Good Day Gone Bad

Siechotic

Well, what started off as a good day out on the bike ended up being the worst ever!

I've taken a few days off this week as I wanted to make good use of the weather.

Wifey was taking little 'un for her swimming lesson today, so after replying to a post on here I set off this morning at 10am (so I could be back in time for them returning from swimming at 3pm), sun was in the sky, birds were tweeting, negligible wind, legs felt very good, all in all one of those perfect cycling days

By 12pm I had 36 miles on my tyres, so decided it was time for lunch. Coming up was a little village that has a very good cafe that does excellent beans on toast - "Righty, that was where I was stopping for lunch!" I thought to myself.

Coming into the centre of the village I stopped at the red light in the ASL box, perfectly positioned, when suddenly the world in my eyes turned first red then black. :!:

When I regained consciousness, I thought I was dead. It was like (I imagine) looking up from a grave with the people stood around me looking down!

I then realised I wasn't dead, because if I was, why did my legs, left arm, back and head feel like they were on fire! :shock:

I tried to move, but the fire intensified to such an extent that all I could do was scream and cry like a little girl. I could make out a voice that was repeating, "Don't move him or take his helmet off"

A lady was knelt at the side of me, stroking my shoulder and crying.

I finally realised I had been knocked off my bike.

For what seemed like hours, I remained in this postion too afraid to move. I felt like I wanted to just go to sleep, but the kneeling lady kept telling me to keep my eyes open, help is on it's way.

After what seemed like another 2 hours, I heard sirens and then a paramedic next to me asking my name, date and where did I hurt.

He felt me up and down and put a collar round my neck, scooted me across onto what I presume was a spinal board, then they bundled me into the ambulance.

I asked if they had put my bike into the ambulance too, the ambulance man laughed and said it would follow in another ambulance!

Skip ahead a several hours, a few doctors later and many xrays, I finally found myself in a bed with what can only be described as calipers (think Forest Gump as a kid) on my legs, arm splinted up, and still a nice collar round my neck.

Pain had subsided thanks to the morphine they had kindly been shooting me up with.

It turns out, according to the nice police lady who came for a statement, that whilst I was waiting at the red light I had been rear-ended by a woman driving a volvo cabriolet.

Best bit though, she was on her mobile phone to her daughter and hadn't seen the red light or me. She hit me at, what witnesses said, must have been 20-30mph causing me to fly in the air and land 20 or so foot beyond the junction in a bike/human hybrid heap.

After giving my statement to the police lady, she told me that the woman had taken full responsibility (pretty hard for her not to with the 8 witnesses) and would pay whatever it took to make be better, and she would replace my bike too. She also said the woman had commented that it was a good thing I was wearing a helmet!!! :shock:

So, I ended up with two broken legs (left thigh, right shin), a fractured left arm, neck spraining, cuts, bruises and road rash galore.

My brain is apparently ok

My brother has picked up what is left of my bike and is going to bring in a picture for me tomorrow, he has said it is rideable - all I need to get is a new frame, new wheels, new handlebars and a new pump - but apart from that it is ok!

My wife and daughter came home to find a policeman waiting for them, never a good thing, who then brought them down to the hospital. She has kindly brought my iPhone (which I'm using to type this whilst they have gone off to get a cup of tea and bite to eat) I'm very impressed with my ability to type on it with one hand!

So I don't know how long I'll be in here, or how long it'll be before I'm back riding?

Here's hoping it won't be too long!!!

edit: Just realised this now means no Great Yorkshire Bike Ride for me this weekend! I've been looking forward to it for months!!

shazzz

Fuck me, that sucks. Sounds like you have a great outlook though - I'm sure a positive attitude will help get you back on the bike soon. Here's hoping you recover quickly.

PS - I hope you have a good lawyer!!!

iga

Bloody Hell! I was reading this waiting to get to the bit where you said "and you know what, all I had was a grazed elbow and a bent wheel" not that your typing this one handed with multiple injuries! Are you mad?

Anyway, glad you're alive, I'm guessing that the adrenaline and morphine are keeping you going right now and tomorrow you'll be thinking "what the hell was I doing posting to Bike Radar after all that". Methinks Volvo woman will be up before the beak...

Hope you're recovery goes without any hitches. Best wishes
Ian

trailtrash

Haven't been here for ages and this was the first thread I read on my return. Bloody hell - hope you're on the mend soon and best wishes to your good lady and little one, must have been a shock for them too.

You also deserve a medal for devotion to the forum above and beyond by posting THE SAME DAY!! Is hospital radio that bad?!

Get well soon.

clanton

Wow. Big respect for the positive attitude. Hope you mend very quickly.

ddraver

PICTURES!!!! Come on you know you want to :P :P

Get well soon mate!!

graeme_s-2

Wow :shock:. Get well soon, hopefully you'll be back on your bike before you know it

Tom Butcher

Cripes, you think being a good streetwise rider is enough to make it safe but you can't legislate for stuff like that - glad you are still with us and relatively well considering what happened. The luckiest person in all this is the driver.

spen666

Just think this female driver saved you the cost of your lunch


Seriously- sympathy to you for what was a horrific incident

Glad to hear you are in such good spirits in the circumstances

MonkeyMurphia

i'm assuming the SCR on your flickr page is the one mangled to bits?

i'm really really curious as to how good baked beans on toast can really get, it's a fairly standard meal wherever you go i would have thought!

get well soon mate.

attica

Get well soon mate.

I hope you take that woman to the cleaners, my wife recently lost her Aunt to a mobile using driver, she was between the caravan and car on the hard shoulder of a long straight bit of dual carriageway when the incident happened, not just a glancing blow, the car hit the caravan pretty much full on, he must've been fully on the hard shoulder.

Glad your incident had a slightly happier outcome.

Oh and what sort of saddle have you got to come through that unscathed?

Eat My Dust

F_ck me!! that story has sent shivers down my spine!!!! I'm glad you're alive (I was going to say OK, but you sound like you're in bits).

She says she'll pay whatever it costs to make you better? how much is that? I would be making sure she's paying LOTS. How do you put a price on the horrific injuries you've sustained?

She's lucky you lived or I expect she'd be looking at a jail term if the outcome had been different. I hope you're not in too much pain and that you recover quickly.

robmanic1

Jeez, what can I say that hasn't been already? You may not feel like it but you're a very lucky boy. Any suggestions for this weeks lottery numbers???

Glad you're basically sound,hope she gets what's coming to her!

Makes you think...... :?

mpg

The driver of thie car should be looking at a jail term no matter what your injuries are.

Hope that you are up & about soon, keep us informed about your progress if you c / feel up to it

Where did this take place?

mpg

biondino

Definitely need pictures!

popette

Wishing you a speedy and successful recovery - thank goodness that you're still around to tell the tale.

xxxxxxxx

iainment

What an awful thing to happen - hope you get well soon, get back on the bummel and get that lunch!

eternal_headwind

I hope your recovery goes well. On a good note I don't think you'll get any more bad luck today

Siechotic

Thanks to all for your support - very much appreciated!

I'm back home with a nice replacement for the bike in the strange guise of a wheelchair!

I finally had my legs and arm potted up, I also have to wear a torso brace that helps me sit straight, but it'll all be off one day soon - hopefully.

The doc reckons that there should be no lasting damage and I shouldn't rush things, fine by me - I like the pampering and the sponging down I'm getting from the nurse that comes once a day is quite nice too!

Hardest thing to deal with is not being able to hold or hug my 2 year daughter, she just keeps telling me that I'm poorly and offering me her teddies.

I'm also relegated to downstairs (unless I can wangle the stanna stairlift from my nan!) so it's a bit lonely on a night time when wifey and peanut have gone to bed. Nightitm telly is not what it used to be - I can only watch bingo or those stupid quiz show for so long before I want to throw the remote through the screen!

Daytime telly isn't much better either, I look forward to Dickinsons Real Deal - How sad is that! :oops:

The remains of my bike are in the back garden, my brother has dismantled it for and managed to salvage the handlebars, seat and post, front wheel and fork and also the front chainring and mech. The back mech, wheel and frame are bent beyond recognition.

Still, when the woman (who has been very apologetic throughout- even came to see me hospital) pays up, I'll be able to get a better bike I would think. I just have to get my LBS to wangle me some sort of quote up.

She is due to appear in court in a few weeks to discover what her punishment will be - my solicitors says she going to get screwed maybe have her license revoked. I've been in touch with most of the witnessses who have already been approached by police for their statements.

So, all in all I'm on the mend it seems and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I'll get pics posted up that my brother took of tthe bike at the scene pretty soon.

Thanks again for your kind words.

spen666

Siechotic wrote:

...
She is due to appear in court in a few weeks to discover what her punishment will be - my solicitors says she going to get screwed maybe have her license revoked. ....

Glad to hear you are recovering and still in good spirits- the Jeremy Kyle Show and Big Brother have not driven you to murder yet then?



On a pedantic legal point- the court cannot REVOKE her driving licence. They can disqualify her from driving though.

Revocation of a licence is an administrative thing., not a judicial power

NWLondoner

F*ck me that is scary.

I'm glad your back at home and slowly recovering.

Make sure you screw the lady for every penny. It's dangerous enough out there for us cyclists but to be hit from behind at a RED LIGHT!! Is just too much.

At least watching daytime TV you can see all the adverts for the National Accident Help-line solicitors

Hope your back on a bike soon

flattythehurdler

I'd use the damages to pay for sky.
Hope you mend quickly and get back out.
Good wishes.

Eat My Dust

spen666 wrote:

On a pedantic legal point

You, pedantic? Never!!!

Stewie Griffin

I second the sky suggestion (or even a freeview box) 4 channels (wont even turn my TV to Channel 4 at the moment just in case I catch that live basket case show) would drive me around the bend.

Wondering what frame, forks, wheels, groupset et al I would buy with her money would help me for for few hours everyday.

Get well soon Siechotic.

sean19690

Shi* me you were lucky. I hope this does not have any long term effect, and you get on the road as soon as is possible.

Take care

The radio is a good alternative to TV Honest!!!!!!!!!!!

pdstsp

Horrible tale and I echo everyone elses words - keep being positive. With your injuries you will find that you need to lie down every afternoon in July watching eurosport.

st68

i dunno whats worse u injuries or daytime tv :shock: get well soon & keep your chin up best wishes mate

sufferingpete

Best wishes and get well soon.

Don’t get depressed sitting at home on your tod go outside and have some fresh air. Keep busy. Try to find a new hobby you can do indoors something you would not otherwise do.

I tried the guitar still cant play it but tired!!

Be patient!!

3leggeddog

Dreadful accident, wish you a speedy recovery.

Also a good argument for running red lights!

cee

hey. hope everything heals up nicely.

It sounds like this lady has done the right thing through the aftermath of the accident she caused and I hope you get recompensed appropriately, but at the same time, i hope she doesn't get 'screwed' as some others have suggested.

She could face jail, driving ban and large fines...plus it sounds like she will replace your steed (and not on the cheap I suspect), not to mention whatever personal damages are appropriate (your injuries are pretty horrific, so could be a fair whack).

Yes she caused it, but it sounds like she immediately put her hands up, came to see sie in hospital and is doing all she can to try and make it right. Don't like to see people like that getting, i think the quote was, 'screwed for every penny'.

I bet she doesn't use her mobile again while driving!

cyclingmev

Hey - here's to a very speedy recovery so you can hug your daughter and are on the road to recovery (no pun intended! ) Glad to hear you're sounding positive and hope that justice prevails (it would be very sad if it didn't) and you manage to get compensation sorted for your injuries and your bike - as lots of folk have probably already said to you, the main thing is you're alive and keeping positive, nice one! Keep well and happy and let us know how you're getting on..Xxxx

PS - it was also a woman driving a volvo who knocked me off my bike (and wrote it off!) almost 2 months ago, hmmmmmmm........