BikeWalkLee Column ‘Go Coastal’
The News-Press, September 23, 2021
by Ken Gooderham
No, this isn’t a personal-injury lawyer pitch… although a web search on bike crashes will turn up an inordinate number of legal firms ready to defend your rights (and make someone pay for their wrongs). And finding a good lawyer is one of the smart steps you should take if you’ve been on the losing side of a bike-vehicle altercation.
But there are more immediate concerns you must address if that happens. While no one wants to get hit by a motor vehicle, we all know it happens far too often – so being prepared is just being smart.
So what should you do?
First, determine how bad your injuries (if any) are. (This assumes you have not been rendered unconscious… at which point most of this may be moot.) If you suffer any head, neck or spinal injuries, do not move. If you are Ok to move, get out of traffic if necessary to somewhere safer while you assess how bad the damage is to you and your bike.
Second, call 911 (or have someone nearby do that), to get police on the scene as well as an EMS team if you feel you should be treated or transported. Leave the scene of the crash intact as much as possible, so police can see what happened firsthand in its undisturbed state. Also, take pictures of everything – you, your bike, the vehicle that hit you (if it stays on the scene), witnesses, road conditions, etc.
If the driver involved in the crash is on scene, trade contact and insurance information immediately, and encourage them to wait until police arrive so everyone involved can be interviewed. Go through the details of the crash from your perspective, so you can explain things to the police once they arrive… send them to yourself as a text or email if necessary, along with all the photos.
If the driver has fled the scene, look for witnesses who can testify as to what happened and try to develop a description of the vehicle to give to police – including any damage from the crash that may help identify said vehicle more easily.
Once the police have taken down what they need (and assuming an EMS team has not been there to check you out), seek medical attention if necessary… and you may not immediately know it’s necessary until the shock and adrenaline wears off a few hours later. Go to the local ER if injuries are severe, or see your doctor ASAP. Make note of aches and pains in the days after the crash, as some injuries take time to manifest themselves.
Preserve any clothing that shows signs of the crash, in case you need it later. Same thing for your bike… document the damages before you turn it over to a bike shop to repair (assuming that can be done), and save any damaged parts they replace for posterity.
Finally (and this is why you’ll find a lot of this info on personal injury websites), get yourself a lawyer – particularly one with a background in bike injury lawsuits. Even if the other party admits fault, and even if their insurance company is agreeable to settlement (and those are both pretty big IFs), you’ll want someone who’s impartial, hopefully tenacious and absolutely conversant with the law to work with you to protect your rights and (if possible) get an appropriate settlement for the damages caused.
If you’re a witness to a bike crash, you have a list of “don’ts”: Don’t move an injured cyclist until someone knows the extent of their injuries; don’t let traffic cause further damage if you can’t get a fallen cyclist out of the road safely; don’t hesitate to call 911 to summon police and EMS; don’t forget to document what you can about the crash; and don’t leave the scene until you give a statement to police.
A final note: Of course, the best way to survive a crash is not to get in one… bike defensively, see and be seen by surrounding traffic, boost your bike safety awareness with courses and checklists, etc. But even the most experienced cyclists, riding as carefully and smartly as possible, can get hit by an inattentive or inexperienced driver… and that’s an altercation the cyclist is almost always going to lose. Be prepared.
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EVENTS
A few more weeks of September to endure before you’ll see the rise in races now set for October (Delta variant willing).
FORT MYERS TRACK CLUB (ftmyerstrackclub.com):
- Cops & Joggers 5K, Saturday, Oct. 9, 7:45 p.m., downtown Fort Myers
- 10K Race for F.I.S.H., Saturday, Oct. 23, Sanibel Island. In-person and virtual
- Midpoint Madness 5K, Thursday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m., Midpoint Bridge, Fort Myers
- Turkey Trot, Thursday, Nov. 25, details TK
GC RUNNERS (gcrunner.org):
- Gulf to Gulf 80-mile relay, Saturday, Oct. 23, starts and ends at Cambier Park, Naples
- GCR Halloween Monster 5K, Saturday, Oct. 30, 7:30 a.m., Fleischmann Park, Naples
- Olde Naples 10K, Saturday, Nov. 13, 7:30 a.m.
- 2021 GCR Thanksgiving 5K, Thursday, Nov. 25, 7:30 a.m. Cambier Park, Naples and virtual
ELITE EVENTS (runeliteevents.com):
- Naples Rocktoberfest 10K & 5K, Saturday, Oct. 16, North Collier Regional Park, Naples
- Naples Distance Classic Half Marathon, 18K & 5K, Saturday, Nov. 13, Eagle Lakes Park, Naples
- Thanksgiving
Day 5K (two races), Thursday, Oct. 25, Hertz Arena in Estero and The
Village Shops on Venetian Bay, Naples. 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
respectively
OTHER RUNS
- Average Joe 5K Run (where the person who finishes in the middle wins, along with overall and age group winners), Saturday, Oct. 9, North Collier Regional Park (active.com).
- LRC Hams & Gams 5K Turkey Trot, Saturday Nov. 13, Hendry Complex, LaBelle (active.com)
- Publix Run to the Arts 5K run/walk, Nov. 20, downtown Fort Myers runsignup.com or runtothearts.com
OTHER RIDES
- Tour de North Port, Sunday, Oct. 24, 15-, 35- and 65-mile routes, staggered start beginning at 8 a.m., full support and lunch (https://runsignup.com/tourdenorthport)
The Caloosa Riders are offering member rides, but some are open to non-members (and it wouldn’t hurt you to join the club); check their ride calendar (caloosariders.org) for a description of the distance and speed, and to see if the ride is open to all.
SW Florida Critical Mass is offering their usual slate of family-friendly rides. Check out their line-up online (www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/) for details and times (and to make sure the ride is still rolling).
- SW Florida Critical Mass ride, first Friday of the month. A family-friendly slow night ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Helmet and lights required, meet in the parking lot at 2180 West First Street, Fort Myers.
- Sanibel Critical Mass night ride, second Saturday of the month. Gathers at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended.
- NE Lee Critical Mass ride, third Friday of the month. Gather in the Winn Dixie parking lot on Palm Beach Blvd. about five miles east of the Interstate; gather at 7 p.m. and roll at 7:30 p.m. for a slow ride through Fort Myers Shores.
- Cape Coral Critical Mass ride, fourth Friday of the month. Gather at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly night ride through the Cape; helmets and lights required.
- Saturday Morning
Slow Roll, fourth Saturday of the month. Meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd.,
Fort Myers. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6
miles, includes group ride instruction..
TRIATHLONS
- St. Anthony’s Triathlon (St. Petersburg) rescheduled to Oct. 1-3, 2021
- City Island Triathlon, Oct. 10, Sarasota
- Spa Girl Tri, Nov. 13, Marco Island, sprint
- Manasota Key Tri, Nov. 14, Englewood, sprint
- Over The Hill Tri, Nov. 14, Venice, sprint
TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE
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