I hit a car today.

Everyone should read this and learn from my mistake. I have been riding
my 26er to work for the past month. I had my first real accident this
morning. I was not paying enough attention to a blind intersection and
at the last second a car pulled out. I copuldn't grab the brake in
time and hit the ground. My uni hit the ground, bounced and hit some
poor man's plymouth. My uni cracked his hubcap.

He looked at me shocked, he thought he had hit me. Sore from the fall
I slowly got up and I explained to him what happened. I apologised and
told him I wanted to pay for a new hubcap. He refused, he was very
cool about it and just seemed happy that no one was hurt.

I feel like a total @sshole right now. I'm not that unstable on this
particular uni, I can ride fairly well. I'm not Kris Holm, but I can
get around town no problem. I wasn't paying attention and I scared the
hell out of some poor old guy.

Please everyone here like I said earlier, learn from my mistake. Pay
attention, ride safe, let this be a reminder to us all.

... and no I wasn't drinking.


-Joe


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stuff happens. i have "hit" a car (not uniing) and the person flipped
out and threw the door open just missing my friend who was flying past
on the other side. nothing was damaged so when he turned around to get
a peice of papaer i left.


--
torkerdx

gordito8me wrote:
it's like running across the highway at rush hour. Dangerous, stupid,
but not really that fun.


skianduniaddict wrote:
never give 4 teenagers a camera... they go crazy


johnfoss wrote:
Yes, being old makes you stupid.
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I don't think I would feel the same way if I was riding and a car pulled
out in front of me at a blind intersection. Were you riding on the
road, or a path to the side? If you were on a path, was there a
crosswalk? I think I would be a little angry at the driver.


--
siafirede

James = my name
'This' (http://www.myspace.com/clawsout) = my myspace

Pump Air Not Gas
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I see your point and you are right. He was moving and stopped very
abruptly, but if I was paying better attention I KNOW I could have
stopped in time. I know what my limits are riding uni. I know how
fast I can go and still safely stop and how much distance it takes me
to stop.

So yes, I probably should be angry (somewhat) at the driver. My point
was I am disappointed with myself for not paying better attention.

-Joe


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It's a tough situation we have most of the time with drivers.
Unicyclists should, of course, always be extra careful, particularly
because drivers are NOT careful most of the time (not sure if this is
the case this time).

Sometimes I get so mad at them that I almost want them to hit me so I
can play the role of the pedestrian and get my own revenge just for
spite; but that wouldn't really accomplish anything in the end.

But hey, compliments on your handling of the situation. Could have
been easy for both parties to fly off the handle, but it sounds like
everyone went home happy.


--
Joseppi

'Team Freestyle' (http://silentaftermath.com/)

'Team Roadshow' (http://teamroadshow.com/)
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Well thank you for the compliment. I try to keep my cool and put myself
in the other guy's shoes for a second before I react or open my mouth.
I don't want to be a total jerkoff.

In this case I'd say we were both at fault and since there was indeed
some damage to his wheel, I had better offer to make things right.
That's why I offered to pay for it.

You're right it is a common problem. Motorcycles, bicycles and
unicycles are totally ignored by most drivers. I have had close calls
in the past, but nothing before that was my fault.


-Joe


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Regardless to who is at fault...

You got up and where ok.

Thats the only important thing to think about.

Ride safely and enjoy your uni.

Best regards


--
legtod2
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You survived unhurt, which is great.

You can see the other guy's point of view, which is unusual.

You accept responsibility for your own actions, which these days puts
you in a tiny minority.

You learn from your mistakes, which is almost unique.

Were you unhurt because you are in fact a saint?


--
Mikefule

Everyone seeks the illusion of purpose.
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I'm an extremely competant rider when is comes to biking. I've ridden on
roads every day from the age of 7, although drivers complain a lot
about riders for the most part it's the driver who's in the wrong.

I've been hit by cars far to many times when riding, I think I'm nearly
at 10. *All* of the accidents were the drivers' fault and *always* at
junctions.

I've has the experience of slamming into the side of a car because the
driver didn't check properly quite a few times and it's hard to avoid
even when using brakes. Luckily for me, in all the drivers were quite
sound with it and realised that it was their fault.

The one occasion that -really- ****ed me off was riding around a
roundabout. Naturally I have right of way going around, as I was riding
round I kept in line with a car also going the same way as me just so
that drivers could see me better because they'd see the car.
Unfortunately, this driver was going too fast for me to keep up and he
pulled away a bit. Going past the 2nd exit some to**er came flying out,
luckily I spotted him and realised that I needed to speed up or I'd go
through his windshield. He did however hit my rear wheel..hard...I went
skidding across the floor...into the road and that fu**wit drove off!
I'm just glad I didn't suffer anything worse than bad grazes and
bruises.

We can't always avoid these things, we've just got to keep alert and
try to read what drivers could do.


--
yatsey

where the speechless unite in a silent in a silent accord
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Oh dear, least it turned out okay,

Some willy once pulled up so close to me so that his kid could have a
close-up view that my rotating pedals scrached his car He
gave me a mean stare (I returned one) and drove off.


--
thejdw

I didn't spell it wrong, you just read it wrong!
kington99 wrote:
A hobnob is an oaty biscuit, the fact that they don't exist in america
just goes to show that you have no culinary heritage


don't follow Jesus, follow me!
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