Ever been hit by a car?

[BroDeal]

I have been lucky and despite a bunch of close calls have never hit the ground because of a car. A surprising number of people I know have not been as lucky. How about you?

 

[franciep10]

Well if you count when I was 8 and my father was backing out of the driveway and I was playing mechanic then yeah I was hit by a car. Also one of my friends was killed by a car.

 

[shizno]

twice

Yep, twice. Once was my fault, I blew through a stop sign and got creamed. I remember I got up after and was thinking I could ride home, but then kind of fell over. Took a nice ride in an ambulance. No real harm done other than my bike and helmet were totalled.

Second time a car pulled out of a parking lot and basically just knocked me over. Was able to ride home after that one.

I prefer the trainer these days.

 

[euphrades]

Yes I have,

Friend of mine and I were out for a 20 mile spin and we turned down a road and saw a truck coming and we started riding single file. Few minutes later the passenger mirror slams into my left arm pusing me into the dirt, but never going down. My friend was basically T-Boned and thrown into the ditch.......broke his brand new Dave Lloydd custom frame, and his back.

Fortunately, he is okay and is racing again as a 1/2 Master in Pennsylvania and the driver was found guilty......

Have known at least three people that have been killed, and many other hurt from careless drivers.

 

[anubisza]

I've had a couple of close calls, including hitting into the side of a car at slowish speed due to much braking, and also hitting a pedestrian at 35km/h after they walked into the road.

My mum got hit by a car about a year ago, broke her arm and totalled her bike.

 

[39*23t]

never been hit by a car but got hit by a beer truck though. amazingly got up and walked away from it although my helmet was in pieces. Friend of mine was hit by a car woke up 3 months later in hospital with a piece of his skull missing.

 

[Zoncolan]

3 times. 2 of those were pretty harmless, only cuts and bruises. Some 5 years back, an idiot ran a red light and hit me at something like 50 km/h. Lots of road rash, busted shoulder and collarbone.
The guy got a ticket.and it took me 18 months of physical therapy to be able to use my right arm fully again.

 

[BroDeal]

never been hit by a car but got hit by a beer truck though. amazingly got up and walked away from it although my helmet was in pieces.

I hope you got some free beers out of it.

I hit a kid once while riding down a slight hill in the suburbs. There was a big water fight in front of a house. A kid ran into the street while being chased by another kid with a bucket of water. I swerved, thought I was going down for sure, and got him with a glancing shoulder blow. I did not go down. I still remember the look of utter shock on the kid's face.

 

[gjdavis60]

Been hit a couple of times. Neither terribly serious (no hospital). First time I was spinning along at about 20 mph when a driver passed me and then immediately turned right into a parking lot sending me over her trunk.

Second time I came behind a car at a stop light. He didn't have his turn signal on, so I assumed he was going straight and drifted up on his right side. When the light turned green, he turned right and ran me into the ditch. He never saw me. That one was my fault.

 

[Cobber]

I got hit by a car in Adelaide in 2007. A car turned in front of me and I ploughed into the side of it. I ended up with 3 breaks in my right collar bone, a small fracture in a vertebrae and a punctured right lung and spent 2 weeks in hospital. Of course, the bike was totalled and I had to sue the guy to get it replaced. 12 years later, I still have back problems because of this.....

 

[**Uru**]

Having considered riding for years, I just got a road bike and started 6 weeks ago. On my first significant ride (25 miles), a guy in a Ford F150 tried to run me off the road. A couple of weeks ago I got run off the road by a van passing an oncoming car up hill on a double yellow line road. Pretty sure I avoided death on that second one.

 

[Threshold]

Yep twice I have been hooked up on the side of cars slapping the window as they try to run me down a side street... no harm done
Neither driver even saw me..... wait they saw me but did not expect me to be doing 40kph

Once I ran into an elderly woman walking... in the back of the leg with a pedal and felled her, I felt terrible as it obviously hurt, we were both at fault.

I also twice on m/cycle... TBoned a car at 80kph no harm done and crashed at 170kph with lots of damage but thats another story for a different forum..

 

[RdBiker]

I have been lucky and despite a bunch of close calls have never hit the ground because of a car. A surprising number of people I know have not been as lucky. How about you?

Lots of people have been hit so for a change I'll say that...well I dare not say it since I'm going for a ride right and would surely be hit by a truck if I dared say that I had never been hit by a car

 

[Threshold]

Tempt not Fate

 

[rhubroma]

Been hit three times, every one of them in Philly. Must be something about me and the city of brotherly love that just doesn't work.

 

[Bala Verde]

No hits (yet, knocking on wood), but since I moved to the US I have been "fingered, honked at, cutt off, insulted, forced into the gutter and almost hit" more often than ever in my entire life...

 

[BigBoat]

I have been hit on my bicycle before once. I wont go into details,

If you think your accident was bad read what this girl went through when her boyfriend punched it to 140 mph on his crotch rocket with her on the back trying to hang on down a hill (failing to hang on.) She had no gear on (jeans and a tank top.) This is the most heroic story maybe I've ever read.

http://sportbike.natkd.com/road_rash.htm

here I changed the link.

 

[Animal]

Yep. I think I posted the story already. Driver did a quick left-right glance at a cross roads where he should have stopped. He grabbed second gear and stepped on it without seeing me. Ran head-on into me. Smack in the middle of his front bumper.

I ended up with a totalled bike, and a broken patella that still gives problems. He ended up with a fine and a few points on his licence.

 

[Cartesian Centaur]

Been hit three times, every one of them in Philly. Must be something about me and the city of brotherly love that just doesn't work.

Not just you, I got hit three times in Philly as well...it's true what they say about Philly drivers (as long as what they say is bad).

Also been deliberately rear ended by some **** in an SUV, but that was in the fair city of London.

 

[neil69cyclist]

Yeah !!

Hit by volvo overtaking a bus compound fracture of tibia and fibula (poking out 1") and hairline fracture of femur, in hospital for 3 months back on the bike after 6 months.

Hit by woman pulling out without looking - this time no real damage to me

Hit by kid opening door on me ( I was in the cycle lane, that's why I hate cycle lanes) after dad couldn't be arsed to go the extra 20 yards up the road to drop kid off at school - Broken finger and rash

 

[AlHooKoo]

No, I have not been hit.
My closest call, I could smell gasoline behind me, followed by the smell of burrning rubber. I turned around to see a white pontiac grand prix about 1 foot behind me , I could feel the heat of the engine, the car was braking and shaking left to right. The driver was a young teen age blond girl, with a red-head teenage girl for a passenger.
Both of their mouths were wide open screaming. I accelerated with everything I had. The blonde got control of the car, passed me and drove off really fast.
No blood, no foul I guess........

 

[lostintime]

I've been hit 3 times. Salt Lake City was the worst, hit twice and numerous close calls. Riding the numerous canyons of SLC was far safer than riding the valley floor.

One hit from behind at a stoplight KO'd me, I woke up on the sidewalk with a old lady standing over me throwing me her hankerchief. WTF?

I never have been the same since. . . hence I'm lost-in-time

 

[craig1985]

Twice.

Once in 2003 when I was riding home, I was going down hill when I guy pulled out in front of me and clipped the boot/trunk of his car and flew over it and landed on my chin. I didn't break my neck or jaw and only had 5 stitches put in my chin and a hairline fracture in my both wrists. I remember that car pulled out in front of me and I didn't have time to brake and I thought to myself "This is going to hurt". The guy stopped and took me home to collect my mum and to take me to the hospital.

About 18 months later I was sort of ar fault (and so was he) and I got taken out by a SUV when I was going around a round-a-about (wasn't looking or signalling that I was turning right). It took skin off the right side of my body and totalled my helmet (the side I got hit snapped a piece of the helmet off and it was only hanging onto by the strap. I would be dead without it). Anyway in July 2005 he tried to sue me for damages to his car (about AUS$2740). As if my head could do that much damage to his car. I went and got legal advice, and my cycling coach used to be a car mechanic, so he basically told me that the guy was a load of BS. Eventually he dropped it when he realised I wouldn't bend over and pay up (he didn't even supply evidence of the damages to his car).

 

[Ninety5rpm]

I have been lucky and despite a bunch of close calls have never hit the ground because of a car. A surprising number of people I know have not been as lucky. How about you?

Never hit by a car in 40+ years of cycling, and I certainly don't attribute that to luck.

If you think what keeps you from getting hit by a car is luck, it's only a matter of time before you will be hit by a car.

While bad luck might cause you to be hit in a very rare type of crash in which there really was nothing you could do to avoid it, that is extremely unlikely. If you study bike-car crashes and their studies, you'll find that what's much more likely is to be hit in a crash that is easily avoidable by following the rules, staying aware, developing excellent situational awareness (including to the rear - with a mirror), and engaging in safe traffic cycling practices that keep you visible and predictable.

A contributory factor in most bike-car crashes is the cyclist riding too close to the edge of the road where s/he is easily overlooked, instead of being clearly out in the lane where drivers are looking for traffic and s/he can be much more easily noticed and avoided.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

If you study bike-car crashes and their studies, you'll find that what's much more likely is to be hit in a crash that is easily avoidable by following the rules, staying aware, developing excellent situational awareness (including to the rear - with a mirror), and engaging in safe traffic cycling practices that keep you visible and predictable.

A contributory factor in most bike-car crashes is the cyclist riding too close to the edge of the road where s/he is easily overlooked, instead of being clearly out in the lane where drivers are looking for traffic and s/he can be much more easily noticed and avoided.

Now I will apply this approach in each of the stories shared in this thread so far (where enough details were provided to comment).

Once was my fault, I blew through a stop sign and got creamed.

Follow the rules.

Second time a car pulled out of a parking lot and basically just knocked me over. Was able to ride home after that one.

Ride further from the edge of the road so the sight lines are better, they are more likely to notice you (and sooner), and you have more room/time to avoid crash.

Friend of mine and I were out for a 20 mile spin and we turned down a road and saw a truck coming and we started riding single file. Few minutes later the passenger mirror slams into my left arm pusing me into the dirt...

Ride further from the edge of the road so the sight lines are better, they are more likely to notice you (and sooner), and you have more room/time to avoid crash.

Also, use a mirror. It allows you to ride further from the edge where you are more likely to be noticed sooner, and to also easily know when they're getting close enough to temporarily move aside to let them pass (but only after they have noticed you).

an idiot ran a red light and hit me at something like 50 km/h.

Idiots run red lights all too often. Never enter an intersection, even on green, without checking for red light runners first.

I was spinning along at about 20 mph when a driver passed me and then immediately turned right into a parking lot sending me over her trunk.

Classic right hook. Never pass anyone on the right who can and might turn right. If they pass you and slow down, you slow down and move left, behind them. If you have to pass, pass on the left.

Second time I came behind a car at a stop light. He didn't have his turn signal on, so I assumed he was going straight and drifted up on his right side. When the light turned green, he turned right and ran me into the ditch. He never saw me. That one was my fault.

Classic right hook. Never pass anyone on the right who can and might turn right. If they pass you and slow down, you slow down and move left, behind them. If you have to pass, pass on the left.

I got hit by a car in Adelaide in 2007. A car turned in front of me and I ploughed into the side of it. I ended up with 3 breaks in my right collar bone, a small fracture in a vertebrae and a punctured right lung and spent 2 weeks in hospital. Of course, the bike was totalled and I had to sue the guy to get it replaced. 12 years later, I still have back problems because of this.....

Classic "cross" crash - the most common way for motorcyclists to get hit. Never assume you are noticed as you enter an intersection at the same as oncoming traffic that might turn in front of you (or into you). Wear bright clothes and ride in the center of the lane when entering and crossing intersections.

Having considered riding for years, I just got a road bike and started 6 weeks ago. On my first significant ride (25 miles), a guy in a Ford F150 tried to run me off the road.

A mirror can really help you notice when someone is approaching from behind, and to allow you to let them know you know they are there before they get upset. Show them you know what you are doing, and have enough respect for them to acknowledge them, and they'll treat you with respect too.

A couple of weeks ago I got run off the road by a van passing an oncoming car up hill on a double yellow line road. Pretty sure I avoided death on that second one.

Idiots pass by crossing double yellows all too often, unfortunately. Be prepared.

If you're riding near the edge of the road then they are much more likely to not notice you until they are already committed to passing, and might think they can squeeze through anyway. After all, if you're not trying to give them room to squeeze through, why are you so close to the edge of the road?

Yep twice I have been hooked up on the side of cars slapping the window as they try to run me down a side street... no harm done
Neither driver even saw me..... wait they saw me but did not expect me to be doing 40kph

Classic "cross" crash - the most common way for motorcyclists to get hit. seeing you and noticing you are not the same thing. Never assume you are noticed as you enter an intersection at the same as oncoming traffic that might turn in front of you (or into you). Wear bright clothes and ride in the center of the lane when entering and crossing intersections.

No hits (yet, knocking on wood), but since I moved to the US I have been "fingered, honked at, cutt off, insulted, forced into the gutter and almost hit" more often than ever in my entire life...

Well, being fingered, honked at yelled at are all signs of being noticed - that's good.

However, often this happens because they noticed you too late, and were startled, and are expressing their dismay at how close they came to hitting you. Riding further from the edge, where you are clearly and easily seen long before it's too close is a surprisingly effective way to keep them from getting upset with you. Once you are noticed, if you're using a mirror, you can move aside as necessary, when appropriate. The most common reaction to that is a wave, smile or "thumb's up". Much nicer.

Driver did a quick left-right glance at a cross roads where he should have stopped. He grabbed second gear and stepped on it without seeing me. Ran head-on into me. .

Classic "cross" crash - the most common way for motorcyclists to get hit. seeing you and noticing you are not the same thing. Never assume you are noticed as you enter an intersection at the same as oncoming traffic that might turn in front of you (or into you). Wear bright clothes and ride in the center of the lane when entering and crossing intersections.

Yeah !!

Hit by volvo overtaking a bus compound fracture of tibia and fibula (poking out 1") and hairline fracture of femur, in hospital for 3 months back on the bike after 6 months.

Hit by woman pulling out without looking - this time no real damage to me

Hit by kid opening door on me ( I was in the cycle lane, that's why I hate cycle lanes) after dad couldn't be arsed to go the extra 20 yards up the road to drop kid off at school - Broken finger and rash

Try riding further from the edge where drivers are looking for traffic, you're much less likely to be overlooked, and you're out of the door zone. A cycle lane or bike lane in the door zone of parked cars is no reason to ride in the door zone!

No, I have not been hit.
My closest call, I could smell gasoline behind me, followed by the smell of burrning rubber. I turned around to see a white pontiac grand prix about 1 foot behind me , I could feel the heat of the engine, the car was braking and shaking left to right. The driver was a young teen age blond girl, with a red-head teenage girl for a passenger.
Both of their mouths were wide open screaming. I accelerated with everything I had. The blonde got control of the car, passed me and drove off really fast.
No blood, no foul I guess........

Use a mirror. Before I even stop for a red light, I always glance in my mirror to asses the situation behind me, and I keep an eye out at least until someone stops safely behind me (usually stopping significantly further back than if I were a car).

One hit from behind at a stoplight KO'd me, I woke up on the sidewalk with a old lady standing over me throwing me her hankerchief. WTF?

See previous comment just before this one.

I was going down hill when I guy pulled out in front of me and clipped the boot/trunk of his car and flew over it and landed on my chin.

Another type of "cross" crash (this time from the side rather than from turning oncoming traffic). Again, don't ride near the edge of the road, especially when approaching and crossing intersections. Be out there where you are much less likely to be overlooked, and where you have more space and time for an evasive maneuver. But even then don't assume you are noticed unless you have good evidence (and a driver looking at you is NOT evidence that you've been noticed!).

About 18 months later I was sort of ar fault (and so was he) and I got taken out by a SUV when I was going around a round-a-about (wasn't looking or signalling that I was turning right).

Pay attention and follow the rules.

Folks, it's not about luck. It's about you.

See also:
* "Streetsmarts" by John S. Allen (free pdf - google for it)
* bicyclesafe.com
* "Effective Cycling" by John Forester
* "The Art of Urban Cycling" by Robert Hurst
* "Cyclecraft" by John Franklin