Nailed a pedestrian today

[jerman]

I was riding across campus, admittedly in a hurry(was late for class), and was zipping arpund a guy when this dude just walks right in front of me. I locked up the brakes but I still pegged him full on. He was walking & texting someone, not paying a bit of attention to hos surroundings. Luckily he was not hurt but I have thr beginnings of a black eye. Think I'll go a bit slower next time.:o

[wigger thomas]

I never zip around pedestrians. They arre too unpredictable and I don't want them to be nervous or jumpy. If it makes you feel better,the president of this great nation waffled somebody in the UK a while back.

Nowadays,since the sidewalks are rarely used by pedestrians,I ride on them a lot. Seeing as there are no bike lanes to speak of. I am always super careful never to come close to a pedestrian. I will even leave the sidewalk and ride on grass or go back to the road if need be.

[rockyrider]

Your average dog is more predictable than a pedestrian. As in not at all.

[Bartman]

That sucks! About four years ago when I was still living in NJ, I was commuting to work 7 1/2 miles each way. Part of my commute included a long straight away approx. 1 1/2 miles. I watched this women as she passed me with her car, parked in the shoulder, got out and crossed the road stopping on the double yellow line to wait for traffic to pass. I was plenty aware of the situation. I moved into the traffic lane because her car was in the shoulder. I was about to pass between her (standing on the double yellow center line) and her car in the shoulder when she turns and looks at me, our eyes meet, and she runs back towards her car right in front of me! Note: I was riding at 25MPH! I didn't even have time to hit my brakes. I hit her at full speed. When she hit the ground I landed on top of her OTB. I heard her head make the worst sound as it slammed against the pavement. I thought I had killed her. Ends up...she has done this before....with a car, She told the police she just got scared and would rather take her chances against a bike than a car (she was a very nervous and jerky woman). She ended up with a concussion, badly cut finger, bruised sternum, twisted ankle, broken tooth, and broken glasses. The police said she admitted to it totally being her fault.
I ended up with a Mavic wheel that I trashed against her body, it had to be replaced that day (before my ride home). 6 months later after the pain went away, she tried to sue me because she thought I should pay for the part of her glasses that her insurance company would not cover. I called bullshit, she was going to get nothing! I should have sued her for my wheel, but didn't, because I hate lawyers and the court system, i was just thankful I walked away. Anyway my homeowners insurance paid her....against my will..They said it would be cheaper than going to court..f--them! f--Her! f--Lawyers!
So that is my hitting a pedestrian story. Hope you eye heals soon.

[nogearshere]

If it makes you feel better,the president of this great nation waffled somebody in the UK a while back.
the greatest insult never intended.


pedestrians are nutty, particularly the phone toting ones...

depending on your campus, commuting (by bike) can be extra dangereux since there is little or no auto travel allowed. with some auto traffic (in the least the threat of or possibility of impact with a 2000lb monster) the rubber soled baboons are forced to look over their shoulder before swerving...

rules. your campus needs more rules.

[jerman]

depending on your campus, commuting (by bike) can be extra dangereux since there is little or no auto travel allowed. with some auto traffic (in the least the threat of or possibility of impact with a 2000lb monster) the rubber soled baboons are forced to look over their shoulder before swerving...

rules. your campus needs more rules.

Not the students at Clemson. Man they will walk out in front of a car without the slightest hessitation.
I slowed down and smelled the roses more on my commute in today and didnt run anyone over.:)

[plume_mtb]

Jerman do you ever ride the trails there? I did my first south east XC race there last summer. I remember some good single track.

[jerman]

Jerman do you ever ride the trails there? I did my first south east XC race there last summer. I remember some good single track.

Yeah, when I ride I'm usually at the Clemson experimental forest at Issaqueena. It is pretty good single track. One of the better areas to ride in the upstate.

[RandomV]

My freshman year at college I was riding the BMX bike to class. I thought the campus shuttle was finished offloading, so I hopped the curb to get to the rack. Turns out it was just pulling up, and when the doors opened I totally stuffed a young lady as she hopped off.

Turns out that it was a girl that I had gone to high school with, and once we got out of the ER, I never saw her again. I guess she's still pissed...

[monkeyboy]

It's amazing how stupid people can be. Most of the time they seem to have a cell phone stuck to their ear. I saw a guy a while back walking and talking on his phone as a tram was approaching. The tram driver was ringing his bell frantically to alert this dick he was about to be wiped out. He had to walk through a barrier which caused him to turn to the right and see the tram. If the barrier wasn't there he'd be dead or severely worked over for sure. I always try and give pedestrians a wide berth ya never know what the're gunna do!

[KDWeb]

He was walking & texting someone, not paying a bit of attention to hos surroundings.


So how does this and Ipod use differ and how many riders zone out via the MP3?

Hey, did I tell you one about the Walkman user and the Freght Train? Geezing a bit but just shows to go ya....times and technology change but stupidity is here to stay!

[Ripp]

....times and technology change but stupidity is here to stay!

This part I agree with 100%.

Put I take issue with the concept that cell phone/MP3 use precludes being aware of your surroundings. I as well as many other people are able to do both. Awareness is the key and most people are capable of "walking and talking" at the same time. Some aren't and some don't, but many do.

[tryandgetme]

I saw a cyclist get hit the other day. light was soooo red, not just recently red. she meandered through the light, saw the car I was carpooling in, so turned into one lane to avoid us, then meandered through 4 tirescreeching lanes of traffic without so much as a single look at traffic, to get hit on the 4rth lane. I've never seen someone so oblivious...it was freaking morning rush hour! All 4 lanes are usually full of speeding cars. I don't have any sympathy for her.

[poison idea]

Traffic sucks arse, and I could complain about motorists all day long, but the obliviousness of some cyclists is maddening to me. In the minds of the average Joe we all get lumped into the same group due to the carelessness of a few. We are entitled to be part of traffic (unless otherwise posted) but use some common sense! Dingbat hipsters rolling through traffic sans helmet while adjusting the ipod is so infuriating. Especially when they cause near collisions and then have the audacity to yell at the driver. As are the collegiate commuters on mtn bikes slowly riding in traffic (and obstructing it horribly) rather than hugging the sides so that motor vehicles can get around. And toolboxes on crowded sidewalks drive me nuts too.

But I guess we were all dumb once and (hopefully)learned...