By Myrriah Gossett
Getting struck by a car is every cyclists’ worst nightmare when riding in a city. When it actually happens to either your or a friend, it can be one of the most frightening moments in your life.
Last Thursday night I was struck by a car. The only thought that ran through my mind at the time was “I’m getting hit by this car, and nothing can stop this from happening.” Panic sets in, every bad scenario goes through your mind, shouting, screaming, cursing and then pavement.
The driver who hit me did not have her turn signal on, and when I started pedaling straight, she turned right, into my bike. Thoughts rushing, I pushed my hand onto her car while reaching for my brake, this is when the inevitable started to happen.
I started banging on the side of her car and she continued to turn. Yelling, my brakes and handlebars scratched the side of her car as my balance shifted off of my bike and followed the movement of her car. I slid my bike under myself toward the curb, trying to avoid being pushed under her tires.
Once I get up all common sense goes out of my head. This is where, hopefully, people can learn from my mistakes. I should have called the cops, even though physically I was fine, it was still a grave traffic mistake on the part of the driver.
“I didn’t see you!” said the female driver getting out of the car.
“You’re wearing all black and riding at night without a light,” she yelled as she walked my way.
“Ma’am, I have lights on my bike,” I replied as she crossed her arms.
“Well, not on the back,” she tried to argue.
I quickly corrected her as I picked my bike up off the ground. Pulling the bike around both front and back showing her the flashing lights I ride with and the reflective bag I wear as well.
After she saw my well-lit apparel, she went back to her “I didn’t see” you story. I explained to her that I pulled up next to her passenger window, looked both ways on the street and starting going straight, as she did not have on her blinker.
After my friend who was riding with me agreed stating she did not see a blinker on the car either, the women quickly changed tones. She asked me if I was OK, and I picked up my bike first.
The bike looked OK, with only a few scratches and brake levers pushed to the side from impact to the car; I fixed a few things, and then inspected myself.
That was my next mistake. While I love my bike more then a number of things in my life, checking for bodily injuries should have been priority number one.
I realized I’ve probably done worse to myself just being dumb on my bike. I told her I would be fine.
I didn’t take her information. This was also a bad move. While I felt fine that night, the next morning my ankle, which I hadn’t even noticed was hurt, was extremely black and blue. If I had felt more pain, and needed to go to the doctor, I would be paying for all of that myself.
My recommendations to cyclists after this experience would be to keep a card in your back with a checklist of things to do if, knock on wood, you are ever hit by a car.
While being a safe cyclist in the city is great, sometimes unsafe drivers can’t be avoided.
Things to remember:
Call the police. More drivers’ call about accidents when it’s the cyclists’ fault but hardly any cyclists call when it’s a drivers fault.
Check yourself over first, and have a friend as well. Shock can set in and cause you not to realize what injuries you may have incurred.
Always get the driver’s information. Even if you think you don’t need it at the time, the next day you may see something on your bike that need to be fixed or a new injury that went unnoticed the night before.
Keep an emergency number on you as well, a number of cyclists do get knocked unconscious and keeping important contact information helps emergency responders. Either keep in your cell phone a contact marked as Emergency Contact or on a card inside your wallet the easier for police or EMS to find it the better.
While I came out without major injuries, I still should have called the police. Learn from my mistakes, and try and keep safe out on the roads.
