Close Encounters of the #%&*@! Kind (Legal too)

Mar 28, 2014 at 03:36 AM

@Jules- Is that some sort of new-fangled x-ray? The image of the tissue and skin surrounding the bone looks much more detailed than I'm used to seeing--almost photo-like. Or have I always just had the Sears phot studio versions of x-rays?

Jules

Mar 28, 2014 at 03:48 AM

@Nelix they are digital; there is a huge range of contrast available to the radiologist after the fact. Other than the injury it's pretty cool.

dstokes

Mar 28, 2014 at 12:14 PM

neilx said:

@Jules- Is that some sort of new-fangled x-ray?

I'm pretty sure the X-rays haven't changed.

Brendan Rigby

Apr 02, 2014 at 12:54 AM

Tonight I had my most disturbing car incident to date. I was going southbound on Ft Washington and a car was going Northbound, waiting to turn left across the southbound lane. He saw me, I saw him. He started turning, so I moved out right to give him more space. Both of us slowed considerably. Rather than let off the gas, he slowly rammed me with his car. We made eye contact as he continued to our awkward slow-motion collision. I'm not really sure what happened, but it was obvious that he knew he was colliding with me and chose to continue. Once he got clear of me he drove away. Luckily only my wheel was damaged; I think because there were some of those steel construction plates my tires slid sideways more easily than on asphalt.

The whole event was odd enough that several people approached me afterwards and one person in a car even drove after him and later came back to tell me the plate. A really strange encounter. I've never had someone hit me on purpose. If he had braked at any point, it would have stopped. One of the witnesses told me I was lucky I didn't get pulled under the car.

I'm upset because I BUILT THAT WHEEL SPECIFICALLY FOR BATTENKILL WHICH OCCURS FOUR DAYS FROM NOW AND THEN HE HIT ME ON PURPOSE AND DESTROYED ONLY THAT WHEEL.

Also I've not been wearing my GoPro lately when I go out on rides. Time to start putting that thing back on again. Some things are worth looking stupid for.

Ryan J

Apr 02, 2014 at 01:00 AM

Screw the GoPro, I'm getting some handlebar machine guns.

Phil Maronilla

Apr 02, 2014 at 01:14 AM

thats a bummer brendan but im glad youre fine otherwise. it could have been worse seeing this was a psycho driver.

mugwump

Apr 02, 2014 at 01:23 AM

Brendan Rigby said:

Tonight I had my most disturbing car incident to date....

If only you knew a lawyer with the savvy to help you press charges.

Jules

Apr 02, 2014 at 01:27 AM

A) better a tire then a bone

call lucarelli & cAstaldi
C) that is totally disturbing
D) See A

Glad to hear it's only your dreams that were shattered.

Dan Reiners

Apr 02, 2014 at 02:41 AM

Brendan,

I am sorry to hear that. Are you going to file a police report? There is property damage and as the vehicle turning, he had to yield to you. I know the GoPro is better evidence, but having some witnesses doesn't hurt at all.

It seems like the only thing the police care about is leaving the scene of an accident, so you also have that going for you.

Rick Perner

Apr 02, 2014 at 02:54 AM

There will always be a f'in cromag element here in this city which will never go away no matter who the mayor is, no matter how much pro-cyclist/pedestrian legislation is on the books or how much money is spent on raising public awareness re cyclist/pedestrain rights and vulnerability.

NYC will always suck in this regard

Kayt Mathers

Apr 02, 2014 at 05:36 PM

So glad you're OK, Brendan. What a disturbing encounter. Let us know how it goes down when (not "if") you decide to hunt this mofo down.

Jules

Apr 21, 2014 at 09:53 PM

Cross posting from @Jeff...

Skip to 3:20...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbkDf0iNcnY#t=216

JohnMalcolmson

Apr 21, 2014 at 10:13 PM

I'm not a bell fan, but if you're gonna ride this nightmare it'd be smart.

Jules

Apr 21, 2014 at 11:27 PM

I can't think of a worse time to ride than high noon on Easter Sunday; we spent the entire ride talking about the danger, and being quite conservative. It just goes to show how fast things can happen. John she knew she was in the middle of traffic - a bell would not have helped. There was a guy riding nearby with an electric air horn. The problem (one of many) is that the chaos is so thick it's impossible to attribute sound to any single actor. I should've stayed home, but I've been cooped up so long... And the sun was beconing.

David Yang

Apr 22, 2014 at 01:59 PM

In case anyone is interested in, Mayor DeBlasio's "Vision Zero" initiative is moving onto workshops:

http://www.streetsblog.org/2014/04/03/mark-your-calendars-city-announces-vision-zero-workshops/

This afternoon, DOT released the schedule for nine Vision Zero workshops in all five boroughs over the next three months. These workshops build upon the Vision Zero town halls the city is hosting now by asking residents to prioritize street safety initiatives, pinpoint dangerous locations, and discuss solutions with agency staff.

The meetings are intended to inform DOT and NYPD as they develop pedestrian safety plans for each borough. Workshops kick off in Brooklyn before heading to the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan and concluding in Staten Island:

Thursday, April 24: Brooklyn: Plymouth Church (Hillis Hall), 75 Hicks Street. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 29: Brooklyn: Brooklyn College (Student Center, 2nd Floor), Campus Road and E. 27th Street. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 6: Bronx: Lehman College Music Building (Faculty Dining Room), 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 15: Bronx: Hostos Community College Cafe?, 500 Grand Concourse. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 21: Queens: Bohemian Hall, 29-19 24th Avenue. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 29: Queens: Jamaica Performing Arts Center, 153-10 Jamaica Avenue. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 11: Manhattan: Our Lady of Pompeii, 25 Carmine Street. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Monday, June 16: Manhattan: Alhambra Ballroom, 2116 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard. 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 26: Staten Island: Curtis High School Cafeteria, 105 Hamilton Avenue. 6:30-8:30 p.m.

“These workshops are an open call for all citizens looking to shape the future of their neighborhoods,” Transportation Commissioner Trottenberg said in a statement. “Building on a city’s worth of local insight, they will lay the groundwork for streets that work better for everyone.”

Anna Maria

Apr 23, 2014 at 12:05 AM

i was just about to repost the brooklyn vision zero dates. If anyone is interested in going to a bk meeting let me know. I will definitely be there. i lost a month of riding last year (and almost a lot more) to an suv driven by someone who was 'late for work'. shoot me at text at 305.766.8384 if you want to get all community activism together

Jeffrey White

Apr 23, 2014 at 03:57 PM

@Anna Maria: I may be able to make that. What do people think we should be vocal about?

Unknown

Apr 23, 2014 at 04:43 PM

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mugwump

Apr 23, 2014 at 08:42 PM

For those who want to get smarter about the law...

5BBC SOCIAL - SPECIAL EVENT

RIGHTS AND ADVOCACY - A Forum with Steve Vaccaro and Adam White

Sometimes, even the best cyclist gets into an accident. We will be
discussing what you should do at the scene of the accident, and how to
make sure that you have access to any available coverage. We all know
riders who have gotten tickets. How do you avoid them? What do you
do if [or when] you get one? Important info for all cyclists.

Finally, we will discuss what you can do as an advocate for cycling in
NYC. How can YOU get involved in making NYC a better place to bike?

WHEN: April 30, 2014
TIME:   6:15 to 8:00 PM
WHERE: Westbeth Performance Center
              55 Bethune Street [off Washington]
              Greenwich Village -
SUBWAY: 1,2 to Sheridan Square or L to 8th Avenue
BIKE: Right off the Hudson Bike Trail. Parking is available.

http://www.5bbc.org/
https://www.facebook.com/5bbc
https://twitter.com/5BBC

Unknown

Apr 24, 2014 at 02:01 PM

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Anna Maria

Apr 25, 2014 at 11:44 AM

So I went to the Vision Zero thing in BK last night. Was really happy that it was not a cyclist vs. pedestrians event. Seems like the focus right now is immediately addressing intersections and corridors that are unsafe by design. So if there are places where you are tired of cars speeding, failing to yield, or not being given adequate time to cross, please go and put your two cents in. Squeaky wheel might actually get the grease.

Jules

Apr 26, 2014 at 02:00 AM

http://m.sfgate.com/news/article/Tech-CEO-on-bike-arrested-in-Marin-road-rage-5429625.php?cmpid=twitter

Wow

Brendan Rigby

Apr 26, 2014 at 12:12 PM

Strange that they released him. Interested to read more as facts become available.

Jeffrey White

Apr 28, 2014 at 06:19 PM

Too soon for a Smock pun?

Jules

May 02, 2014 at 09:49 PM

Apparently you're allowed to do that, too.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/05/02/nyc-cyclist-arrested-for-using-cellphone-to-film-cop-told-iphones-are-being-used-as-guns/#

Jules

May 07, 2014 at 12:34 PM

Cross Posting this:

http://nyvelocity.com/content/interviews/2014/phil-castaldi-interview

"The number one mistake that cyclists make is not remaining at the scene until the police arrive. To bring a claim against the owner/operator of the vehicle, I need to know who they are. I often get calls from riders who didn’t realize at the scene that they were more seriously injured than they actually thought. They left the scene without having a police report filed, woke up the next day in terrible pain, or realized that there was a hairline crack in their carbon frame, and now we have no information regarding the vehicle. Also frustrating is when a rider leaves the scene with just the driver’s cell phone number and low and behold the driver gave them an incorrect number. I tell guys, if you can’t wait for the police or even if you think you aren’t hurt, at the very least, take a picture of the car’s license plate before you leave and get the names of witnesses. The second most common mistake is not getting treatment because of the fear of incurring substantial medical bills. There are many caveats to this rule, and I try and make everyone that I can aware to the fact that if you have an accident with a car while riding a bike in NY, no matter who is at fault for causing the accident, the insurance carrier for the car must pay your medical bills, including the bill for the ambulance. So even if you are out doing intervals, riding with your head down, you blow through a red light and t-bone a car, that car’s insurance carrier under NY law must pay your medical bills."

EmilyAtwater

May 21, 2014 at 01:32 PM

I am on a non-KCC riders list serv and am reposting a message sent out from another rider, as an FYI:

"I was riding in pp last night with my friend Michael at 11pm and after a few loops we were about to go downhill but it seems some pranksters tied a thick rope across the whole roadway so his bike got catapulted and he flew. He is now in Lutheran hospital with 6 broken ribs and a broken arm

Police were notified and report made but words can not describe how angry I am about this incident

I wanted to let everyone know to keep in mind when riding

Although more unlikely

It can happen during daylight as well"

I would hope we never have to watch for something like this, but I guess just be wary.

David Yang

May 21, 2014 at 01:55 PM

@Emily that's beyond awful, that's criminal. Any more details?

EmilyAtwater

May 21, 2014 at 02:58 PM

I know, terrible! Could have killed someone. Anyway, no more details, just that the person is recovering. Luckily no head trauma. Did some Googling but didn't find any news on the incident or police report. Hopefully they catch whoever is responsible. You never know what stupid/mean people will think of...

EmilyAtwater

May 21, 2014 at 06:26 PM

^ Scratch that, here's a news bit from last night's incident: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/232754/photos-warning-to-all-those-who-exercise-in-prospect-park-prank-leaves-man-with-serious-injuries.html

Close Encounters of the #%&amp;*@! Kind (Legal too)

Close Encounters of the #%&*@! Kind (Legal too)