Keep an extra careful eye out. I was hit this evening on a freeway while traveling in the carpool lane by an SUV merging from the number one lane.
I was in the right side of the carpool lane, so as to maintain good visuals around me, and keep clear of the shit between the center divider and the carpool lane. Out of nowhere the vehicle to the immediate right and slightly ahead of me, the carpool lane was traveling 5-10MPH faster, overtook my lane while I was currently occupying the space.
I didn't even notice anything was happening until right before I was hit. I was looking further ahead, ~50 yards, and watching what the cars ahead of me were doing. The SUV hit me very hard, not a push or anything, I mean HARD. Hit me into the far side of the lane, and even though I did my best to stay upright I went down, and quick. After I was hit it wasn't more than 25-30 feet and I was down.
The bike dropped on it's left side, sent me rolling off into the center divider, and the bike spun 180°. I got to my feet to see the truck behind me had stopped and the driver was coming to check me out. I told him I was okay and he said he saw what happened. Within 30 seconds there were 6 other bikers on scene who stopped, and asked if I was okay, what happened, and if I know what the vehicle looked like. Red SUV is all I knew.
They said they were going to look for it, and they left. After I got my bike turned around and running I again entered the carpool lane, and attempted to find the car pulled over on the side of the freeway. No such luck, they probably used an off ramp.
I think my bike and myself are in pretty good shape for what happened, but I know we are both damaged more than it seems. I see an easy $2000 in damage to my bike, plus my Arai which lost a good chunk, though I don't remember hitting my head, and my ankle is killing me, and it hurts to walk.
I was in the right side of the carpool lane, so as to maintain good visuals around me, and keep clear of the shit between the center divider and the carpool lane. Out of nowhere the vehicle to the immediate right and slightly ahead of me, the carpool lane was traveling 5-10MPH faster, overtook my lane while I was currently occupying the space.
I didn't even notice anything was happening until right before I was hit. I was looking further ahead, ~50 yards, and watching what the cars ahead of me were doing. The SUV hit me very hard, not a push or anything, I mean HARD. Hit me into the far side of the lane, and even though I did my best to stay upright I went down, and quick. After I was hit it wasn't more than 25-30 feet and I was down.
The bike dropped on it's left side, sent me rolling off into the center divider, and the bike spun 180°. I got to my feet to see the truck behind me had stopped and the driver was coming to check me out. I told him I was okay and he said he saw what happened. Within 30 seconds there were 6 other bikers on scene who stopped, and asked if I was okay, what happened, and if I know what the vehicle looked like. Red SUV is all I knew.
They said they were going to look for it, and they left. After I got my bike turned around and running I again entered the carpool lane, and attempted to find the car pulled over on the side of the freeway. No such luck, they probably used an off ramp.
I think my bike and myself are in pretty good shape for what happened, but I know we are both damaged more than it seems. I see an easy $2000 in damage to my bike, plus my Arai which lost a good chunk, though I don't remember hitting my head, and my ankle is killing me, and it hurts to walk.
