Collision on Beauregard St near Mark Center

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  • August 9, 2016 at 2:48 pm #918570
    bobco85
    Participant

    I orginally posted this in the morning commute thread, but it’s more appropriate to go here.

    Well, I’ve been biking for the past 25 years of my life, and today is the second day that I ever had a collision with a car (my first collision was hitting a parked car when I was about 8 years old). Luckily, this was a very minor collision.

    I was riding eastbound on Beauregard St and was in the middle of the right lane (I was taking the lane since there are 3 lanes of travel). Just after crossing Mark Center Dr (approaching Seminary Rd), I heard a van pull up from behind on my left side and *whap* his side view mirror hits my left forearm.

    I was surprised by it, and the driver immediately pulled over into my lane. I rode up alongside him as he rolled down his window in the right lane. He asked if I was okay and apologized since he realized he had hit me, and I said I was fine and that to please give 3 feet when passing. Then, we parted ways as he headed onto Seminary Rd (I-395 bound I’m guessing) and I continued on Beauregard St towards Arlington. I had my front-facing camera on at the time (my rear-facing camera was out of battery power), so I did somewhat record the collision (I will review it when I get home).

    Looking back at the situation, I think he tried to pass me in my lane which does not work when there is not enough room to do so (3 foot passing law). I was also uninjured due to the following:

    • the force of his side view mirror hitting my forearm was displaced due to the fact I was holding a casual/somewhat loose grip on my handlebars at the time and the side view mirror wasn’t very dense
    • he was only driving about 5-10 mph faster than me in the same direction
    • the collision felt similar to if someone were to hit you by slowly swinging a plastic wiffle bat (enough to be annoying, but not enough to cause pain)

    I will report the incident in to the Alexandria Police later today so that it can be documented. Other than slightly annoyed and renewed in my vigor to ask for better bicycle infrastructure on Beauregard St (right now, there’s nothing), I am fine.

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  • August 9, 2016 at 2:57 pm #1057424
    trailrunner
    Participant

    Sorry to hear about your accident.

    I work at the Mark Center and would also like Beauregard Street to be more bike friendly. My building has good bike commuting facilities (shower, lockers) but the infrastructure to get to and from here could use some help.

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    August 9, 2016 at 3:15 pm #1057429
    LeprosyStudyGroup
    Participant

    Kudos for keeping a level head. I would flip the fuck out. I’m working on that, but thankfully I don’t get a lot of opportunities to test reacting calmly to stuff like that.

    August 9, 2016 at 3:21 pm #1057430
    huskerdont
    Participant

    @LeprosyStudyGroup 144277 wrote:

    Kudos for keeping a level head. I would flip the fuck out. I’m working on that, but thankfully I don’t get a lot of opportunities to test reacting calmly to stuff like that.

    Agreed. Last time I was hit, I got up and put a dent in the guy’s car. Bobco’s reaction is prolly the better one, but I don’t seem to have that temperament.

    August 9, 2016 at 4:50 pm #1057436
    GovernorSilver
    Participant

    Glad you’re ok, Bob!

    August 9, 2016 at 5:25 pm #1057439
    scorchedearth
    Participant

    I’m glad you’re ok Bob.

    August 9, 2016 at 9:23 pm #1057444
    scoot
    Participant

    @LeprosyStudyGroup 144277 wrote:

    Kudos for keeping a level head. I would flip the fuck out. I’m working on that, but thankfully I don’t get a lot of opportunities to test reacting calmly to stuff like that.

    This. Bob, you are the zen rider I wish I could be. Unfortunately, my typical reaction to even a routine too-close pass is a string of profanity, so I have a very long way to go.

    Glad to hear that you exited this collision with both your body and your temperament unscathed.

    August 9, 2016 at 9:44 pm #1057446
    jabberwocky
    Participant

    I had a similar thing happen to me a few years back; a driver tried to pass too closely, mirror hit my arm, but in my case it knocked my arm off the bars and I went down and their rear tire went over my elbow.

    Glad you were uninjured! Some people seem to have trouble with the whole “leave space when passing” concept.

    August 9, 2016 at 10:02 pm #1057447
    dkel
    Participant

    @scoot 144294 wrote:

    This. Bob, you are the zen rider I wish I could be. Unfortunately, my typical reaction to even a routine too-close pass is a string of profanity, so I have a very long way to go.

    My reaction usually involves taking one hand off the bars in order to communicate better. :p Honestly, I’ve not been thrilled with my level of self-control. My plan going forward is to shake my head vigorously “no” in these situations. It should clearly indicate my opinion of what’s happening, and for those cases where I get an angry “get out of the road” gesture from the driver, it will also communicate effectively. That’s my theory, anyway, but I’m not sure I’ll have the composure to stick to the plan. I’m also not looking forward to getting an opportunity to try it out.

    August 9, 2016 at 10:04 pm #1057448
    bobco85
    Participant

    Thanks for the well wishes, everyone! I really am fine, but after looking at the footage, I was a bit annoyed at what happened. I made a quick video with the footage:

    [video=youtube_share;be-mPx2EccA]https://youtu.be/be-mPx2EccA[/video]

    Update: I tried to report this incident to the Alexandria non-emergency number, but they told me the only way a report would be created is if I and/or the driver had stayed and called the police. I really didn’t feel it was necessary, but I will at least use this to push for better bicycle infrastructure on Beauregard St.

    August 9, 2016 at 11:22 pm #1057450
    ShawnoftheDread
    Participant

    Everyone here: Tell the police, it’s the only way things can improve. Statistics!

    Police: yeah, we don’t give a shit.

    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    August 10, 2016 at 1:53 am #1057454
    Fairlington124
    Participant

    I got hit a couple years ago and the City PD call center couldn’t care less either. Perhaps go straight to TES/Local Motion to at least let them know your incident; perhaps they can incorporate it into their analysis for future planning.

    August 10, 2016 at 2:05 am #1057455
    bobco85
    Participant

    I was unhappy that they would not submit a report or document it when I called this afternoon. However, upon thinking about it, I decided to submit a Call.Click.Connect ticket #102804 asking for increased police enforcement of aggressive driving along that stretch. At the very least, there is now some form of report in the system.

    I will also make sure to bring it up at the next Alexandria BPAC meeting (September 19).

    August 10, 2016 at 2:37 am #1057456
    peterw_diy
    Participant

    @ShawnoftheDread 144301 wrote:

    Everyone here: Tell the police, it’s the only way things can improve. Statistics

    From what I can tell:
    1) Alexandria PD enforcement follows *complaint* stats , not actual physical impact (crashes, injuries, etc)
    2) Alexandria transportation planning tends to focus on physical impact (crash heat maps etc)

    I’d be very tempted to complain to Mayor, Council, and City Manager about police refusal to take a report.

    August 10, 2016 at 3:01 am #1057457
    napes
    Participant

    Well, no harm, no foul. This sounds very much like a clipping I took in Annandale.

    About 2pm near the intersection of Gallows and Annandale on 15 May 2013. https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=38.846738,-77.203476&spn=0.000567,0.000862&t=h&z=20 Police got no information on that incident whatsoever. An older driver collapsed his right mirror on my left upper arm when he attempted to pass.

    I went to the Mason District police station, told the story to the dispatcher, and was told, essentially, “no harm, no foul.” She said since this was an “accident” with no property damage or injury, it was not reportable. Even if a policeman had shown up on scene, she said the patrolman would have given the same answer. So the police records will show nothing about that little incident either.

    Fairfax County used to have an on-line form to report traffic transgressions. A letter would supposedly be sent to the transgressor. Budget woes caused this program to cease. It certainly would be nice to at least have that reporting mechanism back.

    August 10, 2016 at 3:43 am #1057458
    KLizotte
    Participant

    But what about the three foot law now in effect? The law was broken for heaven’s sake.

    If a car rides on the sidewalk for a few feet but only clips a stroller that makes it okay? No harm, no foul??!

    I suspect if a motorist clips the elbow of a cop riding a bike or motorcycle there would have been repercussions.

    Lordy.

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