# CRazy! Guy hit by a car.. D:



## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Omg... I just got home from working some overtime and while i was going east on elgington i saw a guy on a bike comming west down that hill past midland (?)

He went into the road and was trying to jump the curb. He must have been going about 40 or so. The cement island is kinda crappy there and the guy seemed to loose control. (I was kinda watching through my review mirror)

All i see is him get really close to what looked like another car and i thought holy cow i wonder if he actually swipped the car?

I get over the hill and slow for a red light. The guy behind me slows.. but is kinda in the middle land then moved to the slow land. I looked at the dude and tried to see if he was freaking or anything. The guy in the car took a right and then a quick left. As if he was planning to turn around. 

So... because I was worried i did a U turn just before birchmount and went back towards midland. What do I see? I deserted bike by the strip mall. I get to the light and pull in and see a bunch of people around a guy on the ground. 

WHat i didnt see was the guy from the car. 

I left my number with an officer on the phone but unfortunatlly i missed his call while driving home. OI couldnt pull over fast enough LOL I didnt get the plate  Really bothers me that i didnt.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Whoa! I got your pm, and was wondering what you were talking about!

Yikes, that must have shaken you up quite a bit. I hope the guy on the bike was ok.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Oohh the guy, he actually seemed to skid on his face and broke the arm that connected with the side/back of the car.

Not exactly sure but he looked like he was on something or had been drinking.

The paramedics said he would be alright. The guy was insane for going that fast on the road. No helmet, nothing.

I cant seem to sleep yet. LOL


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## planter (Jun 9, 2008)

Not to defend the driver but this isn't exactly the right time of year to be on a bicycle....


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

planter said:


> Not to defend the driver but this isn't exactly the right time of year to be on a bicycle....


Without a helmet and incapacitated too


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## planter (Jun 9, 2008)

At least no one died Cid. What kind of person smokes a person on a bike and takes off?

But I have to say, people do strange things on bikes... 

I saw a guy last year on a bicycle going up the 427 on ramp from the 401.

It was snowing... I mean really snowing like 10cm on the ground. Everyone was honking at the moron. I don't know if he made it or not. How he got there is a mystery. Anyone who travels on that ramp can tell you that there is no easy way to get on that part of the hiway on a bike.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Ohh I agree with you guys. The guy was nuts for going that fast. If I had been a few seconds too late I would have hit him myself. 

He almost did hit me. He was trying to take the center curb as I was passing by. He ment to fly down the hill on the center curb but lost it and hit smashed into the guy behind me.

I really wonder if the older man in the car was in shock. He didnt look upset, but from him pulling over it seemed he knew what happened.

Dunno.. Because I didnt have a plate I dont know if the officer will call me back. Not much to go on. 

Sadly this is the second time i've seen bike vs. car things happen. The first one was horrible.


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## Canadiancray (Apr 27, 2006)

So did the bike hit the car or the other way around?


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

A month or two back I saw (I mean witnessed the whole event) 3 bike/car accidents in about 1-1/2 weeks. Each time it was the cyclists fault.

I know how bad a job some people in cars do of watching the road around them (blabbing on cells and texting etc), but I think the relative % of bad cyclists is much worse. A bicycle is a vehicle, a slow moving vehicle subject to the highway traffic act. But the number of people I see on bikes riding on the sidewalk, zipping across pedestrian walkways (with or against the light) no lights at nighttime...the list goes on...I won't

I don't like seeing anybody hurt, especially the kind of hurt that happens when someone's hit by a car and I hope the guy is OK without any long term complications - but bad cycling sounds to be as much to blame as the motorist who may not even know what happened.

A someone who rides and is tired of being "mistreated" by automobiles, I have to admit I am aware that as a group cyclists are pretty bad.


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## hojimoe (Mar 7, 2008)

crazy story Cid!


I've been hit by a car while on my bike before...it's not fun... luckily I did more damage from my body/bike than the car did to me

my left knee is still wonky from time to time, but I left a hole in the grill - from my bike pedel sp?...and a MASSIVE dent in the hood of the car from my body .... was a new mercedez too! LOL

prolly about a dozen witnesses as I was crossing from sidewalk to sidewalk, and this women didn't stop ... there was a stopsign....


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

The man bashed right into the side of the guys car from what i saw. 

I've almost had some close calls with people on bikes. I try to get around them but by the time i see them (like in thick traffic) its hard to get into the next land without a horde of angry people that start to honk and crap because I had to slow down.

And some people on bikes seem to be unable to bike in a straight line  I know there are plenty of wonderful cyclist out there as drivers but we all have our bad apples i guess LOL


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## sawman88 (Sep 29, 2008)

toronto is nutz... i will stick to my 4000 people town


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

planter said:


> Not to defend the driver but this isn't exactly the right time of year to be on a bicycle....


I ride at all times of the year. It is my only means of transport and I cannot afford taxis or bus. I ride. I do not believe bike hemets do anything either, you hit a car head on, you'll break your neck. if you face plant, the helmet won't do much either. I have heard about a number of neck snaps caused by helmets.

Mind you, not to be on anyones side here.. Some cyclists ride like morons. They don't always take precautions. Now to be on the other side of the fence. I often see motorists not paying squat attention, they're too busy on their cell phones. Also it would help if cars used their signals once in a while. I find that often in this city. But I have drawn a line between celphones being held to ears and people not signalling.

I have been hit by a car too. Its not particularily fun. Actually, it was in december, rather a dull day, I must admit.

I will ride on the side walk if:

The traffic is such that I feel threatened by being on the road. (particularily really slushy winter riding, and I am not comfortable I won't wipe out. Even riding snails pace I've ended up on my aft, or bruised my leg so bad it had a bruise for a year. 
The bike path is being occupied.

I occasionally do the stop light stop sign thing. But only one cirumstance with the stop light. There is a bugger of one by the mall which does not recognise my presence. It won't turn unless a car is wanting to go through. At 5am I am not about to wait for someone to go. I look then proceed with caution. OR if the traffic is seriously bad, I head to the sidewalk, push the button and hope it works.

Even when I had the green to go, I paused and checked. Just as well, some driver blew the red. I did not hear them decelerate.

Another thing. I don't have a huge metal cage around me, so I tend to be very aware of what is around me at all times. I use my sences, sight and hearing to warn me of risk. I look ahead of me to ensure I can react in ample time....damn those road kills I run over.. ick.

So don't give me any bs that bikes shouldn't be out at this time of year. I find that very offensive.


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## t2lieu (Feb 26, 2008)

*thumbs up* I ride during winter as well, I take as much small streets as I can. Although there are tons of bad riders out there that give us a bad image. Although in CAD its not as bad as US they seem to have a war between the two. lol


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

My moms not so happy about them but i love these new bike lanes... I would never ride on the road with my bike. Just never felt safe. Now that we have these lanes I'd feel a hell of a lot better about it


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## XbrandonX (Nov 22, 2007)

I was a bike courier downtown for a while and I've seen my share of insanity down there.. I was hit by a cab who took off right after. I was relatively ok but my bike was creamed.. like 3 or 4 people wrote down the cabs license and car number for me.. I always tried to obey as many traffic laws as possible as it's very obvious that those who don't, don't last very long...

I hope that guys okay but I also hope he learned not to drive or ride drunk. I hate that sh!t. It's always the innocent ones that get hurt in accidents involving alcohol it seems. (well not this time, but still)

(I got $$ and a new bike, he was fired & lost his license I think)

Cid it must have sucked to witness that.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Another story to add, the wife and I were coming home from Mtl this evening ~5:15pm and just a block from home. A van that was in front of me made a left turn and as I was driving through the intersection, I noticed a pair of legs going under it's wheels and the front end pushing "stuff" to curb like a bowling ball. I stopped to find out that it was a mother and her two young boys. 

What a way to come home!


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Ugh thats just horrible....

So.. if you are driving behind a white dodge spirit going super slow.. Now you know why! LOL

With this weather its so hard to see... Do you know if the mum and her kids had been okay??


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

I'm pretty sure that the boys will be fine. If any bones were broken, they would have been screaming bloody murder after the endorphines wear off.

The mom was rather in another world and not responding to the calls and reaching out of her sons.

Come to think of it, with the weather conditions in the dark and how it may interfere w/a drivers' field of view, the dark coats and hats they wore didn't help as I didn't even notice them when I was stopped at the lights before the incident occurred.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

Thats something I need to do on this bike of mine. My last bike, which was stolen...I had reflective tapes stuck to it everywhere or lights everywhere....I need to get more tape.


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

In the summer on a not windy day I can sit on my balcony and literally watch as cyclists get hit by cars. When the traffic is barely moving on bloor street westbound the cars on eastbound bloor wanting to turn to go onto the ramp to northbound mount pleasant can actually turn during a regular green light (ie once the advanced green is over). However, not once have I ever seen a bike stop even though the turning cars cannot see them and they are required to obey the rules of the road. 

I was on the phone with a friend who was on his way over and I went out to the balcony to see the awful traffic he said he was stuck in and I see a woman on a bike hit a car. The car she plowed into was making a nice slow left turn, just like it was supposed to. No helmet on the cyclist, and of course no sympathy for the poor bastard who was just making a slow turn trying to get home when a person nearly kills herself against his car. 

It will be met with plenty of resistance I am sure but cyclists should be fined and ticketed just as relentlessly, if not more so, than drivers. That accident I just described was all the fault of the cyclist but because of the laws in Canada the driver could be charged or at least face a lawsuit. Clearly the fault in all cyclist related accidents must rest in the hands of the evil automobile drivers.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I agree cyclists should be fined. But there are times when automobile drivers are not paying attention. Everyone should be paying attention to everything at all times. If you're on the road, don't be doing something stupid to get distracted, ergo cell phones. 

I also feel car drivers are not ticketed enough. I know someone who has had red or speeding tickets and he challenges them. I have no idea how that is even permitted. Car drivers are evil. ;D


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

JamesG said:


> It will be met with plenty of resistance I am sure but cyclists should be fined and ticketed just as relentlessly, if not more so, than drivers. <SNIP>


No resistance from me. I get angry at drivers I see blow red lights and stop signs when I am driving - same with cyclists. When I am standing on my bike waiting at a red light when I see a cyclist come flying past me _on the sidewalk _running the red light (ignoring the fact that while sitting on their bike they are a vehicle subject to the HTA) it really gets my BP up.

Cyclists who want to be a pedestrian (in terms of rights) at intersections while still riding their bikes full speed, or trying to apply some best of both worlds logic to when they are a bike and when a pedestrian make cyclists look bad. I can understand bikes on the sidewalk in heavy downtown traffic as long as they behave like pedestrians at the corners.

There is no real rider education required to own and ride a bike, I'd bet that most people are not even aware of the laws of the road and how they apply to bikes but as the adage goes, ignorance is no excuse. Maybe it's harsh, but adults should know better, should educate their kids when they buy them bikes and the police should enforce the laws that already exists.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

we used to have a bike safety course in elementry school when I lived in tavistock. It involved a small obstacle course, road safty knowlege, hand singals and all that stuff. So, that could easily be it. People are not educated in bike safety and handling. 

speaking of educating kids. I have seen mothers with young children walking agaist the light. I realise then that these kids will grow up to think its perfectly fine. 

Also, cyclists on sidewalks should not be going at top speed and be aware of things like cars behind bushes...looking at you, caspar (husband) and doors if they happen to be near shops. 

When I ride, I do not have that cage around me that is the car, so I realise it is up to me and not some cheap metal to keep me safe.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Yea... I am often honked at when i am trying to make a right hand turn at a light. Its still a red for the people on the corner and green for me.. But I am just too damn afraid they are gunna go. lol

I am sure i get a lot of peoples BP up.. Once I almost took out an old lady who was about to cross the street (not at a light) and was only looking at the traffice on the other side of the street.. Not at what was comming right at her. She just stepped out and sent me into the other lane. I would have killed her.

I am super parinoid about people and bikes now because of it.

I do think people should take a course for bikes for sure. I dont know all the rules myself so when i do ride my bike I usually stick to the cement blvds. I'd never go on the road D: too afraid lol


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

Sunstar said:


> speaking of educating kids. I have seen mothers with young children walking agaist the light. I realise then that these kids will grow up to think its perfectly fine.


I've seen parents out for a family ride going against red lights on bikes with kids riding on bikes between them. They almost get hit or have a close call, the driver is blasted as if they've done something wrong.

I'd like to think if I happened to almost get me and my kid hit, I'd make the best of it and try use it as an opportunity to tell their kid about the importance of road safety instead of passing on the false message that bikes can go anywhere anytime and a car will have to stop.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

That is true. I think basically, there are bad apples in every basket. Which is unfortunate. I've listened to my niece when she was 5, although she was perhaps being funny, but it does reflect on her parents. "Green means go, red means go faster."

Her father scares me when I am in a car with them. He drives too aggressively and they're always on the lookout for law enforcement. I hope one day they get caught and smacked with a huge fine.

But all in all everyone should be aware of what is around them.

Cid: _I am sure i get a lot of peoples BP up.. Once I almost took out an old lady who was about to cross the street (not at a light) and was only looking at the traffic on the other side of the street.. Not at what was coming right at her. She just stepped out and sent me into the other lane. I would have killed her._

I See this a lot at one corner near where I live with cars. They are coming off the QEW toward Toronto and are watching always the left side when they're making the right turn. They are not, however looking at all to the right to make sure there are no people. They're moving forward as well. I usually end up having to go behind them which makes me feel rather insecure.

Kinda funny. my mums old cat knew how to cross a street. She died at 17 and my parents had a house that had three roads bordering it (odd shaped house) I saw the cat stop and look both ways before making her cross. I always found that neat.

I often wonder if kids are being babied too much when it comes to crossing roads. When I was in high school, kids would run across the road in front of the bus without making sure all traffic is stopped. One little girl was within a foot of getting hit.

The driver, who did not notice a huge yellow bus, with flashing lights and a sign, looked extremely flustered and continued on.

The driver was probably distracted somehow. The child was not taught to understand that because the bus said stop, not every one will and safety is up to them. I do not feel people are being taught how to keep themselves safe anymore. Everything has to be made safe for the stupid individuals who manage to hurt themselves in stupid ways. I have managed to stab my self with a chisel in high school. I knew what I was doing was dumb and I kept doing it. Regardless of the situation, I held myself responsible for my own stupidity.

In short. People need to be made accountable for their actions, regardless if they are in a car, on foot or riding a bike. But some will say cops need to be after the big fish and not petty issues.

I think my biggest grievance is that everyone wishes to put the blame on anything but themselves. Also, Bike helmets are not the end all of safety on a bike. I do not believe they do anything but give people a false sense of security. When I was hit by a car, I was thrown into oncoming traffic. I curled and rolled across the ground. I believe a bike helmet would have injured or broken my neck in that situation because I tuck into ball. Trick I learned in martial arts. Also, it is not mandatory for people over what; 16? It is optional. I won't say my curl into a ball trick will work every time.

Now if you wish to get on the topic of bike helmets and people, then perhaps go after the children who's parents permit their kids to ride without them. I gave my niece her first bike and I gave it to her with a helmet. It was cool; had lizards on it.

Mr. fishies:
You have a very good idea there. People should stop and discuss their errors with their kids to make them understand.

Oh bike bells.... I have one. I keep mine on the right handle bar, so it is actually hanging upside down and not as noticeable. I do this for two reasons. I prefer to operate it with my right hand and...if i have it up and noticeable, some kid plays with it until it breaks, take the bell off and any which way makes it null and void. I have had people scream at me "GET A BELL" so I ring it at them; then think to myself "get a life". Now I have scared the piss out of people ringing that bell or they don't hear me at all because they have those ipods jammed in their ears. Heck I see cyclists with them in their ears. I don't know how they can ride like that. With bells too often people have jumped into my way rather than stay where they are. I can go around them, I'm just warning them I am not far behind. I might consider getting a boat horn for cars, bells are not that attention grabbing.

That winter remark earlier still burns me like a torch... funny that.

I tell you one thing though, with my knee, riding is much easier in winter than walking. I spend SO much time on my backside when I walk to the mall, that it's simply easier to ride. Funny that riding is easier on my knee, but I don't slide and turn it wrong.

Oh one thing, somewhat off topic of bikes but still on personal responsibility and safety.

Our building has a sign on a slope they paved saying "use at own risk" in winter it is treacherous, I mean, adding salt to it might make it worse because it becomes slippery from grit.(At least they do try to salt it at the earliest opportunity) Try to tell the supers that more is not always better. So you use your best judgement, or I would think. If it looks unsalted, then walk to the front of the building. The walk won't kill you. Someone wiped out and they tried to get after the building. Use at own risk! Perhaps I am old fashioned in my thinking.

I have no sympathy for people who get hurt by stupid mistakes. I have sympathy only for those who are innocent and are hurt as a result of one's stupidity.

WOW long post... I am sort of passionate about this subject. I had watched a video of a rider in new Orleans who's riding I would consider tremendously reckless. And he feels justified by this.

I think that's all I have to say on this subject.


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