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Hit by car, do I have options?

johnkol

johnkol

Active member
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Location
Union City
Moto(s)
Bultaco
Name
John
Last Saturday I was intentionally hit by a car while cycling, and the car of course fled the scene. I crashed hard, ended at the ER, Fremont PD took my statement and is treating it as an assault with bodily injury. The only eyewitness could only assert that it was a red sedan, possibly a Camry, but no license plate. Given that I had just passed a traffic light, I would have thought that traffic cameras would have captured me going by and the offenders following seconds behind, plus the next intersection is a major one (Stevenson & Mission), so the cameras there should have captured the offenders going through there too.

When I contacted the officer handling the case, he avoided any discussion about traffic cameras, so the impression I got was that he didn't check - or maybe there are no traffic cameras there, although that's difficult to believe because the incident occurred just 100 yards from the Fremont PD HQ.

So what are my options now? Would an attorney (or Private Investigator) be able to request traffic camera footage to identify the offenders? Any other course of action available?
 
Look after your injuries and let the police do their job, let your insurance pay your bills. Let it go.
 
I suppose you could at least talk to an accident atty and see what your options are.
Remember they don’t get paid unless they win the case.

It doesn’t sound like you have much to go on though, at the moment.

Good case for a dash cam or GoPro going forward.
 
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Traffic cameras? I don't understand. Do those specific intersections have cameras, or LPR cameras, installed by the city? If they do, that would be a basic part of their investigation. But I'm not really sure what you mean by traffic cameras. If you mean red light cameras, if installed at those intersections, would likely only be activated for vehicles running the red light, so unless the vehicle that hit you ran a red light with those cameras installed...

Otherwise, not sure what you mean.

What makes you say you were intentionally hit? That would be felony assault with a deadly weapon, and generally more difficult to prove than a felony injury hit and run collision. Either way, it's a felony case.
 
I was in my bank when local officers asked for their video as they are right at that light. That dicey intersection has cameras but did not catch the incident. The bank helped the cops immediately. Good luck, glad you weren’t totaled and hope you heal quickly and well.
 
bojangle said:
Traffic cameras? I don't understand. Do those specific intersections have cameras, or LPR cameras, installed by the city?
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Traffic cameras like Caltrans has for monitoring traffic along highways. I would think that all cities have similar cameras along at least major roadways in their cities.

bojangle said:
What makes you say you were intentionally hit?
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I was trying to make a long story short. The car didn't actually hit me, one of the occupants of the car threw a heavy bag at me, which lodged into my front wheel bringing it to a dead stop, and launching me over the bars into a circular orbit that ended with me landing on my head; I was knocked out for a good five minutes, and ended up in the ER with suspected concussion and neck injury. The only eye witness said that those guys did the same thing to another cyclist just a couple of minutes before, but in that case they missed the target. So it was intentional, and they are repeat offenders.
 
This is just so criminal I can’t believe the police would treat it so nonchalantly
 
ST Guy said:
As a side note, were you wearing a helmet?
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I don't think I would be alive if I hadn't been wearing one. It got compressed (as it should) and fractured in six different places; it is now embossed on the inside with the contours of my skull, and on the outside with the fine contours of the asphalt.
 
I’m happy that your helmet likely saved your life.

I’d contact the police department and demand that they check all video cameras for the vehicle and its license plate. It sounds like attempted murder to me.

Good luck!
 
johnkol said:
Traffic cameras like Caltrans has for monitoring traffic along highways. I would think that all cities have similar cameras along at least major roadways in their cities.



I was trying to make a long story short. The car didn't actually hit me, one of the occupants of the car threw a heavy bag at me, which lodged into my front wheel bringing it to a dead stop, and launching me over the bars into a circular orbit that ended with me landing on my head; I was knocked out for a good five minutes, and ended up in the ER with suspected concussion and neck injury. The only eye witness said that those guys did the same thing to another cyclist just a couple of minutes before, but in that case they missed the target. So it was intentional, and they are repeat offenders.
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cyclist hate is real. I don’t usually ride in full cycling kit because I noticed more hostile intersections with motorists when I do. These fuck heads need to be caught. That story is pretty sensational. If you want action, you might need to reach out to local news and social media to talk about what happened to you.
 
ST Guy said:
I’d contact the police department and demand that they check all video cameras for the vehicle and its license plate. It sounds like attempted murder to me.
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Two patrol cars came and one of the officers took my statement and pictures of my superficial injuries (bloodied knuckles and scraped head from friction with helmet), so I'm sure there is a case number at the Fremont PD.

Traffic cameras is what I had assumed would be most helpful in tracking the suspects, but I just checked Caltrans for cameras along Mission Blvd (which is SR 238), and the only two are at the intersections with I-680 and I-580. If Caltrans doesn't have any cameras at major road intersections, I now doubt that Fremont has any either - which is a bit shocking honestly.
 
With a description of the vehicle, I’m surprised that the police can’t find it. Or at least narrow it down one heck of a lot.

And I understand that this has happened before. These people need to serve time.
 
Unfortunately, CalTrans traffic cameras do not record or save data.
 
Mike95060 said:
cyclist hate is real. I don’t usually ride in full cycling kit because I noticed more hostile intersections with motorists when I do. These fuck heads need to be caught. That story is pretty sensational. If you want action, you might need to reach out to local news and social media to talk about what happened to you.
Click to expand...

I wanted to exhaust official channels before I turned to unofficial ones, hence my post here for people who know a lot more than I do.

Then again, I don't have a presence in the more sensationalist social media (TikTok, Instagram, FB, etc.) so I doubt I can suddenly insert myself there and create a stir.

Local channels... Does anyone watch OTA TV anymore?
 
I think they are just used to determine the amount of traffic at any given moment. I doubt there is any regular human interface with them. I don't see any of those in the area you've described. https://cwwp2.dot.ca.gov/vm/iframemap.htm

Oh, if you are actually referring to the cameras that you see on traffic posts at traffic lights, those are not Caltrans cameras. They also do not record data. Those cameras are just sensors used to trigger the traffic lights.

Interestingly, there don't appear to be any nearby flock cameras either. https://banishbigbrother.com/flock-camera-map/
 
Here's to a speedy full recovery for you John.......

You gotta wonder why a person would hate on a cyclist enough to carry out attacks like this? Maybe it's because of the ones who act like elites blocking the road? Or the ones who ride reckless? Or they are just jealous that the cyclists don't have to wait in traffic? Regardless this BS is unacceptable!

Hope you/they find the asshole and justice is served.
 
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