Video: Hit-and-run with SUV and cyclists in Seattle

Warning: The video posted here contains adult language some readers may find offensive.

Software Engineer Trip Volpe was on his way home from work Friday afternoon, but his commute was interrupted by a distracted driver.

After getting into an accident a few years back, Volpe began recording his commutes on a Go-Pro camera mounted to his helmet. It came in handy July 24 while traveling on Dexter Avenue North, KING 5 reported.

While traveling in a bike lane, an oncoming SUV took a left turn and crossed Volpe’s path. The cyclist then collided with the vehicle. Instead of stopping, the the SUV driver sped off down the road.

Volpe was traveling at about 24 miles per hour, under the speed limit.

“I’m really just annoyed the guy decided to drive off, instead,” Volpe told KING 5. “At least he could have stopped and have seen if I was OK, and exchanged insurance information.”

Upon reviewing the video of the crash later, Volpe noticed that the driver was likely distracted with his cell phone out.

“Not only did he make the turn against my right of way, he was doing it with one hand on the steering wheel with his phone up to his face,” Volpe said.

After an hour and a half, the driver, an 18-year-old, turned himself in to police for the hit-and-run.

“I’m wonder if his parents put some pressure on him,” Volpe said. “Because he certainly didn’t seem very interested in stopping at the time. Who knows? Maybe he panicked.”

Volpe said that there were a few factors that contributed to the

“Well, number one factor I would say was the driver being too absorbed in his phone to look for oncoming traffic,” he said. “But I’m sure having the bike lane stuck on the other side of a line of parked cars doesn’t help visibility.”

“It’s a tricky place to have a bike lane,” Volpe said. “Also, especially during the commute, most traffic is going straight through to Mercer, so a turning vehicle can be an unusual thing to see. And combine that with the fact that cyclists in the bike lane also have to be constantly looking over their left shoulder for traffic merging across them from behind to make a right turn.”