So I learned a couple new things today. One is that the Spokane business ‘Rings & Things’ has a blog, and another is that one of their employees was hit by a car recently. And he blogged about it. Here’s the story from the victim’s perspective.
Anyone else out there ever been hit by a car? My dad was when he was a kid but he said he was reading a book at the time and not paying attention so I don’t have a lot of sympathy 🙂
Hi guys, thanks for the mention. As a matter of fact, yesterday the Spokesman-Review ran an article about the need for "Complete Streets" downtown, discussing my being a pedestrian getting hit by a car.
Today I also blogged about our owner (Russ Nobbs) having "an experience" with Spokane Transit Authority buses. Read about the outcome…
🙂 Dave
at Rings & Things
I work for Rings & Things also. I was hit by a car this summer in a crosswalk on my way to work. The car that hit me was making a right turn and she didn't bother to look both ways before turning. She ran over and crushed my skateboard ($700 downhill racing longboard). Fortunately she was nice enough to buy me new one.
Thanks Dave and Selina for chiming in. It's scary out there! And what are the odds of two or more people from one company being hit by cars?? In Spokane, I guess pretty good. I have had many near misses in front of our office at Sprague and Bernard. People come flying around the corner and barely pause before turning right at the light. Then they yell at you even though you had the 'walk' light.
Glad to hear you at least got your skateboard replaced. Was the driver cited in either of your cases?
Hi again, SRTC,
I don't have stats and would be a little apprehensive to find out exactly, but yes, quite a few of our employees have been hit while walking, biking or skateboarding to work.
This includes two of my bosses, plus at least a couple coworkers not yet mentioned.
As any habitual non-motorist can tell you, there are definitely some hotspot intersections downtown where you're taking your life in your hands.
I hasten to add that the same lack of motorist awareness of peds/cyclists is found throughout town. It's just concentrated in a more potent form downtown!
—Dave
at Rings & Things
The driver was cited for my incident. Another driver witnessed the accident and stopped to tell an officer who was parked in the area.
Sadly, you are right about the odds of getting hit by a car being pretty good here. A few other people in our company have been hit, and I can name at least 5 other people I know personally who have been hit by cars in Spokane.
Maybe blogging about these encounters provides some kind of catharsis? (or venting in hopes of changing things)
Here's my story from last November: http://bit.ly/1nUPUT.
When I was almost hit it was as a pedestrian, not as a cyclist. I don't think the high-visibility jacket would have made any difference to this driver, though.
@BarbChamberlain
@Bike2WrkSpokane
I hate to admit it but I have caught myself almost drag racing through the same stretch as where you were almost hit Barb. It's just so flat and nice that if you're spacing out you tend to go really fast.
I noticed a while back though that there are now flags at the crosswalks in that area to make pedestrians more noticeable. Am I just really not observant or are those somewhat of a new development?