GMoser85

I wear a bright orange safety shirt and lights to help be visable

10 Wheels

Had my First Crash in a Construction Zone. WARNING It Ain't What you Think It Is.

GlennR

I hate to be the one that points out you are VERY lucky they are accepting any liability. You were riding illegally on the wrong side.Also doing so at 20.6mph is very foolish. While the driver should look to the right before turning, they don't expect a bicycle coming from the wrong direction.

Glad you're not seriously hurt, but if your side was closed, you should of found a detour.

MattTheHat 

Geeze, that's creepy! Glad to hear you're pretty much unscathed. I'll keep out of the insurance vs. wrongdoing discussion that will ensue. Other than to say that in my area, one half of a road is often closed for maintenance with no provision of a detour or another way around short of stopping and reversing course. Sometimes you can't avoid such a situation.

shelbyfv

Bummer but riding salmon was wrong. You are lucky driver's insurance is paying.

GlennR

Lucky his insurance doesn't want the OP to pay for the damage to his car.

There's a difference between a pedestrian crossing a street than a cyclist riding in the road.

indyfabz

Your lane? BTW...If you end up in court this post will be discoverable.

Bmach

Delete this ASAP. Now not later, but it might be to late!
****If You've Been Hit By A Motor Vehicle: ALL MEMBERS READ****

GMoser85

Great point, how do I delete the post?

GlennR

It's already been cached by search engines so it might already be too late.

GMoser85

I didn't intend to go after the guy, just get health and get a new bike. Curious if others have been in accidents and how long their recovery time was and any advice on healing.

veganbikes

Best advice for healing is take it easy don't try and go back at it too fast. Also follow doctors orders and do all of your exercises and such that they recommend. Eat healthy food and drink plenty of fluids

Also some other really important advice that you hopefully already figured out DON'T BE A SALMON.

GlennR

Also get plenty of sleep. Your body heals while sleeping so try to get 8 hours.

veganbikes

+100000000000000000000000000000000000000 on sleep! Both the act and the band!

cubewheels

I've never been through this. First of all, I try my best to avoid going the opposite lane/traffic side. If my traffic lane is completely closed, I'll find another way. Usually, it's just a block farther away, no big deal.

If I'm forced to take the opposite traffic lane, I slow down to 10 mph or less. Remember, it's not just cars you watch out for but also pedestrians since they won't be looking your way if they cross the street. In fact, in busy streets where peds are crossing very often, slow down to less than 10 mph even in the right lane. Even if you don't hit them, it's still a matter of courtesy and politeness not to speed by them at lethal speeds if you hit them.

I'm afraid the accident is mostly your fault. So the only advice I can give you is to keep that from happening again by cyling safely. I actually train in the city streets. I regularly reach 30 mph in the flats but also use the brakes a lot and slow down in busy sections. Learn to slow down because safety first!

Korina

Damn the OP is lucky. Just last week a local cyclist was killed in the exact same situation. Of course, the cops are blaming the cyclist, even though there's plenty of blame to go around; cyclist, driver, and a complete lack of bike infrastructure on that road.

cycler56

Damn!

Maelochs

Cyclists have the same rights and Responsibilities as drivers. Imagine if the OP were driving a car the wrong way and hit another car head-on?

Going at high speed the wrong way and obviously not looking---obviously operating in an unsafe manner ..... (because if the OP had been operating safely the accident would have been avoided .... ) OP is lucky not to end up in court, in jail, in the hospital, or in a grave.

@GMoser85, you got your educational freebie. Don't waste it.

GMoser85

Yes I feel very lucky all the way around. My speed is a rough estimate from the time the call came in and how far I was in the section. No real measurement I have. My speed is coming down a hill, I crest and let it roll down; being in Seattle area, we have hills all over. I should have taken the extra 3 miles around this roughly 1 mile section. Sleep, rest are what I have been doing as suggested by primary care and chiropractor. I will defiantly take the longer route and avoid these situations in the future. This has not been a fun experience an something I wouldn't wish on anyone.

GlennR

Yes.

rsbob 

I see people riding against traffic on the wrong side of the road, absolutions clueless that drivers making a right turn seldom look to the right since they are looking for an opening on the left. Just like cyclists dressed completely in black, I call the Darwin’s riders.

cubewheels

That's still plenty of opportunities to use the brakes to slow down for riding in the opposite traffic.

indyfabz

If you do end up in litigation you can still be asked about social media posts you made, even if you subsequently deleted them.

cubewheels

Pedestrians crossing would also look the other way too. They could suddenly jump into your path never seeing you if you ride in the opposite traffic.

If you really must go the opposite lane, do it slowly.

I believe there's another member here who had an accident. Also going the opposite traffic at ~20 mph. Hit a truck that is entering the road. Driver didn't see him. He had other accidents as well in his bike. Training for competition. But had his priorities all wrong (speed priority over safety). If your injuries are bad enough from accidents in training, it will set you back a good deal of time. Training time wasted.

And those too timid to use their brakes. Trashing a few pairs of brake pads is far better than getting stuck in the hospital, weeks off the road.

GlennR

You'd think "survival of the fittest" would take of this but they keep breeding. Someone needs to put some bleach in that gene pool.