Hit by a car on a run this morning! WTF?

**thefortrees** · 07-03-2018, 06:13 AM

This place slows down in the summer, and I need to rant. So... I went on a pre-sunrise run this morning with my wife. I started to run across a cross walk with the pedestrian walk sign flashing green. A guy in a pickup truck rolls through his red light to make a right turn and hits me. Common courtesy would be to get out of the car and ask if the person is OK. He rolls down his window and says “I didn’t mean to do that!” WTF dude?!

Fortunately he was only going a few MPH and not accelerating quickly. I’m not seriously injured - just some bruising on my left forearm from the impact, and the left side of my body is sore as hell. Sure, it was dark out but I was lit up like a Christmas tree with all the nerdy runner tech gear - clip on flashing lights, reflective clothing, etc.

Honest mistake I guess? I’m sure somebody out there has a more interesting story of a similar experience. Anybody want to share? Fastfred?

**Viva** · 07-03-2018, 06:26 AM

Pics of your wife, please.

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**old goat** · 07-03-2018, 06:54 AM

Shit--if he drove away without giving you his info, that's hit and run and he goes to jail. I don't suppose you got his plates.

**nutmegchoi** · 07-03-2018, 07:43 AM

Running is bad for ya.

**Elkhound Odin** · 07-03-2018, 07:44 AM

Consider this lesson learned. Always, always, assume the vehicle at an intersection is going to hit you. Don't cross unless you make eye contact with the driver and they acknowledge you.

Fortunately, I was taught this in high school by one of my cross country teammates. He pulled me back from getting run over in the exact situation as the OP. Those cross walk signs are pretty useless when it comes to right hand turning vehicles. Pedestrian beware.

**CascadeLuke** · 07-03-2018, 07:56 AM

Hope you gave his hood an elbow drop n dent

**AdironRider** · 07-03-2018, 08:01 AM

I've been in this situation before, twice actually. Once just a couple bruises like you, another full on blacked out concussed, ambulance ride, the works, but other than the knock on the head, just some road rash. It took a few tries to learn the lesson.

It's tough because technically you are in the right. But, you weren't paying attention either, otherwise you would have seen the business end of this guy's truck coming.

Being right doesn't matter when you are dead or hurt. Dark, early morning, neither party really paying attention. Bad things happen. Like you were on a motorcycle, head on a swivel.

**old goat** · 07-03-2018, 08:09 AM

I'm always shocked by people who walk or run in the road with their backs to oncoming traffic. If a driver texting on his cellphone hits a pedestrian texting on their cell phone, who's at fault? And who's dead?

**Jong Lafitte** · 07-03-2018, 08:12 AM

"I didn't mean to do that" -- WTF? yes he did. He meant to do it at the point that he rolled the red. Oh, one of those things that can happen when you don't fucking stop at a red light happens and you didn't mean to do it?

All that said, I didn't see this guy once. I stopped where I was supposed to, looked left, then looked back to where I was turning but I hit the gas at the same time. A guy I didn't see (I think he was behind the windshield pillar) had walked in front of my truck and was in the crosswalk when I took off. I made contact but he didn't go down, he kinda jumped on the hood and held himself up with his arms. He was pissed. Scared teh living shit out of me, I was shaking for a while. I always re-check now as if someone could pop out of nowhere.

So yeah, accidents happen, I'll bet the dude in the OP was pretty fucking shaken up about it too, regardless of the words coming out of his mouth and his failure to render aid making him sound and look like an asshole so maybe he leaned a lesson.

Get well soon from this!

**ex-powderbroker** · 07-03-2018, 08:18 AM

hope you’re ok and got his info. if you have to go to the hospital later it will be useful

**AK47bp** · 07-03-2018, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by nutmegchoi

Running is bad for ya.

Jogging (yogging?), apparently you just run.

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**ACH** · 07-03-2018, 08:30 AM

Back before bike helmets were common, I was riding my road bike down a street, down a hill, that was a main artery, traveling about the speed limit (30 mph). It was mid afternoon, sunny and clear.

A truck pulled up to the stop sign on a cross street and did what I would describe as a rolling stop (didn't come to a complete stop) and punched it, thinking that he would get through the intersection ahead of me.

He miss judged my speed, and by the time he figured it out was half way through the intersection, at which point he locked up his brakes. I was on a road bike and all I had time to do in that moment was lock up my brakes (which did little to slow my speed) and brace myself for the impending collision. I impacted his Ford F-150 right behind the front wheel, because I was wearing clips and cleats (this was also before clipless pedals were common) the bike and my face took the brunt of the impact, before rebounding to the pavement.

I imagine that, had I been in clipless pedals, or not cleated in, the impact would have sent me over the hood to the pavement other side of the truck.

He didn't leave the scene and there were several witnesses that provided statements indicating that he ran the stop sign.

The WTF for me was that the responding officer chose not to cite him for anything... Not surprisingly, I had to retain legal council to persuade his insurance company to do the right thing by covering medical and dental (I left teeth marks on the hood of that fucking truck) as well as property damage.

**MontuckyFried** · 07-03-2018, 08:35 AM

That's crazy! I'd be pissed. Funny timing because this just came out yesterday: https://jalopnik.com/the-suv-boom-is...-us-1827293112
and https://www.freep.com/story/money/ca...ans/646139002/
Evidently, pedestrian deaths are up by like 46% since '09. The article's blaming SUVs (definitely a factor), but I think the root of it is distracting driving...as well as distracted pedestrians, ALL of whom often have their eyeballs glued to their smartphones. Perhaps it's from my days of motorcycle commuting, but since then I've always treated other drivers like they're out to mow me over, so my head's always on a swivel, always looking for an escape route. And also just like my bike days, SUVs and trucks are the enemy more than all others. I don't know if it's the worse visibility or just plain distracted driving, but man, seems that most of my close calls were from Tahoes and such. Stay alert out there, everyone.

**Jong Lafitte** · 07-03-2018, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by ACH

I imagine that, had I been in clipless pedals, or not cleated in, the impact would have sent me over the hood to the pavement other side of the truck. .

You talk funny.

Glad you made it out of that one!!! sheesh, sounds brutal!

**mtngirl79** · 07-03-2018, 08:45 AM

A few months ago a guy in a big SUV was letting a woman out at the door to the grocery store. Vehicle was stopped, pax door was open and I started walking in front of him.

She jumped out, slammed the door and he gassed on it.

I pushed off the hood with my hand and jumped forward and stumbled but didn't fall and he realized what he had done and stopped.

I was all shook up, and said something like WTF.

The Woman he had dropped off told me I was fine and to quit being a drama queen. I was pissed and if I hadn't been in a hurry I would have called the police. It was like 9 am and overcast. Dude just wasn't paying attention.

**mtnjam** · 07-03-2018, 08:57 AM

The classic right hook, amazing how many people don't bother to look for pedestrians.

U-Locks break windows very well.

**old goat** · 07-03-2018, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by mtngirl79

The Woman he had dropped off told me I was fine and to quit being a drama queen. I was pissed and if I hadn't been in a hurry I would have called the police.

Don't you understand that's how it's done in 21st century Murica? You cut someone off in traffic, you give them the finger. You run someone down on the slopes you yell at them for getting in your way. You make a racist or sexist remark and someone complains you tell them they're too sensitive. (You've been on the receiving end of that one a few times.) Someone else stands up for the people you insulted and you call them a SJW or say they're virtue signalling. You do anything mean and nasty to someone, you tell them to get over it. Whatever bad behavior you're guilty of you blame the victim. Do it enough times you might get yourself elected president.

**smartyiak** · 07-03-2018, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by mtnjam

The classic right hook, amazing how many people don't bother to look for pedestrians.

This. I can't even count how many times I've nearly been hit (luckily never actually) by right turners. I'm so gun-shy now, I actually come to a walk and make sure they acknowledge that I'm crossing before I start running again.

**MontuckyFried** · 07-03-2018, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by old goat

Don't you understand that's how it's done in 21st century Murica? You cut someone off in traffic, you give them the finger. You run someone down on the slopes you yell at them for getting in your way.

That always did boggle my mind in regard to drivers. At a parking lot the other day, a guy driving a big bro-dozer rolled through a stop sign. I had the right of way and was already going through the intersection when he even got there. Yet, he laid on the horn, yelling at me, shaking his fists in the air. Since he at least didn't hit me, I had to laugh at his unwarranted road rage toward me. Guess he didn't see his stop sign.

On the other hand, it's not always that way thankfully. Guy cut me off in some slow moving traffic, and I had to slam on my brakes so I didn't hit him (thankfully I was paying attention). Guy looked scared and motioned to me an apologetic looking wave. I waved back and smiled. Nobody got hurt and all was well.

I really don't get it when the perpetrators get angry at you, the victim, though. That mentality always perplexed me. Probably carries over to other aspect of those peoples' lives too. Perhaps abusive personalities.

**CascadeLuke** · 07-03-2018, 09:19 AM

I hit a pedestrian once on slow-roll right turn to freeway on ramp. Was a super foggy, dark, wet winter morning. The oncoming traffic had my attention and the pedestrian didn’t wait for the walk signal. I certainly should’ve been more aware and take blame but at same time the pedestrian wasn’t doing their part either. It wasn’t much of an impact they were still standing. I stopped apologized and it didn’t get contentious. We may have both learned a lesson that morning. Haven’t hit one since

**SkiCougar** · 07-03-2018, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by old goat

I'm always shocked by people who walk or run in the road with their backs to oncoming traffic. If a driver texting on his cellphone hits a pedestrian texting on their cell phone, who's at fault? And who's dead?

I would bet money he was checking his phone.

**Dantheman** · 07-03-2018, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by thefortrees

I’m not seriously injured - just some bruising on my left forearm from the impact, and the left side of my body is sore as hell.

Dude, you may not need to be hospitalized, but those are more than sufficiently serious injuries to CALL THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY. You need to file a report with whatever info you can recall. Any chance there are traffic cameras at that intersection? Might be able to get his plate number if so.

Originally Posted by old goat

Shit--if he drove away without giving you his info, that's hit and run and he goes to jail. I don't suppose you got his plates.

Yep, guy is felon.

Originally Posted by Elkhound Odin

Consider this lesson learned. Always, always, assume the vehicle at an intersection is going to hit you. Don't cross unless you make eye contact with the driver and they acknowledge you.

Originally Posted by AdironRider

It's tough because technically you are in the right. But, you weren't paying attention either, otherwise you would have seen the business end of this guy's truck coming.

I know you guys don't mean it this way, but this is basically, "Well, she was wearing a short skirt and low-cut top" logic.

Originally Posted by Jong Lafitte

So yeah, accidents happen, I'll bet the dude in the OP was pretty fucking shaken up about it too, regardless of the words coming out of his mouth and his failure to render aid making him sound and look like an asshole so maybe he leaned a lesson

Oh, I'm sure he was shaken up...because he was worried about what might happen to himself. He clearly did not give one tenth of a fuck about thefortrees. Anyone who leaves the scene like that, without giving contact/insurance info or even getting out of their vehicle, deserves no sympathy.

Originally Posted by ACH

The WTF for me was that the responding officer chose not to cite him for anything...

Sadly, I'm not surprised. The percentage of drivers who are prosecuted when they kill peds and cyclists is quite small.

Originally Posted by old goat

Don't you understand that's how it's done in 21st century Murica? You cut someone off in traffic, you give them the finger. You run someone down on the slopes you yell at them for getting in your way. You make a racist or sexist remark and someone complains you tell them they're too sensitive. (You've been on the receiving end of that one a few times.) Someone else stands up for the people you insulted and you call them a SJW or say they're virtue signalling. You do anything mean and nasty to someone, you tell them to get over it. Whatever bad behavior you're guilty of you blame the victim. Do it enough times you might get yourself elected president.

FTW (is it still a win if we all lose?)

The solution, start packing heat. If a car hits you unload the whole magazine into the windshield. You had legitimate reason to fear for your life and have a legal right to stand your ground.

**iceman** · 07-03-2018, 09:56 AM

Seems perhaps a bit extreme.

**AdironRider** · 07-03-2018, 09:58 AM

I'm just saying, having been there and done the time so to speak, that being right doesn't fucking matter and you gotta look out for yourself.

But you seem like you just want revenge and it is totally cool to murder someone because they bruised you and you got scared.

**Beaver** · 07-03-2018, 09:58 AM

I was riding to work & had a fucking bus pull out in front of me this morning. No time to stop so I went around him in the oncoming lane. Had there been oncoming traffic I would have had no option other than hit the bus. This is the second time in about a month and a half a bus has pulled out in front of me at that intersection.