20mph collision with pedestrian
09-11-08, 04:36 PM
#52
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09-11-08, 04:37 PM
#53
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I have had close calls with pedestrians twice, in both cases it was because they were doing stupid, stupid ****. The first, and worst- Riding over the Ocean Street bridge in Santa Cruz I saw a lady on the sidewalk with a baby carrier thing on her chest waving to someone in a car. I was trying to merge through the right lane into the left lane so I could turn left on River, so I am looking to my left for gaps in traffic. When looked forward again the lady was standing nearly right in front of me in the bike lane.
She had jumped over the waist high concrete barrier onto the bike lane to talk to her friend in the car who was stuck in traffic in the right lane. Her feet had literally just hit the pavement, right in front of me. There was no time to hit the brakes or yell, I had no other option but to swerve as hard left as I could between her and the cars. Somehow, I managed to stay upright and brush past her and her spawnling, averting disaster. I heard "So are you going to yoga tommor-AHHH!" as I slipped by, my elbow inches from the infant strapped to her chest. It was ridiculous, so ridiculous. Her husband yelled something about kicking my ass, I yelled back "Break the cycle of stupidity, wear a condom next time!" and found my gap and was gone.
But seriously, what special type of imbecile jumps over a concrete barrier onto a busy bridge in rush hour with their baby without even looking to see if anyone is coming?
She had jumped over the waist high concrete barrier onto the bike lane to talk to her friend in the car who was stuck in traffic in the right lane. Her feet had literally just hit the pavement, right in front of me. There was no time to hit the brakes or yell, I had no other option but to swerve as hard left as I could between her and the cars. Somehow, I managed to stay upright and brush past her and her spawnling, averting disaster. I heard "So are you going to yoga tommor-AHHH!" as I slipped by, my elbow inches from the infant strapped to her chest. It was ridiculous, so ridiculous. Her husband yelled something about kicking my ass, I yelled back "Break the cycle of stupidity, wear a condom next time!" and found my gap and was gone.
But seriously, what special type of imbecile jumps over a concrete barrier onto a busy bridge in rush hour with their baby without even looking to see if anyone is coming?
09-11-08, 05:14 PM
#56
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09-11-08, 06:22 PM
#57
is as Gurgus does.
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Man, I hate the Zombie pedestrians. People need to pay attention. That goes for the peds and the cyclists. I almost smoked a guy last year that stepped off the curb into my lane without registering that I was there. I mean, he looked me in the eye and still stepped off the curb about ten feet in front of me. I had just started riding with a Fox 40 whistle in my teeth while downtown just because of this. I gave him a blast and he jumped about ten feet in the air and hopped back on the curb.
Same thing happens while I'm out on my motorcycle. People don't register that you are there even after they look you in the eye. In motorbike school they told us to weave a little side to side when approaching an intersection so that the Zombies behind the wheel of their Civic would register your presence. Something about the human brain not being to good at something narrow coming at it straight on, but moving side to side causes the brain to pick up the motion. Seems to work.
In the op's case, I gotta say you need to be more careful. Keep your eyes scanning way ahead of you and stay out of situation where there are dump trucks right next to you. Blind spots are bad places to be, Dig?
Sorry for the novel, folks.
Same thing happens while I'm out on my motorcycle. People don't register that you are there even after they look you in the eye. In motorbike school they told us to weave a little side to side when approaching an intersection so that the Zombies behind the wheel of their Civic would register your presence. Something about the human brain not being to good at something narrow coming at it straight on, but moving side to side causes the brain to pick up the motion. Seems to work.
In the op's case, I gotta say you need to be more careful. Keep your eyes scanning way ahead of you and stay out of situation where there are dump trucks right next to you. Blind spots are bad places to be, Dig?
Sorry for the novel, folks.
09-11-08, 06:46 PM
#58
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I got a reckless driving (on a bicycle) charge for being attacked by a driver. He reached out his window and pulled me down by my shoulder strap then dragged me 60-70 feet down the road at 30 miles an hour. I got reckless driving because the cars around me said I was going as fast as traffic and clearly that's not safe on a 25mph road. So I was within my rights as a cyclist and got a ticket for it.
I have a court date in a week to contest the charge.
I have a court date in a week to contest the charge.
09-11-08, 06:48 PM
#59
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if your top speed was over 20 mph, there would be no accident. you would've gone pass the bus before anyone got off.
your story is the exact reason I always slow down when passing anything that blocks my view.
your story is the exact reason I always slow down when passing anything that blocks my view.
09-11-08, 06:49 PM
#60
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one time i was biking through a green at an intersection and a dude stepped off the curb in front of me w/o looking
his friend grabs his shirt and goes "yo lookout man, there's a bike coming"
the first kid goes "man **** that bike"
then i smacked his milk shake out of his and and said "**** you"
it was sweet
moral of the story?
pay attention so you don't run into pedestrians.
busses stop to let people off
what the **** were you doing blasting along right next to a stopped bus?
I say it's your fault for not being careful enough, when a bus stops, get a lane over if there's no traffic dip****
his friend grabs his shirt and goes "yo lookout man, there's a bike coming"
the first kid goes "man **** that bike"
then i smacked his milk shake out of his and and said "**** you"
it was sweet
moral of the story?
pay attention so you don't run into pedestrians.
busses stop to let people off
what the **** were you doing blasting along right next to a stopped bus?
I say it's your fault for not being careful enough, when a bus stops, get a lane over if there's no traffic dip****
So, you're saying that you're guilty of failure to yield and of assault and battery? That's different.
09-11-08, 06:51 PM
#61
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09-11-08, 06:51 PM
#62
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09-11-08, 07:00 PM
#64
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It had to be said...but if I had said it I would have been shown back to the roadie forums in an ungentle manner. 
One of the things I like about you SSFG folks...you ain't scared to call a spade a spade. A lot of the 'tough love' you've shown in this thread would have caused flame wars, accusations of insensitivity and wails to the mods in some other forums <cough A&S cough>
One of the things I like about you SSFG folks...you ain't scared to call a spade a spade. A lot of the 'tough love' you've shown in this thread would have caused flame wars, accusations of insensitivity and wails to the mods in some other forums <cough A&S cough>
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
09-11-08, 07:13 PM
#65
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The Virginia Code says that "the drivers of vehicles entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and expeditiously." Since it talks about the "crossing" of vehicles, you have to assume that crossing on a green is covered. In that same section, it criminalizes pedestrians "enter[ing] or cross[ing] an intersection in disregard of approaching traffic," but there's no reason that both parties couldn't be cited.
As for assault and battery: you batter someone when you hit them or something connected to their person, and you assault them by causing the fear of imminent battery. Hitting something out of someone's hand counts as battery, and when they see it coming, it's assault.
09-11-08, 07:16 PM
#66
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Nope.
The Virginia Code says that "the drivers of vehicles entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and expeditiously." Since it talks about the "crossing" of vehicles, you have to assume that crossing on a green is covered. In that same section, it criminalizes pedestrians "enter[ing] or cross[ing] an intersection in disregard of approaching traffic," but there's no reason that both parties couldn't be cited.
As for assault and battery: you batter someone when you hit them or something connected to their person, and you assault them by causing the fear of imminent battery. Hitting something out of someone's hand counts as battery, and when they see it coming, it's assault.
The Virginia Code says that "the drivers of vehicles entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and expeditiously." Since it talks about the "crossing" of vehicles, you have to assume that crossing on a green is covered. In that same section, it criminalizes pedestrians "enter[ing] or cross[ing] an intersection in disregard of approaching traffic," but there's no reason that both parties couldn't be cited.
As for assault and battery: you batter someone when you hit them or something connected to their person, and you assault them by causing the fear of imminent battery. Hitting something out of someone's hand counts as battery, and when they see it coming, it's assault.
09-11-08, 07:20 PM
#67
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Seeing as how I didn't paraphrase, I'm sure that the language will be easy enough for you to search for. The assault and battery definitions may or may not be in the Virginia Code; those are roughly the common law definitions.
09-11-08, 08:27 PM
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exactly, you should ride defensively and count on things going bad. don't hang around between a garbage truck and a curb. either get in front of it, or slow down to keep yourself out of the way.
09-11-08, 09:10 PM
#69
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You know what, I looked it up, couldn't find anything that lined up, left work, came home, realized what a ******-bag I was being, posted this, -- sorry -- apologized to you, decided I shouldn't post at work because it makes me a Mr. Angry Pants.
09-11-08, 10:10 PM
#70
Senior Member
I got a reckless driving (on a bicycle) charge for being attacked by a driver. He reached out his window and pulled me down by my shoulder strap then dragged me 60-70 feet down the road at 30 miles an hour. I got reckless driving because the cars around me said I was going as fast as traffic and clearly that's not safe on a 25mph road. So I was within my rights as a cyclist and got a ticket for it.
I have a court date in a week to contest the charge.
I have a court date in a week to contest the charge.
09-11-08, 10:42 PM
#72
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The following things are tacky and out of fashion, according to me
1) Hitting pedestrians/ getting into altercations with pedestrians
2) Getting honked at for your own stupidity
3) Going fast
Carry on.
1) Hitting pedestrians/ getting into altercations with pedestrians
2) Getting honked at for your own stupidity
3) Going fast
Carry on.
09-11-08, 10:51 PM
#73
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going fast is out of fashion : ( . . . . what in the WORLD have i been doing trying to get faster then?? am i plummeting towards tackiness?? QUICK! I NEED A HYBRID!!
09-11-08, 10:56 PM
#74
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09-11-08, 11:01 PM
#75
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But, in reality, everyone is actually thinking "God that guy is a jackass. Screw him. But I'll try to pass him anyway..." and then everyone goes haul ass down the road doing stupid stuff and then all the car drivers are thinking "look at those *******s. They think they're so cool. Yeah, I'm kind of jealous but screw them, I hate bikers." And the evil disperses further and further..
You see how one act of egotism spreads throughout the Earth making this place a hell...