Green Cross Code.

[Steve H II]

Yesterday I hit a young girl whilst driving. I've never experienced a moment as horrific as when I saw her run off the pavement into my path nor heard a sound more sickening than the muffled crunch of her body against my car, the shudder of my ABS and the subsequent screams.

To set the scene I'd travelled an hour from my home to pick up some floor tiles for my kitchen and, having picked them up was driving home. I was travelling on a small (quite narrow) road doing no more than 20mph (thank goodness!) when I saw the Mum, her son to her side (nearest me) and her daughter to the left of her waiting to cross the road. I instinctively let my foot off the gas a little as ironically I thought to myself '...you never know...' when, without warning, as I was 7 or 8 yards from them she bolted, running out into the road. I slammed the anchors on and swerved to my right as there was no oncoming traffic but it was too late. The thud echoed through my car as I saw her hair disappear below my nearside wing. Then came the screams.

I froze in my car for a split second and whispered to myself 'ohmygodohmygodohmygod'.

Sat in my passenger seat for what seemed like an eternity the screams disappeared and everything went into slow motion my mind filling with worst case scenarios. Then suddenly I snapped out of it, the volume returned with the cries of anguish outside and people running to the little girl’s aid. Quickly I reversed my car 20 yards away into a park entrance to get it off the road and ran back to the scene where the little girl was sat on the floor, cradled in her mother’s arms a large blanket wrapped around her. The ambulance had been called, all I could do was blurt out 'issheok?issheok?issheok?'.

Mum was calm, reassuring, 'I told her to wait for the blue car...' she said '...but she didn't. It wasn't your fault.'

A bloke approached me 'Are you OK?' he asked. 'Yeah, think so, erm, dunno' was my response - mentally I was all over the place, already replaying the scene over and over in my head.

A lady in a post office van approached me stuffed a 'While you were out' slip into my hand with her name and number on it. 'I saw it all...' she said, '...it wasn't your fault. Call me if you need a witness.'

The ambulance arrived, the screams of the girl being replaced by crying - she was checked over. Mum was advised that there were no broken bones and she could either monitor her daughter at home or go to the hospital for a check up - she chose the latter. I took her number so that I could check on her and her daughter’s well-being later in the day. I apologised for the umpteenth time.

The police arrived, they breathalysed me. 'Have you been drinking?', 'No', 'Last night?' 'Yes', 'What?', 'A can of Stella'. He explained what do to and what the reading meant. 'Blow' he ordered, I blew, conscious of the fact that I was being breathalysed on what was now a road with two vehicles with their blue lights flashing and a tailback of curious commuters - I thought of BCF and what the 'haters' might think. 'You blew too hard.', 'It's my first time doing this.', 'Try again.' I tried again. 'The reading might take up to 40 seconds to appe... Oh right, it's a Nil', 'Thank you.'

The police took a brief statement, details of the witnesses and gave me a producer. 'We're not proceeding with this.', 'OK, Thank you.'

I got in my car, if someone would've offered me a lift home in exchange for my '06 Focus there and then I'd have happily ridden shotgun and given them my keys.

I called Mum up later that afternoon, she apologised, 'I told her to wait for the blue car...' she said '...but she didn't. It wasn't your fault' she repeated, 'Cuts and bruises only, she's back to her old self now'. I thanked my lucky stars. I could've killed someone today.

I called the Post Woman up. I thanked her for her support and offering her assistance. '...it wasn't your fault' she said, '...why wasn't Mum holding her hand?', '...she was only 5 or 6.'

The moral of the story? I don't know. Drive carefully? Yeah, I suppose so - If I'd have been doing 35 or 40 (in what was a 30mph zone) then there might be a sadder ending to the tale.

'It wasn't your fault' - I was told that numerous times however it doesn't stop your mind working overtime, reeling from the possibilities of what could have happened. It kinda proves that you can be careful and observant but there's no legislating for human nature and the actions of other roadusers and pedestrians. Take Care People.
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Mellow Yellow
The BCF Top Ten - The Original, 2008, 2009

[JonB]

Sorry to hear about your experience. You have to remember it wasn't your fault and that you couldn't have done anything different to prevent this accident.

I think it also goes to show that it doesn't matter what legislation is passed towards the motorist, no amount of speed reduction can prevent pedestrian related incidents. To be honest most of my "near misses" involves pedestrians who just don't look, or take chances when crossing the road.


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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[Ariel Badger]

It will stay with you for a long time. I ran a kid over with a bike 32 years ago ( he was ok), I drove past the spot last week and I can still remember every detail.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Mudskipper]

I always insist on holding my daughters' hands crossing roads, and I will carry on doing so until they are taller than me.

No matter how much you instill road sense into kids, it only takes one moment of childish giddiness and it could be curtains.

She is very lucky (if you know what I mean) to have gone in front of you, rather than in front one of the reckless idiots that speed around near the school here.
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CBR125|||GSXR400|||CBR400|||CBR400|||CB250RS|||GSXR750|||CB250RS
"You're clumsy, you eat too much and you behave like a 12 year old boy. But you know what? Every once in a while, you find a thumb."

[Mister James]

[Skudd]

I've knocked two people over while on my bike, neither were my fault and no action taken against me. I still remember every detail of both incidents, one was 25 years ago and the other 14 years ago. Sounds like you did all the right things and there is one little girl alive today because you did.
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Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Flip]

I was a passenger in a car when a kid (12-13 yo I was the same age myself at the time) ran into the passenger side wing. His leg went between the wheel and the wheel arch snapped his leg and spat him back out. It is a horrible sound.

At least her Mum sounds normal and isn't trying to cause problems.

[Clanger]

They should bring back the Tufty Club, or Charley...!
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Robby]

Did she scratch your wing with her teeth?

[tutton]

I just noticed that poster name is "Steve H II"
How long has it been like that?

Anyway glad to hear you didnt cause any perminant damage, id keep onto those witness details for a bit longer incase in a few months or so, the mum trys one of these ambulance chasing solicitors or something to that degree of scummyness.
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Past: '05 Peugeot XPS '99 Aprillia RS125 '94 FZR600R
Current: '02 ZX636 A1P '51 CCM R30

[brendan002]

Glad both the young girl and you are alright (ish)! Realise it will live with you for a long time so hope you can sort it out!

All the best!
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08 Honda Hornet 600

[Steve H II]

Thanks for all the commets guy 'n Gals - I find it pretty cathartic getting it things down in print so thanks BCF too

Just to address a couple of comments...

Yep, I think it will stay with me for a long time in fact I'm grateful that it happened an hour or so away from my usual stomping ground so the physical reminder of the actual area where the event took place won't be an issue thankfully.

Mum does sound (very) normal thankfully in fact I received a text from her updating me on her daughters progress following my phone call which i really appreciated - I don't think the blame/claim culture has reached the middle class provincial counties yet

I initially typed 'The Tufty Club' as the title of the thread but thought that 'Green Cross Code' might be understood by the wider (younger!) BCF audience

No damage to the car whatsover although to be fair I couldn't give a toss.

Steve H II - don't ask
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Mellow Yellow
The BCF Top Ten - The Original, 2008, 2009

[5v3d3b0]

[Ichy]

You did all you could and no one suffered, just hope she learn't a lesson. Unfortunately, as Wally said, It'll stick with you forever. I still remember the first person I shot at and killed in excellent detail despite it being over twenty years ago.

I have no idea if you are married or live at home but it is really worth talking to someone. Moms and wives have a superb ability to understand and put things in perspective.
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[MattHirst]

[colin1]

Sheep dont read the green cross code either.

Rob (known as klr600 on this forum), had to take evasive action, when faced with a car that had stopped for a sheep in the road. Fortunately there was nothing coming the other way.

The answer is for all small children and sheep to be kept under control using those extendable dog lead things.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[MarJay]

I'm supposed to be going to bed, but reading Steve H's post brought something flooding back to me which happened a number of years back. I guess it must have been about 2003... shit six years ago.

I was riding my SV650 which I had bought new about six months before. It was a sunday and I was heading out to work. I don't recall being late or anything like that and I was pretty relaxed. I was heading up the street from my parents house (where I lived at the time) and wasn't ragging it.

I moved up the street to pass some shops which are further up the road, and I saw a couple of people milling about there. One girl (late teens early twenties kind of girl) was carrying a plastic carrier bag and looking at the floor. I still remember now that she was wearing a light blue T shirt, grey trackies and white trainers. She was standing right on the kerb staring at the floor. I approached and slowed because I thought she might step out. She did, and then stopped, standing in the road. I carried on at about 20mph moving over to ride on the white lines (In retrospect stupidly thinking she'd seen me and was a good judge of speed and distance...), at which point she decided to try to beat me across.

I hit her.

I still remember the thump as I did it, and then silence for a moment. The screams started soon afterwards. I realised I had no left hand footpeg. I Managed to stop the bike without falling off and I looked behind me. The girl was sitting in the middle of the road with her legs apart and crying. She was now shoeless, and one of her shoes was on the other side of the road, having clearly been thrown that far by the impact. I recall that there was blood. A lot of blood.

From there on its a bit of a blur, and I recall someone ushering me away from the girl whilst someone else looked after her. I can't remember doing or saying anything apart from moving my bike onto the pavement, but I was probably blathering about how she jumped out etc etc.

The next thing that I recall clearly is the police being on the scene, and a witness who tended to the girl telling them something like "You know how bikes make a lot of noise when they are going fast? Well, he wasn't making a lot of noise so he wasn't going fast."
I remember thinking "Thank fuck for standard exhaust cans". The only way to describe how I felt at the time is to think of that scene in Lock Stock and two smoking barrels when he loses the poker game. I was just in a daze. The Ambulance doors shut and I vaguely remember it pulling away. I can't remember if it had blues and twos going.

The police looked at my bike and then sat me in the back of their T5. They told me what the witness had said, they breathalysed me (I told them I don't drink) and they told me that the whole fairing and mirror on the bike had missed her, and that the footpeg had caught her and so she must have stepped out into the side of my bike. The policeman told me he had an SV650 too (which it seems is a standard line for policemen when dealing with bikers "Oh I'm a biker myself" Oh yeah really?) and murmured something about pedestrians being lemmings and he actually said that I must have some skill not to have lost control of the bike! Here's me, sitting in the back of a patrol car, concerned that I may have killed or at least seriously injured a young girl, and he's making jokes about lemmings and telling me I've got skills!

They gave me a producer and told me that they would let me know if they decided to consider prosecuting me (cheers guys). I got the girls number and I called her later in the week. She told me she was fine. Turned out my cousin knew her and saw her out clubbing a few weeks later. It seems she was rather proud of the scar I gave her on her right leg, and my cousin said "Well, she's always been a bit of a dappy girl anyway. Always away with the fairys!"

That made me feel better. A few weeks later I got a nicely worded letter from the Thames Valley police saying that "On this occasion, we have decided not to prosecute." Oh good, so I went through three or four days of non stop shaking (Literally, if I had have been a smoker, I wouldn't have been able to light a cigarette myself) and untold worry, and you send me a flipping mail merge letter to tell me that I'm not going to get done for anything but I could still get sued by the girl? Oh cheers.

Well, she didn't sue me, and she made a full recovery. I'd even go as far as to say I reckon she's probably forgotten the whole sorry incident.

I will tell you something for certain though. I haven't forgotten it, and I don't think I ever will. It was the worst experience of my life
without a doubt.


{edit} Just to add in case anyone decides to read this wrongly, there wasn't much I could do. All the witnesses and the police agreed on that. That doesn't mean I don't wish things went differently, and I spent a lot of time on "What ifs". What if I had have braked harder, what if I had have stopped completely etc etc. The fact is, I was riding sensibly and had I have been not riding sensibly it would have been much worse.{edit}

Steve H I feel your pain. Chin up, there was nothing you can do and its not your fault. I know it doesn't help much but eventually you'll feel better.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Empathy to all.
I have also knocked over two people. 1st was an old dear walking out behind a bus, the following car nudged her and she stumbled in front of me. I hit the brakes on the Sierra as i hit her. I'd broken her leg. Bus driver did 999. She was dazed and so was i. Statement at cop shop and never heard anymore.
2nd one was a paperboy, shot out of a driveway on his push-bike and straight up the bonnet. Anchors on and he slides off and starts hopping around but being brave. After asking him if he was ok i offered him a lift to his house or at least i'd go whilst he waited. Popped his crumpled bike in the back and he gave me directions to his parents. Dropped him off and scarpered. Didn't want the hassle of explanations to upset family. So reported what had happened to the cops. Produced documents and never heard anymore.
I count myself as lucky considering the amount of miles i've must of done. Shit like this is bound to happen. We live another day

Pat
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[tutton]

I hope to god i never hit anyone,
just reading the storys making me feel weird
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Past: '05 Peugeot XPS '99 Aprillia RS125 '94 FZR600R
Current: '02 ZX636 A1P '51 CCM R30

[Paddy Blake]

A courier friend of mine did the same thing and sold his bike never to ride again.
He drives cars and vans so I guess he thinks it was because he was on a bike.
I have never hit a child and hope you get over that it was not you fault.
Could happen to anyone no mater how carefull

Take care.

Paddy.

[Flip]

I've just remembered my auntie running some kid over a few years back. He got up and ran off home. She followed him in the car and went to the house to talk to the parents, the mother told her not to worry as he gets run over a lot and he'd be fine. So she went to the police station who told her not to worry because he gets run over all the time but thanks for coming in.

[yen_powell]

I got hit by a car whilst crossing the road when I was 17.

I went up his bonnet, smashed his windscreen with my head before he braked and catapulted me up the road where I ended up laying on my shoulders with my legs up against the guard rail.

Totally my fault (looked the wrong way whilst running across the road, some sort of contraflow thing going on) but it still niggled a bit when the driver sent me the bill for the windscreen!
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[Bofh5]

Reading those examples does make you feel thats for sure but it also highlights that pedestrians have just as much duty as other road users when it comes to it.

Ok small kids are a bit different and you always have to allow for them but teens and adults should be more aware.
Its so easily done though as stated look the wrong way or distracted by your phone etc

I haven't hit anyone but had some damn close calls which sh1t me up and made extra paranoid whenever i see anyone at the side of the road.
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Bikes: Honda 50 / CB125-TDC / 93 CBR600 F2 (Stolen & Trashed) / 2001 SP-1 (Sold) / 95 CBR600 F3

[Mister James]

I tend to crawl through urban areas now, especially South Harrow where the (mostly 'freshie' immigrant) population seem to delight in diving into moving traffic despite the fact there are 4 pedestrian crossings in a 200m stretch of road.

It seems to me that the more infirm/disabled/slow-walking an individual, the more likely they are to try and cross the road at a woefully inappropriate time. Naturally, they look daggers at you or shake their walking sticks if you get anywhere near them - despite it being your right of way.

[D O G]

I'll just do a short post...

I hit a kid when I was 17, tbh I was driving too fast for the conditions, but I also had no chance, as the 5 year old kid ran out from behind a van, didn't look or anything.

It was a glancing blow, like yours, and the kid was fine.

He was a stupid, stupid child, who took after his mother, who took over 5 minutes to realise that he had been hit and make it to the scene - she had been chatting with her mates.

Still, it is a very shit feeling, and brings into perspective what damage cars can cause. It taught me a lesson in observation and appropriate speed early in my driving career.

You will be fine, the disbelief will go and it will just be put down to experience.

Amusingly enough, about a week later, the same kid ran out into the road in front of me again! This time his mother was with him, but clearly neither of them had learned from the experience.