LETTER: Plea from a 'Hit-Run' Victim

Gail Cleary took this photo of the car she said hit her while backing up, then left the scene.

To the Editor:

Today on West Broadway and Park Place the light turned green and I began to cross the street. I didn’t have a phone in my hand nor was I texting or with ear phones. I began to walk and felt what I thought was a hand boring into my shoulder and half expected to see my best friend Alan who I had left a block away to continue his bike ride up to the Upper West Side. As I began to turn to my right, the pain became searing and I realized a Mini van had been backing up into me with 3 bikes attached to the bike rack in back. She had backed up so fast that it was mere 1/2 second that all of this had occurred. Screaming in pain, I tried to jump out of the way but when a minivan is backing up there is no where to go. At least my scream stopped the car from moving back. As the car stopped a middle aged white woman, short brown hair to 1 inch above her shoulder with what appeared to be 3 sons in her car stopped and looked out her window and said “are you ok” ?  Wincing in shock and pain I  said no…I need help… As I said no I heard her son speak up and then while the woman looked me straight in face, she turned and then pulled out of the spot and sped away turning right so she could exit onto Vesey and then onto the West Side Highway going north.. I tried to catch up but this is the only picture I could manage. I spoke to a few cops on Vesey who offered me a seat because at this point I was shaking. They said she must have been with the bike ride today.

So to the woman who did this words escape me. You are with your sons and this is the example you set. You back up into a woman and you run away?

To the police and mayor I ask why are bike rack allowed on the back of SUVs that not only blocks a view but blocks a license plate. This woman's entire view was obstructed and even more dangerous there is no way anyone could have read her license plate. What if she killed the next person she hits.  She obviously has no problem leaving the scene of a crime. I’m sure this woman will hit another person and she will take off again. However, she should not be allowed to have a bike rack with her license  plates concealed.  Please post this photo. I hope that someone recognizes her as she should not be driving. 

Gail Cleary