We asked, you responded. After writing about my own hit and run experience, readers sent us their own brushes with drivers who don’t stop when they’ve hit you.
You sent us some harrowing stories. Here are a few:
My husband was walking his bike ahead of me. I was pushing our 11-month-old daughter in a stroller a few steps behind him. We were walking along a busy main road in front of a mall. There was a crosswalk across a parking lot exit. Our walk light came on and we began to cross. An SUV approached and was looking opposite our direction up the busy road for a break in traffic so he could turn into the main road. It quickly became apparent that he wasn’t going to slow down, or look for anyone who may be using the crosswalk on their light! I only had time to stop and try to go backwards before he hit us. My husband and his bike got the worst of it. My husband had darted more in front of the SUV to, I don’t actually know, try to stop it somehow from hitting us? Anyway the SUV hit my husband’s bike and knocked my husband down with the bike on top of him, and the SUV hit the stroller near my sleeping baby’s legs. I started screaming and the driver came out and saw my husband under his SUV. He just stared at us while I parked my daughter out of harm’s way, then helped my husband drag his destroyed bike out of the road. Then the driver snapped out of his daze, apologized to us, then drove off! We weren’t in our right minds to get his plate number, we were too shocked. Thankfully the only permanent damage was to my husbands destroyed bike!
Tandi
I was a young teen in Calgary. I turned left, safely, from a main road in front of a car coming towards me but 30m away. The car turned right and was following me down the side street. It pulled out to pass me and immediately turned right. I bounced off the rear tire of the car and luckily slid under the bumper. I was bruised and scraped but otherwise unhurt. The woman didn’t even stop. She would have seen me at least twice before she made the final turn and she heard me crash into the rear of her vehicle as her windows were open.
Harriet, Calgary
I was a victim of a hit and run on my bike at Bay and Front, in September 2012. I was very lucky and a police officer actually witnessed the accident, and stopped the driver who didn’t realize he had hit me. It was also captured on camera, though I haven’t seen the footage. After facial surgery and ongoing back and neck pain, I’m still dealing with the legal side of the accident.
Cassi, Toronto
Gary, Edmonton
I was hit IN a Crosswalk, walking WITH the light, when I was struck by an elderly man that could barely see over his steering wheel. I jumped up, smacked the hod of his car and said, “What the hell are you doing?!” Then I stumbled over to the curb and sat down. He left the scene; police were coincidentally there within 30 seconds. I had the presence of mind to memorize his license plate. When the police went to his door he told them, “She was fine, she jumped up and ran up the hill!” Police said, “No, we found her at the curb where you left her!”His license was revoked, I settled with ICBC for $5,000.00 and proceeded to get migraines the next 20 years, following this.
Deneen, Vernon
I was hit twice last week. Once as a pedestrian (in a crosswalk, in a school zone, so the driver was also speeding), once as a driver. In both cases the drivers just kept on going. Police told me they could do nothing unless I had a licence number or a video. I asked them how I was supposed to do that since video recording falls under distracted driving. I also commented as to how I was supposed to get a video when I was diving out of the way of the vehicle? They laughed at me. It didnt matter as the licence plate was obscured by snow and dirt. This could easily be solved by police using zero tolerance in giving out tickets. There are so many laws being broken by drivers that cities could be rich off of ticket revenue. Do something already, its a war zone out there.
Chris
In December 2013 I was in 2 hit-and-runs in 5 days. The first time I wasn’t in my car. It was parked in the alley behind my friend’s house. When I went to leave I noticed my passenger-side mirror was pushed in. Turns out someone in a white car had hit my mirror, front fender hard enough to leave a nice dent and up my passenger door. Turns out her neighbour drives a white car that had front-end damage on it, yet she never even left a note. The second one was that Friday. I was in my car that time. I was on my way to the body shop to get a quote for the damage on my front end when a guy who was not paying attention ran into my bumper when I stopped. He was boxed in at this point so he couldn’t run yet. Once I pulled my car out of the way to get his info, he drove off. One woman who saw it followed him and watched him ditch his car and run into work. I called the cops but they didn’t do anything. They didn’t want to take a report but after I told them I wanted to, they never ended up filing it. I was in treatment for over a year for whiplash because of this. … One of my ribs still dislocates if I move the wrong way.
Olivia, Calgary
My partner and I were driving southbound on 44th Street SE Calgary on a very cold and slippery day in November last year. We were going slow as the conditions were precarious. There was a minivan coming towards us and suddenly a car popped out from behind it. With no warning whatsoever, the car drove head on into us. The collision was quite hard and the air bags went off. We jumped out immediately as soon as we determined both of us and our puppy (who we always have buckled in as well) were not seriously injured. The van was smoking so we did not want to be caught in a fire. As we walked towards the other vehicle, the driver got out and started staggering away. We called after him as we were worried he was injured. Other witnesses tried to follow him but lost where he went. As we were being checked over by EMS at the scene, the cops told us we were hit by a stolen car and that the guy was nowhere to be found. As a result, we had to deal with a painfully slow insurance process, costs that were out of pocket and cannot be reimbursed by insurance. We also own a bakery, so we had to rent, borrow vehicles and pay people to help us get supplies and deliver product for almost two months. We finally have another vehicle but our liability portion of our claim has not been paid to us yet as the guy has never been found. Waiting for a police report to clear us for liability takes forever too. This whole thing started with us driving slowly and safely down a street minding our own business. I hope the guy who hit us feels his bruises a hundredfold. It was a situation I never wish to go through again. The good thing out of the situation was how well we were treated by responders. They even kept our puppy warm in a big blanket while we were looked over by EMS.
Leah, Calgary
Have you been involved in a hit and run? We want to hear your story.
Note: We won’t publish your contact info, but may use what you send us in this or future stories.
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