Greg M

No, I didn't get a new bike or anything good like that. I got clipped on the way home this afternoon. Driver passing me got to close and hit me with rearview mirror and in my surprise I wavered and I bounced off the rest of the car as she passed. Imagine my continued surprise as she continued down the road. Well I chased her down at the next light and as I roll up next to her , she rolls down her window . I tell her she hit me and I cant believe she kept going. She says shes sorry, and she thought she hit a car. What?!!!!!
Still in shock about the whole thing I look over my bike, and my elbow that was struck by the mirror is okay. The light turns green and since I'm okay I ride off in disbelief, as I watch her drive off with her mirror still folded
back. Yeah I probably should have gotten her info just incase but I guess I was still in shock.
The road was 2 lanes either direction, with a center turning lane, 30 mph sp limit , shoulder with on street parking , strip malls and heavy traffic. My big mistake was not taking the lane, and giving the driver the ability to try and pass me too close. That will never, ever , happen again. For those in the know, this was on jamaica ave in queens village on the border with nassau county in n.y.

e0richt

so she knew she hit something and didn't stop... and you didn't get her info?

Greg M

Like I said, combination of shock and disbelief. I believe I barely raised my voice when she rolled down her window. As a matter of reference, I've actually been run over, and been buzzed more times than I can count. For some reason , maybe because I was shocked that I was okay, I just wasn't thinking clearly?

exile

You New Yorker's are tough. I'm sure if I lived in a big city I would adapt, but I kind of like the smaller places I've lived.

350htrr

Tough, Adapt, really? And encounter like that needs some police intervention in my book...

spivonious

Yikes! Glad you're okay. Definitely get information next time. She is guilty of hit and run.

exile

I agree that he should of contacted the police, but he didn't due to a combination of factors. But reading over his second post he's had more encounters with drivers than I have (maybe a benefit of not living in a big city).

Speaking for myself I think I would change the way I approach commuting depending on the area I was riding.

Rozen

Same thing happened to me a few months ago. I was waiting at a red light when a driver decided that he had enough room to pull up right next to me. I got smacked by the rear view mirror but I didn't make too much of it since no damage was done. Still, I wish drivers would pay more attention.

Leisesturm

Let me tell you about taking the lane. The other day I was making a left turn into my street. Since I was making a left, I was about centered in the lane and slowing down. There was oncoming traffic towards me and I could hear a vehicle coming up behind me. I put my left hand out to signal left and it was blown back towards me as this huge truck blasts by me on the left heading squarely AT the car coming towards us. With just INCHES between them he jumps over towards me and away from the car he is heading towards. He misses us both, again, by INCHES and speeds on his way. it all took less than two seconds. You can't fix STUPID. I get so tired of hearing that "taking the lane" will stop your girlfriend from leaving, your dog from dying and impatient drivers from making unsafe passes. It won't. Only take the lane when you need to. Otherwise ride to the right of traffic. Trust me, you want to be there. Most of the time anyway.

H

Greg M

Well I was riding to the right when this happened and I usually take the lane. If I don't take the lane then I'm
at risk of getting doored. There is a shoulder which is usually full of parked cars as the road is a busy one in
Queens which is a borough of New York city. I'm not looking to get into a debate as this has been beaten with
a dead horse. Just describing what happened, and what usually works for me. Just rode home from work, same
route, in the rain. Took the lane the whole way. No one came closer than 3 feet, and not a single honk. I've been
riding with traffic like this for longer than I can remember. And the only other mishap was 30 years ago in a
quiet neighborhood when a motorist blew a stop sign and proceeded to drive over me. So I guess my riding
style works pretty much. Of course there's always that one time.......

mtndragon

As the victim of a hit-and-run that didn't end so well for me, I can't believe you didn't get a plate # at the least and report the incident. She could very well do that again to another rider.

Greg M

So let's see, I get hit and come on this forum and tell my story. And 4 of the replies basically point out
how I did something wrong. Sorry I didn't call the police and have her locked up for life. From now on
I guess I'll keep my mouth shut. Great sense of community guys.

the fly

I completely understand where you're coming from, not getting her info. I have a hole in my front bumper from a recent accident that I could have gotten money for, but I was in a state of disbelief, and in a super hurry, and didn't check my car very well. As far as your situation, there's also the point of no harm no foul. Getting cops involved in this is really pointless. Hit and run? With no damage? It would be great if a cop would give her a ticket and a stern talking to, but unless she admitted any wrongdoing to a cop, it's not going to happen. I'd be happy just to get her attention, say a few words, and leave it at that, and hope she's more conscientious in the future.

wipekitty

Something similar happened to me once: hit and run, but no injuries to me (or my bike). The guy hit me while turning into a parking lot, and continued to go in, park, and head into a building.

Like you, I was in such shock that I didn't get a chance to get the plates. Fortunately, a witness did: he pulled his car over, asked if I was okay, and tracked down the car in the parking lot while I called the cops. When the cops showed up, they ran the plates but refused to do anything because there were no injuries or property damage.

My point? Shock and disbelief seems to be a pretty natural reaction to getting whacked by a car, which can make it difficult to think about important things like getting the driver's information. Depending on where you live, which officer comes out that day, etc., it might not make much of a difference anyway. Hopefully, you gave the driver a good scare, and she'll be a bit more careful now.

halcyon100

Sorry to hear your story. Glad you are safe. Is there any good way to get vehicle information quickly, aside from wearing a camera on your helmet? I've never worn a camera on my helmet, don't carry pen and paper while riding and my smartphone is often powered off - I turn it on when I stop or want to check maps.

I'm female and when I was about 20 years old, I had an incident where I was stopped in the bike lane at a stop light in downtown Santa Cruz, CA. After the light turned green, I clipped in and started riding through the intersection. Right then, a police car behind turned on their sirens, revved the gas and made a super fast right turn - hitting me and knocking me off the bike and to the ground. The police car did not stop. I honestly don't know if they were even aware they hit me, with the very loud siren and I imagine some sort of urgent police radio dispatch. The only "witness" was a van full of hippies that yelled "report the pigs" as they passed by. By the time I picked myself and by bike up and determined there was no major damage - everyone was long gone.
Being female, I sometimes feel drivers are "overly yielding" to me while out riding. But, not the cops in Santa Cruz!