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I got hit by a car today. What now?
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 2008-08-31 8:17 PM |
Champion  7821     Brooklyn, NY |  Subject: I got hit by a car today. What now?Long story short, I was crossing an intersection, and a car that was either running the red or trying to beat the yellow hit me from the right side. I rolled up onto the hood and down onto the pavement. My bike took nearly the entire impact, and it's trashed. As for me, a patch of road rash and a bruised shoulder. Didn't hit my head or break my glasses or even shred my clothes. Hard to imagine being much luckier than that. I'm not really sure what happens next or what to do. The guy who hit me said that he thought he had the light. He was really upset, and obviously very concerned about me. He waited until the ambulance left (they told me I was fine and I could go home if I want.) He's got a dent in his hood where I landed on it. My bike isn't worth thay much and I was planning to get a new one anyway and donate the old one or maybe sell it, but I doubt it would have been worth more than $500 or so. I'm not really inclined to make the guy's life hell over it, since I'm pretty grateful to be alive and ok. He's a young guy with a cheap beater of a car with a wife and a new baby inside, and I'm pretty sure he's learned his lesson--I doubt he'll ever cross an intersection again without looking for cyclists. Do I have some kind of obligation to make the guy's insurance company get me a new bike? I'd just as soon avoid the hassle of lawyers and insurance companies and accident reports and whatnot and be grateful I'm alive and let him be grateful he didn't kill me and forget the whole thing. Edited by jmk-brooklyn 2008-08-31 8:45 PM |
| 2008-08-31 8:25 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Pro 6838  Tejas | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? Glad you appear to be OK. Keep in mind if he feels he had the light, he might be inclined to make you pay for the nice dent in his hood. Probably won't but, stranger things have happened. Dude, what are you going looking to buy? Got something in mind yet? |
| 2008-08-31 8:29 PM in reply to: #1640866 |
Champion 7821 Brooklyn, NY | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? mdg2003 - 2008-08-31 8:25 PM Glad you appear to be OK. Keep in mind if he feels he had the light, he might be inclined to make you pay for the nice dent in his hood. Probably won't but, stranger things have happened. Dude, what are you going looking to buy? Got something in mind yet? I'm leaning towards the QR Kilo if I can swing the extra $800 or so, or the Motobecane Nemesis if I can't. |
| 2008-08-31 8:56 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Expert 770 Long Island, NY | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? Glad to hear you're OK. I cringed when I saw the thread title. |
| 2008-08-31 9:03 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
New user 31 Greensboro | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? So glad to hear you are okay!! Any witnesses? Did he get a ticket? I work for a personal injury law firm so I see stuff like this all the time. It's nice to see someone not want to "take somebody for all they can". That being said, I think asking for your medical bills to be paid and for the value of your bike is well within reason. After all, he did hit you and that's what insurance is for! Best of luck and again, glad to hear you are ok! Take care. jessica |
| 2008-08-31 9:04 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Champion 5575 Butler | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? If it was an accident I wouldn't make his life hell but his insurance should cover the bike but if it is cheap they might value it to $0 so you might talk to him about a new bike. The question was did he run an light or not? Did you have a green or were light changing? Somebody obviously ran a light. |
| 2008-08-31 9:06 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Pro 4216 Sous Mon Diadème | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? Aye yie yie, Jonah! Sorry to hear but very thankful you're OK. Bet you'll be plenty sore tomorrow, though. Take care of you. |
| 2008-08-31 9:06 PM in reply to: #1640920 |
| Veteran 381 | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? Just a fyi, the Nemesis I bought on bikesdirect arrived I assembled it and its been great. Ive had it 2 months now and it rides fast and is quiet. |
| 2008-08-31 9:53 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Extreme Veteran 477 | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? Glad you are okay! I think you would want to get his insurance to pay for your doctor bill/ambulance bill and at least something for the bike. I have the Nemisis (for 2 years) and would recommend it with no hesitation. You can't beat the component package for the price. Good luck! |
| 2008-08-31 10:59 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Champion 6046 New York, NY | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? So glad you are ok! since you were going to donate your bike anyway, just get a new bike and move on..... |
| 2008-09-01 10:16 AM in reply to: #1640854 |
Pro 4608 Brooklyn, NY | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? I'm so glad you are ok. I haven't been on the forums or anyone's logs for the past few days so I'm just now catching up. This sounds almost identical to my car incident a couple years ago, only the driver that hit me wasn't concerned (never got out of the car even though it took the ambulance 40 minutes to arrive) and she ran a stop sign. Even though she was at fault, I didn't take any legal action. Like you, I just wanted it to be over and move on. I'm relieved to hear your injuries were minor and I'm so glad this didn't happen after getting the new bike. I hope you are feeling better already! |
| 2008-09-01 10:28 AM in reply to: #1640854 |
Elite 2443 Athens, Georgia | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? If you are not sure about who is at fault which is what it sounds like from you OP. I would not feel comfortable taking it to the insurance company. Couple that with no major injuries an older bike and a concerned driver and I would just start bike shopping. And send him a card every Christmas thanking him for not killing you. Glad to hear you are ok and good luck with the new ride. |
| 2008-09-01 11:33 AM in reply to: #1640936 |
| Master 1277 | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? princessbee - 2008-08-31 9:03 PM So glad to hear you are okay!! Any witnesses? Did he get a ticket? I work for a personal injury law firm so I see stuff like this all the time. It's nice to see someone not want to "take somebody for all they can". That being said, I think asking for your medical bills to be paid and for the value of your bike is well within reason. After all, he did hit you and that's what insurance is for! Best of luck and again, glad to hear you are ok! Take care. jessica +1. Your mileage may vary, but I attempted to get the last gentleman that hit me to take care of things without getting insurance and lawyers involved, but to no avail. 2 years later we settled. I got the cost of the bike, the bills, and lawyers fees covered, but at that point it was the only way to go. |
| 2008-09-01 11:41 AM in reply to: #1640854 |
| Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? I am glad you are OK. Young guy with a wife and kid, beater of a car. In today's world he is probabaly struggling to feed the kid and make a rent payment. I think if it was me, I would move on. Joe |
| 2008-09-01 11:55 AM in reply to: #1640854 |
Veteran 230 Leesburg, VA | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? I will chime in and agree with what seems to be the consensus. It seems to me by the facts that you presented,the value of you bike and potential plans for it prior to the accident, that you already had a plan in mind but just needed reassurance that you were doing the right thing. I am fairly certain that none of us wants to get hit by a car, but many of us would love the opportunity to upgrade our bikes. So my advice is to get a new bike and ride the wheels off of it. Also consider the bike donated to making that driver and his wife a better bike friendly driver. |
| 2008-09-01 12:50 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Master 2073 The Redlands, FL | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? Glad to hear you are Ok... |
| 2008-09-01 5:41 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
| Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? Glad you are okay! I am confused though - if he was trying to beat the yellow light, it means you would have been the one running a red light to get through the intersection. Does this put you at fault? Maybe I read it wrong. But it might be best to not follow-up, considering the facts aren't clear on who had the light. I think you should get the Kilo, btw. |
| 2008-09-01 6:02 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Extreme Veteran 909 Westchester, NY | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? First off let me say I am very happy to hear that you were not seriously injured immediately .. pain may arise in different places over the next few days.. Usually I advocate a breathalyzer for the "hitter" immeditely when the police arrive.. then, if its negative, insurance numbers, tell the person to relax.. if its positive ? well.. lawyers ensue .. the "hitters" insurance should cover a new bike.. btw didja see the new P3C ? |
| 2008-09-01 6:17 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Champion 7704 Williamston, Michigan | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? Glad you are OK and that is awfully generous of you. follow your conscience. |
| 2008-09-01 6:56 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Champion 26509 Sydney | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? Wow - glad you are ok... amazing you are physically in such a relatively good state.
Edited by kaqphin 2008-09-01 6:57 PM |
| 2008-09-01 8:34 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Member 42 Medford, NJ | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? I agree with not trying to go after him for the cost of the bike. However, find out how much your medical bills are (the ambulance company will most likely charge even though you didn't go to the hospital.) Also, if you don't pursue it, you leave the door open for him to come back later and say you are at fault, which would mean you may be liable for B.S. like whiplash. I'd get him to agree to some sort of settlement document in exchange for not paying for the bike. |
| 2008-09-01 9:37 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Elite 3067 Cheesehead, WI | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? Whew! Glad you are ok dude! Jonah - you have come so far from our first mentor group..remember? Sounds a bit murky about who did what...what did the police say about it? If its a matter of record that the guy was at fault, perhaps you can at least get the value of your current bike reimbursed...then go ahead and upgrade as planned. |
| 2008-09-01 9:42 PM in reply to: #1641158 |
Champion 6627 Rochester Hills, Michigan Gold member | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? TriToy - 2008-08-31 11:59 PM So glad you are ok! since you were going to donate your bike anyway, just get a new bike and move on..... x2. |
| 2008-09-01 9:57 PM in reply to: #1640854 |
Master 1249 Lexington, Kentucky | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? First - I'm so glad to hear that you are uninjured. Secondly - speaking from experience - dealing with insurance company is an extreme pain in the @$$ even when there is no question about fault. On top of that, they are in the business of figuring out the value of cars and probably wouldn't even be able to produce a reasonable estimate on a bike. |
| 2008-09-02 6:40 AM in reply to: #1640854 |
Master 1790 | Subject: RE: I got hit by a car today. What now? I got hit by a car several years ago. Guy pulled out right in front of me from a stop sign, and I ran into the driver's door. I got replacement value of my bike, plus my medical bills (I had a broken big toe and a badly bruised knee). I also got replacement value for my helmet. Even if your bike is deemed worth less than $500, that's still your property that was destroyed. I probably would file a claim with his insurance company if he was at fault. That's what insurance is for, after all. |
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