Commuting - I just got hit...Now what?

So...As the title says. I was just hit and I am OK. I'll leave the details out until the matter is resolved with the driver. My real question is what do I do about my wife? I am concerned that if I tell her then she will put a veto on the riding to work. That would suck. What have you all done?

Nothing really major happened to the bike. The right hand brake lever is bent a tad and the RD seems a bit out of whack. I am going to have the bike looked over by my LBS and have the driver pay for it and any repairs that are necessary.

I should add that we have two girls. 8 and 4 if that matters.

I have never been hit yet, fortunately. So I dont have any advice for you but I do want to say I am glad you are okay! And give your girls and wife all hugs when you get home! Good luck on the bike, hope its not too bad.

When I was hit last October, I had to call my wife from the hospital for a ride home and there was no hiding a broken clavicle and totaled bike. Personally, I would not keep it from my wife if I were in your position. What I would do before telling her, however, is determine why you got hit. Though it was the driver's fault, there were probably things you could have done to make getting hit less likely. Concentrate on those to show you are taking the risks seriously. For me, I upgraded my lighting and added lots of high-vis to my commuting wardrobe. Good luck and glad you weren't seriously hurt.

Tell your wife to relax. You came through unscathed. Now you are both right- she thought you'd get hit and you told her you'd be okay out on the streets.

Or if you show no outward signs of the accident and the LBS is open, take the bike there now and tell the wife it was time for a tune-up...

I have been hit,,so what. of course you have to tell the wife,,tell the wife and get back on your bike.
Dont even give any doubt that you are going to get back on the bike,,and thats it.

I am much more careful, the problem seems to be this, every driver is different and it is hard to know how to react,,when approaching a 4 way stop for instance I used to ride through it hoping the car would yeild to me,,the problem is some will and some wont,,so I decided I would come to a complete stop after the time I got hit. Then you have the driver that just wont go till you go,,he knows he should yield to a person on a bike,,,so then you stop,,,he wont move lol and you have to go in front of him anyway. Then you have the driver at a 2 way stop you have the right away and he rolls through the stop sign and almost hits you even though you have the right of way.

I think you greatly reduce your chance of being hit by just not being in a hurry, dont do stupid things like I always used to do like try to beat a car while crossing a big road,,i used to do that stuff when young, now I am so much more careful,,i think I wont get hit again.

Tell her you were pulling away from the florist with a huge bouquet of roses for her (because you love her so much!), when out of nowhere...

Seriously. I'm glad you're okay. And there's no way I could hide something like that from my wife.

Would she veto you using a car if you were in a fender bender?

I told her. I could not hide it. She was a little upset. Wasn't too thrilled when I told her I flew across the hood. I'll show her the vid to show it wasn't too bad.

I used the car argument with her and she just stayed quiet. Lol. Should be good for riding after I get the bike checked by the LBS.

Would she veto you using a car if you were in a fender bender?

The reality is that pretty much everything we do comes with some degree of risk. I'm a paramedic and I've seen serious injuries to cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers. I've also seen serious injuries from falling down steps, mowing the lawn, woodworking, playing baseball, slipping on the ice, falling out of bed (no kidding), putting up Christmas decorations, cutting firewood, riding horses, boating, kitchen appliances, etc . . . and so forth . . . and you get the picture. You can determine how dangerous your cycling will be by the precautions you take and the manner in which you ride. Thank your wife for her concern, but point out that your good riding habits may have turned a potentially serious situation into a minor incident.

For some reason, cycling is viewed differently than other activities that involve risk. I've never quite understood why when a drunk driver wipes out another driver, they blame the drunk, but when a drunk driver hits a cyclist, somehow it's the bike that's dangerous.

Funny part is that I planned on getting home and posting that I just crossed 700 miles on my bike computer. I got hit at 699.9 miles. I actually have it on video after the wreck. Lol

Your question betrays your fear that cycling is more dangerous than driving. It's not. Injuries are likely, given enough time, but they are rarely fatal. Driving is insanely dangerous, if you ask me.

Your wife may not believe me, and there may be no way to convince her.

Our perception of danger is a function of how OFTEN we do something, not how dangerous it is. So since we drive a heck of a lot, we feel safe doing it. This is neither informed nor rational. Try to be rational. It will serve you. Study the statistics and the ways people get injured and killed. If you're interested in safety, you might ditch your car. You might even work to convince your wife and kids to ride bike more often. I hope you don't drive your kids to school.

I know I sound radical, but I think my viewpoints are informed.

Glad to hear you are okay! I'm sure the LBS will get you back up and riding soon.

Thanks for the help and support y'all. I showed her the vid. Wowee. It looks really bad. She got a little freaked out. Then when I told her I skipped getting his insurance stuff she was even less thrilled. I skipped the insurance because I feel ok, right now, and the bike seems ok. It was an elderly dude that hit me and I would be surprised if he tried to flake on any bike repairs, if any.

So...next question. If you have been hit did you skip the insurance stuff and take the driver at their word? How did it work out for you? I told her I would get the insurance stuff next time, if it happens again. I spse I should have this time but didn't see the point. Hopefully I don't get screwed. I'm gonna call him tomorrow before I head to the bike shop and either have him meet me there to discuss the repairs or see how he wants to handle it. I'm not paying a dime up front on it. That's for sure.

I probably shouldn't even say this. I am 51 and I have been commuting since I was about 27. My first 18 months I had three accidents including an ugly one the put me in the hospital (the guy was convicted of assault in that one). I have not had a single accident since. I dont know how many 10s of thousands of miles.

I think after you had a couple of accidents you ride defensively. It makes a difference. Though I am aware of my rights as a cyclist I am also aware that it's big boat over little boat and I do everything I can to avoid contact with the big boats that surround me.

Would she veto you using a car if you were in a fender bender?

Glad you told her but get checked out for any injuries. If you have any injuries, get a lawyer. Was the driver cited for a traffic violation? Being nice is great but a few drivers should not be on the road. The driver could have a long string of accidents.

Hey ckaspar, sorry to hear about your accident. Glad you are OK. You did the right thing telling your wife. I'm not surprised she is freaked out; she would probably be freaked out if you were in an auto accident. People tend to ignore mortality until situations like this arise. You might want make some changes that will make you safer: always wear bright greeen/neon jacket/vest, get a daytime rear blinkie light. This might help her realize that you value her concerns.

When you feel up to it, can you post the video?

You need to worry less about taking videos/posting the results and learn to ride aggressively/defensively when need be.

You need to worry less about taking videos/posting the results and learn to ride aggressively/defensively when need be.

Dude, you don't even know the whole story. Chill tell he shares the story.

Dude, you don't even know the whole story. Chill tell he shares the story.

Sure, no one does, not even the cyclist/driver. Also, don't tell me to "chill", as I'm just being analytical about the situation.

I think it's good not to always side with the cyclist by default. I see just as many (if not more) idiot cyclists than I do idiot drivers. At least we'll have a video :rollseyes: to make a determination.

Sure, no one does, not even the cyclist/driver. Also, don't tell me to "chill", as I'm just being analytical about the situation.

I think it's good not to always side with the cyclist by default. I see just as many (if not more) idiot cyclists than I do idiot drivers. At least we'll have a video :rollseyes: to make a determination.

Taking a video and posting is has nothing to do with riding aggressively/defensively. I doubt that the OP was looking to get hit. The honeymoon was long over with him and the cam a long time ago when he got it.

I agree with you, it is good not to always take a side. He did not, nor I nor you. Video will tell the story (somewhat at least).

Taking a video and posting is has nothing to do with riding aggressively/defensively.

This, to me, demonstrates that the OP was not focused, at all:


Funny part is that I planned on getting home and posting that I just crossed 700 miles on my bike computer. I got hit at 699.9 miles.

Did you get the police involved? And did you get his insurance info? I ask because my insurance told me it would be 10 times harder to get the other guy to pay. And if he doesn't pay, you should be covered by your homeowners insurance.
When I was hit, my wife went safety crazy. She wanted to get me 2 different color safety vests, and anything reflective was ok. She didn't stop me. She wanted me safe. So, don't hide it. Own up to it and show her that its alright.

For some reason, cycling is viewed differently than other activities that involve risk. I've never quite understood why when a drunk driver wipes out another driver, they blame the drunk, but when a drunk driver hits a cyclist, somehow it's the bike that's dangerous.

+1. And well stated.

Also.....If the OP had been rear-ended in his car and received the same level of injury, his wife wouldn't suggest that he no longer drive a car.

This, to me, demonstrates that the OP was not focused, at all:



I video all my commutes, and I'm definitely focused when I'm riding, but the cam is there to capture even more subtle detail of my personal surroundings that I may have missed.

You need to worry less about taking videos/posting the results and learn to ride aggressively/defensively when need be.

I take video and post the results, but the only time I "worry" about it is when turning the camera on or off at the ends of my rides. It actually improves my defensive riding since I can analyze incidents after the fact and determine what I could've done better.

....... It actually improves my defensive riding since I can analyze incidents after the fact and determine what I could've done better.

Same here, plus many sports teams have been doing this for years.

Dont feed the Germans. They get all cranky!

:)

Chill bro!

and yes, I am German.

The reality is that pretty much everything we do comes with some degree of risk. I'm a paramedic and I've seen serious injuries to cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers. I've also seen serious injuries from falling down steps, mowing the lawn, woodworking, playing baseball, slipping on the ice, falling out of bed (no kidding), putting up Christmas decorations, cutting firewood, riding horses, boating, kitchen appliances, etc . . . and so forth . . . and you get the picture...............

Yes, living is risky. I drove 1/4 mile oval dirt-track for 12 years, racing almost every weekend during the season. During that 12 years a lot of my cars got torn up, but my only injury of any significance was my one and only rollover during my 8th year of racing. It knocked the wind out of me and gave me an aching back that pretty much incapacitated me for three days.* But, here's the irony...a few months before that, I was walking across my kitchen floor and my foot started to slip on a small spill and then suddenly regained traction which jerked and pivoted me suddenly. This produced the exact same backache as the dirt-track wreck, the same exact degree of pain, the same duration. I retired from stock car racing due to burnout and cost, but I don't plan to retire from walking across my kitchen floor and its inevitable that sometimes something will have spilled on it.

You take reasonable precautions and after that you take your chances.

*(The same night my #1 pit crew member took over and won the feature despite having to start all the way to the back since my attempt to qualify for the feature terminated with the rollover. That was Friday night. Sunday he drove again and won the special show that day.)

Don in Austin

Dont feed the Germans. They get all cranky!

:)

Chill bro!

and yes, I am German.Especially right now for the ones that like soccer.

Especially right now for the ones that like soccer.

1. I'm not German.
2. No one rational expected Germany to beat Spain. Perhaps Italy, but not Spain as they haven't lost a knock-out game since 2006 (2 EuroCups - 2008/2012 and 1 World Cup - 2010)
3. I don't think that filming is bad per se ... so don't use what I stated out of context.
4. If the OP was think of posting a thread about hitting 700 miles on the bike AND he crashed at 699.9, where do you think his helmet-mounted cam was looking ... my money would be on the odometer so that he/she could watch it rotate from 699.9 to 700.
5. That's also my guess as to why we haven't seen any video.
6. But, whatever, side with cyclist by default.

I wouldn't have left without getting his insurance details, even if you don't file an initial claim. I know both of you were just probably being nice, but better safe than sorry.

There was a study showing a correlation between people using video cameras on their bikes and increased crashes, collisions with car, bikes and peds, and near misses. Had something to do with a heightened sense of invincibility. I'll post the link when I find it.

I wouldn't have left without getting his insurance details, even if you don't file an initial claim. I know both of you were just probably being nice, but better safe than sorry.

This is what I would do also, never know what could come up later.

There was a study showing a correlation between people using video cameras on their bikes and increased crashes, collisions with car, bikes and peds, and near misses. Had something to do with a heightened sense of invincibility. I'll post the link when I find it.


All too funny, with the addition a video cams, I still have not been in a collision with a car, or increased the number of near misses with cars, bikes, and peds. If anything, the near misses have diminished somewhat since I learned from reviewing my videos that I needed to change my lane positioning ever so slightly.

4. If the OP was think of posting a thread about hitting 700 miles on the bike AND he crashed at 699.9, where do you think his helmet-mounted cam was looking ... my money would be on the odometer so that he/she could watch it rotate from 699.9 to 700.
5. That's also my guess as to why we haven't seen any video.
6. But, whatever, side with cyclist by default.

My thoughts were not on the odometer. If I wanted I could easily set the odo to 699 and ride a mile to get the rollover. It just happened to occur at 699.9. I value my life more than a number on a computer that is not 100% accurate.

The reason I have not posted the vid is because I am waiting for there to be a resolution. I have read many times on these threads to not post details or anything else regarding an accident for fear of an attorney lurking and using my statements against me if it comes to that.

I started the thread because I was curious what other have done regarding their SO and an accident. I did not NOT start this thread asking for fellow cyclists to take sides. That is none of our jobs. However it ends up is how it is going to end up.

Once the matter is resolved I will be more than happy to post the video.

Anyone who takes issue with folks wearing a camera...I am glad I have the video. I have already learned ways that maybe I can be a little safer in my riding. Not only with this incident but with other rides I have done. It helps with recall in how a situation happened (see some of my other posts on the topic). When I told the insurance lady yesterday I had a video and she said it should make things much easier is getting a resolution. Was that my purpose? NO. Is it a benefit of filming my rides? YES? I don't ride reckless or take more chances because I have a camera on my head. I forget about it until I get home. It does not sit on my helmet and encourage me to do unsafe things just because it is running. As evidenced by my incident on Tuesday, the camera is not going to prevent an accident. It merely documents it. After reviewing the video there are things I didn't remember because I was still in a haze from the shock of getting hit. The camera worked as that reminder. For example, when I took his number down I mistyped his phone number, jittery fingers or whatever, I reviewed the camera and got the correct number and called him. I would be screwed without it. Just sayin'

My thoughts were not on the odometer. If I wanted I could easily set the odo to 699 and ride a mile to get the rollover. It just happened to occur at 699.9. I value my life more than a number on a computer that is not 100% accurate.

The reason I have not posted the vid is because I am waiting for there to be a resolution. I have read many times on these threads to not post details or anything else regarding an accident for fear of an attorney lurking and using my statements against me if it comes to that.

I started the thread because I was curious what other have done regarding their SO and an accident. I did not NOT start this thread asking for fellow cyclists to take sides. That is none of our jobs. However it ends up is how it is going to end up.

Once the matter is resolved I will be more than happy to post the video.

Anyone who takes issue with folks wearing a camera...I am glad I have the video. I have already learned ways that maybe I can be a little safer in my riding. Not only with this incident but with other rides I have done. It helps with recall in how a situation happened (see some of my other posts on the topic). When I told the insurance lady yesterday I had a video and she said it should make things much easier is getting a resolution. Was that my purpose? NO. Is it a benefit of filming my rides? YES? I don't ride reckless or take more chances because I have a camera on my head. I forget about it until I get home. It does not sit on my helmet and encourage me to do unsafe things just because it is running. As evidenced by my incident on Tuesday, the camera is not going to prevent an accident. It merely documents it. After reviewing the video there are things I didn't remember because I was still in a haze from the shock of getting hit. The camera worked as that reminder. For example, when I took his number down I mistyped his phone number, jittery fingers or whatever, I reviewed the camera and got the correct number and called him. I would be screwed without it. Just sayin'

:lol: at post-purchase rationalization

however, i remain interested in how this turns out

So...As the title says. I was just hit and I am OK. I'll leave the details out until the matter is resolved with the driver. My real question is what do I do about my wife? I am concerned that if I tell her then she will put a veto on the riding to work. That would suck. What have you all done?

I've never been hit so can't speak from experience. That said if you were driving to work and were involved in a collision with another vehicle would she put a veto on you driving to work? It's easy to focus on confirming preconceived ideas (cycling is dangerous, you got hit, which proves cycling is dangerous) where an all-but identical situation confirms equally preconceived ideas (driving is safe, you got hit, unlucky dude, get back in the car and be more careful).

Just one comment that seems to be a recurring theme where collisions with cars are concerned, and that's to make sure you really are OK. You don't want to be too quick to sign statements saying you're perfectly OK and then find a couple of months down the line your hands don't quite work as they should or some such.

It's a good call not to go into all the details, so if it's 100% clear you haven't taken any personal injuries you may feel comfortable making a formal declaration to that effect.

:lol: at post-purchase rationalization

huh? What do you mean?

Glad you told your wife relatively soon. You need to do that no matter what.
When I told my wife about getting broadsided by a Jeep, I immediately started talking about fixing up my old hybrid for a commuter until I could settle with the driver's insurance company. Ceasing to commute never entered the conversation.
She wasn't real sympathetic with my amazing bruise and hematoma, but she accepts my own risk assessment.
Our kids are grown, so it's a different situation, but you've got to be upfront with your partner.

I agree on not saying, " I'm fine. I'm not hurt." I didn't even know it at the time, but I smacked my ankle in my accident. The bruise didn't show up for almost 2weeks after. I hope the video helps your case and glad you're ok.

Just to clarify I never said I was not hurt. Just that "I was OK", implying that I was not dead or severely wounded. I do have some scrapes/cuts and aches and pains and I am monitoring them and if need be will see a doctor but at this point I don't see a need for it but if the need arises and things look or get worse then I will not hesitate to see a doctor.

I have learned my lesson on calling the police and getting the insurance info for sure. It is turning into a pain in the @$$ but it will work itself out I am sure. Will keep anyone that is interested up to date on how things develop.

Just to clarify I never said I was not hurt. Just that "I was OK", implying that I was not dead or severely wounded. I do have some scrapes/cuts and aches and pains and I am monitoring them and if need be will see a doctor but at this point I don't see a need for it but if the need arises and things look or get worse then I will not hesitate to see a doctor.

I have learned my lesson on calling the police and getting the insurance info for sure. It is turning into a pain in the @$$ but it will work itself out I am sure. Will keep anyone that is interested up to date on how things develop.

1. not calling police
2. not getting checked out

:facepalm:

do you really have a family?

1. not calling police
2. not getting checked out

:facepalm:

do you really have a family?

What is a doctor going to do? Point out the injuries I do have and say, "Yup, your cut there". They are not gonna do x-rays, MRIs CAT scans just because a guy walks in and says he was hit by a car. If the symptoms warrant it then they would but not just because a guy wants it done. I already told my insurance the injuries I am aware of now and let them know I am monitoring my body looking for signs of any new pains. I told them I would notify them if I experience any other aches or pains. They were fine with that scenario.

I really do have a family. What are you getting at?

Getting hit/tapped by a car is un avoidable if you ride in traffic, someday and someway it's going to happen, it's a matter of being mentally prepared for it. After being hit by at least 10 cars in my years on my various bikes, some lost to cars, I do as mentioned before I look for reasons I may have been hit and do what I can to avoid that condition that favored me getting tagged by the car.

My wife and daughter get tired of me bringing up and pointing out situations where getting hit by a car was a high probabilty in a given situation. So far my daughter has avoided a couple close calls from my advice and for me that makes my experience of getting hit worth all the pain and headache.

It's all about how you prepare for it mentally...

@acidfast7 I looked at a few of the threads you posted. You seem so concerned with me having a video camera running and the mileage my odometer was when I got hit. I noticed that you seem to post lost of photos, particularly the 50 mile ride where you happened to notice you passed 1000km.

How is that any different from what I was doing with my camera and my bike computer?

Does the fact that my odometer was at 699.9 miles have any part in the accident?
Answer: NO. Why not you may ask. If it did then where are my videos of 100 through 600 miles?

Why is 700 so special? Answer: It's not. Just an observation and odd coincidence that I got wrecked at 699.9. Nothing more.

Do I have a photo or video of when my car rolled to 100k miles or 200k miles? Nope! Why not? Answer: I am not a big milestone kinda guy like that. When I was going to post about the 700 miles being surpassed it was just going to be that I was happy to have ridden 700 miles since March not save the odometer video for posterity sake. If I wanted a video of the mileage I would have worn the chest strap to make sure I caught the, in your mind, ever so great moment. I can barely see the computer with the camera when the camera is mounted on my helmet.

Getting hit/tapped by a car is un avoidable if you ride in traffic, someday and someway it's going to happen, it's a matter of being mentally prepared for it. After being hit by at least 10 cars in my years on my various bikes, some lost to cars, I do as mentioned before I look for reasons I may have been hit and do what I can to avoid that condition that favored me getting tagged by the car.

My wife and daughter get tired of me bringing up and pointing out situations where getting hit by a car was a high probabilty in a given situation. So far my daughter has avoided a couple close calls from my advice and for me that makes my experience of getting hit worth all the pain and headache.

It's all about how you prepare for it mentally...

True that! I knew it was a possibility that I would get hit and tried to prepare myself mentally for it. I also tried to prepare my wife but seeing as how she was not the one riding she didn't have to face that fact everyday. It would be a kiss followed by a "ride safe" in the morning as I left. I was seeing possible accidents happening on the road all day and doing my best to avoid them. I was not able to avoid this one but handled it in the best way I can. My wife is a little more apprehensive about it but she understands now, I think.

We have had the car vs. bike death likelihood several times in the last 2 days. I even asked her cousin, an ER nurse, how many car accident victims she sees. She said, "Lots!' I asked about bike accident victims, "She said not many." I then asked the wrong timed joke and asked if they take them straight to the morgue. She laughed and my wife didn't find it funny at all. I have a sick sense of humor.

What did your Lawyer say? get any compensation from the drivers Insurance company?

or did you not get a statement and documentation at the time? PD report?

What is a doctor going to do? Point out the injuries I do have and say, "Yup, your cut there". They are not gonna do x-rays, MRIs CAT scans just because a guy walks in and says he was hit by a car. If the symptoms warrant it then they would but not just because a guy wants it done. I already told my insurance the injuries I am aware of now and let them know I am monitoring my body looking for signs of any new pains. I told them I would notify them if I experience any other aches or pains. They were fine with that scenario.

I really do have a family. What are you getting at?

Well, one of the things the doctor will do is mental state assessment. Humans are very bad at noticing that they've injured their brain and acting irrationally.

I video all my commutes, and I'm definitely focused when I'm riding, but the cam is there to capture even more subtle detail of my personal surroundings that I may have missed.

So you actually go back and watch all your commutes? How in the world do you have time for that? It sounds a tad weird to me.