First proper off since starting commuting

sketchley

Had to happen at some point I guess.

Tonight a women stepped off a bus directly in front of me looking the wrong way, I had 2ft or less to go from 20mph to 0. Unfortunately the only way to do that was via the women and the Tarmac. Bus driver said he warned the women before stepping off, which was directly into the cycle lane (cs7). The bus was out from the curb leaving the cycle lane free, t wasn't at a bus stop, I was prepared for someone stepping out in front f the bus but not off it! Bike is fine, unlike my right hand, think I've broken a finger. Currently in a&e.

Have bus driver's details he said women was pestering him to be let off but knew he shouldn't have done it. LCC lawyers will be getting a call tomorrow.

Thanks to guy who stopped and help get details, if you're on here please pm I think I've lost your card!

FoldingJoe

Glad it doesn't sound too bad. Hopefully you can get everything sorted out.

SimonAH

good luck Sketch, not much you.can do in those circumstances .

veronese68

That's dull. Hope it heals fast and the whole thing doesn't cause you to much grief. The woman sounds like a bit of a 'mare though. Sounds like she wouldn't be told anything.

cyclingprop

You did what you could. I've had human brakes before... Get patched up and get back on...

alansd1980

Ouch, bet the woman is feeling worse then you though!

Glad to hear you are ok but I bet that the bus driver is going to be in a spot of bother!

Kieran_Burns

Don't the buses have CCTV? You might want to get a request in to get a copy of it

Flyingbogey

Sorry to hear your story. Shares a lot similarity with mine from a few weeks back. Thought I'd got off lightly but still have stiffness in my shoulder, didn't stop me playing rugby this weekend but did stop me hitting there number 8 like I used to! Hope the fingers ok, how's the bike?

Initialised

These things happen, you've just got to shoulder the burden, take it on the chin and give them the finger when they wont give you elbow room.

p.s. grab a copy of your X-Ray for the Silly Commuter Injuries thread.

sketchley

Bike is fine chain came off that's about it, although needs checking properly.

Me less so, spiral fracture of 4th metatarsal in my right hand and a chip knuckle on same finger. Plaster cast for 6 to 8 weeks maybe a small op to pin it, I'll find that out when I see the hand specialist. I have x-ray will post tomorrow.

Bollox....

Flyingbogey

Sounds bad, where along cs7 did it happen?

okgo

Sorry to hear that. Stupid woman won't do that again.

Rules are in place to avoid this, by not abiding those the bus driver caused this really. Shame it's resulted in this for you as its obviously not any fault of your own.

sketchley

Flyingbogey wrote:

Sounds bad, where along cs7 did it happen?

Just past Tooting Broadway heading south, cleared the bus stops and sainsbury's and had a completely clear cycle lane a ahead. Bus was clear of cycle lane and stopped nowhere near a bus stop. I was even on look out for people stepping between buses did not expect one to step off bus directly in front of me. I think I must of been next to the back of the door when she stepped off zero time to react.

I'll check garmin later to see what speed I was doing but most woul have been 20, prb a bit lower to be fair I certainly wasn't flat out and reckless not that it would have made any difference. I'm not sure I even ht the brakes, I remember back wheel going vertical but I think that was from hitting her not the brakes.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Target the bus driver. More obvious insurance claim. He's admitted he knew he shouldn't have let her off, and to boot, even though he left the cycle lane clear, he didn't check whether anyone was using it before opening the doors.

sketchley

Greg66 wrote:

Target the bus driver. More obvious insurance claim. He's admitted he knew he shouldn't have let her off, and to boot, even though he left the cycle lane clear, he didn't check whether anyone was using it before opening the doors.

Indeed a call to LCC insurance company tomorrow see what they say.

richVSrich

ouch Sketchley mate! sucks..

hope you heal fast, and get something from it and glad your pretty bike sounds ok...

how is the stupid woman? that was a lot of mass to be going through the woman..

sketchley

See said she was fine. Doubt it, but I was in no fit state to argue with her

jzed

Bad luck Sketchley - swift recovery - hopefully you won't need any pinning. Not the drinking hand is it?

Have come close a few times to pedestrians stepping out without looking.

rjsterry

Sorry to hear all that Sketchley. That stretch of CS7 does seem to be a bit of an accident blackspot/magnet for peds not looking where they are going. Sounds like the woman was pretty lucky not to be seriously hurt if you hit her as fast as you say. Agree that the bus driver is at fault here, although I have known people use the emergency door release to get off when the driver won't open the door.

rick_chasey

Nasty.

meanredspider

Yup - really sorry to hear this.

Don't know what the rules are if someone insists on getting off a bus - can the driver legally prevent them? (I don't think buses had doors the last time I went on one.... :shock: )

mudcow007

yikes!

hope your ok dude

did it all go in slow motion?

more importantly its not your ass wiping hand is it.....

sketchley

mudcow007 wrote:

yikes!

hope your ok dude

did it all go in slow motion?

more importantly its not your ass wiping hand is it.....

Yeah ok this morning, no pain to speak of, just awkward. Didn't really have the slow mo thing. It was all so quick even in slow mo. in my head it like there are three frames, her appearing in front, then me going over top, then sitting crossed legged on floor in front of bus.

Fortunately I'm left handed and this was right hand. That being said mouse is right hand and I normally touch type / code at 60 wpm, so work will be fun.... Fortunately we are entering a big test phase at work.

rolf_f

meanredspider wrote:

Yup - really sorry to hear this.

Don't know what the rules are if someone insists on getting off a bus - can the driver legally prevent them? (I don't think buses had doors the last time I went on one.... :shock: )

I've in the past been stuck in a bus in a traffic jam a few 10s of feet short of a bus stop and been refused to be let off. The explanation was that the bus company weren't insured if they let people off anywhere other than an official stop.

Sketchely - hope you get better soon. My only crash was down to a pedestrian running straight into me. Fortunately, neither bike nor I were significantly damaged. Just as well as the pratt sidled off. Does give me a nice answer to the old compulsory bike insurance line motorists like to trot out though.

UndercoverElephant

Ouch! Good luck, heal well. Keep us posted, will you be off the bike for long?

cyclingprop

Sketchley wrote:

Fortunately I'm left handed and this was right hand. .

Glad you're ok and all, but that my friend... is an overshare.

Koncordski

Quick recovery dude, bus driver must have been crapping himself when he saw the accident happen. They are not allowed to let people off for this exact reason, her stupidity is going to get that driver in a butt load of trouble.

notsoblue

Get well soon Sketchley

Origamist

Bad luck, Chris - Tooting gets everybody, eventually. I hope you are out of the cast soon and back on your bike.

Make sure you put in a SAR request for the CCTV footage to be saved (hopefully the cameras were operational) and do not give the bus company express authority to view it. From what you have said, the driver is at fault for opening the door at an undesignated stop and the bus company is liable (assuming the woman did not use the emergency door release - and it sounds like she didn't). One independent witness is very useful though - try and find the card! From experience, lots of independent witnesses can sometimes be counter productive.

Good luck with your claim, I'm sure the legal people will do all the necessary spade work.

Heal up soon.

sketchley

How do I go about SAR request? Where do I start?

Clever Pun

heal up soon lad