Wrong Way A-Hole Driver, YOU SUCK!

[Naked_Duc]

Well, I thought I never had to post about stuff like this. But it did happened this past Tuesday during the evening commute home. Idiot wrong way driver took me out...

I was heading home on my NCX. Just got off the freeway and onto the local street. As I approached the first big intersection, I maneuvered over to the left turn lane. I had the green arrow (while all other direction has red) so I proceeded forward. Thought nothing about it. Just as normal of a turn as any. When I got to about 10-15 feet away from the crosswalk, I saw a car, in the opposite direction, on the opposite of the intersection, jumped into the center turn lane. He was the 2nd car from the front, stopped at the red light. he was probably in a huge hurry. He jumped into the center turn lane and gunned it thru the intersection. I guess that by running the red light, he could save himself a couple of minutes.

I saw him running thru the intersection and thought to myself "man... what a freakin' idiot!". I told myself to slow down a bit and let that idiot by first. Right after I finished that thought, he was coming into my lane.

Now at this point, you might be thinking. WTF is this guy doing! Yes, he was deliberately running the light to get thru the evening commute. He was looking side to side to make sure there is no crossing traffic that would T-bone him. But what he didn't pay attention to is where he was going. By going straight from the center turn lane, he is now bearing down into on-coming traffic - me.

I didn't really have anywhere to go. I made a final nudge to the right, stood up on the pegs, and shifted my body to the right, away from the car. Wham! The bike got hit. The frunk and handlebar racked me in the nuts and I flipped over. I landed on my back and immediately curled over in pain. I just got bucked off by a bull!

Remarkably, nothing was broken; no internal bleeding; just some bruises on my left knee and a pair of really sore nuts. After 3 hours worth of testing and waiting and more testing and waiting, my wife picked me up (and I got a talking to...). I spent the next day in bed and back at work the following day. I didn't even need any pain killer.

The NCX, well, didn't fair too well. The forks are bended all the way back. The bike got hit straight on. It went backwards and fell on it's right side (exhaust side). Pretty much everything on the handlebar is busted. Scratches on the side panels and exhaust. The frunk lid opens but hard to close. Steering lock is busted and I can't turn the key to turn the bike on and off...




Ohhhhh, almost forgot the WORST part of all these. The A-Hole Wrong Way driver just took off. He just ran thru a motorcycle rider and he didn't even have the decency to stop and check on the downed rider.

 

[wickerman]

Man that sucks, I am glad to here that you were not seriously injured. Maybe they can catch the guy and he can spend at least a few days in jail and make some new "special" friends. I have gotten to the point where I hate to ride in heavy traffic and when I do I ride like it is Death Race 2000 and everyone is out to kill me!

 

[wickerman]

Just a thought, check to see if they have traffic cameras at that intersection. Maybe they can get his tag number. I cant believe that no one chased that F***er down.

 

[Naked_Duc]

I talked to the PD in a follow up call. Apparently there are many eye witness but descriptions are all pretty vague. There is not consistency on the make and model of the car (Civic, Corolla, Camry), color (brown, red, gray, black), nor the driver (white, black, Hispanic). They are checking to see if there are any traffic cameras nearby. but since there is no major injury, I don't think its high on their list. At least that's what I gathered from our conversation. Also, there is lack of description so they don't even know what/who to look for.

It was raining and traffic was pretty bad. Everybody was sitting at the light at the time of the accident. By the time people realized what had happened, he was long gone. Everybody came to my aid instead.

 

[670cc]

That's just awful, man.

You wouldn't expect the car to just drive off, but they do. Unbelievable. I'm starting to think a dash cam is high on my wish list.

I'm glad you weren't badly injured. The bike can be fixed but it's painful to look at that picture.

 

[potter0o]

Sorry to hear about this Glad to hear your ok.

 

[Old Can Ride]

First let me say that every state is different in how to handle hit and run accidents!

Who pays for hit-and-run damage and medical care?

This depends on certain factors, including whether the fleeing driver was identified and what state you live in.

Payment for hit-and-run claims usually comes through your own vehicle insurance. In most states, the coverages in question are uninsured motorist bodily injury and uninsured motorist property damage, which essentially act as the at-fault (in this case, hit-and-run) driver's liability coverage. Uninsured motorist bodily injury helps pay for injuries caused by a hit-and-run accident, while uninsured motorist property damage covers damages to your vehicle.

The good news is that these coverages are relatively affordable, and they offer significant financial protection from the uninsured (or hit-and-run-committing) drivers up to the limits you select. This is not covered under your property damage or other than collision coverage in most states.

Uninsured motorist coverage is optional in some states and mandatory in others. In some cases the insurance companies will not sell uninsured motorist coverage for motorcycles. Check with your insurer, if you made a police report, uninsured motorist coverage will pay for these damages if you have the coverage. In most cases the deductable for uninsured motorist is around $250. In all cases a police report is required.

 

[kpinvt]

I'm glad to hear you're doing OK.

 

[drdubb]

Hit and run is a real problem in our area, especially for bicyclists. Several hit and run deaths recently.

Glad you are ok.

 

[MichaelJohn]

I got mad at that a**hole just reading your post. Un freaking believable. We can only hope that karma gets him.

Glad you're not badly hurt.

 

[Heavy-H]

Man, glad your mostly OK.... Just sucks to go though this.....

 

[Olythom]

Glad to hear you're ok and... It sounds like your instincts were good. Probably better to get tumbled off at low speed from a standing position rather than having your pelvic region pinned and crushed between the bars and the frunk.

I had a very low-speed version of similar sort in a parking lot. Lady was looking for a great spot and racking her head back-and-forth so much that she never saw me directly in front of her with high-beams on. Finally laid on the horn and she slammed the brakes on.... Stopped about 4feet in front of me with a "where did you come from" look on her face.
A good friend of mine always says... You can't fix stupid!

 

[dduelin]

I am sorry for your mishap. Hit and runs happen a lot around here. It doesn't even compute in my mind how someone can just take off after hitting someone.

At the end of it you are OK and your wife and family can still hug you. I'd say it worked out pretty good.

 

[fratermus]

This is why there's a cam on my handlebars.

 

[Therapy]

Reading this is sad. Glad you are not badly injured. Worst wishes for car driver.

 

[deedub]

I once lost a pickup truck to that exact same scenario. On another note, this is why I ride with both a helmet cam and a rear view cam mounted on the rear fender. Anyone takes me out, and my wife will be a multi-millionaire!

 

[Naked_Duc]

Thanks, guys. Despite of what happened, I am glad I was able to get up and walk away, figuratively speaking. My injuries are now merely discomfort and I should be back to 100% in a few more days.

Yes, I hope that sorry-*** of a human being gets caught and gets what he deserves. But I am no holding my breathe. Karma will catch up to him one day. For now, I am turning my attention to fixing up the bike, if it's salvageable.

This is why there's a cam on my handlebars.

My wife said just that to me in the car today. She said I should consider getting a dashboard cam for the bike. That brought a big smile to my face. I think what she said implies that there is more riding in my future! I know to quit while I am ahead. I simply said "good ideal. I will look into that."

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

I'm glad you are still here to tell the story, but would love to have read the part where the driver went to prison(or got a beating).

 

[L.B.S.]

Good grief!

Oh man, I am so glad you lived to tell the tale- circumstances like that are our worst dreams come true. It is so bizarre imagining drivers doing all of those individual actions leading up to hitting someone, and at no point in time in the chain of events, do they think to just stop and realize how unbelievably stupid what they are doing, is!

I sure do hope that dirt bag gets caught somehow

 

[johnakay]

sorry for your mishap at least you've come out OK.