Hit and run Hyundai in Mar Vista (Glendale: home, live in)

[mavern89]

I'm a big believer in karma. Though I don't think this post will likely make a big difference in my particular scenario, but hopefully it can act as a reminder to all drivers. PLEASE LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE TURNING!

There I was riding my bicycle from home to work. I always try to stick to the curb as closely as possible and I've never been rear-ended (knock on wood). I come to this intersection on Venice Blvd and Sawtelle Blvd heading south on Sawtelle and the light is green, so I keep going straight. Out of nowhere, this dark gray Hyundai turns right in front of me. Unable to stop, I jerk the bike handles and turn in the direction of the car, my front wheel touching the car the whole time. I couldn't get my foot out of my toe clips in time to stabilize and as a result, toppled over.

I got up immediately, in time to see this car drive away. I tried to read its license plate... think it said TM_8_3 or something like that. The car didn't even try to pull over. Even more sad is the fact that I was almost half-way across the street, meaning the car instead of slowing/stopping to turn right, it kept constant and turned at the very last possible minute. Obviously without looking. I wasn't seriously injured thankfully, just some cuts and bruises.

This happened between 8:40am - 8:50am on the north-west corner of Venice & Sawtelle. A dark gray Hynudai w/ license plate TM_8_3 something hit a bicyclist and ran from the scene.

I suppose I would be less angry if the car at least tried to stop/pull over. But I guess the moral of the story is everyone just needs to be more careful on the road.

[ryanms3030]

That's what the call the "right hook" in the cycling lane. CA law says you can take the entire lane if there is no dedicated bike lane and sometimes that is safer than hugging the curb so people can't pull that ****. Better to **** off drivers by slowing them down than let them kill you

[Texamichiforniasota]

Originally Posted by mavern89

Out of nowhere, this dark gray Hyundai turns right in front of me. Unable to stop, I jerk the bike handles and turn in the direction of the car, my front wheel touching the car the whole time. I couldn't get my foot out of my toe clips in time to stabilize and as a result, toppled over.

Sorry, I'm having a little trouble understanding what happened from the description, because here it sounds like you were passing cars on the right and one of the cars in front of you turned right but you didn't have time to stop. But below you said you were halfway across the street. So which was it, was the car turning right in front of you and you didn't have time to stop, or did the car come from behind and somehow hit your only your front wheel when you were halfway across the street?

Can you post a diagram?

[thelopez2]

That is nice spin, the bike tried to pass the car on the right as the car was trying to make a right turn, it is the cyclist fault.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by ryanms3030

That's what the call the "right hook" in the cycling lane. CA law says you can take the entire lane if there is no dedicated bike lane and sometimes that is safer than hugging the curb so people can't pull that ****. Better to **** off drivers by slowing them down than let them kill you

And it is a stupid law. A bicyclist cannot keep up with the speed limit. I think you have to be out of your mind to ride a bike here, other than on side streets or bike paths. With the exception being people who use bikes to get to work, but when I see the ones who are clearly out for a leisure ride and I don't get putting yourself in heavy traffic.

I see these people wearing ear buds, they don't even look behind them when they move over, just assume that the car sees them.

Originally Posted by thelopez2

That is nice spin, the bike tried to pass the car on the right as the car was trying to make a right turn, it is the cyclist fault.

That's sure what it sounds like. Many of them don't follow the rules of the road. They don't stop at stop signs, and ride as if every car is just going to be able to stop regardless of whatever move they make.

Twice now I have seen bicyclists riding side by side, instead of single file. Both times in heavy traffic areas.

[ryanms3030]

Originally Posted by thelopez2

That is nice spin, the bike tried to pass the car on the right as the car was trying to make a right turn, it is the cyclist fault.

Actually it sounds like the car tried to pass the cyclist on the left which is the driver's fault. That is the same as if you are driving in the right lane and you decide to pass a slower car on the left and then try to take a right turn from the center lane in front of the car in the right lane. It's illegal and unsafe. Get educated

[ryanms3030]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

And it is a stupid law. A bicyclist cannot keep up with the speed limit. I think you have to be out of your mind to ride a bike here, other than on side streets or bike paths. With the exception being people who use bikes to get to work, but when I see the ones who are clearly out for a leisure ride and I don't get putting yourself in heavy traffic.

I see these people wearing ear buds, they don't even look behind them when they move over, just assume that the car sees them.



That's sure what it sounds like. Many of them don't follow the rules of the road. They don't stop at stop signs, and ride as if every car is just going to be able to stop regardless of whatever move they make.

Twice now I have seen bicyclists riding side by side, instead of single file. Both times in heavy traffic areas.

And yet Southern California is one of the most popular place in the country for recreational and professional road cyclists. The Montrose Ride which happens every Saturday 12 months/years has upwards of 100 people during road racing season and still gets 30-50 people in the dead of winter

[thelopez2]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

And it is a stupid law. A bicyclist cannot keep up with the speed limit. I think you have to be out of your mind to ride a bike here, other than on side streets or bike paths. With the exception being people who use bikes to get to work, but when I see the ones who are clearly out for a leisure ride and I don't get putting yourself in heavy traffic.

I see these people wearing ear buds, they don't even look behind them when they move over, just assume that the car sees them.



That's sure what it sounds like. Many of them don't follow the rules of the road. They don't stop at stop signs, and ride as if every car is just going to be able to stop regardless of whatever move they make.

Twice now I have seen bicyclists riding side by side, instead of single file. Both times in heavy traffic areas.

Cyclist like motorcycles have the right to ride side by side and take the whole lane.

Although I agree many cyclist don't follow the laws, when was the last time a car making a right turn stops before the white stop line.

[ryanms3030]

Originally Posted by thelopez2

Cyclist like motorcycles have the right to ride side by side and take the whole lane.

Although I agree many cyclist don't follow the laws, when was the last time a car making a right turn stops before the white stop line.

I live in Glendale so I ask when the last time a motorist stopped at all for a stop sign here. Most roll through at about 10mph

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by ryanms3030

And yet Southern California is one of the most popular place in the country for recreational and professional road cyclists. The Montrose Ride which happens every Saturday 12 months/years has upwards of 100 people during road racing season and still gets 30-50 people in the dead of winter

I understand that, and it makes sense due to our weather. But I don't get when I see like a did one day a family of three riding for leisure on Fletcher Drive at rush hour by the 5 freeway on ramp. How about a little common sense? In addition to being very unsafe(it was a dad and two kids about 9 or 10), how is that even enjoyable? Go over to Griffith Park.

Originally Posted by thelopez2

Cyclist like motorcycles have the right to ride side by side and take the whole lane.

Although I agree many cyclist don't follow the laws, when was the last time a car making a right turn stops before the white stop line.

They may have the right, but they can't keep up the speed limit to be in the flow of traffic. A motorcycle can.

What's next? Riding bicycles on the freeway.