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Yeah, it’s not the most fun topic to read or write about, but cyclists get hit by cars all the time. Even if you’re physically fine, it’s tough to keep your wits about you once you’ve been struck by a car. Some advocacy organizations, like Bike-PGH for example, print this useful information on the back of their membership cards. Here’s a summary of Bike-PGH’s recommendations:
1. If you are in pain, stay put. Don’t try to move. You could end up injuring yourself even more.
2. Call 9-1-1 or tell someone else to do it for you.
3. Make sure to get the driver’s name, license plate, insurance info and contact info.
4. Get a police report.
5. Contact a lawyer.
6. Contact your city councilperson and tell them your story and that you want safer cycling conditions in the city.
#4 should be ‘always, always, always get the names and telephone numbers of independent witnesses who saw the accident’. Don’t rely on the driver of the car to not mentally revise their version of events in a way that suddenly puts you at fault, once they realize how much it’s going to cost to repair your bike/body.
c.bitterman, the link-through to PGH’s website expands all of these. Including expanding #3 as witnesses too.
right. and if you are seriously injured you are fucked. the cop will in all probability refuse to take your statement deciding you are incompetent due to the medication you’ve been fed or attempt to infer you are the author of your own situation due to your (present) impairment and go with the statement of the asshat who ran you over as gospel truth.
http://sockpuppet.ca/xray
Wow… I got hit by a car yesterday… Toronto, ON… corner of Dundas and Denison… this is right around China Town.. for those out there not from the GTA.
I was totally riding in my “lane”… when a Red Honda Civic changed lanes right into my side…didn’t even see it coming… tossed me against the curb and I did a nice superman over the bars. A few scrapes… thankfully I was wearing a helmet.
AND THE KICKER IS… THE CAR DIDNT EVEN STOP!!! HIT & RUN! Made my police statment… using the licence plate number that a good samaritan took down.. (Apparently wrong as the cops couldn’t find it)….
Heres hoping KARMA catches up with the SOB in the Honda Civic…
Gotta go… time for a bike ride…
I did non of these things
I am gathering additional witnesses to a hit and run that occurred
at the south / east intersection of Dundas and Denison @ 8:50am on 2009-09-17.
Car: Silver / Grey, heading south bound on Denison, Plate: AVYP 174
It made a left turn, hit me, and proceeded eastbound towards Spadina.
It stopped briefly but continued onward.
Me: Black dress shirt, jeans, green basebal cap, big striped Reebok gym bag.
If you were witness to this hit and run, please call 416 910 7467.
I second the notion of getting the names and addresses of the witnesses. When my wife was hit, the police didn’t get statements from all of them. Their excuse was that they didn’t have a line of sight on the actual impact. That’s because they were following the car that hit her. They saw both the car and the bike up until shortly before the car did a left cross.
Just got hit by a car yesterday in Austin on S. Mopac frontage road. I got all the info, police report, witness name/#. Now what? My bike is a mess in the front, my laptop screen is cracked, and I’m sore as hell today. I’ve never even been in a accident….what’s next? Any advice would help.