Jerl

the drama on my daily cummute

... on Monday morning a minivan (surprise) ran an advanced turn light opposing me. As my light turned green I rode into the intersection riding around the back of the van, to my horror I found that there was a taxi cab (the worst drivers) following very close behind, turning directly in front of me & really running the light. The cab was hidden from my view until the last moment. I hit his front bumper and landed on the hood right in front of the (idiot) driver.

In my anger, fear and terror of the moment I punched his windshield - and broke it!

As I hobbled off his car to the side of the road with my wife who saw it all, the cabbie drove away!

Sadly, my long time steel bike frame buckled on the downtube right behind the forks as the front wheel was pushed under the main triangle.

I'm not hurt but my bike and the cab's windshield are. I guess I shouldn't have raged (there was no yelling or anything - we were both in shock) but it was so satisfying.

Moral of the story: watch out for cars hidden from view behind vehicles turning across your path.

Mariner Fan

Sorry about your accident. I'll bet it did feel good to take out his windshield. I wonder what the cab driver told his boss when he got back to the garage!

ItsJustMe

If you know the cab company, it shouldn't be hard to find the car with the broken windshield. Hit and run is a felony.

huhenio

I would tottally pay to see the video .... probably the cabby told him that it was a construction truck that lost a rock or something

CastIron

Cabbies are evil...and traceable. H&R with injury is serious, I hope you pursue it. In some fashion.

unkchunk

How's your hand? It's pretty hard to break a windshield. Out of frustration once, I smashed a mouse with my fist and broke it. I mean my fist. It was a computer mouse. I need nap, language is just not working for me anymore.

Glad you are allright though.

Blue Order

I say it's a damn good thing you did punch the windshield. Now there's evidence of which cab it was that did the hit & run. And you have at least one witness, besides yourself, who can testify that there was a hit & run.

Do the right thing and file a police report. This guy does hit & runs, and needs to get off the street. He doesn't belong behind a wheel. A prosecution is the only way to get him off the street.

Also, make sure you get the cab company to buy you a new bicycle.

tomg

glad you alright also! get your self to the police station now and file a complaint (with your wife as witness), ident location, time, etc. use the law to support you, and other bicyclists, (even other drivers) for red lite runners! good luck!

wultsch

I wonder if the cops would take issue with smashing his window?

Blue Order

Maybe, but I kind of doubt it. I doubt any charges would get very far in the legal system-- heat of the moment defense etc.-- so it seems unlikely.

The more important issue is there's a cabbie who (A) runs red lights, and (B) hits & runs. He doesn't belong behind the wheel, because someday he's going to kill somebody, and do a hit & run--- if he hasn't done it already. The broken windshield is evidence of which cabbie did the hit & run, and the cyclist should file a police report ASAP.

And again, the cab company owes you a new bike, so don't let them off the hook.

jwbnyc

Nah.

You're laid out on the guy's hood and you punch the windshield? I don't think the police are going after you for that one: at least not the ones that know the score.

tomg

"the window got broken by my elbow" in self-defense from tbi (traumatic brain injury) !!

this is a natural defense to keep your head from hitting the windshield, like when you fall, you put your hands out to support yourself (that's one reason why we wear gloves). use the legal system.....and good luck!

Blue Order

Nah. Just "heat of the moment." It happens. No point lying about what happened, it will just make his testimony about the cabbie suspect. Just tell the truth. Get this guy off the street before he kills somebody.

oboeguy

Right on. You need to take this guy down before he becomes a murderer instead of "just" a hit and run driver.

Itsjustb

> with my wife who saw it all

One last question. Is your wife going to continue to let you ride? I doubt mine would....

Jerl

Thanks for all of your support. I am doing my best to get the cab company to pay for a replacement bike - or frame and labour to swap parts over. We found the driver and now an "independent" insurance adjustor (hired by the cab company) is dealing with it.

Fortunately for me my wife loves to ride almost as much as me, so there is no question about still riding. However, she does want me to take it easy of course.

HiYoSilver

Moral of story: being right != being safe.

Besides the cabbie running the light, you erred by entering the intersection before it had cleared and you had clear visibility to traffic.

Cabbie-- needs to learn why laws and following them.

Riders-- need to learn safety first, ride enjoyment second.