Hit-Skip Car-Bicycle Crash, 27jun2016, Royal Oak MI, Woodward Avenue at 13 Mile

Описание: This is how you train car drivers to leave the scene of the accident after they've caused a crash:

Royal Oak police officer James Wern refused to view the GoPro video of the crash, and decided that the "Leaving the scene" charge was irrelevant, because in the words of the officer: "The car driver eventually came back."

The car driver pulled out into 4 lanes of traffic and hit the brakes, impeding traffic and causing an accident. The driver and his wife then fled the scene, agreed upon a story, and came back 10 minutes later. When the officer arrived, he took the words of the couple over my claims, while refusing to view video evidence.

Regarding: IMPEDING TRAFFIC:
MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE (EXCERPT)
Section 257.676b
Act 300 of 1949

257.676b Interference with normal flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic prohibited; exception; violation as civil infraction.

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Regarding: LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT:
MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE (EXCERPT)
Section 257.626b
Act 300 of 1949

257.618 Accidents; damage to vehicles; stopping required; reporting to police agency or officer; penalty.

Sec. 618.
(1) The driver of a vehicle who knows or who has reason to believe that he has been involved in an accident upon public or private property that is open to travel by the public shall immediately stop his or her vehicle at the scene of the accident and shall remain there until the requirements of section 619 are fulfilled or immediately report the accident to the nearest or most convenient police agency or officer to fulfill the requirements of section 619(a) and (b) if there is a reasonable and honest belief that remaining at the scene will result in further harm. The stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.

(2) If an individual violates the requirements of subsection (1) and the accident results in damage to a vehicle operated by or attended by any individual, the individual is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both.

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There is also a provision of Michigan law that states if damage is under $1,000, no police report is required. I called the police only because the car driver had fled, and I called to report the hit-and-run driver. Damage to my velomobile was about $300, so the only reason for any report at all was the driver leaving the scene.

If you're a bicyclist who's been the victim of a hit and run, especially a bicyclist in Michigan, please use this URL to voice your opinion to the Royal Oak police department:

https://www.romi.gov/formcenter/119/119

And the city attorney:

https://www.romi.gov/formcenter/109/109

Thanks!

Related:
After many deaths this past summer riding season here in Michigan, including 5 riders in Kalamazoo killed by a drunk / drugged hit-and-run driver, our state government is working on several laws to provide protections to bicyclists.

Based on this past summer, those protections can't come soon enough for the bicycling public - but the police departments will need to actually enforce the laws, and not let drivers like this one skate.

Ironically, the Royal Oak courts won't allow electronic devices in the courtroom, so they refuse to view this video also. Magistrate Chisolm, in the absence of the video, agreed with Officer Wern, and lectured me on using Woodward Avenue to get to my job on.... Woodward Avenue.