gives you the power to ignore all other vehicles on the road, didn't you know that?

Does it still work if the Mercedes in question is a '76 300D? Need answer fast. ;)

To the OP -- I had something like that happen once. I was at a 4-way stop in my bike, starting through, and a woman in a convertible ran her stop sign and turned left right into me, making eye contact the whole time. I had to emergency brake and came less than an inch from running into her. I still regret that I didn't get her plate number.

Third commute on my brand new Surly LHT this morning. Beautiful day. I'm pedaling along down a fairly low traffic boulevard, totally enjoying myself, going through an intersection with a gas station on the right. I had a SUV on my left rear. As I approached the gas station this lady in a white Mercedes pulls up, stops at the sidewalk, looks to her left, makes eye contact, looks right, then pulls out and stops and blocks both south lanes and waits for a north bound car to clear!

The SUV and I both do emergency stops. I being in the right lane where there was some sand build up, I ended up sliding the front and rear wheels and went down on my left side.

As I'm laying there with the bike the lady waits for the oncoming car and drives off. The guy in the SUV gets out to ask if I'm OK. After getting unclipped, untangled and getting up I decided I probably was OK. A little scraped up on the left elbow, forearm and side of knee and calf, but nothing serious but I'm kind of sore now.

More important the bike is OK. The only things that touched the road were me, the end of the left pedal and pannier.

I can't believe that the idiot didn't see me or the SUV right beside me. I had my light on and flashing, wear a HiVis jersey and was in the right wheel line of the right lane. She looked right at me and then pulled out.

Neither the SUV guy or I got her license so there's nothing we can do, but for crying out loud, it was a brand new bike!!!

When I ride through that area I'll be watching for that car and driver. If I see her and can catch up with her I would really like to talk with her. It won't do any good, but

IT WAS A BRAND NEW BIKE!!!!!

OK vent over.

Well there's your problem right there!... Hope you are alright tho

You're RIGHT brotherj, it WASN'T an accident. It sounds deliberate.

BTW whoever coined that term "carsissis" ... my hat's off to you!