I Got Hit by a Car Last Night
I got hit by a car last night! It was a rather cold night and unfortunately I was not prepared for it. I mashed my way up North Avenue trying to warm my body with some sprints. The streets in Chicago are so straight, flat, and deserted at night that it’s hard to keep from sprinting. I ride a blue Nishiki fixed conversion I built it out of my mom’s old road bike. It’s very pretty and I am in love with it.
I was eagerly chasing down the horizon of eventual warmth when a car making a left turn hit me. I flew onto the hood and tumbled to the ground. I got up to a crowd of panicking witnesses. The crash had snapped off my left pedal, crank arm, and a toenail. The front wheel of my bike was nearly folded in half. All sorts of important uniformed people started asking me simple questions, which helped to calm me. They wanted me to take an ambulance and they took my bike to a fire station where I can pick it up at my convenience. I went to a hospital and was discharged at three in the morning. The taxi driver on the way home shared her strategies about how to extort money out of the driver who hit me. It was his fault completely.
So what happens now? I suppose I will build a new bike. Until then I will borrow some bikes and try to get back to work as soon as possible. I do messenger work downtown, so not having a bike or working legs is going to make coming up with rent quite hard. People from the bike culture here are already helping me get back on my feet. I will probably be able to build a bike for very little money at west town bikes. West town is an awesome community bike center run by volunteers and supported by donations. I am a responsible biker, I like to go fast but I am always aware of my surroundings. This crash reminded me that no matter how safe you are biking there is always the possibility of an accident.
June 3rd, 2009 at 7:47 am
And I like to ride a bicycle. But forced to travel by car
June 4th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
[...] Fixed Bicycle Gear: “I got hit by a car last night.” [...]
June 27th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Thank you stars i’ve never been hit by the car. I’ve just hit the car myself once
July 13th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I know the feeling!! I got hit by a car 5 days ago!! The driver was a 75-80 year old woman!! She had a stop sign but she never stoped.. at first she said that there was no stop sing, then that she didn’t have to stop since I was on a bike and not on a car and finally she claimed that I didn’t have a light on my road bike and the road was all dark and she couldn’t see me!!!!!!! (it was 8pm). “Luckilly” all that happened in front of the police station with cops as witnesses! I got up with some scratches.. and now I’m searching for a new bike.
July 13th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Happy hour in Athens, Greece.. I know the feeling!! I got hit by a car 5 days ago!! The driver was a 75-80 year old woman!! She had a stop sign but she never stoped.. at first she said that there was no stop sing, then that she didn’t have to stop since I was on a bike and not on a car and finally she claimed that I didn’t have a light on my road bike and the road was all dark and she couldn’t see me!!!!!!! (it was 8pm). “Luckilly” all that happened in front of the police station with cops as witnesses! I got up with some scratches.. and now I’m searching for a new bike.
August 16th, 2009 at 12:56 am
BOY, I BEEN THRU THIS, WHAT REALLY HURTS AFTER THE HIT, IS NOT UR BODY… ITS THE COST OF UR BICYCLE DAMAGES… IM STILL WAITING FOR THE INSURANCE TO PAY FOR MY NEW BRIDGESTONE BIKE… A REAL BIKER IS ALWAYS STRONGER THAN HIS BICYCLE… NOTHING STOP US, NOT EVEN CARS… BE SAFE GUYS OUT THERE….LU
September 3rd, 2009 at 10:45 pm
dude i totally got hit in chicago like two years ago to the weekend crazy. i was crossing lower waker and a cabby ran a red, i feel ya man. chicago is a tuff city on a bike but its so worth it.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:07 am
my closest friend was hit by a car about a month ago and was nearly killed it was probably the most scariest moment of my life almost losing a friend. It really made me realize how fast and easy it is to get into an accident, when you are least expecting it.
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:41 am
http://www.bicyclemessenger.org/help/
Get in contact with the bicycle messenger emergency fund. They might be able to help you out. I know the feeling.
Cheers