I received this email from new member Jim Cornfield. He has asked me to post. Please read the below email. Feel free to offer any assistance that you can--especially if you were a witness. Please contact Jim or the Lost Hills sheriff Station if you have information.
"Yesterday, Sat., 9/15, around 11:45 am, I was riding my road bike eastbound on Agoura Rd., approaching the Kanan intersection when I was struck by an automobile which promptly left the scene. My injuries--road rash with significant bleeding and a badly contused hip and elbow, were fortunately non-life threatening or permanent. A park ranger was at the scene, and immediately called for sheriffs and fire dept. medical assistance. I was strapped to one of those immobilization gurneys, taken by ambulance to las robles, and given a full medical workup, including CAT scan for possible hip and upper body injuries. I'm recuperating okay, and will certainly be back on the road again. My points in all this are as follows : one, to re-emphasize the danger of unobservant motorists, even when the cyclist is doing everything for safety (I was on the far right of the lane, climbing that little hill; the signal had just changed to green and the car couldn;t have been going more than 15 or 20 mph--it seemed like a safe scenario). I was unable to ID the car that hit me, and while still on the ground gestured frantically to another motorist to follow the departing culprit and "get him," meaning record his tag numbers. I don't know if this was accomplished. there were other cyclists on the scene immediately after the accident. I'm hoping someone saw the whole event and could help identify this driver, or the car. I vaguely remember a grey or green chassis, possibly SUV, but that's all I saw still lying on the ground I'll get more info from the Lost HIlls sheriff traffic division tomorrow. Meanwhile, before I was strapped onto that gurney, from which you can only look up at the sky, I noticed a few other cyclists around. If any were CVC members and saw this incident--particularly the vehicle involved I'd appreciate hearing from you, or at least a report to Lost HIlls sheriff station. (818/878-1808). Several offered to help my clear my bike from the road, and inquired about how I was--the bleeding was obvious and I was not ambulating very well. Two drivers with bike racks offered to help get my bike returned--the park ranger took care of that. To all these people, my thanks. This is the second time I've been swiped by a motor vehicle, the first time an Arrowhead water truck, whose driver clearly did not see me, but who did no damage and stopped to render assistance, . I'm hoping that I'm statistically a safe bet right now, and don't believe in the three strikes notion of probabilities. Any thoughts from CVC members--especially any who might help ID this horrid person who left the scene--will be appreciated. I follow the CVC emails, and I'm aware that there are members who've suffered far more drastic accidents than this one. To all of you I can only say that I now have a vague idea of what you experienced at those moments--it's quite frightening. Meanwhile, best regards , and safe riding to all,
Jim Cornfield (phone: 310/842-9163)"
jhcorn@earthlink.net>