Submission: Cyclist Struck at Mt. Pleasant and Irving, NW

Date: 7/18/11
Approx Time: 2PM
Description:
I was biking down Mt Pleasant Street approaching the intersection with Irving Street NW. A car was parked on the opposite side of the street, and the driver pulled out of his spot and did a fast U-turn in the middle of the road. He did not see me, and struck me on my bike right before the intersection. I was wearing a backpack filled with several soft items, and that luckily was a buffer between my head and the ground. I managed to avoid any injuries, was just shaken up, and my back bike tire is slightly bent. Luckily the driver was very apologetic and took full responsibility, but repeatedly explained that he had looked both ways for cars only, and did not look out for cyclists. Hopefully he will be more vigilant next time, as it could have turned out much worse. Police and bystanders were extremely helpful, and the driver was ticketed for the illegal U-turn.
Submitted by: Mount Pleasant resident