Hit and Run at Stewart and Boren Last Night

as someone who walks 90% of the time i can say that there are an equal number of douche drivers and cyclists.

and to excuse a cyclist's behavior by saying that they are aware, going slow and could stop if need be is asinine. bike riders are supposed to follow the rules of the road too. that means if it's a red light they stop. they are a vehicle and are expected to follow the rules of the road as they apply to vehicles. i've been hit by both cars and bikes that can't be bothered to follow the rules of the road.

that being said, i hope they find the person that hit this cyclist. though knowing how seattle's judicial system feels about drivers the motorist will likely get off with just a warning. hell, you can kill a pedestrian and the most you'll get is community service.

If you really think that once hit, or nearly hit that a pedestrian should just let the police handle the matter, I have a proposal for you:

You go ahead and get in a marked crosswalk with the light. Then let me take a 2 ton car/suv and run it very close to you but not hitting you and see how calm you would be. You can even jump out of the way and hit the pavement if you like. I am sure you would not be thinking of the driver's feelings at this point.

This has happened to me many times as a pedestrian in Seattle and Bellevue and even in front of cops who never go after the crosswalk violators. The driver may have been equally frightened by the cyclist pounding on the hood but should still have pulled over in a safe place and called the cops.

Given that the account of the accident is correct, of course it's the driver's fault. Any "defense of driver" argument you are hearing is coming from your overly defensive self. The driver should not have left the scene. I'm just making the supposition that the driver may have done so because he/she felt threatened.

Also, Charles, unless you are in a bike lane, why are you right next to me?

zagreusmd, I totally agree and will add that every defense of drivers includes some version of the "I see bike riders run red lights all the time" argument.

As if we've never seen a driver do the same? I ride my bike most every day and the large majority of bikers that I see DO stop at red lights, stop signs and signal when turning. We do it because it makes us safe. I would be willing to bet that those you see running a light or not signaling are generally pretty aware of the situation at that moment, have slowed down to a speed where they can stop safely if need be and know that they are not in danger or not about to cause any harm.

Most of the unsafe things I see happen on the streets happen because drivers don't see riders. I might be right next to you at a light and still you'll cut me off making that turn.

How is it that, every friggin' time there's a story here about cars running over cyclists, there's an immediate response in support of the drivers? In this case the driver ran a red light, hit the cyclist, and then fled the scene. That's a felony. The driver does not deserve your support! If you're speaking out on his behalf right now, you're being a douche in your own right.

Seattle has many aggressive bicyclists, MANY I SAY, however aggressive drivers need to understand they share the road with more vulnerable people who have a right to be there.

That being said, I see bicyclists running red lights more than any other commuter.

In defense of hot headed bikers, when you have just been hit by a car, you're immediately experiencing a huge rush of adrenaline, and you are terrified.

A few months ago, a woman was parallel parked and backed into me (very, very slowly) while I was waiting to cross the street. I was fine, but was so shook up and in the throes of a defense mechanism, that I started screaming at her like a madwoman. About a minute later, I had calmed down and apologized (she was still parked there, obviously shook up as well). I had completely overreacted, but sometimes, that rush overwhelms you and you just can't help it.

I agree in general principle with charmac. Sometimes, cyclists get a little too hot headed, just as vehicle drivers get a little hot headed.

Traffic just entices that rage.

Plus, that cyclists should expect shit like that when passing cars on the right. You always pass on the left for a reason.

@4 That's giving the driver quite a bit of credit in this scenario. Let's not forget, THEY ran a red light which led to them hitting the cyclist. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if alcohol was a factor in this case, which would have been a triple-whammy against the driver.

Agreed, but looking at it from the driver's perspective, pounding on the hood and pointing to the side of the road (to indicate "get your ass over here"?) could have intimidated someone who would have normally stopped into thinking he/she was about to get his/her ass kicked.

I once saw a cyclist passing several cars on the right. The passenger in the car right in front of me opened her door to get out and clipped the cyclist's handlebar. He was fine, didn't even touch the ground, but immediately started screaming at her and came toward her with his arms out in a very threatening manner. I was sure he was about to hit her. He didn't. She walked past him, trying to ignore him, though obviously very frightened. He then turned his attention to the driver. He opened the passenger door and began yelling at the driver still in the car. Threatening behavior like this is not acceptable. Anyone - driver, pedestrian, or cyclist - has every right to call the police and give them they license plate number. They do not have the right to take matters into their own hands.

Glad the cyclist is OK, but if he hadn't been so threatening, I bet the driver would have stuck around.

Okay, devil's advocate: if you're in such a hurry that you run a red light and run over a bicyclist, you certainly don't have time to stop and try to smooth things over. I mean, you're still in a hurry, right? Of course you are. And that's the important thing.

HUGE boo. Enormous, enormous thumbs down to the shit who did this.

I hate when that shit happens. I know- it's traumatic to hit something with your car (I hit a cat once running late for work... horrible). But seriously- you cannot just run off! That makes you a douche.