Are hit-and-runs becoming more prevalent ?

[Bruce K]

Another one last night in a Boston suburb. Kid in a pickup hit a guy on a "motorized bike" and fled after backing up to view the scene.

I can't fathom what has to go through someone's mind that would allow them to knowingly hit someone with their car and then leave them lying by the side of the road (or in it) injured, unconscious, or worse.

BK

[gdw]

They are unfortunately. Law enforcement agencies have been aware of the increase for years and a number of states have enacted new laws or toughened the penalties for those convicted to deal with problem.

[nooneline]

I did a bunch of research into data on street safety a few years ago, and I didn't find any reliable data that showed that hit and runs are increasing.

However, in many cities, rates of cycling are increasing - and, correspondingly, the number of crashes and injuries rises. However, there's also the "safety in numbers" phenomenon: the more cyclists there are, the more crashes there are, but the rate of crashes goes down - everybody's safety rises. That's reassuring.

Still, it can be disconcerting to feel like you're watching rising numbers - it's harder to notice that a rate is going down.

And, when you're on the bicycle internet, if can feel like every terrifying incident comes to your awareness, so they seem more common.

[MattTuck]

It is hard for me judge, without seeing data. The internet has made the world smaller, so it is hard to tell if we just hear more about the ones that do occur because we're so connected, or if there are actually more of them occurring.

We could be experiencing from availability bias.

It is disheartening though, to constantly hear about such poor examples of human behavior.

[gdw]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/10/hit-and-run-crashes-los-angeles/3452699/

[smontanaro]

Also, report rates are going up. For example, a couple years ago, then Illinois governor, Pat Quinn mandated that the Department of Transportation classify doorings as moving incidents so they would actually begin to collect data about them. That's clearly not the same thing as hit-and-run incidents, but demonstrates that the data collection side of things is changing, probably getting more fine-grained regarding incidents which were already being tracked, as well as collecting data about more kinds of incidents.

[Mattbotak]

In my area there were 2 serious accidents with cyclists (one was fatal) and both were hit and runs.

[Bstone]

Another one last night in a Boston suburb. Kid in a pickup hit a guy on a "motorized bike" and fled after backing up to view the scene.

I can't fathom what has to go through someone's mind that would allow them to knowingly hit someone with their car and then leave them lying by the side of the road (or in it) injured, unconscious, or worse.

BK

Its simple: I'm in big trouble because I'm drunk and or was using a cell phone or just paying no attention. So, nobody saw this, I'm just going to drive off.

And go vote for Donald Trump.

[Big Dan]

Every other day in Florida.

[seanile]

I can't fathom what has to go through someone's mind that would allow them to knowingly hit someone with their car and then leave them lying by the side of the road (or in it) injured, unconscious, or worse.self-preservation
edit: in the case of accidental hit-and-runs.
if purposeful, then it's sociopathy.

[sitzmark]

self-preservation

Ironic - stiffer the penalty the more incentive to flee ... Unless you're caught. But really if you're an illegal, on probation, well employed but not well connected, your life is going to significantly change for a while or a long time depending. People in a position to lose a lot may chose to roll the dice the more they have to lose. Sad but tends to be human nature.

[ripvanrando]

A driver crashed into a well known Randonneur from your area the other night while he was commuting home in the Wellesley area. The driver ran after dragging the cyclist for a distance. Eyewitnesses got the plate. The driver was allegedly DUI. I suppose if these are indeed facts, they will bump the ticket from $50 to $500.