I loved my old cycle helmet

sdjones2

I should have died on Monday.

If I wasn't wearing my helmet I would have according to the A&E staff.

This week, a bus overtook me and then pulled into the stop, braking sharply. He missed his bus stop by 20 metres, but I didn't miss him. I was charging and could not stop as it crossed my path so quickly, so I went into the back of him. I was doing perhaps 25-30 mph (wind assisted) according to my computer. Impact was head first. Knocked out and came round to an ambulance paramedic trying to resuscitate me so winded was I, that I was not breathing properly. Hospital, CT scans and X-Rays. Bruising, whiplash and painkillers.

So my body feels broken, but it is not, and I am not giving a second thought to my new ex-bike (it is only money) or my helmet. Actually, I loved my now battered and broken helmet, because it did its job heroically. So, I walked away from a massive crash. In addition to breaking my helmet in two, I broke my brand new bike; it's written off. The bike shop are buying a new frame and forks and passing the trade costs onto me, then swapping the componentry onto it from the wreck. So, as "an act of goodwill" they are rebuilding a bike for me and not making a profit out of it. Buying my loyalty - you bet! They refused to sell me a helmet either, pointing out that the manufacturer offer a lifetime replacement warranty. SO returning my 12 year old lid gets me a 50% discount, including an upgrade if I like; the £80 helmet I fancy will only cost me £40. So the shop refused a sale. The cycling fraternity looking after its own. Isn't that amazing. Well I think it is.

Just wanted to share my Monday morning

Following this long winded first post, I promise to restrict myself to short quips in future, but Bike Radar is keeping me sane as I sit up in bed, aching while I giggle at everyone's post, cynicism and stories.

redddraggon

Have you contacted the bus company?

Sounds a bit like dangerous driving to me, sounds like he cut you up and jumped on his brakes.

Even though you are getting everything sorted cheaply, should you be paying at all?

ChrisLS

...sd, glad to hear you are still in one piece

...were the police called? Were there witneses? Are you in the CTC? Have you got to write a statement? You may not have to pay for any of this. If you are not a member of the CTC join now and get onto their legal department. They helped me out big time 3 years ago...

Oddballcp

Monday is a good day to die.

sdjones2

Thanks Reddragon,

The bus company report to their insurers describes, I indicated, pulled in and was dealing with a fare when I heard a noise from the rear of teh vehicle. I guess that last bit was me! Talking to the bus company (who were concerned I was okay, but otherwise shrugged), their insurers (very nice, straighforward, lots of advice), a Solicitor friend (laughed first :shock: ), my household insurers too, all say I would have to PROVE negligence against that statement.

I was out cold, police did not attend (but that is another complaint and a whole new thread) and I have no witnesses. No one came forward and left details. So I am stuffed. How is a cyclist meant to deal with such an RTC situation?!

I should not be paying perhaps, but I have walked away. At the end of the day, it's only money; albeit mine. If that is to be "my big one", it's not a bad conclusion.

On an aside, the concern from work colleagues has been overwhelming. Not only for my welfare, but a number that wanted the photos of my head (I look like a Christmas Tree bauble with the helmet impressed in bruises across my scalp) as a warning and lesson to their children who shun helmets for all those teenage reasons. That's a good outcome too; if just one younger cyclist wears their helmet regularly from now on.

ChrisLS

... :roll: :? ...oh no, I feel another hemet debate coming on...

DavidTQ

sdjones2 wrote:

Thanks Reddragon,

The bus company report to their insurers describes, I indicated, pulled in and was dealing with a fare when I heard a noise from the rear of teh vehicle. I guess that last bit was me! Talking to the bus company (who were concerned I was okay, but otherwise shrugged), their insurers (very nice, straighforward, lots of advice), a Solicitor friend (laughed first :shock: ), my household insurers too, all say I would have to PROVE negligence against that statement.

I was out cold, police did not attend (but that is another complaint and a whole new thread) and I have no witnesses. No one came forward and left details. So I am stuffed. How is a cyclist meant to deal with such an RTC situation?!

I should not be paying perhaps, but I have walked away. At the end of the day, it's only money; albeit mine. If that is to be "my big one", it's not a bad conclusion.

On an aside, the concern from work colleagues has been overwhelming. Not only for my welfare, but a number that wanted the photos of my head (I look like a Christmas Tree bauble with the helmet impressed in bruises across my scalp) as a warning and lesson to their children who shun helmets for all those teenage reasons. That's a good outcome too; if just one younger cyclist wears their helmet regularly from now on.

Reminds me again I REALLY should get myself a helmet cam . I had a bus driver pull a similiar stunt in front of me after a dodgy and completely pointless dangerous overtake It was only my good brakes that saved my helmet from being tested then... That driver got my angry voice through his window as I passed... Gets me angry just thinking about it, putting my life in danger for no good reason being a twat on the road like that...

redddraggon

sdjones2 wrote:

Thanks Reddragon,

The bus company report to their insurers describes, I indicated, pulled in and was dealing with a fare when I heard a noise from the rear of teh vehicle. I guess that last bit was me! Talking to the bus company (who were concerned I was okay, but otherwise shrugged), their insurers (very nice, straighforward, lots of advice), a Solicitor friend (laughed first :shock: ), my household insurers too, all say I would have to PROVE negligence against that statement.

I was out cold, police did not attend (but that is another complaint and a whole new thread) and I have no witnesses. No one came forward and left details. So I am stuffed. How is a cyclist meant to deal with such an RTC situation?!

I should not be paying perhaps, but I have walked away. At the end of the day, it's only money; albeit mine. If that is to be "my big one", it's not a bad conclusion.

On an aside, the concern from work colleagues has been overwhelming. Not only for my welfare, but a number that wanted the photos of my head (I look like a Christmas Tree bauble with the helmet impressed in bruises across my scalp) as a warning and lesson to their children who shun helmets for all those teenage reasons. That's a good outcome too; if just one younger cyclist wears their helmet regularly from now on.

I'm glad your OK, that's the main thing, if you lose a bike you get another, lose your life and that's it.


There's loads of idiots doing that trick of cutting you up and jumping on their brakes. I had a similar incident though I went into the back of a nice new sports car, and the only damage I recieved was a little rip to the bar tape. He got a nice big dent in his boot.

He made out it was my fault, and that I was impeding him by being in the middle of the road (although an obstacle was metres away).

So he wanted me to pay for the damage, but I basically told him to "eff off!".

Belv

sdjones2 wrote:

The bus company report to their insurers describes, I indicated, pulled in and was dealing with a fare when I heard a noise from the rear of teh vehicle. I guess that last bit was me! Talking to the bus company (who were concerned I was okay, but otherwise shrugged), their insurers (very nice, straighforward, lots of advice), a Solicitor friend (laughed first :shock: ), my household insurers too, all say I would have to PROVE negligence against that statement.

I was out cold, police did not attend (but that is another complaint and a whole new thread) and I have no witnesses. No one came forward and left details. So I am stuffed. How is a cyclist meant to deal with such an RTC situation?!

Nothing you can do without witnesses, and you weren't really in a fit state to collect any. Get some proper legal advice though, because i am pretty certain that it is against the law not to call the police when one party has been injured in a traffic accident so the driver could (and should, IMO) be had up for that. Why wouldn't he call the police anyway if he genuinely believed his own story?

hamboman

That's a really scary story. I've come up with a new strategy for preventing this - I ride EVERYWHERE in primary if I'm going fast, above 20. That way people don't even think about trying to get past - it removes the debate from their mind: 'should I, shouldn't I pass?' and removes the embarrassment factor from the drivers' situation: 'if I don't overtake this bicycle people behind me will become impatient and may beep me'.

misterben

sdjones2 wrote:

They refused to sell me a helmet either, pointing out that the manufacturer offer a lifetime replacement warranty. SO returning my 12 year old lid gets me a 50% discount, including an upgrade if I like; the £80 helmet I fancy will only cost me £40.

Wow - what type of lid was it?

sdjones2

MrBen - a Specialized Moutain Man. Well, Mountain Men now.
BelV - I am told the ambulance crew were responsible for informing the police, because the driver's 999 call for an ambulance provides that link. Fact of the matter is the police say they have no record of an RCT being reported, and the non-recording of the incident is something I am comlaining about at the moment.

Thank you for your well wishes.

DavidTQ

hamboman wrote:

That's a really scary story. I've come up with a new strategy for preventing this - I ride EVERYWHERE in primary if I'm going fast, above 20. That way people don't even think about trying to get past - it removes the debate from their mind: 'should I, shouldn't I pass?' and removes the embarrassment factor from the drivers' situation: 'if I don't overtake this bicycle people behind me will become impatient and may beep me'.

That helps against the merely ignorant the outright dangerous even the strongest of primary positions wont stop... I had it happen the other day two lanes approaching a set of lights which are on red Im dead centre of the righthand lane as im taking a lane which will be turning right soon after the lights, this twat decided to undertake me 3/4 in the left hand lane causing other drivers in that lane to brake and a few inches off my left hand side, trying to pull in right infront of my front wheel in an attempt to get ahead of me at the red light, utter TWAT, First time Ive shouted in a while.

John B

Did the bus have cameras? When I was taken out by a bus last year the police were down the bus depot within a few hours requesting the CCT footage. In the end it proved inconclusive and not sufficient to get the conviction that the driver deserved but it showed enough to make the bus company cough up compensation. The police (Met traffic division) did tell me, off the record, that they were only too keen to prosecute bus drivers as the number of incidents involving them was causing concern.

Glad to hear that you're OK!

cupofteacp

I'm getting a bike camera for christmas, and the only reason I'm getting it is the way buses and coaches drive.

chrisinnorfolk

surely it was leaving the scene of an accident if the police did not attend........is swapping names and address actually sufficient if one party went off in an ambulance

chiara

in any case glad you are still here to tell the tale.

a speedy recovery to you!

cntl

>>all say I would have to PROVE negligence against that statement.

*Sight* :roll:

That is the MAIN reason I bought the helmet cam (now waiting for delivery)
Anybody wants to buy themselves a Christmas gift there are new ATC2000s with 'free' 2Gb memory cards for £55 on ebay

DavidTQ

cntl wrote:

>>all say I would have to PROVE negligence against that statement.

*Sight* :roll:

That is the MAIN reason I bought the helmet cam (now waiting for delivery)
Anybody wants to buy themselves a Christmas gift there are new ATC2000s with 'free' 2Gb memory cards for £55 on ebay

ooh now thats looking more likely I had £100 in mind for a helmet cam and thought it wasnt likely to happen, but that sort of money is far more doable. Would love to keep a daily record of my commute as evidence incase anyone does anything stupid, and possibly for some self education, look back over the commute to see what I could have done better etc...

cntl

>>ooh now thats looking more likely

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WIRELESS-HELMET-C ... dZViewItem

Make sure your address in paypal is "confirmed" if you are going to buy from them, although I have no clue why that would make a difference...

richardast

sdjones2
Police should report any RTC where there is an injury.
If you've only spoken to them on the phone, get to a station to report it with as much detail as possible - exact time and location.
If it's in a major city it may be on CCTV. London has CCTV on most major junctions and covering many bus lanes and I suspect other cities are similar.
If you were knocked out cold and are alleging it was due to careless driving then it will probably be investigated.

daniel_b

cntl wrote:

That is the MAIN reason I bought the helmet cam (now waiting for delivery)
Anybody wants to buy themselves a Christmas gift there are new ATC2000s with 'free' 2Gb memory cards for £55 on ebay

Will you not get hit for import duty?

Even so it's still a very good deal though.

Although Play have 2GB for £7.99 delivered, and this place has the camera for £72.99:
http://www.mymemory.co.uk/memory/Oregon ... Action/Cam

Adamskii

Get well soon - sdjones2 and take it easy on your return when ever that might be. You may be a bit nervous on the bike to begin with but it'll pass. This forum should keep you sane. Or possibly not!