I was the victim of a hit and run accident trying to connect to the bicycle path on 34th street and the East Side (FDR). Without warning, an impatient car driver who couldnt pass me recklessly just knocked me down and took off without even hitting his brakes.
Thankfully I got away with - albeit painful - harmless bruises and contusions.
My lawyer tells me that beyond getting my medical bills paid for by his insurance, there is nothing realistically to be done about this and it will be hard to get the police to act.
I am outraged because knocking a cyclist down with the car is the equivalent to walking up to someone in the street and beating the ... out of him with a baseball bat or such and just taking off.
Why is such behavior not taken for what it is: criminal!
Hit and Run
Get a different lawyer. A good lawyer will get assult and battery at the very least. Did you get the plate number?
Victims have no control over assault and battery charges or other criminal charges being filed. Reference the recent robbery victim chased into the path of the oncoming car leaving the 125 street metronorth station. The district attorney makes the decision on what the evildoers are charged with. This is one reason injured parties obtain lawyers for civil cases, in a civil case you have control as you retain the lawyer, dispatch a accident reconstruction investigators before the evidence is removed.
http://www.madd.org/victims/8910
Last year, Transportation Alternatives (TA) reported several cyclists were killed and the police didn’t ticket the drivers. In one incident, the police report claimed the rider wasn’t wearing a helmet. However, other cyclists reported that he always used a helmet.
There were 30,000 cyclists riding on Sunday. It’s unfortunate that non-profit cycling organizations like Bike New York, the TA and NYCC can’t do lobbying. If we were major contributors to New York politicians, the roads would be safer for us.
"You can too. Get involved with any of the groups behind this plan. (NYCC is a very active member.)
Bike Safety Action Plan
Or just send the occasional email and letter, such as people post on this board.
Cyclists don't have to be rich to make demands, just numerous, informed, and loud.
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"Sebastian,
sorry to hear that; heal up, get another lawyer or call your local precinct and definitely press charges.
""Hit and Run"" is against the law and morally inexcusable. Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!"
"Similar thing happened to me in 2004. I had a plate state (PA) and a good description of the car. But while the NYPD was actually very courteous, they said they would do nothing without a plate number.
If you do not have one, you are most likely out of luck. You might try returning to the scene and looking for any security cameras that might have taped your accident. Do it right away, because those tapes are usually erased if nothing ""important"" happened.
When I was hit, I filed a claim against my OWN car insurance. They ran it through the NY no-fault program, then cut off my treatment. I got a lawyer and, after 18 months, he got the insurance company to finally pay me under my uninsured motorist coverage. But my shoulder will always be separated. Sorry about your wreck, but it sounds like it could have been worse. Good luck.
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A Car is a deadly weapon thus, the penalty for hitting someone with a car should be the same as assualt with a deadly weapon!
stay safe
