superman055

My lil bro just called me at work and said he got side swiped by a car when he was out biking today, he thinks he's okay but I have to wait to get home to check on him he said he smashed the guys passanger window with his shoulder and then hit his head on the curb thank god he had his helmet but I'm just scared and worried. Please say a prayer.

bac

Get home and check on him ASAP! Also, please let us know how he's doing when you are able.

Tilly1

OMG! I hope he's o.k.! Keep an eye on him for any sign of a concussion. Let's us know!

superman055

I am leaving in a few minutes I called the second shift guy in early so I could get home I'm just shaking I'm so scared I'll get back with more details when I get a chance

spazegun2213

damn... i hope he is ok, thats got to be scarry! I hope he is ok.

superman055

He's hurt kinda bad but will be fine, the doctor said if he wasn't wearing a helmet he'd most likely have fractured his skull and died, he's got a cucusion and about 40 sticthes in his shoulder. What happened was he was riding on a 4 lane rode he was in the far left lane and there was a car making a left hand turn and another car was driving behind the car turning left and swirved into the right lane and didn't even see him and he smashed through the passanger window (40 stiches) and then hit is head on the curb. The driver is getting in legal trouble, and I'm glad I wasn't there because one of the witnesses said they driver actually said "well he shouldn't have been in the road anyway" I'm pist right now stupid narrow minded people.

zman92atl

Glad to hear he is going to be O.K. I hope they throw the book at the @%$* that did this. I'm so sick of people and their driving skills these days.

Aggressor

Glad to hear he wasnt more seriously hurt, I'd be absolutely fuming if someone said 'well he shouldn't have been in the road anyway'. Its making me angry just reading your post. Good luck with the legal proceedings.

bac

Good!

Wow, 40 stitches and a head trauma. Then, to add insult to injury, the driver acts like a jerk.

I'm glad he's going to be okay!

spazegun2213

Give your brother our best, and i hope the driver gets nailed!

-Ross

caadman

Superman, I'll definatly say a prayer for you and your brother, that's terrible that that happened, and I'm with agressor here, it's making me mad just reading the post that, that driver had the balls to say he shouldn't have been on the road!!..Bull crap!!, that's just his guilty conscious coming thru...I'm with you though supermann, I hate people's narrow minds!!..

Hope he continues to get better here soon.

Benjamin

khuon

I think if anyone shouldn't have been on the road, it was driver who didn't clear their turn. This is probably my worst fear when I'm on the road... either while driving or on a bike. I see so many people make abrupt maneuvers without first checking to see if there's already an object within the same point of space and time they want to occupy. I also see people who rely way too much on their mirrors. All vehicles will have blind spots. Use mirrors to monitor, use your direct vision to clear. And always always clear your turns. Yes, this means turning your head and using your indicators. If a driver is unable to perform this simplest of driving procedure, they should not be allowed to drive.

Anyways, sorry for the rant. superman055, give your brother our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

bman

Glad to hear he will be ok...And to all the riders...Hope everyone always wears a helmet, no matter where you are riding. I'm new to the bike scene, but come from driving race cars and can tell you that anytime you strap into a car or ride a bike, you have to be prepared and be ready for anything. Safety first! You never know what can happen. My best to your bro Superman!

Big R

Glad it seems everyone's going to be OK.

I can't figure out from your description whether your brother was riding against traffic and the collision was partially head on, or whether he was riding with traffic and was clipped from behind.

khuon

From my read, he was in the right side of the left lane in order to turn left. There were also two cars in the left lane as him and the front car was attempting to turn left. The car behind tried to get around the front car by passing on the right and caught the cyclist in what was essentially a right hook. That sound correct?

lotek 

Superman,

Glad to hear your brother is ok.
Are you in the UK by chance? or in a location where
cars etc. drive on the left side of the road?
(that way far left is the proper place for a cyclist?)

its either that or he was getting ready to turn left as
mentioned before.

anyhow glad everyone is ok, including the
driver with legal problems!

Marty

superman055

Sorry guys I was still shaken up when I wrote back, he was in the far RIGHT lane riding with traffic like two lanes heading one way and two the other way, there was a car in the left lane turning left, he said he was 3 or 4 feet from the curb holding a line in the right lane the car that hit him was coming up behind the car turning left and swirved into the right lane thus slamming right into him I hope that makes more sense sorry about the confusion.

Pat

That is understandable. I have known people who were driving when they hit cyclists and both times it was not their fault and they were traumatized by the experience.

I hate hitting the odd lil animal the scampers across the road. Hitting a cyclist would be dreadful. Hitting a cyclist and being wrong would even be worse.

The reaction of this driver is just not to be imagined. Gosh if I were there I think I would be sorely tempted to see if my bike pump could be inserted fully into one of his orifaces. I guess that would be illegal though wouldn't it?

superman055

Yeah I was glad I wasn't riding with him becuase if I would have been at the scene I might have ended up with an assualt charge.

khuon

Okay... that situation makes me even madder at the driver. It is almost explainable and barely understandable that a car could right-hook a cyclist coming along on the right side of a left lane while the driver was attempting to get around traffic turning left by passing to the right. In that sense, the cyclist is in a more uncommon (although still acceptable and proper) position on the road.

However, it is entirely possible (and easy) for a car to pass to the right of left lane traffic by entering the right lane while there is a cyclist in the right lane without hitting said cyclist. It's of course rather dangerous (not to mention highly rude) to do that but there should be enough seperation within that right lane. The fact that the driver hit your brother means they were [1] not looking before changing lanes and [2] unable to maintain proper lane discipline during the maneauver. The driver has failed the basics of driving and should have their license revoked and undergo more driver training before any thought is to be given to reinstantiation.

Jean Beetham Smith 

Superman, does your little brother read BF? It sounds like he is going to have a long recovery, can we do anything to help him pass the time before he is back to normal? books? online games?