The issue has hit the blogosphere. Advocates are pushing for a law that would force police to investigate all serious bike accidents.

For Matson and Paz, virtually no investigation of their case occurred, they say. That leaves Matson, who still struggles with a debilitating injury to her left leg, with little legal recourse after her accident.

"If you lose your limbs in a [bike] crash, you don't get an investigation," said White, the bicycling advocate. "Without that investigation, it's virtually impossible to hold reckless drivers accountable when they do break traffic laws and they seriously injure pedestrians or cyclists."

Perhaps not surprisingly, a year and a half after her hit-and-run, Matson has refused to ride a bike.