accident

Phekdra

Hi all,

After eighteen months of commuting, my number finally came up this evening. Cycling home from work this evening in the dark, a car door opened in front of me, the front wheel hit it dead on and cartwheeled me over the top, landing on my shoulder and hip. I ended up doing a forward roll and ending sitting upright in the middle of the road in utter agony.

The next few minutes were a daze as people tried to help me off the road, prod me to see where I was injured and basically behave as though they were at the scene of an accident. It's odd when I'm the one at the centre of proceedings!

So, I have a broken collarbone. The paramedics thought it was a dislocation, but thank god it's not as serious as it could have been. Now I'm back from Hospital and the drugs are starting to wear off...

The woman who knocked me off was in floods of tears and getting more comforting than I was! She has my bike and I'm going round tomorrow to inspect the damage. The loud bang suggests my front wheel is dead but at least my new Ay-ups were still working!

Apologies for the ramble - I think I'm still in shock. I'm off to bed. At least I have the excuse I've needed to buy myself a turbo trainer... :twisted: Ouch, I can feel the bones rubbing together.

Phekdra

ansbaradigeidfran

Hope you have a speedy recovery. I see you already have some (avatar) chocolate to help the healing.

linsen

Oh dear it's blue and shiny and didn't stay that way.......

Car doors are a bit of a nightmare - I recently flew past one, fortunately I was far enough out that it didn't get me but I shouted "OII!" so loudly I bet he'll look next time.

I hope you get better soon.

My friend has just dislocated his collarbone - but he did it falling off a skateboard he was being towed along by a bike on...... He's only 52

iain_j

Owwwssssshhhhhhh.... wishing you a speedy recovery! I was nearly "doored" only a few weeks ago, I saw the door start to open just ahead of me so I instinctively swerved out to avoid it, completely forgetting the fact I was on a busy road with constant traffic going past - lucky for me there was a gap at the right moment :shock: Had a friend get a couple of teeth knocked out after being doored tho. Idiots.

Phekdra

linsen wrote:

Oh dear it's blue and shiny and didn't stay that way.......

Sadly not - I could tell the drugs they gave me were powerful as I found myself not really worrying too much about the damage. It's going for a full check up as soon as I am able - I imagine the carbon fibre forks will now be treated with suspicion (assuming they're still in one piece).

Pain == Bed.

Phekdra

NWLondoner

Hope you feel better soon.

Fingers crossed also for the bike.

Had that been me i would have demanded that the bike travelled with me to the hospital :twisted:

cjcp

Phekdra wrote:

the front wheel hit it dead on and cartwheeled me over the top, landing on my shoulder and hip. I ended up doing a forward roll and ending sitting upright in the middle of the road

This is worthy of a 9.5, surely.

Glad you're ok (compared to what could have been). Heal up quick.

Clever Pun

hope you have a speedy recovery and your bike gets sorted

Mate got caught in the door zone a while back but the door was slightly further open and he basically flew into the drivers lap

Phekdra

NWLondoner wrote:

Hope you feel better soon.

Fingers crossed also for the bike.

Had that been me i would have demanded that the bike travelled with me to the hospital :twisted:

I was planning to take the bike for a checkup soon after some of the horrible weather lately - this makes it an easier decision - and the damage more obvious. I was too gassed up on something to care about the bike at the time - peace and love, man 8) - but now I'm getting worried for it. Door-opener had an expensive-looking car, though, so maybe they'll be able to pay for the damage, and there were plenty of witnesses if she changes her mind.

Had to cut my bib shorts to get them off as I can't move my shoulder. :evil: I hope none of my family is expecting Christmas presents this year...

Phekdra

Phekdra

Regarding the accident, does anyone with more legal / crashing experience know if it's a legal requirement to report this to the police? And if so, is the onus on me or her to do it?

Well, I'll speak to the door woman later today and see what she thinks. She sound foreign so who knows what those strange folk do.

Phekdra

always_tyred

Phekdra wrote:

Regarding the accident, does anyone with more legal / crashing experience know if it's a legal requirement to report this to the police? And if so, is the onus on me or her to do it?

Well, I'll speak to the door woman later today and see what she thinks. She sound foreign so who knows what those strange folk do.

Phekdra

I don't think that's straightforward, but probably, yes.

Reporting it will create a record of the event. Do you have witness names and contact details?

There is a possibility that horror and guilt will give way to a degree of belief that somehow this was your fault, on discussion with people who are not there, or on loss of no-claims or recall of an insurance excess. That said, as soon as it is made into a police matter, its going to put the driver on the defensive and make all this somewhat more likely.

However, insurance companies will always ask if it has been reported and I suspect it will put you in a stronger position should the insurance claims not quite reflect the events.

Phekdra

Always Tyred wrote:

Phekdra wrote:

Regarding the accident, does anyone with more legal / crashing experience know if it's a legal requirement to report this to the police? And if so, is the onus on me or her to do it?

Well, I'll speak to the door woman later today and see what she thinks. She sound foreign so who knows what those strange folk do.

Phekdra

I don't think that's straightforward, but probably, yes.

Thanks, I will report it today.

Andrew

hisoka

Get better soon there and heal well mate.
Doors opening = ARGH!

gtvlusso

Sorry to hear about your spill. The one thing I fear is the car door opening on me - had a good one this morning, passenger door opened on a car ahead of me on a downhill section waiting at lights...luckily, it was too far ahead to be of concern, but there will be that day when I am flying down there and.....I don't wanna think about it!

jonginge

Speedy recovery Phekdra.
It's against the law to hit someone by opening a car door:
Mandatory Rule 239 http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_069860

Bikerbaboon

In all of my experiances of bouncing off cars. ( 3 times last year) the police and ambulance has been called b4 you even get up out of the road.
If you have an insurance company let them know if not get good leagle reprisentation that can deal with claims. With your injurys you are going to be out and in hostital and physio for months, and you need to keep track of that.

Underscore

All the best with your recovery. I broke my collar bone in May - don't expect to be sleeping soundly for a while! Also, a couple pieces of advice: A small amount of movement at the fracture site (though uncomfortable) actually aids healing so don't be afraid to move the arm - keeping the shoulder moving is important. Also, get some physio sooner rather than later; that way you maintain movement and strength rather than having to regain it - which I figure must be lots easier...

Anyway, I did mine mid-May and was back on the bike after 6 weeks, and got fit enough again to do the London-Cambridge at the end of July (76-miles including the ride home).

Again, all the best,

_

Rich158

that's bad luck, hope you get better soon. If I remember from the highway code if someone in injured in a traffic incident then the police are required to attend by law. I'm surprised they weren't alerted when the ambulance was called. I'd report it as soon as possible just to make sure there's a record of the incident. I assume the car driver will be alerting their insurance, and the least you can expect is any repairs to your bike to be covered as well compensation for personal injury.

Phekdra

Rich158 wrote:

that's bad luck, hope you get better soon. If I remember from the highway code if someone in injured in a traffic incident then the police are required to attend by law.

I don't think the police turned up - I've only got a vague memory of what happened. It was all neon and high contrast like Blade Runner. I think there might have been people in flak jackets! :shock:

Frankly I'll be just happy if she offers to pay the damage and then I can put it behind me. I'll potter round this evening and get my bike back. I'm hoping it's not too bad. I thought I was flung free of the bike but I've just remembered lying on the road and looking down, seeing my feet on the pedals but unclipped, and dragging myself out from under the bike. That would mean I took the bike with me on my somersault, which must earn a perfect 10! 8) Hopefully this means the bike isn't as badly damaged as I am!

Andrew

gradiric

Good luck with the recovery, both with the bonebreak and when well enough to get back on your bike. I got doored 2 years ago , came off without major injury luckily, but bike needed new front wheel, which taxi passenger paid for, again luckily. I now filter with much more caution...
Always felt particularly hard-changed when I broke my collarbone as you don't even get a cast for everyone to sign

phil_ss1

Sorry to hear about the incident, hope you have a speedy recovery.

As for the damage etc. I would say:

1 - Contact a solictor
2 - Don't forget to claim sensibly for:
Bike (after it's been professionally inspected)
Clothes - All that were cut off or marked/damaged
Your injuries
Your out of pocket expenses (Taxis, petrol etc..)

Keep the receipts now rather than trying to recall what it's cost you later.

Don't forget that the insurance company footing the bill will reduce the amount for "fair wear and tear" so by claiming for ALL of what you are due will mean you'll hopefully end up with a sensible figure.

Oh, and get an incident number from plod.

Anyone add to this?

Phil

Phekdra

I've just returned from hospital with a titanium plate holding my collarbone together. :shock: Turns out I'd snapped a load of ligaments that needed to be repaired, which resulted in a rather more complex operation than anticipated. Feeling a bit nervous about getting back on the bike after this, assuming I can still turn the cranks after six weeks (at least) twiddling my thumb... Never mind, shiny new turbo trainer will help and I now have physical evidence of my cycling enthusiasm. A nice long future scar running from the top of my shoulder to armpit region.

Time for a lie down...

Phekzzzzzz.....

The Chingford Skinhead

Real sorry to hear about the extent of the damage. A real shocker. Best of luck in a speedy recovery. What happened with the bike and any insurance claim?

Phekdra

The Chingford Skinhead wrote:

Real sorry to hear about the extent of the damage. A real shocker. Best of luck in a speedy recovery. What happened with the bike and any insurance claim?

Bike is in surprisingly good condition! When I saw the door opening I grabbed the brakes so was easily flipped over. Landed upside down so I took most of impact - only damage to bike is scratched and displaced right STI (still works), scratched left STI, and torn saddle, which is a cheap and nasty one anyway. Frame appears to be untouched, same with fork, front wheel still perfectly true. Damage to controls looks like it can be fixed with a screwdriver and some new bar tape. Quite lucky!

Injury giving me plenty of opportunity to buy myself nice things to cheer myself up - turbo trainer, some new glasses, fancy cycle computer. Perhaps some body armour would be a good idea, too. And an air bag... :P

Phekdra

vitesse169

Pheksss, sorry to hear of the inj.... seems alot of us doing this at present.
When I was knocked off I called in 'cycle aid' - Paul Darlington there was an absolute rock. He was verry fair and as a cyclist himself knew all the angles. IMHO you could do worse than give him a ring...

hisoka

Glad the bike is mostly ok, and wish that you hadn't had to have the plate there. Hope the healing goes well.

Phekdra

hisoka wrote:

Glad the bike is mostly ok, and wish that you hadn't had to have the plate there. Hope the healing goes well.

It does feel a bit unnerving - I haven't worked up the courage to try touching it yet! :shock: Apparently it's possible to have it removed when the bone has healed, although I'm not sure I want to get voluntarily cut open again. Good talking point anyway!

Phekdra

Totalnewbie

Have lots of sympathy from me, I broke mine in a hit and run on a ped crossing a few years ago (not on the bike).

I didn't need a plate but the bone is slightly deformed and I am still not happy about touching it where it has healed oddly.

il_principe

I agree with others on here, get the solicitors involved. I don't like the compo culture, but she doored you so you have a valid claim - anyway any payout can be spent on shiny bike bling so it's worth a try (IMH and magpie like O)

cougie

Yeah deffo get solicitors involved - this is a valid claim.

Some new shiny bits will take your mind off the pain.

rhext

Phekdra wrote:

I've just returned from hospital with a titanium plate.....

They must have known you were a cyclist....otherwise they'd have put a plain old steel one in ;-) Did they charge you loads for the upgrade?