Got hit at a stop sign from behind

Just reporting to everyone how important it is to look behind you whenever you stop. I usually do but this time I didn't. I was on a small side street roaming along very slowly and enjoying the view. I stopped at a stop sign while looking behind me to see a pickup truck. When I moved away from the sign I was caught by surprise when the truck, without me noticing was passing me on the left and suddenly beeped his horn at me. I was a bit disconcerted and continued to move along while watching the truck ahead, amazed at how much of a rush everyone is in. While contemplating this in my head I stopped at the next sign without looking behind me, as this was a totally quiet setting in a neighborhood. And BAM...the bike flew out from under me (no driver backrest) and I somehow just stumbled out to the right, falling fairly gently, getting up quickly and looking back to see a young girl in an suv frantically talking into her phone...apparently telling the listener that she just hit a motorcycle. The bike was scratched up, the police came, and because the girl had had a bunch of accidents and they didn't want their insurance cancelled, they bought my bike from me at a fair price. Luckily I was not hurt. Just a reminder to look behind you..everyone is distracted these days. Be safe...Dan

Looks like cell phone involved? Driving standards are very low in US. I also have been hit from behind on my ReFlex while I was stopped at stop sign....lady on phone, who had no intention of stopping---I and scooter ended up on roof of Dodge mini van, that didn't hurt me BUT fall from top with bike screwed up my right hand, requiring fix. Bike totaled. Long insurance fight.

Dan, the main thing is you are OK, that is paramount.

When I had my accident in my car I was so glad I wasn't on the bike.

Just goes to prove idiots are behind the steering wheel of potential killing machines = cars!!!!!

The main point is that you were not injured.There seems to be two important items in riding,experience and luck In our group we try and stress ride like they do not see you. I mean no disrespect but I believe you gave a wrong impression by not pursing this matter. If this person has had several accidents they did not learn anything from this experience.
We had a female rider killed here (on a Harley) getting hit from
behind at a stop sign by a another female who was manicuring her nails while driving. Howard

Not sure what you mean by pursuing it?

ridr44,
Don't like to read these types of stories. Still, it lets us know just how scary the bike world can be. So glad to hear it wasn't any worse for you. Like "NWSSC" said before, sometimes luck (or fate) has a hand in these things... my preference is that God had a hand in it. Anyway, happy you're okay.

Dan, I'm glad to hear that you are okay. Of course they wouldn't want insurance and threats of whiplash and future ailments involved. Just take care of the little girl and get her back on the road to run over someone else.

'Pursuing it' - taking the matter further with police and insurance rather than dropping the matter by settling, in this case by the guilty party buying the bike.

Glad you're not damaged yourself, Dan.

Here's why she bought the bike: if damage over $1,000, a report MUST be filed. You need to get the bike checked by a dealer to assess if there is less than that. If it's over and no report is filed, YOUR license can be suspended for failure to report a collision.

http://www.troopers.ny.gov/FAQs/Traffic_Safety/Collisions/

The police came and a report was filed. The claim that was started with the insurance company was later dropped when the phone/driver decided to buy the bike.

I'm glad you are okay.

When I got rear-ended at a stop light (that had just turned green), the driver (female) of the Mazda SUV drove off without stopping. Luckily, it wasn't hard enough to cause me to drop the bike.

ridr44 wrote:

Just reporting to everyone how important it is to look behind you whenever you stop. I usually do but this time I didn't. I was on a small side street roaming along very slowly and enjoying the view. I stopped at a stop sign while looking behind me to see a pickup truck. When I moved away from the sign I was caught by surprise when the truck, without me noticing was passing me on the left and suddenly beeped his horn at me. I was a bit disconcerted and continued to move along while watching the truck ahead, amazed at how much of a rush everyone is in. While contemplating this in my head I stopped at the next sign without looking behind me, as this was a totally quiet setting in a neighborhood. And BAM...the bike flew out from under me (no driver backrest) and I somehow just stumbled out to the right, falling fairly gently, getting up quickly and looking back to see a young girl in an suv frantically talking into her phone...apparently telling the listener that she just hit a motorcycle. The bike was scratched up, the police came, and because the girl had had a bunch of accidents and they didn't want their insurance cancelled, they bought my bike from me at a fair price. Luckily I was not hurt. Just a reminder to look behind you..everyone is distracted these days. Be safe...Dan

Amazing to say the least that you were able to walk away. Not sure about you, but boogerheads driving distracted like that are just asking for trouble. I'm not so sure I would have been as easily forgiving. I mean, if the person is already worried about losing insurance but won't take distracted driving seriously, maybe it's time to let the insurance company make that call. Yikes.

Just to stress the point further, I may have asked for civil damages due to the driver's negligence and wanton disregard for public safety and made sure they had some really good time to think about it but to put the money into a trust for yourself to pay for any future medical bills related to the crash. If, after a time, you felt that the trust was no longer needed, you could donate it to a charity or similar just to demonstrate to the world that you're not trying to make money off it.

The other driver should be very happy she didn't run a pedestrian over and kill that person. Luckily, your bike was able to absorb quite a bit of the impact.

This story only makes me want Dennis's light kits that much more. Thanks!

Glad to hear you're okay. :-)

Point: only 1 or 2 % of two wheel accidents are hits from behind----more emphasis should be on the skill of the rider behind the bars. For US more than 50% of bike accidents are single vehicle----probably lack of skill or judgement. For me over 1.5 million miles,, one hard hit from behind, one light tap at toll booth in Japan. Many close calls as single rider using too much speed or just plain poor judgement....but not in the woods or weeds yet. BUT always be on the look out for the enemy in PickUps or SUV's.

Maryland has them all over the place too !

I was stopped at a red light on my BMW wears ago, the light turned green, I moved up a few feet in order to turn left and this lady bumped me from behind.
This is before cell phones were small, and the bike went down.
Minor whip lash and nothing else but my wife made me sell my 1 year old live.

Where I live the scary thing is coming up to a traffic light turning yellow. You HAVE to look behind you because the yahoos hit the gas to go through the light. I was in my cager once and was stopping for the yellow light and a damn schoolbus came blowing by on the left. No kids on board but still......

This is why I went out and bought two red LED flashing lights that I place on top of my rack on top of my GIVI box. This will attract attention, also, (GOD forbid), will show law enforcement that I did everything I could to try and prevent the accident.

Looks like cell phone involved? Driving standards are very low in US.<<>> No John they are ok it's just like other laws, some take them to heart some just don't care and cause the majority of the problems, we have a law that states when wipers are on headlights must be on, MANY just ignore that law also and keep on driving.

Pastor Ron if those lights are on continuously here in o-HI-o they would be illegal, you MIGHT get away with it if they are actuated by the brake lights.

The bike was scratched up, the police came, and because the girl had had a bunch of accidents and they didn't want their insurance cancelled, they bought my bike from me at a fair price. ridr44 I'm glad you were NOT hurt but letting that repeat offender off just freed her again to repeat her acts, who knows what the next time? a death?

When drivers are distracted for any reason, mistakes happen. I was cut off on the highway off-ramp because the driver/carpenter was in a hurry to turn around for something he forgot at his job site. Cell phones are definitely a big distraction.
Jay.

Oldwinguy....I have them battery powered, sepetate from brakes that blink continuously...and....They are legal in NC

Glad you're OK.

Watch out for the red light runners or others who don't even know its red. I've seen a few accidents like this always bad. I never pull out until I look both ways. Too many distracted drivers out there.
Sad thing is if they kill you just get a ticket for $100. Laws are changing though.

Oregon just passed a new law on distracted driving. Big fine if you're seen holding a phone or other electronic item in your hand while at the wheel. They are pretty rigid enforcing the new law in this area. I have hands free Bluetooth in all three of our vehicles. I have one on my bike helmet that works great, I don't have to touch it, just tell Siri whom to dial for an out-going call and tell her to answer an incoming. Works great, clear audio at highway speed. In both cars the phone is voice operated, no need to touch anything.

At long last the Cops here in South Africa are actively clamping down on cagers on cellphones. Unfortunately running red traffic lights is a national past time. Checking your rear mirrors when braking is a priority!

Never understand why the penalties of using a mobile when driving aren't higher over here.

The best(worst) I've come across was a delivery driver approaching a T-junction with a mobile in one hand, making notes on a clipboard resting on the steering wheel with the other hand!
Should be the same penalty as drink-driving - big fine and a driving ban.
I think part of the problem is that when the law regarding mobiles first came into force in England, the police issued verbal warnings for the first three months before they started issuing fines. Obviously some drivers think they're still in that period!
I don't think a £60 FPN and three penalty points is much of a deterrent to most people.

How about ignition on, mobile off unless you are hands free?

(Sits back and waits for the arguments!! )

How about ignition on, mobile off unless you are hands free?

A good idea but stateside not much support for it, hands free is the best compromise so far. At a buck a crack I'd be riding a new Spyder for the number of times the light was green and the driver was just setting there either admiring their crotch or texting.

I've often thought it would be easy to prevent a lot of this stuff. For instance the cell phone knows where it is and how fast it's going. A program in the phone's OS could easily make it impossible if you're in an area, like on a freeway or city street to make or receive more than a missed call indication. It could restrict the phone from operating when moving except for 911 calls. iPhones and most Android based units also have acceleration sensors. If you are hitting the brakes a lot, such as on winding roads and in town it could prevent the phone from being used except for 911.
I use a built-in GPS in both of my cars, neither one will allow setting a destination unless the car isn't moving and the gear selector is in park. You can watch it but you can't really diddle around with it when moving. A great idea I thought.

One of our cars has a warning system that alerts someone coming up from behind. It's a simple circuit and solid state radar chip that does the job. It wouldn't cost much to make them for a scooter or bike. You'd only need one sensor each end and a singly warning light/alarm buzzer. That would keep people behind you from texting the rider into the next world and also alert 'head in the clouds' riders if traffic in front of them had slowed down or stopped. These are all software modifications and a few inexpensive electronic parts.

ridr44
Thanks for this post encouraging caution about distracted driving. Sure glad you're ok.
One question remains, the passing, honking truck.. Do you think he saw her behavior and, was attempting to warn you and, did he stop to assist?
Blain