Take your story and your energy and go advocate for physically separated bike lanes.
It would do the most good.
Reynolds531IPA on
She was on the left side of the road? Yea that’s super dangerous for the cyclist, and they’re supposed to travel with the flow of traffic, not against it. I ran XC in college, and trained running through the town and local area, obviously.. sometimes we’d run on the left side of the road, because sidewalk situations etc.. and you had to be very careful at intersections. The drivers making a right hand turn don’t always check their right side before they turn.. if they’re not accustomed to oncoming traffic (you the pedestrian) they’re more inclined to just check their left side and assume it’s clear (since they’re not turning into a lane of travel in their direction). We saw this a lot. Also, sorry this happened for both of you! It sounds like it was truly an accident. Glad she is ok, and hope you’ll be ok, too.
Edit: since people in the comments don’t understand what I’m asking. Say you’re a cyclist, and you’re traveling north, say, up a hill. It’s a two lane road. One lane travels north, and across the double yellow line is a road traveling south. You’re supposed to be riding on the right hand side of the road in the US. A 2nd person is traveling east in a car, and is about to come to the intersection of the road you’re on. They’re planning on making a right hand turn to go south. What I’m saying is that a car is much less likely to make sure their right is clear in a rural area (because there shouldn’t be any traffic coming from that direction (north, in the south bound lane).
Edit 2: I’m not trying to recuse the driver of responsibility here. I’m just saying that the cyclist could also have potentially been in a safer riding position on the correct side of the road.
Edit 3: of OP was the yellow arrow, making a right hand turn, there should have been a bicycle in the lane she would turn into. The bike should be on the other side of the road (and yea, again, I’m not saying you shouldn’t be looking right before you turn, I’m just telling you that they don’t a lot of the time. And I saw it often when I was running around town.
Accidents happen, and when driving humans are conditioned to look for other cars exclusively and have to make a conscious effort to look for smaller vehicles. It’s a shit situation but you did the right thing by arranging an ambulance for them and trying to help.
The best thing you can do is make a conscious effort to check for smaller vehicles at junctions, especially cyclists at junctions, and give them extra space.
RageReq on
Why do some drivers not look where they’re going when making a turn? I got hit the same way but the driver was turning left while looking right and actively accelerating through the turn. I not only got hit but she didn’t stop driving until she fully turned her head to look in front, so I got pushed 5 feet and then flew off the bike when she hit the brakes and rolled another 5 feet.
I mentioned the “look where you’re driving” thing on a driving subreddit and someone chimed in saying that’s how people are supposed to drive, look right, go left, look left while going right because there checking if it’s clear.
No, you’re supposed to check both directions to make sure you’re clear, and then look in the direction you want to go, making sure it’s safe as you go.
Sorry, rant over
Anteater-Inner on
Remember to look BOTH WAYS in the future. I almost get taken out a couple times a week because people don’t give a shit about anyone but themselves and the direction they’re turning. To hell with anyone else that might be coming from the other direction on a bike or on foot.
I’m glad you feel bad. You should. YOU were careless.
At least it sounds like you learned something.
WCoastSUP on
You did all the right things, thank you.
I’ve been hit twice, and both times the drivers fled.
TheReverendCard on
The good old right hook. Like others said, advocate for safe, separated infrastructure.
Former_Cockroach7016 on
Almost got hit the same way last night
used-quartercask on
Stop driving your car and ride a bicycle instead. Most drivers don’t actually need a car they are just lazy and don’t want to change their habits, and they think it’s considered the norm. I’ve heard people who have actually killed another person while driving, and they consider themselves ‘strong’ for building up the confidence to get behind the wheel again.
Midtownjb69 on
You’re a nice person.
One-Picture8604 on
Hopefully you become a better driver but shame it had to come at the expense of knocking a child off their bike.
TheThrivingest on
I appreciate the vulnerability in posting this. You take this experience and you learn from it, and use it to educate other drivers and advocate for cyclists and pedestrians
Also, thank you for stopping and being accountable. A 13 year old child cyclist was the victim of a hit and run (and did not survive) this summer in my city and the driver has still not been identified and I mourn for his mother
onesoundman on
You stopped, looked to your left and the hit her as you turned right. Were they riding behind you and passing you on the right as you turned? Or were they riding on the wrong side of the street and hit you head on as you turned right?
Existing_Beyond_253 on
Everyone is sorry after
Jojoceptionistaken on
Most Americans would have shrugged it off as “fuck them kids” (at least that’s my impression lol)
Shit happens, you know
charons-voyage on
I’m confused as to what the scenario was.
Did the family try passing you on the right?
onesoundman on
By the way, If anyone hits me with their car don’t call an ambulance for me unless it was your fault and you have good insurance.
lemiran79 on
(Sorry for my english)
cyclist for 10 years here. once I was knocked down. multiple fractures and traumas but fortunately nothing more serious. the driver was sorry and admitted his wrongdoing right away. he visited me a few days after the accident to apologize while looking me in the eye (at the time of the accident I had lost consciousness…) and I admit that this visit relieved me of a weight, even if he was guilty of inattention at the wheel, I saw that he was a human after all. since then I still ride as much I am still a little afraid but I do not feel traumatized.
So I believe that you can try to see her again and apologise. A smile and a kind word can do so much
GDMisfits on
It’s wild to phrase this as something that “happened to you”. This is something you did.
Big-Bee894 on
Sounds like she was on the wrong side of the street going against traffic. Is that right?
20 Comments
Take your story and your energy and go advocate for physically separated bike lanes.
It would do the most good.
She was on the left side of the road? Yea that’s super dangerous for the cyclist, and they’re supposed to travel with the flow of traffic, not against it. I ran XC in college, and trained running through the town and local area, obviously.. sometimes we’d run on the left side of the road, because sidewalk situations etc.. and you had to be very careful at intersections. The drivers making a right hand turn don’t always check their right side before they turn.. if they’re not accustomed to oncoming traffic (you the pedestrian) they’re more inclined to just check their left side and assume it’s clear (since they’re not turning into a lane of travel in their direction). We saw this a lot. Also, sorry this happened for both of you! It sounds like it was truly an accident. Glad she is ok, and hope you’ll be ok, too.
Edit: since people in the comments don’t understand what I’m asking. Say you’re a cyclist, and you’re traveling north, say, up a hill. It’s a two lane road. One lane travels north, and across the double yellow line is a road traveling south. You’re supposed to be riding on the right hand side of the road in the US. A 2nd person is traveling east in a car, and is about to come to the intersection of the road you’re on. They’re planning on making a right hand turn to go south. What I’m saying is that a car is much less likely to make sure their right is clear in a rural area (because there shouldn’t be any traffic coming from that direction (north, in the south bound lane).
Edit 2: I’m not trying to recuse the driver of responsibility here. I’m just saying that the cyclist could also have potentially been in a safer riding position on the correct side of the road.
Edit 3: of OP was the yellow arrow, making a right hand turn, there should have been a bicycle in the lane she would turn into. The bike should be on the other side of the road (and yea, again, I’m not saying you shouldn’t be looking right before you turn, I’m just telling you that they don’t a lot of the time. And I saw it often when I was running around town.
https://preview.redd.it/vye2pj3322md1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f20636983679f9f3450eebed36b19d513e46c74a
Accidents happen, and when driving humans are conditioned to look for other cars exclusively and have to make a conscious effort to look for smaller vehicles. It’s a shit situation but you did the right thing by arranging an ambulance for them and trying to help.
The best thing you can do is make a conscious effort to check for smaller vehicles at junctions, especially cyclists at junctions, and give them extra space.
Why do some drivers not look where they’re going when making a turn? I got hit the same way but the driver was turning left while looking right and actively accelerating through the turn. I not only got hit but she didn’t stop driving until she fully turned her head to look in front, so I got pushed 5 feet and then flew off the bike when she hit the brakes and rolled another 5 feet.
I mentioned the “look where you’re driving” thing on a driving subreddit and someone chimed in saying that’s how people are supposed to drive, look right, go left, look left while going right because there checking if it’s clear.
No, you’re supposed to check both directions to make sure you’re clear, and then look in the direction you want to go, making sure it’s safe as you go.
Sorry, rant over
Remember to look BOTH WAYS in the future. I almost get taken out a couple times a week because people don’t give a shit about anyone but themselves and the direction they’re turning. To hell with anyone else that might be coming from the other direction on a bike or on foot.
I’m glad you feel bad. You should. YOU were careless.
At least it sounds like you learned something.
You did all the right things, thank you.
I’ve been hit twice, and both times the drivers fled.
The good old right hook. Like others said, advocate for safe, separated infrastructure.
Almost got hit the same way last night
Stop driving your car and ride a bicycle instead. Most drivers don’t actually need a car they are just lazy and don’t want to change their habits, and they think it’s considered the norm. I’ve heard people who have actually killed another person while driving, and they consider themselves ‘strong’ for building up the confidence to get behind the wheel again.
You’re a nice person.
Hopefully you become a better driver but shame it had to come at the expense of knocking a child off their bike.
I appreciate the vulnerability in posting this. You take this experience and you learn from it, and use it to educate other drivers and advocate for cyclists and pedestrians
Also, thank you for stopping and being accountable. A 13 year old child cyclist was the victim of a hit and run (and did not survive) this summer in my city and the driver has still not been identified and I mourn for his mother
You stopped, looked to your left and the hit her as you turned right. Were they riding behind you and passing you on the right as you turned? Or were they riding on the wrong side of the street and hit you head on as you turned right?
Everyone is sorry after
Most Americans would have shrugged it off as “fuck them kids” (at least that’s my impression lol)
Shit happens, you know
I’m confused as to what the scenario was.
Did the family try passing you on the right?
By the way, If anyone hits me with their car don’t call an ambulance for me unless it was your fault and you have good insurance.
(Sorry for my english)
cyclist for 10 years here. once I was knocked down. multiple fractures and traumas but fortunately nothing more serious. the driver was sorry and admitted his wrongdoing right away. he visited me a few days after the accident to apologize while looking me in the eye (at the time of the accident I had lost consciousness…) and I admit that this visit relieved me of a weight, even if he was guilty of inattention at the wheel, I saw that he was a human after all. since then I still ride as much I am still a little afraid but I do not feel traumatized.
So I believe that you can try to see her again and apologise. A smile and a kind word can do so much
It’s wild to phrase this as something that “happened to you”. This is something you did.
Sounds like she was on the wrong side of the street going against traffic. Is that right?