fujiELO6002

after 6 mo. of riding, i got in my first accident today. i was cruising down a hill near my house (on my way to work ) doing about 30mph, but had slowed down to about 20mph becuase of traffic from a HUGE catholic church that's ervice had just finished. i was about a block away from an intersection, cars were backed up for the entire block length, but there was a street just before the intersection. i was looking behind me, over the cars (the best i could) and watching for oncoming traffic that might have been about to turn onto the street. as aware as i was being, my depth perception decieved me, and i didn't see the gap that appeared to let a car through until i was right on top of it-did i mention that it had rained like crazy all night and streets were totally damp? anyway, the nissan frontier pulled out in front of me with no blinkers or headlights on, and i slammed the brakes like a madman. skidded for 30 feet, hit the side-of-the-bed-of-the truck, and careened over it to land on my back. luckily, i had my backpack on and it must've taken some impact off my spine. my helmet was totally cracked, but let that be a reminder that you wear your helmet so it cracks and not your head! the people insisted to call 911, so paramedics came, i went to the hospital, and walked out with a brused patella and a bumped head. my bike on the other hand....well, the frame was broken apart from the stem, my front wheel was bent to hell, and the ends of my handlebars were bent so far in! next step-new bike, back on the roads!

Hipcycler

Lucky you walked out.

We WILL of course need to see pictures here of that bike now....

fujiELO6002

yea...pics soon. crazy.

Sooner Rider

Fuji - Take some pain relievers and a hot bath (if you haven't already) and get a good night's sleep. Talk with some knowledgeable people about bike v. car accidents tomorrow, and prepare to get a police report on file by the end of the day. Take photos of your bike and the accident scene. Watch this thread - lots more experienced people than me will offer their good (and some not-so-good) advice about your options based upon the specifics that your post was lacking. Could've been worse - glad you're OK.

fujiELO6002

yea, a sheriffs office deputy was at the scene, came with the paramedics. said that it was partially my fault-i was rding in what was technically a 'walking path' and not a bike lane, becuase there was no signs (or those bike paintings on the ground) that indicated it was a bike lane. he also said that it was my legal obligation to be riding the speed of traffic, but like i said, i was a block away from a light. i call bull on that.

jjmolyet

Get some legal advise, I wouldn't stop because of a deputy's opinion. I am not a guy who enjoys a good lawsuit but your story sounds like you were in the right.

Glad to hear you are OK and thinking about getting back on the saddle, enjoy shopping for your new ride!

yater

That's bs...if there's no posted minimum speed limit, you're not obligated to do squat (legally). Next time gramps pulls out in front of me, I'll just rear end him and use that logic.

fujiELO6002

speed limit's 35mph in that zone. i was doing 20. in a three foot wide lane that looked to me-WOW! like a bike lane! he said technically it was a 'walking path' and then, he also asked what make the bike was. sherrif: "okay...and what make is your bike?" answer: "oh yeah, it's a, a FUJI". sherrif: "what? no no no, the style of bike. how many gears?" answer: "24 gears" sherrif: "so it was a mountain bike" cyclist-me: "no, its a road bike" sherrif: "so it was a ten speed." cyclist: "noooo...a road bike" sherrif: "uh, well, we call the make a ten speed". end of conversation.

HigherGround

And they trust that brainiac with a gun?

I'm glad the accident wasn't worse, and I hope you have a speedy recovery.

yater

It sounds like the cop had hot donuts in the car. I'd follow up on his "report" if it concerns you. If you want something done right....

sabaka

Ouch...glad you were able to walk away from that one! Get well soon!

0810

i remember my first accident, i was on a sidewalk going down a slight slanted street at about 20 15-20 mph. i was going to make a right turn on the corner of the sidewalk when a runner came out of nowhere from the adjacent sidewalk and he slammed right into me. i fell of my bike and landed on my back, i had no helmet on either. i was able to walk away with just some scratches and bruises

Bobby Lex

Cops are not lawyers. (Lawyers go to college for 4 years, then law school for 3 more years, then pass a bar exam.....Cops go to 6-week cadet training).

Go see a lawyer.

Bob