So.....

I got nudged by a suburban today on the way in.

First off, I'm fine. Second, no really I am. I only have a small bruise on the top of my foot(which isn't even visible) and a pitiful scratch on my leg (from the license plate I assume).

I'm going to classify it as a "free right on red" accident.

Here's the skinny:

I was riding in to the U on the Burke, and I was coming to the Ballinger Way / Bothell Way intersection. If you're familiar there's that little curve to the right and up a bit before you actually enter the intersection.

The "white walk man" was on, and as I was approaching I saw the SUV coming up to the intersection and slowing.

About the time that my wheel entered the pedestrian walk area, I got a feeling that she wasn't going to really stop fully... and it turns out she didn't.

So I got hit, but that's a pretty strong word for what happened. Contact was made, some minor damage occured, but I wasn't thrown from my bike or anything like that.

I went to the other side of the intersection, and got off the bike. At this point the driver had her window rolled down and was starting to say sorry and all of that stuff...

I took a look at myself and then the bike and noticed that there was a decent ding on the rear seat stay.. I walked over to her (she is still @ the stop light), and told her that I was ok, but that I wasn't sure about the bike. She said that she lived just down the road (dead end road with about 10 homes on it) and had to get her son to school..

Sigh... I just hope the ding in the seat stay (carbon) isn't something that will fracture and then you know... break.

I feel fortunate that my skirmishes so far dealing with crashes and such have been minor... I can see where something very quick and accidental like that could really change a person's life.

I guess I can say that is story 3 I can add to the list.

So post-mortem.

Q: Shouldn't I have completely stopped at the intersection?

A: I'm not sure. I suppose I could say "Technically I should've", but the fact of the matter is, I had clearance to cross and had I actually stopped when I realized things were not going to go well, I may have been in worse shape.

Q: Well how fast were you going you crazy biker?

A: Not very... I'd say single digits. I always tend to coast across intersections and especially those as they have the funky entrance/exits.

Q: Well did you exchange information with her?

A: Informally yes. I know what she looks like, I know what her car looks like, and I know she lives down a dead end street.

[update:] So I went to Gregg's to have them take a look at it. (It's where I bought the bike), and they said that it went through the paint so I should keep an eye on it to see if it splinters. The said that was probably unlikely. Also, I should put some clear nail polish on it to help cover it up.