Watch Out!
You may want to skip this post if you're offended by the word asshat.
Now, where were we? Oh, yes. This is a story about a New Jersey doctor. Said 50-year-old asshat was bicycling down his street when he encountered an eleven-year-old girl on inline skates. He was approaching her from behind at a slow speed, rang his bell and called out. She moved to one side, but unfortunately she moved the same direction as he was taking to avoid her. Why didn't he just stop, or wait until he knew which way she would dodge? Who knows. Big doctor hits little girl. Big doctor falls off his bike and breaks his collarbone. Big doctor sues little girl! What an asshat.
Sadly, I have a similar story to spin. The year is 1990, and I'm in Tokyo on a business trip with my boss, who I'll call Greno. We're standing on the sidewalk in Shinjuku: Greno, myself and our contact from the company we had come to see. I hear something ringing behind me. chring! chring! I turn around, and there's a young Japanese girl on a girl's bike (actually, all the many bikes I saw in Tokyo were "girl's" bikes, even the ones with men riding). The girl is approaching me at a very slow speed, heading straight at me, and she's about five feet away already by the time I've turned around. I'm not sure which way to go, because she's coming straight at me. There's a rule of the sea that the more maneuverable vessel yields or avoids the less maneuverable vessel. I figure I'll stand still until I know where the girl is going. chring! chring!
She doesn't ride around us. She comes to a stop. And falls over. And starts moaning in Japanese. I wanted to help her up, but I was also hesitant to take hold of an underage girl I can't communicate with. Fortunately, our Japanese contact stepped forth and spoke to her and helped her to her feet. She didn't sue me. I didn't sue her. International relations were maintained.
For years after, Greno would occasionally ask me, "Knocked any girls off their bike lately?" Oh, that Greno. 
Posted by Dave Blog Tag: Chatter
Posted 3/02/2007 12:05:00 AM
L
On 3/02/2007 11:35 AM, 
Melissa said...
On 3/02/2007 11:51 AM, Alan said...
On 3/05/2007 11:45 AM, dkgoodman said...
On 3/05/2007 4:11 PM, Dan Lyke said...
4 Comments:
That is an interesting lawsuit and another reason why people hate lawyers. It sounds like just a no-fault accident to me.
I'm curious how the good doctor thinks he would collect the judgment should a jury be stupid enough to award him damages. Unless the girl is a child actress, she probably doesn't have much in the way of assets. I don't know how long a judgment is good in that state, but it seems unlikely that it could ever be collected. Unless, the parent's homeowners insurance would cover it.
Asshat is way too light of a description.
If you ask me, the girl should be suing the doctor! And he's probably got deep pockets.
Ya see, this is why, as both an inline skater and a cyclist (and even occasional runner), I don't warn those that I'm overtaking, or, if circumstances do compel me to, I make sure that our relative speeds are an MPH or so.
I've had way too many people jump the wrong way, turn around, even spread their arms, when I've called out that I'm passing.
Much better that people should be surprised after the fact than be given the opportunity to do something silly.
And, as a result of hollering out warnings, I've also eaten my share of asphalt and turf because of the resulting necessary evasive maneuvers. Never hit anyone, though.
As a cyclist, said asshat should have developed a similar policy, or was inexperienced enough that he shouldn't have been riding on the road.
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