Getting hit by a car while cycling

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jkeller4000

Well-Known Member
#1
so i guess i am a true cyclist now :)

lol there was this family waiting for the light to change, they had a little kid on his own bike, thye made it through the light, i was a little bit behind them, so the car who was turning left did not notice me, he saw the little kid go and thoguh it was clear, now ok i new he did not see me and i ken he was going to turn, but i went infront of him :) ok so i am suicidal and i bike that way, well, when you semi intentionly get hit by a car and it is your first time getting hit, and you are kinda slow mentally, you don;t really know what to do, ok i hate people, i do not like everyone asking me if i am ok so i just got on my bicycle and biked away where i could fix the damage, hmm i will need to get both my tired trued :( 40 dollars, my thumb is really sore, my legs got scrapped, :( but i did not die no any really erious inguries :( lol i just bought a helmet 3 days ago, i rode a whole year to school abotu 50 miles a week without a helmet in the middle of winter nad not once did i even come close to being hit, now i get a helmet and not a week later :(

so i did not call the cops nor hosptial, i do not have health insurance so i cannot afford it,

what should i have done? being my first accident i did what i usually do run from people, but is there a list someplace of information i should take when i get into an accident? or if i am able to think good enough to take information i am good enough to bike home and it wasn't a bad accident?
 

Nick_K

Well-Known Member
#2
Varies by state. In my home state if the damage is less than $1,000 you exchange insurance information and don't involve the police. In this circumstance you had the right of way so it's not your fault, but if you were disobeying traffic then it would be your fault and riding away would be leaving the scene of an accident. Your state government's website should have a search function where you can look up traffic laws that pertain to cyclists (which I discovered after my first ticket but oh well):rolleyes:

If you knew you were okay then it's fine to handle it as you did, but consider the driver who hit you. If s/he is a jerk then probably happy you bolted since they wouldn't have to take responsibility/worry about getting sued, but a conscientious driver would probably feel horrible and would have at least liked to pay for the repairs.

I road bike to some extent and I will assume the other car cannot see me unless I make eye contact with them. Had some close calls with cars taking right turns over the bike lane though. It's always a risk and hoping for a car crash is a terribly unreliable method as broken bones or paralysis is far more likely.
 

roscho

Well-Known Member
#3
Joe,

You should have stayed and filed a police report so that the motorists insurance could have paid for any hospital charges, as well as bicycle repairs, and pain and suffering.

If not for yourself, for the good of the statistics that help create better cycling laws. Here in Colorado we've been able to make some headway in that area, but only after many many reported hits.

I'm glad you're not in too bad of shape, but I feel for you. Last time I nearly got hit I know I was gun-shy for a while afterwards.
 

Marco

Well-Known Member
#6
They charge you money for it. Exhorbitant amounts, enough to ruin your life for ever.
Read this just now. Every country has its pros and cons i know... That country has a lot of pros but... if you just can't cope with it FLY TO EUROPE AND ENTER A HOSPITAL, THEY TREAT YOU FREE FOR HOW MUCH IT IS NEEDED. France, Germany, Italy, England, etc. Damn....
 
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