My daughter was victim of a hit and run on her bike!!!!

[crafftygrrl]

First she is OK--just shaken up and bruised.

I am so angry, I am beside myself. I am also very grateful to the kindness of strangers and that it was not worse. My mind is going in circles with the what could have happened.

My daughter is 12 and is yearning to spread her wings. I am very protective--my DH says I should lighten up.

She was riding her bike to a strip mall about 2 miles from our house. They have a pet store, Baskin Robbins, Blockbuster and the like.

She has ridden there before by herself. She takes her cell phone and calls us several times en route. She is very responsible. I really don''t like this one intersection and it is there that the accident occurred.

The intersection does not have a crosswalk or button for pedestrians to push to get a crossing signal. She was crossing the intersection (3 lanes in each direction) when the light changed from red to green. A driver making a left hand turn did not look right and hit her. She fell off her bike pretty hard but got up immediately. The driver rolled down his window, said a few words AND DROVE OFF!!!!!!

My daughter was too shaken to respond.
Luckily some witnesses (people in 2 cars--G*d bless them!!!!!) stopped and helped calm her down. She was in shock and shaking!!!
These people called home. Luckily my DH answered the phone--he told me Alison fell off her bike and needed to be rescued. He did not want me to freak out. I got there in 2 minutes and the good samaritans told me what happened. They tried to get a license plate, but it happened too fast. I''m grateful that they helped my daughter first. I called 911 and filed a police report.

She jammed her thumb; and her hip is bruised. But that''s all. It could have been so much worse.

What kind of person hits a 12-year-old girl and drives off? That is what gets me so angry.

But then again I am soooooo grateful to those who helped.

Had to vent.

 

[belle]

ohmygosh

how absolutely horrible. i don''t even know what to say. i am soooo glad to hear she was not badly injured. gosh that is awful. how unbelievable that the driver did not stop. that is disgraceful.

(((((((((HUGS)))))))) to you and your family.

 

[crafftygrrl]

This also brings to mind that in Sept. 2004, some close friends lost their 15-year-old son who was killed in a pedestrian-car accident. He was crossing a major street to get to the bus stop. It was so tragic and unendingly sad. The mother was also pregnant and lost the baby....

 

[Kaleigh]

Claudia,
I am soooo sorry. Thank god she is ok!! The same thing happened to my son 4 years ago. But he wasn''t on a bike. He was crossing the street, someone waved him to go ahead and a car in the lane behind that driver hit Rob. He rolled over the hood of the car. It was an elderly woman. She rolled down her window and said she was sorry and spead off. The witnesses were appalled. She got away, the police never found her. He was badly bruised and had a nasty cut on his elbow. He is still very cautious about crossing the street. A year later one of his best friends was killed crossing the street. Big hugs to you and your daughter. I''m so glad she is ok!!!!

 

[sunkist]

Oh my goodness, Crafty!! That is horrible! I''m am so glad that your daughter is alright. I cannot believe anyone would drive off after hitting any person!! I hope he can''t live with his self for doing that

What an awful person. It is so reassuring though that those other people stopped to help her. Thank goodness.

 

[momothree]

Thank goodness she is ok, but what an awful thing for her to have gone through.

How difficult to be a parent; you want your kids to ultimately be independent but so scary to let them out of your sight and protection...

 

[msdarlinjoy]

Craftygirl ...

I am sad to hear this news about your daughter being a victim of hit and run. It angers me that someone would just drive off like nothing happened!

I am glad that your daughter was not severely injured!

I know what it''s like trying to be the protective mom, it''s hard to let our young''ins spread their wings a bit ... just very scary!

I hope she heals up and isn''t affraid to get back on her bike ... I know I would be afraid for a lil'' while ... Is there another way for her to get to the mall?

Hugs to you and your daughter ... take care and let us know how she is doing a little later ... ok.

 

[movie zombie]

you are so very right that as bad as it was, it wasn''t worse. i hope your daughther mends quickly.

movie zombie

 

[DonaBella]

First of all, thank the Lord she is ok despite a some bruising...nonetheless, I will personally keep her and your family in my prayers. I also pray that the person who did this has the decency to come forward to the police and fess up...such cowards!

Our neighborhood is becoming all too busy and this is one of those stories you just feel so connected to other parents...

 

[strmrdr]

Glad to hear she is ok.
Thats scary there sure are some a%%holes out there :{

 

[iceprincess]

Claudia,
I''m so sorry this happened to your child and your family. I''m so grateful your daughter is not hurt worse. As a parent, this must be a total nightmare for you. I feel at once outraged by the callousness of the offending driver and the decency of the good samaritans that were there to help your daughter.
I trembled as I read your post. I don''t know how I would handle this situation if it were to have happened to my own daughter. I still can''t believe that someone would drive off after hitting a young child...I''m so sad about this.

 

[FireGoddess]

Thank God your daughter is okay. That said, I''d like to find the stupid jack@!!! that hit her, saw she wasn''t unconscious, and LEFT. Stupid @ss. I hope they find the jerk and haul him/her in...for leaving the scene of an accident. That''s ILLEGAL.

 

[Lorelei]

Ditto FG. Thank God she is ok. I really hope they find that @!$&head.

 

[crafftygrrl]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers. I just checked in on her. She didn''t sleep very well and her thumb still hurts. Luckily it''s vacation so she can rest.

It''s a crazy world we live in. People are in such a hurry they don''t look where they are going. They drive like they are on the highway in places and at times where it it likely that joggers and bikers will be present. My DH and I were out riding our bikes earlier in the day and my DH was nearly hit at that same intersection. It is really a bad one for pedestians and bikers.

BTW Kaleigh, I can''t believe that happened to your son too... and that she sped away. How that woman can live with herself is beyond me.

The person that hit Alison was driving a late model Ford and looked as if he was Middle Eastern or Indian. I suspect that the person did not have insurance or that something else was not right. Thanks again everyone.

 

[KristyDarling]

My god, what is WRONG with people??? I hope they cops find and NAIL that evil person who hit your daughter....hearing things like that really make me want to vomit. Thank heavens your daughter is OK, poor little thing must''ve been so scared! I''ll be thinking of her.

 

[anchor31]

Oh my god, that makes me sick. I''m so glad you daughter is okay... There are so many reckless drivers!!

 

[fountainfairfax]

That driver is an irresponsible COWARD!!!! Someone who just couldn''t face the consequences of their actions and doesn''t care about anyone else but themselves

In many ways I think our "sue crazy" society is to blame- everyone runs from responsibility with the fear of personal financial liability, instead of not thinking about the CRIMINAL liability involved.

I''m so glad that your daughter is ok but what a horrible experience, I hope she is able to keep up her independent spirit and saw the goodness of most people in how she was cared for afterwards......

 

[SarFarSuperstar]

I am so sorry to hear about your daughter- my fiance and I were walking down a busy street this morning and talking about how dangerous it could be. I''m so glad she''s ok, but so angry that so few people have a sense of decency anymore. Personal responsibility is becoming passe and that''s so wrong. I hope she heals quickly, physically and emotionally.

 

[Sundial]

I am so sorry to hear about your daughter''s accident! What a scary thing and for the driver to just leave her there not even sure how badly she was hurt! Hope she is doing okay.

 

[MINE!!]

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! I am so sorry to hear this. I bet that you were petrified. I would have been out of my mind scared. OMG>.. that is terrible. It will revisit that man on day. I do not beleive in Karma, but I do beleive in God and I know He ust be pissed too.

WOW... I am so sorry to hear about this and I am glad that she is okay.

I am just now lietting my daughters ride their bikes down the street in the neighborhood. She is finally able to go 2 blocks away and come straight back. But I always tell her that she has to watch out for other people cause they are idiots and will not watch out for her. It is a parents nightmare to know that these a$$holes were on the road. Around here we have a 'jabbing on the cell phone, driving real fast, college kids who think they are "good drivers"' and it is scarey.

I was in the grocery store once and heard some young 20 something B*tching cause of what he called "small town politics" Hew said that it cost him about 1500$ to get out of a ticket (he worked there, was stocking shelves and talking to another employee) He was complaining about how he got a ticket for speeding in a residential neighboorhood. (Speed limit is 30) So the other guy asked him how fast he was going... he said 95!! 95!!!! 95!!!! 95!!!! BUT said it was bull$hit and that he is a good driver and he wasn't hurting anyone....

So I, (cause I was pissed off and have a big mouth) Turned around and told him that he was a punk a$$ moron that should have had his good for nothin' a$$ thrown in jail and that if it was really small town politics than he would be there right now. I called him and idiot and told him he should have his liscene taken away, and that I was going to pray for the policeman who caught him that night that he should catch more punks like him that have the audacity to put our children and families in danger.... WELL>.. the guy was a bit shocked I think, the kid he was telling said, "She's right" and I walked away...

**HUGS**

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

How sad and scary--hope your daughter is feeling better.

cheers--Sharon

 

[SoonIHope]

I am so sorry to hear that, that is soooooo scary!!!! I''m glad to hear she''s doing okay now, and I hope she is able to get over it emotionally quickly too! AND of course that they catch that guy!!!!

 

[AGBF]

Claudia,

You know how close we are, both geographically and in terms of our children''s ages. This could have been my daughter. I am so sorry!

Deborah

 

[crafftygrrl]

Again, thanks for everyone''s caring and support.

AGBF, I did think about you and your daughter too.

I am finding that one of the most difficult aspects of parenthood is hw much freedom/responsibility to give a child and at what time to give it. I think, given what happened, it would be best to have her go with a riding buddy, be it a friend, her brother, my DH or me. It''s always a good idea to have someone along with you.

But I think back to when I was a kid, I used to ride from Stamford to New Canaan, Connecticut to go muck out stalls in a barn in exhange for extra riding lessons. The rde had to have been about 20 miles and I did it by myself. No wonder my Mom had gray hair.

 

[ivanadiamond]

OMG! I am so sorry to read this. Thank god your daughter is OK- I can''t believe someone would drive away. The important thing though is that your daugher is fine. I am not a mom yet, and I can''t imagine how scary this must have been for you. I am sure you want to protect your children from any harm. Maybe there is a great lesson in this for her; although some strangers are mean, other''s like the ones that helped her are kind. And we can grow up and decide what kind of stranger we want to be.

 

[Kaleigh]

It''s so hard. I have a hard time giving my kids their freedom too. I always think what if this or what if that. Thank god for cell phones. I was a nervous wreck just waiting for Ash to get home from prom this weekend. It doesn''t get any easier as they get older. UGHHH. So glad your daughter is ok. When it happened to Rob I was furious. But then calmed down that he was ok.

 

[eks6426]

Oh wow. I''m so glad that your daughter is ok. I can''t believe someone just drove off!

Definitely a good reminder on why you should force your kids to wear a helmet.

 

[hlmr]

Oh, that is so awful to hear. Your poor daughter...she must have been so scared!

Some people just have no conscience or sense of accountibility in this life!

I wonder if this man has any children?!

I hope your daughter feels better very soon.

 

[AndyRosse]

Oh my God, how horrible!!! But thank God she is okay! That is the most important.

 

[diamondfan]

I am so happy she is okay and angry like everyone else that someone would drive off. Did anyone get information on the car or plate? This world is so crazy, like someone said, kids on cell phones who think they are superb behind the wheel (and often kill themselves or their friends in the process)...the dilema, as you said, is when and how much freedom to give. It has so little to do with your own kid and his/her abilities and common sense...it is everyone else. How do we teach them to go out in the world when there are so many dangers? Yet we cannot keep them in a cocoon forever either, because then they have less of an ability to cope with what is out there. How can we help them when they do nothing wrong and yet get hurt? I am so sorry and hope she can overcome it and feel safe going out again, though as a mom I don''t know how soon I could let her do it!