banjo_mole 

Really? The Highway Patrol fellow just asked some questions and sent me on my way, I figured that was that and they'd work the rest out. I don't fully understand how the legal aspects of this work.

I probably should've talked to the people in the other car... But... They didn't speak english and I was far too shocked to even walk over and say hello, I hope I didn't come off as pissed or standoffish. (But I probably did, oh well)

Rammer

Glad you're still here after the left cross collision!

retrofit

+1000 Don't take any chances.

USAZorro

Any time you're in an accident, you need to go to see the doctor to get evaluated. One of the things insurance is paid for is to make certain people receive appropriate compensation for any resulting medical care that results from an accident. If you don't get evaluated right away, and you find out you have internal bleeding, or cracked ribs, spinal damage, or a ruptured spleen, or whatever in a few days, you'll be relying upon your own health insurance to pay for it (if you have that). The point is, you may think you're ok - but have sustained some injury that isn't immediately obvious. We all hope that isn't the case, but this is one instance where you definitely want to err on the side of caution.

Kommisar89

Definately see the doctor. If I read your description of the incident in question correctly however, you might have more trouble with legal compensation. From the sound of it, you were passing on the right side of the SUV who presumably was in the right lane preparing to make a right turn. The driver in the oncoming lane who was turning left could not have anticipated that a bicycle would come sprinting out of the right side of the road past the SUV and so proceded with his left turn. And you ran into him. I'm guessing the law is going to say you were at fault.

When I got hit, I was riding on the right near the curb as cyclists do. Traffic slowed down to a crawl and I slowly rolled down the side of the road easing past cars. Then the traffic slowly cleared and sped up until it was moving at 15-20-mph and I found myself riding next to a tow truck. Suddenly he turned right at the intersection and took me out. He claimed he signaled the right turn and that I tried to pass him on the right where he couldn't see me. I don't know if he signalled or not because I was already ahead of his back end and couldn't see his turn sugnals. The cop sided with him but they did settle out of court and covered my expenses (broken collar bone, lost wages, bent bike). Just enough that I broke even and my lawyer was able to make a few payments on his Mecedes for his 30 minutes worth of work. I think he made out the best. I learned my lesson. Always stay where the driver of the vehicle can see you and never assume what the other guy will do. Ride like your life depends upon it. It does. Live and learn. But it can't hurt to check with an attorney.

Blue Order

Pay attention Nick. USA Zorro has it exactly right.

Natasha Richardson died last month after a fall in the snow. She was told by her ski instructor to go see a doctor, but she didn't, and died as a result of an injury she didn't even know she had.

Same thing with Stiv Bators (before your time). He was hit by a taxi, went to the ER but got tired of waiting, went home, and died in his sleep as a result of a concussion he didn't know he had.

You have nothing to lose, and a lifetime to gain, by getting checked up at the ER.

Now, stop worrying us so much, and put our minds to ease, will ya?

kpug505

I hate to be this guy but...
You passed an SUV on the right? And then got hit from the left? Hmm....If this post was in A&S I'm sure a lot of people would be pointing some very pointy fingers in your direction. Passing people on the right in intersections out of the sight line of oncoming traffic is asking for it IMO.

Regardless. I'm happy you're feeling OK. +1 on seeing a doctor, getting in contact a lawyer and buying a helmet.

jebensch

Glad you're okay and you've got plenty of push to go make sure officially with the MD.

In the meantime: I don't understand not wearing a helmet. The ground is really really hard. Much harder than skull and scalp. Brains are really really soft. One parked car door opening at the wrong time and helmetless Banjo could be a vegetable.

Two years ago some 10 year old rode his BMX oncoming into my lane on the bridge here. I broke my finger at its base and it hurt like hell, but a pin fixed it. A month later I happened to check out the helmet I was wearing in the crash and noticed there was a clam-sized dent in the front.

I for one, love my Cerebral Cortex and all its highly evolved amenities!

East Hill

I am glad to hear that you are apparently all right, but yeah, a doctor should be seen.

East Hill

bikemore 

I collided with a left turner in traffic, although I was right of a car that was going straight - left
a hole open for the left turner and I didn't see it. I can out pretty much unscathed. I was doing
10mph because I've learned to ride slow through intersections. Still didn't see the left hand turner.

1+ on never pass a right turning vehicle turning right. No real lecture, getting hurt and messing your
bike up is lesson enough.

Check this out.
https://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm

Illustration of lane position


Glad you are at least walking and riding, and pay attention to the tips about the doctor!

jan nikolajsen 

Nick, medical exam ASAP. The mechanism of injury in your case is extremely severe. Red flags! Internal bleeding kill in mere hours, serious concussions make you go to sleep and not wake up. You're NOT okay until cleared by the hospital.

But since that may not happen, well, certainly don't spend a minute of the next 24 hours alone.

banjo_mole 

Fine. You friggin' hasslers. (You do it because you care, but still... *grumble*) I slogged through whordes of Tri-Care military health insurance BS, up until the point of exasperation, until I finally went straight to the local military base as told them I was fed up.

"Ok, just go to Santa Maria's ER, we'll make everything else work. What's your numbers for blach blacc blah.."

"Ok, just go to the ER for a checkup, we'll get it paid through Tricare."

So that's how it went. And later today I'll see the doctor, who will tell me I'm just fine and spent this much of my day worrying about nothing.

Or at least, let's hope that's what it is, the lesser of two evils. (The other being I'll be dead by sunrise... )

I'll explain why I was passing on the right when I get home.

For now...

-Nick

Amani576

Holy crap, Nick. I hope you're okay. You're a pretty cool guy, and I'd hate to hear you're not well. Report back immediately when you get home. How have your parents and girlfriend responded?
Take it easy, man. Glad I'm another who's hassled him about riding sans helmet.
-Gene-

abarth

If insurance company has not call you yet, give the other party's insurance company a call and ask for a claim number. Go visit the doctor and give them the claim number, you should not have to paid with the claim number. Get yourself a lawyer if the other party is lying about the accident.

Panthers007

Why are you reading this?! You should be in the ER getting checked for internal injuries & bleeding. Now move it!

USAZorro

Nick wasn't around about a year or so ago when the wonginator (a BF member in Canada about his age, and similar in intelligence and likability, had a mishap while riding his bike in a parking lot). All of Foo, misses him terribly. If he had been wearing a helmet, it's quite likely he'd be finishing up a year at University now.

Charles Wahl

Hmm. If there's an SUV in the right lane slowing to make a right turn, then the guy making a left from the other direction did not have the right-of-way. Where I come from, you don't make a left until all the oncoming lanes are clear -- and that includes vehicles about to make a turn, that you might interfere with. Presence of an overtaking cyclist complicates this, of course, with all that "cyclist must keep right" motor-vehicle-centric crap, it just puts the cyclist in a bad situation. But the cyclist is a vehicle, no matter -- Mr Left Turn has the onus to be sure that the oncoming lanes are clear.

If Nick sped past Mr Right Turn right at the intersection, then that's a trick that I'd rather he didn't repeat -- too many bad things can result from that. But I'd still argue that he had the right-of-way.

I hope you've avoided any damage, Nick -- the bike is not nearly so important.

banjo_mole 

I've seen a lot of well-thought out posts on this page since I last visited... And I will be back soon to reply to many of them, but for now (as I must be going) I shall simply say:

The doc x-rayed me and said I'm fit, I just need to rest and that I will be Sore with a capital "S" tomorrow.

But for now, thank you to those of you that have expressed concern, and even more to those who PM'ed me to wish me well, I apprecieate it.

Merry travels, all, I'll reply more later tonight.

Wish me well (I'm going to climb a mountain... heehe..)

-Nick

Amani576

Glad to hear you're ok, Nick.
Take it easy. Tomorrow's gonna suck for you.
-Gene-

rotharpunc

I dunno how I missed this thread until just now. Glad you made it through OK. Damn cars(or, like I really meant to say Damn Stupid Drivers!)

sedges

Here is hoping you are fine and recover quickly from simply bumps and bruises.

Please don't take this wrong. I agree that the car that failed to yield to you when turning left was at fault.

The car being at fault, however, would give you little good cheer if you ended up in a wheelchair the rest of your days.

Bicyclists need to be defensive in potentially bad situations and you were exactly the opposite. I site from your post

" so I shifted up and zipped ahead, to get across the turn before the SUV went right. (And oh my, was I haulin'...)" and "So, sprinting, to avoid being hit (probably at about 20 mph)"

You could have applied your brakes to avoid being hit. That way even if you did hit the car you would not have been going 20MPH. Also, at a slower speed you could have possibly maneuvered to avoid the whole collision.

banjo_mole 

No, sedges, I was sprinting to pass a car beside me turning right, when a car from the incoming traffic lane turned left and hit me.

As soon as I saw the oncoming car, I did indeed squeeze my brakes... Which locked the wheel in the very wet and slippery weather ( ) but still probably saved my life. If I hadn't braked, I'd've hit the car at a much higher speed.

The incident has been replaying in my head all day.

And, as I said above, I will be replying to the above posts soon, I just wanted to clear this misconception up, because it's difficult to describe this incident without pictures.

Also, see my new thread about helmets. ;P

USAZorro

Glad you're going to be ok.

One thing you never did tell. What happened to Ms. banjo's flowers?

banjo_mole 

Jan, I hold your opinion in very high regard, and although I'd already decided on going to the hospital by the time I got this, your post cleared all my doubts. Someone who spends his time doing... Well, you know, all of the incredibly adventurous things you do, has my utmost attention in medical emergencies. Thank you again for the concern.

Wow... That's rough. I had the same realization today, that, had I been going a little quicker (run over) I would be dead right now. *pause* ... Wow. Poor wonginator. I don't know him, but he has my sympathies. That's rough... *sigh*


This is also my logic. However, I also agree that even though justified, I'd rather not pull that trick again.

I was wondering where you were! You usually always drop a word of wisdom in my threads, my friend, and I was a little bummed. But I just figured you hadn't been on. Good to hear from you!


Nice observation! Her flowers, I handed to Cole to give her. Cole gave them to my dear lady in a very over-the-top way, as is his nature. She got a fantastic kick out of them! However, there were six, and I picked them stupidly in that I only allowed about 2" of stem on each, making them hard to handle, so she kept the nice orange one for herself, wearing it in her hair, and gave the others to friends...

Charles Wahl

More importantly, in the age of (wished-for) equality: did GF bring you some flowers?

And, are you a military brat (of the nicest sort), by any chance?