Crash on Patrick at Wilkes Street in Alexandria

[CaseyKane50]

Wow, I'm so glad you are okay. So sorry about the bike. I think the driver should buy you a new bike because who knows what hidden damage there are. And can you really bend a frame back so that it is like new?

The driver is paying for a new frame ~$350 plus labor to rebuild the bike.

It's great that you have the video. Insurance company shouldn't balk when you tell them that.

The camera has been a worthwhile addition to my bike equipment. Mostly have captured rides, but it has come in handy on a a couple of close calls and now with this crash. Highly recommend a video camera for all.

Bruce Deming, the bike lawyer, told us at a crash seminar to never, ever say you are okay because you are not qualified to say yes or no immediately after an accident. Also, call the cops. Insurance companies can refuse to settle without a police report. Hopefully the insurance company will be fair to you and raise the driver's premiums.

I should have done that, but in the moments after the crash was not thinking. I think I will print a card with the advice and carry it with me.

I find it alarming so much damage can occur at such a low speed impact. Yikes!

The wheel was obvious, but not the frame. Even at the shop I didn't suspect a problem with the frame until they deployed the frame tool. The frame was out of alignment by a 1/4", which is enough to make it difficult to get the wheel into the drops. Glad he hit my wheel instead of my ankle.

[lordofthemark]

Glad you are okay. Sorry you experienced this.

IIUC cops will never give traffic tickets if there is not a cop witnessing the infraction (or an official traffic camera) (assault would be different, I guess)

But the lack of anything in the database is troubling. The City DID use traffic accident data in the Master Plan update (as I gather some other jurisdictions do). IIUC for motor vehicle accidents a property damage only accident is recorded in standard databases. We have now had two BPAC activists involved in collisions in the last few weeks, neither of which was recorded (and one at a location with new infrastructure, which infra was questioned by some cyclists). I expect we will have an interesting meeting in September.

[lordofthemark]

Wow, I'm so glad you are okay. So sorry about the bike. I think the driver should buy you a new bike because who knows what hidden damage there are. And can you really bend a frame back so that it is like new?

I noticed the driver did not use his left turn signal. That's a traffic infraction.

He hit someone. Fraction #2.

It's great that you have the video. Insurance company shouldn't balk when you tell them that.

Bruce Deming, the bike lawyer, told us at a crash seminar to never, ever say you are okay because you are not qualified to say yes or no immediately after an accident. Also, call the cops. Insurance companies can refuse to settle without a police report. Hopefully the insurance company will be fair to you and raise the driver's premiums.

I find it alarming so much damage can occur at such a low speed impact. Yikes!

I noted that as well. Failure to signal is SO common, and can be dangerous, and is quite illegal. Yet little discussion of it.

[TwoWheelsDC]

He apologized for hitting me and acknowledged that he had been looking to his right, checking for red light runners and had not seen me crossing the street.

I give him an A for coming up with a seemingly plausible excuse so quickly, but:

First, the most likely and most dangerous red light runners would be coming from his LEFT...second, even if he was concerned about red-light-runners on his right, who honestly looks for red-light-runners that intently after they're already 75% of the way through an intersection? The problem is, this type of BS excuse would work on a cop and it's likely the driver would've gotten off without any type of punishment even if they had responded to the scene.

[Judd]

He apologized for hitting me and acknowledged that he had been looking to his right, checking his cell phone.

Fixed it for you.



The video is low res, but after watching it 10 times in full screen with my browser window zoomed in, it appears that he is looking down and to the right as he begins to move forward. I'm calling this the time CaseyKane got run over because something mildly interesting was happening on a phone.

[Oldtowner]

I used to cross this intersection all the time and had many problems there. Several times drivers yelled at me for not being in the crosswalk (to the left). I was nearly hit more than once just like this. The drivers are looking to the right because so many people run that light. We bikes are coming off a trail and there is no opposing car traffic with us so drivers just aren't looking for or expecting anybody to be coming straight across. Pedestrians use the crosswalk. The trail there should be better marked somehow. I gave up arguing with drivers and just take the crosswalk now.

-Proud resident of the "bicycle-friendly city."

[creadinger]

Goddamnit.... I'm sorry to see this. I drive through there most days on the way to and from PG County and from my perspective on patrick St. it seems relatively tame. The speed/red light cameras there are a huge factor.

But because of this and Bobco's recent incident I'm going to look into getting a couple of rear-view cameras. I have a front camera already (Contour), but it's not the most user friendly. I like the over-writing features of some of the other ones. Anyone have any cameras they like? Cameras can provide that key evidence to getting any $$ back from these things. And it helped that you guys both dealt with apologetic and helpful drivers, even though they were completely clueless while driving. It would have been a hassle if they were a-holes or just drove off. What if they did? Would Alexandria PD care then?!

Glad you are ok, and really happy to hear that everything will be covered by his insurance!

[CaseyKane50]

So glad it wasn't worse.

It's ridiculous that Alx PD wouldn't take a report. Arlington PD's policy is to take a report if (1) there is injury; (2) there is at least $1,500 in damage (but couldn't it always be that much?) OR (3) if any party involved asks for it. Not all officers follow this policy, so, unfortunately, you have to be ready to insist, and if necessary take the officer's information.

Alexandria seems to be misreading VA law -- VA requires that a report be taken in situations 1 and 2 above, but does not restrict reports in other situations.

I sent an email to the mayor, vice mayor and city council asking them to have the police take reports if asked, like Arlington does. Said it should be part of the developing Vision Zero program to track all crashes involving people who walk and bike regardless of injury or value of property. I further suggested it didn't have to wait for the Vision Zero program.

[AlexandriaBiker]

I might have gotten them to come take the report if I had called at the scene of the crash.



BPAC asked for some additional changes at this intersection, but they have yet to be agreed to, though getting a Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) might happen.

BPAC asked for the LPI nearly a year ago. I think we got our answer from T&ES.

[peterw_diy]

I sent an email to the mayor, vice mayor and city council asking them to have the police take reports if asked, like Arlington does. Said it should be part of the developing Vision Zero program to track all crashes involving people who walk and bike regardless of injury or value of property. I further suggested it didn't have to wait for the Vision Zero program.

Did you get any response to your email?