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I got side-swiped today!

Old 10-16-06, 04:22 AM
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I got side-swiped today!

I was about 5 miles in to my morning ride when I noticed a vehicle in my mirror. I merged to the right side of the bike lane. A few moments later all I saw was a flash of headlights and then the rear-view mirror hit my arm and leg. I was able to stay on the bike and there was no damage. The car tapped its brakes a few times, indicating that he knew he hit me, but kept on going.

My attire: red shorts, red shirt, red gloves, and all lights operational. Did I mention I was in the Bike Lane?
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Old 10-16-06, 04:31 AM
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Originally Posted by (51)
I was about 5 miles in to my morning ride when I noticed a vehicle in my mirror. I merged to the right side of the bike lane. A few moments later all I saw was a flash of headlights and then the rear-view mirror hit my arm and leg. I was able to stay on the bike and there was no damage. The car tapped its brakes a few times, indicating that he knew he hit me, but kept on going.

My attire: red shorts, red shirt, red gloves, and all lights operational. Did I mention I was in the Bike Lane?
0uch! Glad you didn't kiss the pavement or get hurt any other way!
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Old 10-16-06, 05:33 AM
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- you're aware of the new law in FL regarding safe passing of bicyclists? 3-foot minimum!

- but i doubt anyone will heed the new reg... heck, there's no traffic enforcement as it is!
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Old 10-16-06, 05:59 AM
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That happened to me in Queens two weeks ago. Woman in an SUV hit me with her mirror, didn't stop until the red light. I caught up, cut her off, and started screaming at her, wouldn't let her go until I was done. I wanted to call the cops but it was a really nice day, had a friend with me and wanted to enjoy the ride.
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Old 10-16-06, 06:26 AM
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I've never been hit by a car, but I've almost been hit by stuff thrown from cars.

It's a Felony in Oklahoma for people to throw things at bikers, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. I've seen this one in action before--On the tail end of a 30 mile ride, some fool threw a crumpled soda can at me. He didn't hit me, but the police officer behind him was impressed by the throw. He was so impressed, he arrested the man, got my information, and I was called to testify. The judge was also impressed, and gave him 3 years community service and a $1500 fine for littering.

The judge also said that I should let my biking friends know that if anyone did that to them, get their tag number and report it. I think I was fortunate that there was a cop right there though, otherwise I doubt anything would've been done about it. Oklahoma also has a safe-passing law, but I think it's more a law that they can use to further punish someone if they end up really hurting a biker, not if they just 'bump' us.
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Old 10-16-06, 08:27 AM
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Did you get license, make/model? Report 'em! Grrrr! Hate motorists! Motorists bad!

Okay, calming....calming....blood presure coming down...

:-)
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Old 10-16-06, 08:54 AM
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Originally Posted by mkadam68
Did you get license, make/model? Report 'em! Grrrr! Hate motorists! Motorists bad!

Okay, calming....calming....blood presure coming down...

:-)
Amend that to "Hate IDIOT motorists?" Not all of em are bad!
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Old 10-16-06, 09:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Tom Stormcrowe
Amend that to "Hate IDIOT motorists?" Not all of em are bad!
+1 to what Tom said.

Just like there are IDIOT motorists there are IDIOT cyclists. Possibly a better vent is "Hate IDIOT's"
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Old 10-16-06, 09:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Mike_Morrow
+1 to what Tom said.

Just like there are IDIOT motorists there are IDIOT cyclists. Possibly a better vent is "Hate IDIOT's"
Okay...<sheepish>...only idiots bad...
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Old 10-16-06, 09:34 AM
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Hey, don't sweat it! We all generalize sometimes! I hope I get called when I do it!
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Old 10-16-06, 11:11 AM
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Originally Posted by Tom Stormcrowe
Hey, don't sweat it! We all generalize sometimes! I hope I get called when I do it!
I don't generalize...
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Old 10-16-06, 11:24 AM
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You don't?
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Old 10-16-06, 11:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Tom Stormcrowe


You don't?
it was funny in my head...
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Old 10-16-06, 11:52 AM
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Old 10-16-06, 02:13 PM
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I was unable to get a license. It was still dark (5 AM) and I was in shock. I was asking myself, "WTF? Did I just get hit?"

I assume it was an old codger (We have lots of those in FL) , the car resembled an gold Oldsmobuick.
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Old 10-16-06, 05:41 PM
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Originally Posted by (51)
I was unable to get a license. It was still dark (5 AM) and I was in shock. I was asking myself, "WTF? Did I just get hit?"

I assume it was an old codger (We have lots of those in FL) , the car resembled an gold Oldsmobuick.
How fast was the motorist going? I got knocked in the noggin' this afternoon by a Kitsap Transit bus, he undershot when he changed lanes & got me in the head with his mirror while slowing to a stop. He apologized right there, it was an honest mistake.
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Old 10-16-06, 08:36 PM
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Good to hear you are in one piece.

In my 17 years of commuting I've been hit with sodas, hot dogs, cigarettes, basket balls (got me right in the head), bird poop, and a baseball bat (a kid leaning out a car window hit me in the head - cracked my helmet and hurt my neck).

I've had people turn right in front of me. I've been run off the road (2 foot drop off the road into a gravel bed). Had a guy threaten to kill me. Even had a cop tell me to get off the road and ride on the sidewalk.

I've had a sink hole open up in the asphalt as I was riding over it. And worst of all I had a semi with its rear door open go past me and blow me off the road (he was hitting his breaks hard and the door swung around at insane speed-missed me by just a few inches but the air blast pushed me right off the road).

Every time it happens I thank God that I didn't die and keep going (and I add a new entry to my list of things that almost killed me).

That said I'd sure like to carry a big freak'n gun and "restore natural selection" to the driving community - a few less drivers would be a good thing.
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Old 10-16-06, 08:45 PM
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All that red, plus the black of your brake/shift cables...

Driver probably thought you were a University of Georgia fan.

Glad you are (relatively) OK.
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Old 10-17-06, 01:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Dewey Oxberger
Good to hear you are in one piece.

In my 17 years of commuting I've been hit with sodas, hot dogs, cigarettes, basket balls (got me right in the head), bird poop, and a baseball bat (a kid leaning out a car window hit me in the head - cracked my helmet and hurt my neck).

I've had people turn right in front of me. I've been run off the road (2 foot drop off the road into a gravel bed). Had a guy threaten to kill me. Even had a cop tell me to get off the road and ride on the sidewalk.

I've had a sink hole open up in the asphalt as I was riding over it. And worst of all I had a semi with its rear door open go past me and blow me off the road (he was hitting his breaks hard and the door swung around at insane speed-missed me by just a few inches but the air blast pushed me right off the road).

Every time it happens I thank God that I didn't die and keep going (and I add a new entry to my list of things that almost killed me).

That said I'd sure like to carry a big freak'n gun and "restore natural selection" to the driving community - a few less drivers would be a good thing.

That is encouraging news. I am about to head out again this morning thinking something like that couldn't happen again, I guess it will. *sigh*
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Old 10-17-06, 02:24 PM
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Maybe we should start a list of ways that we've almost been killed on and off the road...
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Old 10-17-06, 02:47 PM
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I'm so glad to hear that you are okay, (51). I haven't been riding long at all and that is a fear I have. I went riding with my mother-in-law the other day and she is really car-shy when we ride. She was riding her bike in Florida several years ago and was hit by a motorist. Except for some bumps and bruises, she was okay, but that's a very scary thing.
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Old 10-17-06, 04:06 PM
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Sounds like you need a video camera on your helmet with a AA powered digital video recorder (DVR) with "continuous preroll".

After something happens, you tell it to save the last 30 seconds of footage. Then see if you can ID the vehicle and provide the short video clip as proof.
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Old 10-17-06, 08:34 PM
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I've thought about the Dewey helmet cam for years and years. Now it's possible. I figure I have about one or two really scary moments each year. At that rate that a lot of "hauling a camera around" for nothing. Still it would be cool. "Where's Dewey?" "I don't know, check his helmet cam."
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Old 10-17-06, 08:48 PM
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No guys - don't just focus on the negative. I've got lots of positive stories:

1) Riding with a friend. We stop at a light. Babe pulls up in a sports car. Sun roof. Babe. In the car. She has a tight skirt on and I guess you can't drive a stick with such a tight skirt. Must be a physics thing. So she's hiked the it all the way up to her waist. Babe. Wow. Friend and I exchange "do you see that" looks. Yup. We see'n that. Babe... Wow...

2) Found 26 dollars in the road on my morning commute.

3) Found my luck pliers on the roadside on a long ride. Bike had broke down. Twenty miles from home. Weather turning bad. Me with not enough clothing. At least ten miles from civilization. Those pliers saved my life.

4) Started riding at 255 lbs. Women wouldn't give me the time of day. After two years of riding 2.5K miles per year and a year of weight lifting three times a week I was down to 195. I starting getting cat calls of "nice butt" every few weeks. I loved it. Makes all that work worth it.

5) At above stated 195 lbs I had three beautiful teenage girls flash their... err... parts... at me. I'll be 90 years old with a far away look in my eye and a smile on my face and now you know what memory I'll be thinking about

The list goes on and on. Overall it's just as long as my "near death list" only it's got way better scenery!

All things considered I'd say it's worth it.
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Old 10-17-06, 11:45 PM
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cigarettes
Did they at least throw a whole pack? That'd be pretty nice of them.
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