“I literally was just speechless with my jaw dropped as he rode away.”
— Elisabeth Bowers
Last week I got an email from Portland resident Elisabeth Bowers. She was involved in a hit-and-run on and wanted me to know about it. That part isn’t strange. I get a fair amount of emails like that every month. What was different about Elisabeth’s situation is that she was in a car and the person who hit her was on a bike. She called it a “hit-and-ride”.
Here’s her story:
“On June 11th, I was involved in a hit and run at the corner of NE 21st and NE Multnomah… or should I say a hit and ride? A bicyclist rear ended my Subaru Outback (while weaving through traffic at top speed) and before I knew what was going on… he came up to my window and said, “My fault — you had come to a complete stop,” and then he rode off.
He failed to mention the damage he had done to my car. He didn’t have a license plate and I literally was just speechless with my jaw dropped as he rode away. I didn’t realize that there was damage until I arrived home. I guess I was happy he wasn’t seriously injured or anything. However, this cyclist should have offered to pay to get these panels replaced on my car or at least given me contact information. I’m a bike commuter too — and it’s made me rethink how I ride. Cars and cyclists need to work together — both are vehicles — even if one is more environmentally friendly.”
And here’s the photo of her Subaru…
Thanks for sharing your story Elisabeth.
Thanks for reading.
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This is the stuff that makes us look bad. I once saw a bike hit the back of a bus (in Seattle) and never stopped.
I once saw a black man rob a convenience store. Things like that are why people are racist.
See any problems with this logic?
Racism isn’t logical but it does exist.
I think his comment is perfectly reasonable given the topic of the blog post. Since no one has brought up hit and run statistics yet, I think personal experiences are acceptable.
I’ve noticed a lot of people these days don’t want to be held accountable for their actions…
I just don’t want to be held accountable for other people’s actions. This makes one particular cyclist look bad (see first comment).
Yet as a driver I should be held accountable or laws changed or traffic diverted for other drivers hitting cyclists, which is the norm around here.
It goes both ways.
Traffic being diverted because of “other drivers hitting cyclists” is “the norm around here”? Really? Traffic diversion to make biking safer is the “standard, model or pattern” around here?
Most of the streets I ride and drive on have absolutely no bike infrastructure, bike lanes, grade separated bike paths, or any such thing.
Where is “here” and what are these standard bike safety improvements with which you are so unfairly burdened?
In the comments of this blog, absolutely. Flint/Wheeler need to be fixed. No right on red at certain lights (or all lights). Look at the comments of any post regarding an accident and there’s a cry of changing driving law or making an adjustment in the flow of auto traffic.
Oh, so when you say “the norm around here,” you are referring to bike safety improvements on this blog. Assuming for purposes of argument that your characterization of discussion here is correct, you don’t drive on this blog, and I don’t bike on this blog, so how does the “norm” on this blog burden you?
Seriously, am I reading you right? You have an issue with trying to make the roads safer for cars, bikes and pedestrians? I’d be curious about what exactly it is that bugs you about safe roads.
Do you know what “accountable” means? It doesn’t mean that I am inconvenienced, it means that I accept blame. I will not accept blame for the actions of some other cyclist, which is what is often suggested by comments such as “makes us look bad”, or “cyclists should police themselves”.
Rarely does anyone suggest that some driver running off the road into a house, or killing a pedestrian or cyclist or whatever “makes drivers look bad”. No, we all accept drivers as individuals and don’t blame one for the actions of another.
If roads are unsafe, or laws are poorly written or create unforeseen problems with safety or enforcement, then yes–they should be changed. Changing laws or redesigning streets means that the Government (City or State) is being accountable for protecting its citizens; it doesn’t have anything to do with individuals being accountable for each others’ actions.
“Do you know what “accountable” means? It doesn’t mean that I am inconvenienced, it means that I accept blame. …” El Biciclero
Accountable doesn’t mean a person accepts blame. It refers to liaility.
Though some people seem to have interpreted his words to say so, I don’t believe Mark Allyn is saying people riding bikes are responsible for the actions of other people riding bikes.
It seems he’s saying that inconsiderate actions of certain people riding bikes have some tendency to become generally associated with people using bikes as a mode of travel.
I’m not responsible for what this ‘hit and run/ride’ guy on a bike did to Elisabeth Bowers’ car, but other people hearing stories like hers may cause them to wonder to what degree it may reflect the character of other people riding.
“…liaility…”
Oh wow. Nobody’s complaining, but obviously, I got the incorrect spelling. It should be: liability.
“Rarely does anyone suggest that some driver running off the road into a house, or killing a pedestrian or cyclist or whatever “makes drivers look bad”.
No, because the assumption is that ALL or MOST drivers in the area are already bad. How often do you hear, “those Portland drivers are very courteous?”
Oh, please. Drivers are painted with a broad brush on this site all the time in the comments. I can’t believe you typed that with a straight face.
That’s very true – and to a certain extent, it’s always been true. Read stories of driver/cyclist/horse behavior in the 1910s and 20s. I’m starting to think we need a concerted effort to teach people that the actions of one do not represent the whole.
You can’t legislate behavior. Either people choose to be responsible, or they don’t. Public shaming sometimes works, enforcement sometimes works, but both are pretty sporadic – they only work if the person is there to be “caught”. If someone calculates the risk of caught as low, and the benefits as high, there’s not much socially we can do about it. People can’t be controlled.
Matt, could you please provide some references to the driver/cyclist/horse behavior you mentioned. I am interested in learning more about how society adjusted to the automobile in that time period. Thanks, Peter
I had a kid hit the side of my promotional vehicle ( I was working for a beverage company and the vehicle was wrapped in promotional style). The handlebars didn’t have the plastic part on them so he gouged a huge mark through the promotional wrap and into the paint. I stopped immediately when he hit the side of the vehicle and jumped out and yelled at him as he peddled away.
really?
I don’t think accountability is a recent problem. It’s probably a large factor in why hit-and-run offenses are such serious offenses when they were written into law way back when.
I blame lawyers – they made accountability expensive.
Kidding! (kind of…)
Accountability is usually expensive/inconvenient. That is why people avoid it. Little bumps and scrapes like this typically don’t involve lawyers at all. It’s a few calls to the insurance companies and a trip to the body shop. Now, as to why body shops are so expensive…
Elisabeth, that stinks! What particularly makes me grind my teeth is how the person tried to blame you for coming to a complete stop. Encountering a jerk on our roads is really frustrating, whether that jerk is behind the wheel, on a bike or walking. The only consolation I find is that the latter two categories are less likely to kill me as a result of their irresponsible use of the roads.
I hope your car repairs turn out to be cheaper than you expect.
– b
I think you need to read that again. She was quoting him, he was the one who said, “[it was] my fault – you had come to a complete stop.”
So he admitted complete fault. Bravo. But he did not admit to the damage. Boo! Pretty douchey move.
You’re right; I missed where the guy on the bike said “my fault”. I thought he was implying the woman in the car was at fault for stopping unexpectedly. Thanks for the correction.
knowing Subaru parts pricing, that is at least 2-300$ worth of damage.
what an a-hole.
Friday afternoon I sideswiped a big, giant blue pickup truck. Earned me some truck rash and a trip to the adjacent flower bed. Truck fine. But dude uber pissed at me. I’m lying there crushing daisies with my bike on top of me and he’s worrying about a sweat streak on the side of his truck. He was in the bike lane, I was hauling around a corner with poor sightlines. OK? So I don’t wanna ruin my weekend. I bailed and came back when that pit bull of a man was gone to retrieve my front light!
i hit a parked car at dusk in the rain once: i just didn’t see it coming until it was too late. there was a dent at elbow height. i felt terrible. i went back home to call my insurance company. when i went back to leave a note for the car, the car was gone. i’m still sorry years later!
“Don’t say it never happens . . .”
Does anyone really say “it never happens”? What I will say, now and always, is that I am in no way culpable for the “hit and ride” by someone else. I’m quite tired, frankly, of “group culpability” and “proof by anecdote.”
And yes, I’ve tried scolding people who blow through red lights on their bikes, and their cars. I’ve tried scolding people who drive while talking on their cellphones or while reading from their smartphones. All it has ever gotten me is a momentary surge of adrenaline and a middle finger extended in my general direction.
A d*ck is a d*ck regardless of the vehicle.
Apparently, this is the confessional now. I once stole a pound of cheese. I feel better.
hee hee…there are not enough betaalphamilligamittajetafrigga bite’s on the interwebbie’s to hold my transgressions. I am goin’ straight to hell fo’ sho’.
Wow, pretty smug: “he didn’t have a license plate”. And the relative-environmental-friendliness comparison– was that necessary? Bottom line, some people are jerks. Doesn’t mean all riders are jerks. Unless you want to go live in a cave somewhere apart from society, you’re going to have to deal with jerks.
I think you’re reading more into her words than necessary. ‘Smug’ was clearly not there.
Maybe smug was the wrong term.
The victim’s account is loaded with her opinions and carries obvious bias against cyclists. Misplaced bias, I’d say, even though some inconsiderate person caused minor damage to her vehicle while bicycling.
Hit and runs happen between cars all the time. Even though cars have license plates, perpetrators still get away with it if a witness isn’t in the right place at the right time to record a correct plate number or other info cops can use.
The ending line, “even if one is more environmentally friendly”, tells me the author resents bikes and feels they’re unfairly given a pass because they’re a green form of transportation.
So where’s the police report? Could I go snap a pic of any damaged car, write up a couple paragraphs about how a “bicyclist did this”, pepper it with anti-bike sentiment and send it off to bikeportland to publicize? I sure hope not.
And here’s your reading comprehension award of the day…
“I’m a bike commuter….”
Anyone could claim that. Here’s your gullibility award of the day.
Her car just got hit by someone else and she has no recourse. Should she not have an opinion about it?
Bah, she’s pissed and has every right to be. Flip the coin and if the only damage to the bike was some paint and a broken brake lever we’d be all over that.
I completely sympathizes with her, as most of you know I’ve irritated you beyond belief sticking up for cyclists, but I can’t count the number of times I’ve thought, “it’s no wonder they all hate us.”
I’ll still irritate the hell out of you all and stick up for bikes to the end (when they deserve an advocate), but this guy is a jerk and should have owned up. PERIOD. If you screw up and hurt someone or their property, even if it was uintentional, just own up and fix it, no matter what you’re riding/driving.
The irony, had he stopped and said, “I’m so sorry, I was riding too fast and following too close and ran into you. It looks like I broke the plastic on your tail light.” chance are she would have said to not worry about it and she was glad he was okay. Instead…. Here we are making comments like we read OregonLive or something.
The whole attitude of defendingr this guy makes me think of Romney bashing Obama about the economy, then when the economy improves, he gets up and says that Pbama can’t take credit for the improvement. We can’t have it both ways people. All that said, do I feel this reflects badly on us, yes. Do I think you can make inferences about the “cycling community” because of this jack ass, no.
How on earth did a bicycle cause that damage?
that’s pretty much the height of a set of handlebars…
is it soooo hard to believe it happened?
I had a collision with a Mercedes in 2009? I managed to break off the passenger side mirror. Cars today are meant to collapse/break/shatter/bend in a collision to expend the energy of impact. It’s very easy now to break things with a bike. Wouldn’t have happened if it was a ’69 Impala.
For those who wonder, yes, my insurance paid the $2,500 repair bill for the Mercedes. (Renter’s insurance under the liability clause)
I once whacked the driver’s side mirror (with my fist) of a Mini that was trying to pass me on the right (and no, not to turn right) while I had taken the lane in traffic. You’re right, it was designed not to break!
But then I thought “shoot, I don’t want to make cyclists look bad.”
Are you this guy?
http://www.velominati.com/technology/fixie-challenge-matching-aptitude-to-confidence/
you are joking, right?
Some of the damage in the picture could not have been caused by a bike. See the white paint?
I’m guessing there was already damage, and there may or may not have been a cyclist involved.
never seen a white bike? so very kind of you to call ms. bowers out as a liar like that.
Oh Boy, we now have amateur insurance claims adjuster’s bustin’ it apart! This is AWESOME ! The plot thickens!
That’s weak.
There have been two incidences recently in the SF Bay Area of elderly pedestrians dying after being hit by cyclists. Yes, much more rare and much less of a danger than being hit by a car. But, it’s still happening. I’m not sure what the solution is (not bike licensing for sure) or if there is one besides humans being considerate, defensive and cautious. For better or worse I think as the number of bike users goes up, the number of incidents of property and human damage caused by bike users will go up.
There was one in San Jose a few years back of a bike rider with a dog who snagged an elderly lady who hit her head and died. The city tried to pass an ordinance banning bicycling with dogs, but there was such an outcry from dog owners that they didn’t pursue it. IIRC it was around the time they were getting rid of the ordinance requiring bicycle registration – reason cited that nobody registered their bikes because nobody actually knew the law existed.
Interesting story. Made me think.
This type of situation happens all the time car vs car and it is no big deal.
Now, if the person had done it intentionally would you feel better? Personally, Iv’e had my car hood ridden over by a skate boarder and it was upsetting at the time. It’s kind of funny now. That car was a piece of crap anyways.
I am not makin’ this up! Four or five weeks ago, up around Alberta, I came outta a coffee shop to find TWO SETS of bike tire tracks (bmx-y, and with different tread patterns) going up and over the hood and windshield of the wretchedly clapped out car we own!
I figured they saw it to be a pile, and used it for fun! I was left only to wonder which direction they went (over the car that is). I assume they went front to rear, and jumped off the back.
I wish i had those mad skills.
Brian,
I had my car ridden over and vandalized by BMX kids. It actually did a lot of damage. I don’t blame bicyclists (or even BMX kids) for what one group did. Don’t judge a group by it’s idiots.
Hit and run is a crime. The type of vehicle doesn’t matter.
My earlier post is because I’m not sure the woman is being honest, and just wants her car fixed from a different incident.
I fail to see any logic to support your assertion. How would her writing to Maus and making up a story about a hit and run cyclist help her in anyway to get her car fixed? What makes you so unwilling to accept her at her word?
Jerks will be jerks, whatever their mode of transit.
I agree with Esther above. It seems these kinds of incidents are rising. I see three explanations behind the jerk cyclist culprit:
1) More people are moving to Portland from other places around the country where it is practically the law to act like a total, self-centered, redneck idiot on the road. They don’t regulate their driving behaviors once they arrive in Oregon, despite the fact they are piloting their two tons of steel through a city teeming with hundreds of thousands of walkers, joggers, & bicyclists.
2) Many of said folks described above in reason 1 then decide it is the hip thing to buy a bike as an accessory.
3) Lance Armstrong, who has spawned an entire army of spandex-clad Lance-bots, who will run you off the road/bikepath at ANY cost, with their bad manners and screaming neon lycra!!!
#3 makes it sound like you have a jealousy problem, mate!
You could have just stopped with the first sentence of your comment. Beyond that, I really do not get your sense of humor at all.
But hell, that’s mor’n likly ’cause my pappy was red neck n’ I mooved ta dis here place frumsum’ere else w’ere der aint no law.
Ummm, what?
My daughter was 14 when she hit the side mirror on a car and knocked it off. She said a car was passing her too closely. She left a note on the car, we met with the owner (who was impressed with Jenna’s honesty), and we paid the repair bill (which was about $500, not enough to claim on insurance).
This weekend I am meeting with the attorney (Joshua Shulman) who spoke at a Hit-and-Run Rally in May, before the sentencing of Art Pavlenko, who killed Miky Vu in a hit-and-run last July. The rally was covered by all the TV stations but none showed footage or even mentioned it, instead they focused solely on the outcome of that particular sentencing (even though the Vu family and friends were the ones who set up the rally and did all the work [with a little help from me]).
We want the laws changed. 18 months for a hit-and-run that killed someone is ridiculous (18 year old Miky). Dustin’s killer pleaded guilty to Felony Hit and Run, which had a sentence of 5 years probation and 5 years license suspension. We are just lucky that there was a police officer on the scene so quickly which resulted in the driver being apprehended within an hour and being tested for alcohol (but not drug tested; they drug tested Dustin but not the person who killed him). Only Ashawntae’s being legally drunk (.0169 3.5 hours after the collision) allowed for the homicide conviction. As I’ve said before, hit and run pays… as long as the person is able to sober up before getting caught.
How do we know his brain wasn’t rattled? I have done/said some pretty amazing stuff when concussed and each one has been different. Let’s see if he checks in after the article.
I also think it is valid to point out that there are many houseless camps on that hill below Multnomah by the tracks. That guy might have been weighing pay for damage I caused vs feed family. Not all those that are houseles look like they are.
Oh boy, so next hit and run that kills a cyclist, should we all just say the driver’s “brain was rattled.” dramatic difference, I know, but you hit something/someone and damage it, you stop. No matter how rattled your brain is.
Is it really necessary for us to fix up our cars whenever there is a dent or a ding or a scratch? My car has marks on it and my bikes do too. What’s the sense in paying $300 to fix up something cosmetic like that? I think I’d rather put the money towards a hitch rack for the next person to run into.
Damage like that pictured isn’t necessarily just “cosmetic”. If any white light leaks out of that lens during braking, it is a ticketable offense (I know people that have received tickets for white spots in the red of their brake lights). A broken light lens could also admit water to where water shouldn’t oughtta go–into the light electronics or the rear interior/trunk of a car, causing mold (trust me I know about this first-hand) and other delights. Paint scratches that aren’t down to bare metal? Bah. Big whoop. But breakage like this should get fixed. It’s too bad the one who caused the damage didn’t stick around to make it right.
red duct tape
Yeah, and so not the point
Really Dan? Somebody breaks your stuff and it is OK to tell them it is not important? It doesn’t matter if YOU think it is important. It is not your stuff. Some people have nice stuff and want to keep it nice. If they think it is of value they are entitled to their value system and it is valid.
Are you quite sure you would be feeling so magnanimous if it were YOUR property paid for with YOUR hard earned dough, that somebody had crashed into before fleeing?
I can’t read yours without placing a British accent on it. Can you start using the word ‘quid’ in place of “dough”. Thank you.
Heaps are kind of comfortable to drive around, but it looks like this car has some years to go before it graduates to that dignified status. Auto parts stores used to carry a kind of adhesive translucent red film designed to be used to make temporary repairs to tail lights. That might work on this tail light for awhile, but it lacks for beauty. Doesn’t have quite the same pizzazz as rips and holes in expensive denim jeans.
Better, would be if the guy that ran into her car reads this story, decides to contact her through bikeportland and make an effort to pay for the damage. Elizabeth Bowers sounds like a fairly decent gal. If he can’t fork up the amount all at once, maybe she’d be willing to let him pay it off in installments.
resale value, for one. if she wants to sell it, even used on craigslist, the buyer will take it as a reason to lower the value.
It’s more than cosmetic, Dan. Rain leaks into broken lens, causes a short in the wiring and then you have an electrical problem that can take a few hours to diagnose and correct. It’s not to be minimized or ignored.
Taillight could have been cracked by the cyclist, who didn’t realize it was broken, then the piece fell out as the car drove around.
how is this even news? I could care less
“how is this even news? I could care less”
we see that.
How much more could you care less?
the technical term is “i could not care less.” unless maybe you could.
oops sorry ”I could still not care less”
do not get me wrong should never happen,the person that did that was an ass but we may as well start talking about car key and runners. or dine and dashers.
Ok I do care I lied plus it looks to a white truck did that getting out of a parking spot
A few years ago a I rear-ended a Portland police car right on SW 3rd north of Madison… I thought he was going to run the yellow. Caused me to endo a half foot or so. I don’t think he felt anything because he didn’t get out. Didn’t leave a mark, so no harm no foul.
Yesterday on my commute home from Bv, some kids in an SUV flicked a penny at me as they passed me. Hit me right in the back. Then after less than a half mile with me in what was certain to be vain pursuit, they, as the complete idiots that they are, turned down a one-way cul-de-sac to go shoot hoops at a local park. I called the police and now one of them has a criminal harassment charge to deal with. I don’t think all automobile drivers are bullies and cowards, but drivers in Bv disproportionately are. It’s nice when one of them gets his comeuppance. Hopefully word will get around Bv high school.
So when a driver acts like a t*rd and it’s reported on this blog, the vitriol against all drivers is through the roof, the term “cager” comes out right away.
But a cyclist does the same thing, we get the wonderful view that it’s not all cyclists who are t*rds it’s this particular cyclist and we shouldn’t paint all cyclists with that broad brush.
A little consistency with the outrage and/or understanding would be appreciated
I’ll own up to my own slip-ups in implying that all drivers are t*rds (which I usually try carefully not to do), but don’t blame the rest of the commenting community for the innuendos of a few…
i will admit, I am a complete turd. And i am not eve afraid to type the wurd turd.
Really? Vitriol against “all drivers is through the roof”? Personally, I’ve never used the word “cager,” and I drive, ride a bike, walk, take the bus, fly on airplanes, ride on ferries, paddle a little — so I’m not inclined to condemn entire groups of people given that I’m part of those groups.
Then again, I post comments under my real name. How about you?
yours was the first use of the word “cager”
Hit yourself with a bike and then hit yourself with a car. The difference should be evident if you survive the test.
“the vitriol against all drivers is through the roof, the term “cager”
in my experience the first person to use the term “cager” on a bike portland thread is often a whiny and entitled motorist.
What’s a cager? FYI, my iPad doesnt know eithe as it keeps changing it to cager – crap, now it writes it without auto correct.
Just one more thing the improved Siri will have to pick up. It’s derogatory terminology for people driving motor vehicles…the body of the car being kind of imaginatively thought of as a cage of sorts.
Somehow, the O-Live commenters made their way over here.
I witnessed a similar hit&ride three weeks ago near Pioneer Place. Light turned red, lead car in all lanes safely stopped. Crosswalk signal changed and just as I was about to step off the curb I heard a huge sound. A 30-something guy on Dixie had slammed into the rear corner of the car in the center lane. He went over his bars jumped up and dusted himself off. The drive was shocked but calm, got out to look at his car. The rider said nothing, weaves through the crosswalk traffic against the light and took off. It was then I noticed I was standing with on foot hovering off the curb in the crosswalk, sort of stunned. I’m still baffled how you could be so unaware of traffic during rush hour as to ride into the back of a stopped vehicle. I’m sort of glad he hit a car and not a pedestrian or another cyclist.
Oh, auto-correct, it’s fixie not Dixie. Why can’t you catch my actual typos.
Confessional time!
I once kicked a car that sideswiped me, and ended up falling off my bike. While in motion…
Cops made us trade contact info, but luckily no damage done (to me or the car).
Lesson learned.
I routinely slap Quarter panels of vehicles nearly right hooking me.
Loud enuf to startle the driver into paying attention.
Then I get mad at myself for not taking the lane.
Am I a Bad Man?
Perhaps. It seems that you desire some type of discipline, what with your guilt shrouded admission of immature actions. But I am not a professional mental health clinician by any stretch. What do I know?