Well, it finally happened.......

pullin-gs

1 kW
Joined
Jul 31, 2009
Messages
395
Hit&run.
I got hit by a pickup pulling trailer.
He drove around me to pass and his trailer took me out when he returned into my lane).....no escape because right of my lane was dropoff.
I got knocked out and when I woke, I did not know where I was...could not even recall code to access my phone, so wandered around for about 10 minutes until I remembered my phone code. About same time I recognized landmarks and made my way home with broken ebike. After about 1/4 mile I left bike at good-sumaritan's home I called wife to get me who took me to emergency room...lots of rash on left side....bruised ribs...concussion (head is still clearing up). Helmet saved life (crushed in on left side). I was going about 25-30MPH.
Bike bars are broken, battery case detached, hydrolic brake assemblies broken, light gone, frame twisted, peddles smashed, maybe other stuff.....have not inventoried damage yet.
I reported incident to law, but had no description of truck and no witnesses or video footage.
 
Glad you're alive and that you were wearing a helmet. Pretty hard to ride a bike or ebike among cars (and idiot car drivers) and have any margin of safety.
I think if you're on two wheels and riding with cars, you need to be on the road, in the middle of the lane, and not off to the side; plus have at least 70hp to access (more if riding two up). which is hard to achieve with an ebike. I had twice that power and still got wiped out at 70mph on the freeway by a similar idiot. With my ebike, I stick with paths and offroad as much as I can.
Hopefully you have a speedy recovery. Good luck.
 
E-HP said:
Glad you're alive and that you were wearing a helmet. Pretty hard to ride a bike or ebike among cars (and idiot car drivers) and have any margin of safety.
I think if you're on two wheels and riding with cars, you need to be on the road, in the middle of the lane, and not off to the side; plus have at least 70hp to access (more if riding two up). which is hard to achieve with an ebike. I had twice that power and still got wiped out at 70mph on the freeway by a similar idiot. With my ebike, I stick with paths and offroad as much as I can.
Hopefully you have a speedy recovery. Good luck.

Indeed......I had just finished up my 25 mile forest-road ride. I ride back roads for 3 miles to get back home.
 
Good you are relatively on hurt. yeah I only have a mile Bob Carr Rose lots of bike trails in protective trails down here in San Clemente. they had a woman jogging on the side of PCH she got hit by a car and died they put four miles of k were a lot so now we have a double bike path. or a double running path.
My worst wrecks are under 5 miles an hour. add a 12 pack on my handlebars coming back from circle k four blocks away a guy pulled out backwards out of a driveway real fast I turn to the left the same side that 12-pack was on in a bag hanging on the handlebars I went down woke up in the hospital 3 to 4 hours later.I looked up in the EMTs are fire department put my 12 pack of beer in the hospital room what was warm by now and I didn't really want to see that 12 pack rolling Rock. but since I was going to be out of the work they were able to give me insurance cal optima and now I have health insurance. good luck help you heal fast.
 
Drivers are dangerous nowadays, because lots of them didn’t drive much last year. I don’t let any of them overtake me, not even coming close to my tail. I ride with the high beam headlights in the daytime, and keep looking all around to spot the idiots. Awareness is your best protection.
 
Eastwood said:
MadRhino said:
. Awareness is your best protection.

Awareness sure is your best protection! Also being aware of the road condition.

I don’t worry much about that, riding a bike with 10 inch suspension travel that is pretty fine hitting a pothole at 50 mph. :twisted:
The only road condition that really bothers me, is ice.
 
OMG! So good you survived it, with nothing bigger than the concussion. Helmet saved you from worse, death, or organ donor. That f---er never even knew he hit you I bet.

I'm not blaming you, not at all.. But you could have been more ready for it. Even in cars I check my rear, then I at least get off the gas or even tap the brakes to make sure that guy doesn't clip my front of the car, motorcycle, whatever. I make sure they are surprised how quick they got around me. But at the speed you were riding, he should have been past you easy. What he did, I'm sure, is he saw bike and thought 15 mph. NOTHING is more dangerous than a moped. You are much faster than they think, so they right cross you into parking lots all damn day.

You have to ride like they are out to kill you, because they sure are. Even in the car with air bags and seat belts and crush zones, they'll do the same thing, pass you and then cut back too soon.

Shit like this is why I tired of riding e bikes to the grocery, with nice big wide bike lane to ride in. I still had too many close calls unless I could keep up. Even before my house burned, I was turning back to the 400cc scooter, so I could just get in the lane and keep up. MUCH safer imo, and insured while on it helps as well. Now that I ride the BMW, getting passed is a very rare thing. But each intersection is taken slow enough to crash and survive. Nobody sees that BMW and thinks, slow bicycle. I almost never get right crossed. But I'm ready for it when they do.
 
dogman dan said:
OMG! So good you survived it, with nothing bigger than the concussion. Helmet saved you from worse, death, or organ donor. That f---er never even knew he hit you I bet.

I'm not blaming you, not at all.. But you could have been more ready for it. Even in cars I check my rear, then I at least get off the gas or even tap the brakes to make sure that guy doesn't clip my front of the car, motorcycle, whatever. I make sure they are surprised how quick they got around me. But at the speed you were riding, he should have been past you easy. What he did, I'm sure, is he saw bike and thought 15 mph. NOTHING is more dangerous than a moped. You are much faster than they think, so they right cross you into parking lots all damn day.

You have to ride like they are out to kill you, because they sure are. Even in the car with air bags and seat belts and crush zones, they'll do the same thing, pass you and then cut back too soon.

Shit like this is why I tired of riding e bikes to the grocery, with nice big wide bike lane to ride in. I still had too many close calls unless I could keep up. Even before my house burned, I was turning back to the 400cc scooter, so I could just get in the lane and keep up. MUCH safer imo, and insured while on it helps as well. Now that I ride the BMW, getting passed is a very rare thing. But each intersection is taken slow enough to crash and survive. Nobody sees that BMW and thinks, slow bicycle. I almost never get right crossed. But I'm ready for it when they do.

glad you're alive and hope you recover well @pullin-gs


well said and i myself ride my escooter 10km each way to work and 2km worth of it is on either road or footpath.
i've had close calls of not stopping fast enough on an intersection or someone cutting me off at an intersection.

I've now learnt to not take any chance and simply do just that 1 thing
check/slow down/stop before anything bad could happen. sure im slowly down, but its only a few second stop and i am on the go away. instead of been down or out i am still going.

these are the few things i stop for
check crossing, behind, slow down, stop an intersection
check behind prior to passing a parked car, stop if there are cars coming behind me and let them go before i do. ( i've seen real life situation of someone got taken out passing car due to idiot on the parked car opening door without looking or caring who is coming)

slow down at high traffic and let walking pedestrain go first.

in sort just be curtious to others and simply take your time and so far i had not had any closes for the last 7 or so months.
 
pullin-gs said:
Hit&run.
I got hit by a pickup pulling trailer.

I’m glad you’re still alive brother! riding bikes on the road is like a war zone. In my mind every car on the road doesn’t see me and they’re going to hit me. If you get back to riding maybe try sidewalks as well. I ride in the street too but when there’s cars I just get off the road and hit the sidewalk. Since Covid started people are driving even more crazy.
Sorry this happened to you my friend! I’m praying for you an hope you a speedy recovery!
 
Ouch!
Praying for speedy recovery,

You should demand the police to issue a subpoena to all the phone carriers for cell phones which were in that LOCATION at that TIME.
 
Car drivers are assholes. Most will simply drive away from a cyclist they maimed or killed. I've seen it my entire adult life in my own city.

That's consistent with the character of someone who'll prioritize his own temporary convenience over the health of the natural world or the place he lives in.
 
pullin-gs said:
Helmet saved life (crushed in on left side).

Hmm. Maybe? Maybe it got you into this mess.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2018/11/14/motorists-punish-helmet-wearing-cyclists-with-close-passes-confirms-data-recrunch/
 
I'm glad to hear you were wearing a helmet and are in good enough shape to post here after an accident like that.

I wish you the best in your recovery sir.
 
Great to hear you survived this, not far from going the other way in the type of crash you describe.

I stopped driving motorbikes after five near death experiences in a few years time. I figured there’s a sixth, a seventh and then someday it’s the real reaper coming. Of those five only one was my own fault.

Then one of my closest friends was killed in a motorbike accident. I carried the coffin together with his father and brother. Surreal and so sad.

Stay safe, stay attentive! :es:
 
larsb said:
...
I stopped driving motorbikes after five near death experiences in a few years time. I figured there’s a sixth, a seventh and then someday it’s the real reaper coming. Of those five only one was my own fault.

Well, the basics of riding safety is to consider that everything that happens is your own fault, because trusting drivers to avoid you is suicidal.

I don’t see people in cars. They are moving obstacles without consciousness. You need to evaluate all that could happen, and every possible actions to correct, avoid, or escape. When you are in this state of mind, you feel that you are responsible for anything that happens to you. That is something I learned in my youth riding horses, and never been seriously hurt riding anything on wheels for 60 years.
 
Yes, i did drive that way, doesn’t matter when the old lady suddenly starts to go into the intersection a few meters in front of you and you just barely have a millisecond to run off the road to avoid her, or any situation like that. Without my full attention and a bit of sixth sense i would be plastered on the side of her car or three others just like hers. I had a hunch it could happen that time but nowhere to go.

It annoys the hell out of me to read people like dogman dan saying he isn’t stupid enough to get run over. That’s just bullshit even if you’re a good rider, spend enough time on the road and you’ll meet a situation like this.
 
larsb said:
Yes, i did drive that way, doesn’t matter when the old lady suddenly starts to go into the intersection a few meters in front of you and you just barely have a millisecond to run off the road to avoid her, or any situation like that. Without my full attention and a bit of sixth sense i would be plastered on the side of her car or three others just like hers. I had a hunch it could happen that time but nowhere to go.

I agree, there's some situations that can't be avoided. I got broadsided at a downtown intersection, where a tourist (teenagers) accelerated to run a red light, that was green for me. You couldn't see them coming, since there was a car stopped at the light blocking any view of them (4 lane street). I remember lying on the road, and 4 different lawyers handed me their business cards when they saw what happen. I've had literally thousands of close calls, but sooner or later the odds catch up.
 
Chalo said:
pullin-gs said:
Helmet saved life (crushed in on left side).

Hmm. Maybe? Maybe it got you into this mess.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2018/11/14/motorists-punish-helmet-wearing-cyclists-with-close-passes-confirms-data-recrunch/

Subject of linked article:
"Motorists drive closer to helmet-wearing cyclists reaffirms a paper published today by ........."

Your kidding, right??

Article's interpretation of other-people's data is bunk! And has been shot down many times since the author (an armchair-phycologist) by scientific study (vs unqualified Author's opinion and conjecture).
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0075424
 
Glad it annoyed you, you paid attention. I'm not sure I said I was smart. But I explained how I handle this particular situation that has happened to me plenty of times, on bikes, cars, mopeds, trucks. People drive like shit for sure and you better be ready, and experience will teach. Several of my dead friends taught me how not to get killed in particular ways. Their bad experience sure taught me not to do certain things.

But he could ride a strategy in the future, that minimizes the chances of that happening again. A starting point is knowing that bikes look slow to cars, but e bikes are not slow. So they turn in front of you all day. Figure out your method for dealing with this. It will happen again.

I stopped riding motorcycles for 30 years, because I definitely was riding stupid. But some things that happened to me then, I look for, anticipate its going to happen again, and I don't be there when the car is there. I just had that extra half second and went someplace else. Sometimes someplace else is not so great, two years ago a car on the wrong side of the road ran me into the ditch, and I broke a bone in my ankle. But I was not on that cars hood. Lotta riders would have been.

And yeah, he ran me off the road and kept on driving.
 
by pullin-gs » Jun 13 2021 1:14pm

Hit&run.
I got hit by a pickup pulling trailer.
He drove around me to pass and his trailer took me out when he returned into my lane).....no escape because right of my lane was dropoff.
I got knocked out and when I woke, I did not know where I was...could not even recall code to access my phone, so wandered around for about 10 minutes until I remembered my phone code. About same time I recognized landmarks and made my way home with broken ebike. After about 1/4 mile I left bike at good-sumaritan's home I called wife to get me who took me to emergency room...lots of rash on left side....bruised ribs...concussion (head is still clearing up). Helmet saved life (crushed in on left side). I was going about 25-30MPH.
Bike bars are broken, battery case detached, hydrolic brake assemblies broken, light gone, frame twisted, peddles smashed, maybe other stuff.....have not inventoried damage yet.
I reported incident to law, but had no description of truck and no witnesses or video footage.

Best wishes hope you fully recover. I don't feel safe in a car on the freeway. As bad as a bike is I can ride away from cars so I feel safer. It seems drivers get wilder every year and just don't care. Here they kill people walking on the sidewalks, the only time any charges are brought is when they are intoxicated.
 
pullin-gs said:
Chalo said:
pullin-gs said:
Helmet saved life (crushed in on left side).

Hmm. Maybe? Maybe it got you into this mess.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2018/11/14/motorists-punish-helmet-wearing-cyclists-with-close-passes-confirms-data-recrunch/

Subject of linked article:
"Motorists drive closer to helmet-wearing cyclists reaffirms a paper published today by ........."

Your kidding, right??

Article's interpretation of other-people's data is bunk! And has been shot down many times since the author (an armchair-phycologist) by scientific study (vs unqualified Author's opinion and conjecture).
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0075424

You're citing the same study that was debunked by a reanalysis of the original data. The folks who wished to invalidate the original research were willing to play fast and loose with the data to get the results they wanted. Sort of like you're doing.

There have got to be reasons that helmets, which offer quantifiable protection against impact, don't save lives on a populationwide basis. Those reasons are (in part) risk compensation by cyclists, loss of situational awareness, and (yes) risk compensation by motorists. Maybe other factors I haven't become aware of yet.

Nobody has done original research that contradicts Walker's measurements. There are just some people who want to believe his measurements are incorrect, even though they are measurements and not opinions.
 
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