I have heard several stories while at Purdue about people who have gotten hit by cars on campus. I have seen many incidents of cars driving too fast or recklessly, and I have seen students walk across streets without caution. However, I have never seen anyone get hit by a car nor have I gotten hit myself until…tonight. My record changed Car =1: Me =0.
I went out for a run around 8:00pm. It was still light outside with clear visibility although it was starting to turn to dusk. When I came to the intersection of Martin Jischke Drive and State Street I slowed down, looked to see that it was safe to cross since the light was green the way I was running, and looked for cars turning –all the things you are supposed to do to avoid getting hit right? There was a car turning right to my left, but I checked to make sure there wasn’t an opening in the traffic for them to be able to turn right on red, and there was not. So I proceeded to run across the street when the car pulled forward. The car could clearly not turn right yet because there was a steady stream of traffic, but the car pulled forward anyway into the crosswalk and right into me. My toes were run over by her front tire, but fortunately I have good reflexes and was able to pull my foot quickly away. The front of her car also hit my left knee…the knee that I tore my ACL in only five months ago. The driver asked me if I was okay, and I said yes because what else was I supposed to say? I think I am okay. I was quite stunned though. I am going to have a bruise on my knee, and my toes definitely feel like something very heavy was on them, but I was able to run another two miles so we’ll see if I am feeling any pain tomorrow. Hopefully not in my knee!
What stinks though is I did everything right. How was I supposed to avoid that situation? I had no way of predicting that the driver would pull forward –without looking both ways –in preparing to turn right when clearly she could not go yet. Obviously I was a little peeved; however, the incident did give me something to blog about so…um..thanks.
4 comments:
Yeah you really have to watch out for drivers on this campus! Too many people dont pay attention when they are driving. Yesterday I saw a guy basically floor it while driving through the circle, right about the time classes got out. Not very smart!!
I think that the problem of cars on campus isn't so much a problem as bikes is. I know when I'm driving on campus the amount of people everywhere scares the crap out of me so much that I'm looking constantly in every direction and driving really slow. However, the bicyclists just don't care. My roommate was hit by one about 2 weeks ago and the the guy barely even pulled over to say he was sorry.
Things are pretty crazy around here, I know I've had my share of close calls...like the other day when I was driving and almost hit a biker...I was turning right...so I thought that I had the right of way but I'm glad i was paying attention because the biker was not going to yield for anything. It has also been vice versa..me almost getting hit by a biker....some of them go like 60 down the sidewalk! Last but not least, I got rear ended the other day because a girl wasn't paying attention!! Thankfully there wasn't any noticeable damage....
I agree with purduewaterpolo4, and that is with the fact that I have and regularly use my bike. I go down first street when I am going from my dorm to campus and vice versa, and I ride on the road like most of the bikers on first stree. I stop at the intersections and look both ways but I can't even count the number of times that other bikers have just shot by me with out even looking. I bet those are most of the crah incidents that you heard about. The idiots on bikes who not only don't yeild to walkers but ride right through some of the less used intersections.
Post a Comment