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Got rear ended going to work.

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Got rear ended going to work.

Old 08-12-13, 10:52 AM
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Got rear ended going to work.

I was on my way to work on Friday morning and I was stopped at an intersection waiting for green. I was in the right turn only bay which the bike lane merges to, it is clearly maked before the intersection that both cars and cyclist must form a single file. Since I was going straight I was stopped waiting for the green, now for some reason I don't why something made turn around. To my surprise I see this car literally an inch off my back tire, I look at him said you're too close and inched forward, the car then inches forward and I said again you're too close and inch forward again and the car inches forward again. It seems to me the guy was trying to intimidate me. So I just turned around and waited for the green light. The light turns green, so I pedal away and next thing you know I hear and feel a crunch, somehow I ended up on my feet, which probably saved me from serious injuries.

Thankfully the driver stopped and there was a witness. So I dialed 911, I ask for police to come at first they didn't want to send one as the driver stopped and stayed at the scene and didn't need an ambulance, but I insisted. So the police arrives and takes our info and stories down, he asked for the driver's side first. So after he gives us each a copy the police report he said we could go on our way and goes back to his cruiser. I'm surprised he didn't ask if I needed a ride somewhere, my bike was un-rideable and that he didn't issue a ticket to the driver. The driver who hit me actually offered me a ride which I declined.

Just before the officer left I tapped on the window of his cruiser to ask him a question, he comes out. I ask him if I was right in stopping in the middle of the right turn bay rather then stay by the curb, he said yes I am and said that cycling where I live dangerous and that I should be more careful. I though to myself how much more safe can I be, I was on a bicycle lane. I told him that I thought the driver was trying to intimidate me, he said no and that guy was impatient. He said look the driver was very apologetic and that I was lucky he stopped as most people just take off. In my mind I was incredulous.

At the time of the accident I felt like wasn't injured, I was shaking and had a hard time trying to dial 911. I called my wife to pick me up and my work to tell them would be late. After dropping off my bike at home, I drove to work, during the drive I started to feel my neck stiffen up and felt some pain between the shoulder blades. So I make it to work and my co-workers ask what happened and how I was feeling, so I told the story and said that my neck was stiffening up, they suggested I go see a doctor. After an hour I told my manager that I needed to go the clinic. The doctor examined me and told me to take some Advil and gave a prescription of a muscle relaxant.

The next day my body started to feel worse, I now have pain in my lower back, left shoulder and left knee. I called the insurance company and said that I was injured but I was suggested to call a lawyer now. So I will see what happens from here on out.

Oh one other thing I was wearing a heart rate monitor during my ride, just before the accident my BPM was around 155, at the time of the accident it shot up to 190.

Last edited by nismo604; 08-12-13 at 12:12 PM.
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Old 08-12-13, 11:08 AM
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that sucks

+: bike looks OK (considering)
+: good medical insurance with no co-pay
+: driver did stop and identify him/herself
+: police report has been filed for insurance purposes

-: pain is no fun
-: wife will give you a hard time about riding to work
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Old 08-12-13, 11:13 AM
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If you were going straight, why were you in the right turn lane?

Maybe I do it wrong, but if I"m in a bike lane, and it turns into a right turn lane and I'm going straight, I put myself usually on the line that divides the right turn lane from the "going straight" lane. When the light turns, I go straight through the intersection and back to the right and into the bike lane when it resumes after the intersection.
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Old 08-12-13, 11:25 AM
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Originally Posted by ill.clyde
If you were going straight, why were you in the right turn lane?

Maybe I do it wrong, but if I"m in a bike lane, and it turns into a right turn lane and I'm going straight, I put myself usually on the line that divides the right turn lane from the "going straight" lane. When the light turns, I go straight through the intersection and back to the right and into the bike lane when it resumes after the intersection.
The bike lane is a straight/right turn lane for bikes, and a right turn lane for cars, when the lanes blend like the OP described. Hopefully the other guys insurance covers any/all health costs, and pays for any bike repairs.
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Old 08-12-13, 11:29 AM
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Originally Posted by squegeeboo
The bike lane is a straight/right turn lane for bikes, and a right turn lane for cars, when the lanes blend like the OP described. Hopefully the other guys insurance covers any/all health costs, and pays for any bike repairs.
Admittedly, I'm new to riding in bike lanes, but that seems (to me) counter intuitive and somewhat assinine. Why would I park myself where cars will be turning, particularly in a "right on red" situation? I'd never feel safe and that's probably why I put myself between the lanes. Not criticizing you squegeeboo or the OP, but there's no way I'd sit in the right turn lane like that.
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Old 08-12-13, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by ill.clyde
Admittedly, I'm new to riding in bike lanes, but that seems (to me) counter intuitive and somewhat assinine. Why would I park myself where cars will be turning, particularly in a "right on red" situation? I'd never feel safe and that's probably why I put myself between the lanes. Not criticizing you squegeeboo or the OP, but there's no way I'd sit in the right turn lane like that.
Because theoritically, the cars shouldn't be turning thru you. But just like anything else, sometimes theory doesn't work out in practice. Sometimes you'll see a right turn lane, then the bike lane, then 'normal' (car) traffic lanes, other times the solid white of the bike lane just turns dashed, and it becomes a joined lane of traffic. In this case it isn't just a right turn lane, it's also still the bike lane.
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Old 08-12-13, 11:38 AM
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I get that, encounter it on my route myself, but that's when I move to the left and put myself between the right turn lane and the other lane (proceeding through the intersection).

Puts me in a (at least to me) safer position and eliminates someone potentially right turning in front of me too.
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Old 08-12-13, 11:45 AM
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The bike lane merges to the right turn only lane. Just before the intersection it is clearly marked that cyclist and cars form a single file. Another sign at the intersection shows right turn only, except bicycles. I was obeying a laws and not obstructing the car as it is my right to occupy the middle of the lane as it is safer than being squeezed against the curb. The driver needed only to wait for the green.
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Old 08-12-13, 11:50 AM
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In that situation I personally would flaunt the laws, but that's just me
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Old 08-12-13, 11:51 AM
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Here is a screen shot of the intersection, as you can clearly see it is marked as both a bike lane and right turn only lane.
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image.jpg (97.8 KB, 137 views)
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Old 08-12-13, 11:58 AM
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Yeah, I see it and never doubted you ... just saying in that particular instance I wouldn't adhere to the law.
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Old 08-12-13, 12:00 PM
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For once ... I agree with the cyclist. This never happens for me. Especially when people post videos where they're riding way too fast and not paying attention for turning traffic.

It seems like you did everything correctly and caught a bad break with an impatient driver.

I would be more concerned with getting healthy and less with proving your point to BF.
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Old 08-12-13, 01:02 PM
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Originally Posted by acidfast7
I would be more concerned with getting healthy and less with proving your point to BF.
There is nothing more important in life than being correct on the internet.
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Old 08-12-13, 02:05 PM
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Sorry to hear about this. I ride in Richmond every day and have seen some weird stuff, but nothing this bad.

Was the driver elderly?
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Old 08-12-13, 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Mr. Hairy Legs
Sorry to hear about this. I ride in Richmond every day and have seen some weird stuff, but nothing this bad.


Was the driver elderly?
No since you live Richmond I should say he wasn't Asian and he was probably in his mid thirties. The Richmond RCMP's response to me was very disappointing. On top of that the officer never asked if I had or need a ride somewhere.
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Old 08-12-13, 04:50 PM
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Originally Posted by acidfast7
For once ... I agree with the cyclist. This never happens for me. Especially when people post videos where they're riding way too fast and not paying attention for turning traffic.

It seems like you did everything correctly and caught a bad break with an impatient driver.

I would be more concerned with getting healthy and less with proving your point to BF.
I won't go as far as to say he did everything correctly but what's done is done. What bothers me is that he has learned nothing from this incident and if anything it has reinforced his sense of entitlement out among the heathen. There is none. Common sense rules the day and common sense would... should have told him that a bad situation was developing and he should get himself away from that driver. Fast.

H
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Old 08-12-13, 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by acidfast7


that sucks

+: bike looks OK (considering)
+: good medical insurance with no co-pay
+: driver did stop and identify him/herself
+: police report has been filed for insurance purposes

-: pain is no fun
-: wife will give you a hard time about riding to work
-:"Why do you ride a bike to work! OMG it's so dangerous i told you so!"
I always get in the through lane, or up and slightly left of the right turn lane. Even if it's still a bike lane i wouldn't stop there, don't think this is really covered in the "Art of Cycling" but they so say to not always go by the book, use some common sense and stay alive.
Being right when you're dead doesn't really matter.

Also, sorry bro but he let you know that he may be about to do something sketchy and you still didn't change, i know it's blaming the victim but that's what that book preaches. The experienced cyclist takes responsibility even when it isn't theirs to take. They expect to be invisible.

(I'm using common sense here and it's a pet peeve of mine as there really isn't such a thing as common sense, if it were common then people wouldn't gripe about it all the time)
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Old 08-12-13, 07:15 PM
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First of all, sorry you got hurt intentionally by some asshat in a rush.

My take, for what it's worth:

Originally Posted by nismo604
I was on my way to work on Friday morning and I was stopped at an intersection waiting for green.
If it is possible to safely run the red light, do so. It is better for EVERYONE. You get where you are going faster and cooler, impatient motorists don't have to wait on a cyclist "in their way". If I stopped for every red light where I live I would get crowded at the light every day WITH their horns blowing too.

It seems to me the guy was trying to intimidate me. So I just turned around and waited for the green light.
Again, move aside or run the red. Problem solved. Then all of the story below never happened. You got to work in one piece just like every other day and lived happily ever after. Don't be dead right.

Thankfully the driver stopped and there was a witness. So I dialed 911, I ask for police to come at first they didn't want to send one as the driver stopped and stayed at the scene and didn't need an ambulance, but I insisted. So the police arrives and takes our info and stories down, he asked for the driver's side first. So after he gives us each a copy the police report he said we could go on our way and goes back to his cruiser. I'm surprised he didn't ask if I needed a ride somewhere, my bike was un-rideable and that he didn't issue a ticket to the driver. The driver who hit me actually offered me a ride which I declined.

Just before the officer left I tapped on the window of his cruiser to ask him a question, he comes out. I ask him if I was right in stopping in the middle of the right turn bay rather then stay by the curb, he said yes I am and said that cycling where I live dangerous and that I should be more careful. I though to myself how much more safe can I be, I was on a bicycle lane. I told him that I thought the driver was trying to intimidate me, he said no and that guy was impatient. He said look the driver was very apologetic and that I was lucky he stopped as most people just take off. In my mind I was incredulous.

At the time of the accident I felt like wasn't injured, I was shaking and had a hard time trying to dial 911. I called my wife to pick me up and my work to tell them would be late. After dropping off my bike at home, I drove to work, during the drive I started to feel my neck stiffen up and felt some pain between the shoulder blades. So I make it to work and my co-workers ask what happened and how I was feeling, so I told the story and said that my neck was stiffening up, they suggested I go see a doctor. After an hour I told my manager that I needed to go the clinic. The doctor examined me and told me to take some Advil and gave a prescription of a muscle relaxant.

The next day my body started to feel worse, I now have pain in my lower back, left shoulder and left knee. I called the insurance company and said that I was injured but I was suggested to call a lawyer now. So I will see what happens from here on out.

Oh one other thing I was wearing a heart rate monitor during my ride, just before the accident my BPM was around 155, at the time of the accident it shot up to 190.
See...all this ^^^ was avoidable. Run the reds.

Heal fast bro.
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Old 08-12-13, 07:50 PM
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Originally Posted by JoeyBike
Run the reds.
Not that one! You'll die. Actually most of Richmond's main intersections are crazy and not runnable.
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Old 08-12-13, 08:00 PM
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Not that it excuses the driver, but that does seem like a horrible design. In my area, the bike lanes either disappear as the right turn lane appears (so you take the lane of the rightmost through lane) or the bike lane continues between the rightmost through lane and the right turn lane.
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Old 08-12-13, 08:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Leisesturm
I won't go as far as to say he did everything correctly but what's done is done. What bothers me is that he has learned nothing from this incident and if anything it has reinforced his sense of entitlement out among the heathen. There is none. Common sense rules the day and common sense would... should have told him that a bad situation was developing and he should get himself away from that driver. Fast.

H
What planet are you from? WHAT sense of entitlement?

I'd like to know where you think he was supposed to GO, since he was AT A RED LIGHT. He could only run the red, take a right on red, or do what he did.
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Old 08-12-13, 08:22 PM
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I'm so sorry! I'm glad you weren't more seriously injured, and are on the mend. That is the most important thing. Sending good energy your way, and hope your back on your bike, soon!
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Old 08-12-13, 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by ill.clyde
I get that, encounter it on my route myself, but that's when I move to the left and put myself between the right turn lane and the other lane (proceeding through the intersection).

Puts me in a (at least to me) safer position and eliminates someone potentially right turning in front of me too.
I'd do this as well, pushing up into the crosswalk if necessary.
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Old 08-12-13, 08:41 PM
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Brutal glad to hear your okay, and i am surprised you kept your cool like you did.
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Old 08-12-13, 09:07 PM
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Wow, I didn't know I would get so much hate on a bicycle forum. Anyways I always felt safer the way I was doing it, I always felt uneasy with the cars squeezing me against the curb so they can continue their right turn. I'm also against running a red as my line of thinking is if cyclist feel that roads should be shared between cars and bicycles then the rules of the road should be apply to both.
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