Got hit by a car this morning. This was peoples reactions

Uriel. wrote:

File a police report nonetheless. If you recognize the make and model of the car, wait at that spot tomorrow for a couple of hours. I bet the idiot will show up and probably run the light again. The reaction of people around you was terrible. I hope you heal quickly and run fast. Take care brother.

Is Flagpole back???!!!

Look Out for You! wrote:

Make sure you're wearing a reflective vest when running in the mornings & evenings. I know they're dorky looking, but so very worth it.

I also use a small clip-on LED blinking light (on my outside waist) as well.

You need to make yourself as visible as possible.

This is really bad advice. There is NOTHING you can do to make yourself visible enough to keep from getting hit. You will only have a FALSE sense of security and you will get hit.

Here are some pointers

Always run behind a car when at an intersection or driveway.

Always look behind when there is a possibility of a car making a right turn

Never try to outrun a train at a crossing

Always get off the trail for mountain bikers

Always look both ways before crossing streets

Always motion the car to go when arriving at intersection together

Always wave to cars that move over when you are running on a highway

If you follow these rules, you will have an extremely small chance of ever getting hit by a car.

You know I am sympathetic, but I also understand not giving some stranger a ride.

Now, I would offer my phone so you could call someone to come get you.

boomheadshot wrote:

My primary rule when running in the dark:

Always assume a driver doesn't see you and let them make the first move-even if you have the right of way at an intersection. Regardless of who is wrong or right, you're going to lost that fight every time.

I am pretty sure that was not the point of the post, but that is good advice even when running in broad daylight.

Where the heck is MADD? You know, Mothers Against Distracted Driving.

luv2run wrote:

boomheadshot wrote:

My primary rule when running in the dark:

Always assume a driver doesn't see you and let them make the first move-even if you have the right of way at an intersection. Regardless of who is wrong or right, you're going to lost that fight every time.

I am pretty sure that was not the point of the post, but that is good advice even when running in broad daylight.

Absolutely. Actually, I routinely run behind cars even when they stop and appear to be yielding. I'm sure some think I'm being a d!ck but there is no chance of getting hit that way.

Bruised and Battered wrote:

Benedict wrote:

Absolutely!

File the police report and give a description of the car and driver to the police. Tomorrow go to the at intersection a little earlier than you were there today and wait with your phone prepared to video and to get the plates.

So an update. I tried to do this. The person I talked to on the phone was sympathetic and asked me to come in and talk to an officer which I did. The officer came out and explained to me it was a waste of time to file and they would not do aNY follow up.

I would push the issue if I was seriously injured but I think the worst I havemailed is a sprained toes or two. I got the officers name because he pushed really hard not to file the report.

I can see why the officer would say this but perhaps he did not explain the realities better. If there are no witnesses, there is nothing the police can do. They might be understaffed and overworked, so your case might be a low priority. However, if you give the plates to the police, they might be able to jam up the idiot who hit you, as odds are, the moron probably hit somebody else in the past.

Even if you don't press the issue vigorously, file a formal complaint because down the line, if something happens to your health as a result of this collision, you can tell your insurance company that you filed a claim in a timely manner. It might also be a good idea to get a medical exam a.s.a.p. You want to have some documentation in case of complications later on.

I'd suggest going back to the officer and explaining why you would like to register your complaint, even if the police file it away in a dark dusty room.

Good luck!

We missed you man wrote:

Uriel. wrote:

File a police report nonetheless. If you recognize the make and model of the car, wait at that spot tomorrow for a couple of hours. I bet the idiot will show up and probably run the light again. The reaction of people around you was terrible. I hope you heal quickly and run fast. Take care brother.

Is Flagpole back???!!!

No, this is not flagpole.

Running behind the cars is wise but occasionally when they see you they will back up to give you space, so be careful even in doing this. I usually wear the neon reflective race shirts when I'm running through the neighborhoods and I have brought the lamp a few times when I had to run in the dark. Thanks for the advice.

I've had some close calls, but luckily have not been hit yet. I always hope they when I do get hit, I feel good enough to beat the drivers ass still (assuming they stop and get out of the car). As for giving u a ride. I wouldn't do it. I don't give strangers rides. Ever. Like someone else said, too many whack bags in this world, I'm not very trusting.

Flagpole is God wrote:

This would never have happened if Flagpole hadn't been chased from this message board.

Who do you think "bruised and battered" is?

Oh I see you were born yesterday, never mind.

flapjack wrote:

ole man wrote:

I'll be devil's advocate.

You told the guy that you were okay. How long should he need to stick around?

As a fellow runner, I wouldn't have given you a ride either. I don't pick up many strange men at 6am who are bleeding and sweaty.

Agree with you on your first statement ... the guy told him he was OK, what should the driver have done? Bought him a cup of coffee and chatted for a while?

Second statement is abhorrent. You're a runner, you can differentiate between a runner and some random creep trying to pull off some scam. Give the dude a ride home.

I won't get into my own car if I'm sweaty from a run unless I put down a big bath towel, and I definitely won't let someone else trash my car!

Apart from any laws he may have broken there are insurance implications for him if he didn't promptly report the accident to his insurer - he is now obtaining cheaper insurance than he ought to due to his driving behaviour. The accident is clearly what we call a 'material fact'...

"An insurance contract is a "contract of utmost good faith", which means that all parties to the contract are under a strict duty to deal fully and frankly with each other. Customers must disclose all facts that are "material" (or relevant) to the risk for which they are seeking cover."

Dragnet wrote:

Is there a red light camera at the intersection? Any convenience store or bank cameras which may have been in range?

Get your spikes on, wait for him tomorrow and steeple the hood of his car.

best advice so far.

ET phone home wrote:

In order to protect yourself, you have to run with the attitude that NO driver can see you and/or all drivers are crazy.

If I'm out at night, I have the attitude that the driver sees me and is TRYING to HIT me.

I won't give them the opportunity.

luv2run wrote:

You know I am sympathetic, but I also understand not giving some stranger a ride.

Now, I would offer my phone so you could call someone to come get you.

Stupid.

No way I let some sweaty, bloody stranger get his bodily fluids all over my phone either. Plus, he could just steal it.

The "Mothers" aren't nearly as mad when their own precious children (and their bright futures) are behind the wheel. In those cases, vehicular manslaughter is just "a mistake."

MattyK wrote:

I'm a police officer and I will offer you some advice. One file a police report immediately. I could charge the driver with hit and run for not properly providing aid and fleeing. Two you need your exact location you were hit and see if cameras are around. LA, NY, and Chicago are notorious for that crap. I would have no problem throwing as much charges as I could at the driver.

GREAT ADVICE! ALSO WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAD THE EXACT TIME.

TAKE IT AND DO IT FAST TO CATCH ANY VIDEO RECORDINGS BEFORE THEY ARE POTENTIALLY OVERWRITTEN.

At this point there is nothing to do but go on your way and chalk it up to a lesson learned.

Even you went back to the spot and got the license plate it won't do any good. You have no proof that you were hit. Even if there was, the driver can claim he stopped at the red light then proceeded to turn right since there was no traffic and you illegally crossed the road since the light was red and you actually hit him.

I am surprised no one has previously brought up the point that you crossed a road when the traffic light was red and are blaming this all on the driver.