johentie

So background story:

I had a Subuaru WRX STi.. my dream car since i twas 18.. i am now 30... i had it for 2 years and we just had a baby and our other car is paid in full where as this one is leased.. so to save money and to allow my wife to stay at home after her mat leave we got someone to take over the lease..

i work in Mississauga 3 times a week so it's about a 10min drive ..30-40min bike ride.. (9KM).. i decided with my busy schedule i needed time to work out and exercise and what better way then to ride a bike to work... I was so stoked!

researched on line went to bike shops and got a pretty good deal on a Rockey Mountain Metro 10 with helmet, lock, etcetc..

today was my first day commuting to work .. i rode around on the weekend to get used to riding the bike, since i haven't been on a bike since i was 15...i guess u really don't forget how to ride a bike! i read all the safety rules and laws and i was ready to go..

The route i decided to stick to work is 20% main roads (high traffic) and 80% residential roads.. i was scared to ride along side a busy road so i that's why i chose to take this route..

20% busy roads finished and headed into the residential.. i was on there for 2 mins when i was passing a drive way and before i could get across the car in the drive way backed out and nailed me! he was parked with his car right at the end of the drive way..

i had about 2m to react, so i said "oh S**T" and kinda jumped off my bike.. lucky i did cause the guy kept coming and my bike went under his car..

i got the bike out and from the looks of it the front tire is bent and the front brakes are not aligned anymore.. the rest of the bike seems ok... I am not hurt except for a scrape on the knee..

My question is... what should i be looking for damage wise? i lifted the back tired and ran the pedals and changed the gears and it seems to be ok.. but i dunno if it has any other minor damage..

i am sure when i take it into the shop they do their checks to see what's wrong with the bike..

So now i am scared to ride on residential roads, especially during rush hour when everyone is leaving their house! sigh... not a good start! : <

essiemyra

Wow!! Not the greatest of beginnings, but the good part is you are not hurt. Sorry to hear about your accident.

terrapin44

Wow! Not a good start indeed. Residential roads (esp. sleepy ones that don't have a steady stream of traffic) scare me.

I would take the bike back to the local shop where you got it and have them look it over. It sounds like you'll need to go there for a new rim anyway.

1FJEF

Glad you're OK! I ride residential all the time & have my head on a swivel & NEVER ride over 13-14mph & NEVER ride near cars parked on the street (sudden drivers door opening!).
I sometimes feel safer going 5-7mph on the sidewalk!

psychicandroid

Ouch! I'm glad to hear that you're okay and sorry to hear about your new bike. :< That's rough. Residential areas can be tricky, especially if the roads are narrower than main throughfares, which doesn't give the impatient much room to maneuver at times.

Day by day your route will look different and as you ride it you'll start to learn when traffic gets heavier and what you should be looking out for. You can try a few different things. Leaving earlier will get you to work earlier but at the same time there will be less traffic, preventing you from encountering those folks in residential who haven't had their morning coffee/tea yet. Also if you leave earlier, you might be able to use the main throughfare more of the way towards your work place as it'll be less populated. You'll find that the more you ride on roads the more at ease you will be with traffic. Remember when you first started to drive as a teenager and thought to yourself "OMG, I'm going to DIE!!" ? It's sort of like that when you start riding in traffic. Then you learn to stay calm and develop lots of patience for oblivious vehicle operators. ^^

ItsJustMe

Take it to the shop, get an estimate to make it as new again, submit that to the guy. Either he or his insurance should pay for it. He's 100% at fault.

Chief

For this event, follow up with an accident report, and make a claim against the motorist for damages. This should reflect on their driving record.

In the future, move further left into the traffic lane; you will have better visibility of this exact sort of car movement. And you will be less "hidden" by parked cars when a driver is coming out of a driveway. You will also have more room to swerve further left to avoid a car moving like this.

Good luck as a new commuter!

acidfast7

1. file a police report (assuming that were obeying traffic laws)
2. get their insurance to pay for the bike repair
3. avoid residential roads (i find them much more hazardous than major avenues ... Autobahns/Interstates excepted)
4. good luck and keep with it

johentie

Thanks everyone...

He was a younger college student and he was in shock when he came out of the car.. his parents came out of the house and asked if i needed anything or extra help like ambulance..

the bike is in their garage cause i was still 20mins from m work.. he drove me to work .. i got his information and i am going to return later tonight.. they didn't seem crazy or anything so i am hoping they are as honest as me and can deal with it..

i have a letter already written up for them to sign saying they will pay for all the damages.. the guy who hit me offered to meet me at the bike shop after his school was done..

i called the bike shop and he said he can check everything but what he is afraid of are internal cracks and how he can't see them and therefore could be a long term thing, which would be hard to prove that the driver did it..

anyone have experience with internal cracks, he didn't hit me that hard so i am not too worried...

and yes i am 100% definitely glad i am okay!! cause i coulda easily had a broken leg or worse if i didn't partially dismount the bike before i got hit.

Zrane

No experience with getting hit, but it sounds like the other party is a stand up family. Everyone can make a mistake, and it sounds like they're doing their part to make it right.

I ride residential roads for a good part of my commute, frequently over 15mph. Take other's advice and hang out more to the left(I ride almost in the middle of the road unless there's oncoming). Consider running your headlight on flash: same principle as daytime running lights on cars. Also, always watch and listen. Many transmissions will make a telltale thunk noise when shifting into reverse.

Don't ride in the middle of the road on multi-lane/fast roads, obviously. Just take the lane.

johentie

yah i give people benefit of the doubt until they show something otherwise.. i didn't freak out so i think that helped.. i saw the guy was really shocked even after dropping me off at work so i told him it;s ok and it happens and that no one got hurt so dont stress..

Thanks, i will definitely stick to more left on the residential roads.. it's a very quiet street.. speed limit is 40km/hr for a car.. but it does cross major roads.. but there are traffic lights at each major road so that's why i chose this route as well.. no crossing major roads without traffic lights ; >

Zrane

Don't be afraid to cross without lights. I do it several times on my ride, though sometimes it's easier with a light. You'll start to learn the traffic patterns in your area and it won't be such a big deal. Sometimes light timing can make crossing without a light a *****.

AdamDZ

Phew... indeed, not a good start. But in the end, you're not hurt and it looks like they'll take care of your bike. It's nice to see people responsible for their actions and respecting others. You also seem calm about this so hopefully this won't discourage you from riding. Just be VERY careful, in particular in the beginning. You didn't forget how to ride but your senses need a little getting used to the new way of travel. It's possible that with a bit more experience you might have been able to spot the car early and avoid this. It's just a speculation, of course, and I don't mean to diminish the fact that the driver was totally at fault.

Good luck.

Doohickie

I actually prefer residential streets to busier avenues. Yes, you have to be vigilant for traffic coming out of driveways and parked along the road, but in general I feel lot safer than I do on roads with a 40 mph speed limit.

I had a crash my second time riding to work back in 2008 and nothing since then (it was just me, no car involved, although I did crack my helmet and killed a beautiful bike I'd had for over 20 years). I would guess that an influencing factor is your relative inexperience with navigating the streets on a bike. Yeah, keeping your balance is "just like riding a bike" and you didn't forget that, but you probably have very little bike-relevant street sense right now. It'll come and in a week or two you'll be a much better rider.

One thing you may suggest is working out a deal to trade in your bike for a brand new one. The bike shop maybe could give you a deep discount if most of the parts on your current bike are still good and he can use them for repairs, etc. You would have the piece of mind of knowing your bike is fully repaired. If the shop can give you a good enough price, it might be comparable to them repairing the bike you have.

MK313

glad you are ok. When you start riding again, you may want to purchase an airzound. I have never used one, but lots of people on here do. It's a high powered horn that really seems to work to alert people who aren't paying attention.

CACycling

The shop should check the frame's alignment. That should be a good indicator if there is frame damage or not. I ride with bright, flashing lights front and rear as well as wearing hi-vis clothing to help me be more visible. Also, I am always looking to see if there are people in the parked cars I am about to pass (on the street or in driveways) because an occupied car might move at any time.

Glad you bailed in time and that the driver is taking it seriously. This experience may make him a better driver and you a better commuter.. Ride safe!

chefisaac

That sucks bro. Remember to take pics for your records.

Bike shop trip will be a good thing. And he should pay for all of it.

In the future, a neon vest is nice to have, especially in the morning time. Lights, good too! I like my air horn to alert people who might not be paying attention. I used it this morning when I cross a mini mart. The guy coming out was not looking and would have hit me easily. A little tap of the airhorn does wonders.

johentie

Thanks again for the tips ; > i definitely agree that riding a bike takes a little more effort to be alert as people might not always see you..

i can say it's the drivers fault all i want but if i get hurt it doesn't really matter.. i will definitely take all these suggestions and apply them the next time i ride..

i don't think i coulda avoided it as he was parked so close to the street cause they had 4 cars in their drive way.. his bumper was pretty much hanging over the curb.. i was no less then 2 m from the curb (which now i won't be doing) and if he was further up on his drive way it wouldn't of happened as i coulda moved out of the way.. luckily he didn't zoom out of is drive way or it woulda ended differently..

i'll let you guys know how it goes.. i;m still definitely stoked.. i'm upset that i can't ride in tomorrow haha..

the bike shop said he will do an alignment check etc.. if there is frame damage i am guessing the driver has to replace my bike!?

silent_chief

Just want to add to the "Don't let this stop you" and "silver lining" chorus. Lesson learned though. I hate residential streets. People just aren't expecting ANY traffic, including bikes. I find that I am safer on busier streets, because drivers know they need to be more aware as a general matter.

I'd also encourage you to wave and make eye contact with any driver you see in front of you trying to either cross your lane, or merge.

I'm not familiar with that bike and it's price? I'm not suggesting you take advantage of them, but I'd have the idea of a new bike in the back of your head. Are they paying out of pocket, or will there be an insurance claim?

tarwheel 

Glad you weren't hurt and that family sounds like it will make things right by you. My commute route is about 50% neighborhood streets and 50% main routes. Generally I feel safer on neighborhood streets due to less traffic and slower speeds, however, you still have to be cautious. The closest I have ever come to being hit by cars was in situations very similar to yours -- that is, drivers backing out of driveways. I am a very defensive cyclist and every time that has happened I anticipated the situation and moved to other side of the street, or I would have been hit. Drivers can have blind spots when backing up and often are just careless due to familiarity.

kegoguinness

OP, so glad you are okay. Whew. You have a sagacity of attitude that many long-time commuters and cyclists would do well to emulate. You handled things VERY well. Take solace in that, follow the sage advice of these replies (as you already seem to be doing!) and I recommend reading: The Art of Cycling by Robert Hurst. He deals with the nuts and bolts in a real-world, practical way. Take care, good luck and safer riding!

johentie

Rocky Mountain is a Canadian made bike that's pretty well built.. shimano parts etc..
it was $499 on sale from $700 since it was last years model..

the bike shop just called me and said they cannot get the exact tire that is on my bike ; < i do not know what that means, or if i need a new set of tires, and the tires on the bike are Kenda which are a higher quality then the tires Norco puts on their bikes in the same price range (so i read)

it was hard for me find a bike cause i need a 22inch frame.. i'm 6'4..

they are probably paying out of pocket.. and probably don't expect the bike to be a write off but just repairs.. i might get push back from them if i need a new bike... but when i went into their garage to store my bike for the day i saw 2 specialized bikes in there, so i am assuming they know bikes as well..

i'm just not happy i won't be getting the same tires.. im a car guy and putting different tires on your car is a no no!

silent_chief

Kenda's aren't that hot IMHO. You will probably be upgrading and different tires really make no difference. Why does it need new tires anyways? It is rubber! That car must've really dragged it hard across the pavement to cause tire damage. Honestly, a new wheel/ tire you are already around 100, 150. Sounds like the fork may be bad and perhaps the brakes? You aren't that far away from the purchase price.

johentie

thanks for the info ; > okay maybe i can upgrade my wheels ; > the rims need replacing for sure... the tire i am not sure.. i am a total newb so i dunno if the tire would fit another rim.

it didn't drag at all, but the guy said to replace both just in case, but he has to look at it..

yah the brakes are weird as they do not hit the rim of the tire.. and the fork i am not sure if it's bent as i didn't have time to asses the damage, but the bike shop will probably determine if i need it fixed..

if all the above u mentioned is broken, then i am gonna ask for a new bike, but we shall see ; >

silent_chief

Bike repairs can add up unfortunately. Labor too. Just keep it in mind. The family sounds like they are going to take care of you either way. Unfortunately I don't think most on this board have shared your experience to date. Maybe it is just the Canadian stereotype of everyone being nice, but count your blessings!