First major commuting accident :(

nich

Still shaken up, and waiting to get a lift to A+E for a checkup.

Was in slowing traffic, did a life-saver as I wanted to change lanes, looked back and traffic had stopped. Applied brakes, not enough...smash into back of car

It flung me onto the right-side lane. I praise the reactions of the driver in the oncoming lane for stopping about a foot from my face. This is the closest I've come to a near death experiance, and it's left me bloody shaken up now.

I felt ok at the time, just bumped and bruised, but going to get a lift to A+E as I think it's best to be checked over, a few aches on the side of my face.

Bike also has a crack in the frame, so that's fked.

It's also my fault, so I'll end up paying for a the massive dent in his car (rightly so, as it was my fault).

Oh well. Glad to be in one piece still.

Not sure why, but writing stuff down makes me feel better. Takecare all.

bobinski

Hope the check up reveals nothing broken mate.
You with LCC or BC? Might be covered on insurance.

phy2sll2

Heal up soon pal. I've done exactly what you've described in the past, though not as bad. Do you have third party insurance through BC membership or even your home insurance?

BikeSwan

You can always make more money, you cant make more lives! Looking at the bright side, it's a good excuse to get a new commuter bike Get well soon mate!

hegyestomi

Hope you are OK: I would suggest to get back on the bike soon as you can. It may help you to deal with further fear of cycling and the lack of trust that comes after an accident. It definitely helped me.
All the best!

Gussio

Glad that you are alive - sounds like we could have been reading about it in tomorrow's newspaper...

chrishumes

sorry to hear it, get well soon. Backs up my plan to stick to cycleways as much as possible even though the roads seem quicker. hope all is ok in the end

veronese68

Echo the above, very glad you're still with us. In the great scheme of things everything else is trivial.

jonny_trousers

Heal well! Annoying accidents will happen!

Initialised

At least it's a crack in the bike's frame not yours.

Heal up and get back on as soon as possible.

nich

Thanks all.

Out of A+E, just had a check-over 'n told to take various pillls to reduce swelling etc. I'll enjoy the next few days as everything starts to ache.

I do have bike insurance, but I think it's only for theft and not damage involving other vehicles, so I doubt I'll get anything from them..oh well.

Time to rest up

Cleat Eastwood

Glad you're ok, but sounds like an avoidable accident - how fast were you going to hit slow moving traffic - when the shock of the day has worn off have a serious look and see if you need to brush up on your bike handling skills. You'll probably ride now with more caution - which can be as dangerous sometimes as not being cautious enough - especially as now the lights fading too. You can't be too careful these days. Take it easy.

Stevo_666

Ouch - lucky escape there. Hope you didn't have to queue too long in A&E: if it's the one in Beckenham that I went to you can be there half the day!

jay197

Aye better the frame gets cracked than the rider

Rest up and heal for a few days at home I would.

All the best.

mudcow007

yikes

hope your alright mate

was the dent in the car a perfect outline of you?

as other people have said, get back out on your bike asap

littleprawn

As many have said, rest up and glad you are in one piece!

I had a minor accident a few months ago and forum readers encouraged me to carry on commuting and biking which I have. In hindsight, my accident enabled me to ride more cautiously and I do not try and beat my best commute time anymore and changed my whole perspective in getting from A to B in one piece even if it takes you 5-10 minutes longer!

pitchshifter

It happens, it happened to me although the bike and I came away relatively unscathed. Felt like an idiot at first but like I said it happens.

Dented the car, gave my details, nothing came of it.

Heal up.

vermin

You're in good company - plenty of us have done the exact same thing, althouh perhaps not quite so dramatically! Glad you're ok. Get another frame and ride on (after a few medicinals).

vermin

You're in good company - plenty of us have done the exact same thing, althouh perhaps not quite so dramatically! Glad you're ok. Get another frame and ride on (after a few medicinals).

gbsahne001

vermin wrote:

You're in good company - plenty of us have done the exact same thing

certainly have....



hope you're feeling better sson

Headhuunter

Yep, I've done that... Not for a while though and have never hit anything hard enough to make a dent! Friend of mine ran into the back of a van and smashed his whole face and nose up and had his whole face in plaster... Car brakes are generally more efficient at any given speed than bike brakes, cars can stop very quickly...

iPete

mend up, if it makes you feel better i've gone into the back of two vehicles, didn't leave a mark on either, in fact neither even noticed

sketchley

If it makes you feel any better, at the tender age of 15 I went through the back window of parked ford cortina. No traffic on a completely clear wide road, I just road straight in to the back of it. Got out of the back door of the car. The scar on my top lip from the accident is still visible today, was the only injury apart from some brusied legs. Bike was 1 inch shorter (compressed top and down tubes), the fork no longer had a bend in it, it just went straight down, front wheel still true!!!

Get well soon.

nich

Thanks again all.

I generally consider myself a safe rider, not really had any issues in 5 years cycling to work. Yesterday evening I was specifically taking it easy as I wasn't in any rush...pootling if you like - which is annoying, as that should result in a safer journey

I can certainly learn some lessons from it, and will be more cautious. I wasn't tail-gating the car in front - there was probably a gap of 5 meters. I think a) I was going a bit faster than I should have been, and b) my life-saver check should have been a lot quicker and c) my brakes were useless.

As always, it happened so fast. Anyway, this morning it's just my wrist that is sprained, so a lucky escape!

bigmat

Just out of curiosity, where was the accident? I'm a fellow Beckenham rider. Let me know if you need anyone to shepherd you through traffic for a bit if you have a crisis of confidence when you get back on the bike as its possible we have compatible commutes.

Headhuunter

iPete wrote:

mend up, if it makes you feel better i've gone into the back of two vehicles, didn't leave a mark on either, in fact neither even noticed

That's because you weigh nothing like Rick Chasey!

nich

BigMat wrote:

Just out of curiosity, where was the accident? I'm a fellow Beckenham rider. Let me know if you need anyone to shepherd you through traffic for a bit if you have a crisis of confidence when you get back on the bike as its possible we have compatible commutes.

Catford

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=catfor ... ,3.52&z=15

Was in the left-hand bus lane (which ends), looking over my shoulder to move into the right-hand lane, which would then take me into another bus/cycle Lane. It's a bit iffy around there as traffic slows due to the lights + junction ahead, so always a place to be wary *ahem*

I'll be alright chap, just getting my old MTB sorted with some skinny tyres until I sort out the my pride 'n joy (It was all prep'd up for the winter as well, doh!).

walkingbootweather

Sketchley wrote:

If it makes you feel any better, at the tender age of 15 I went through the back window of parked ford cortina.

I'm sure that's not the first 'accident' to have occurred in the back of a Ford Cortina

Glad everyone is basically OK

phy2sll2

nich wrote:

Catford

Hate that bit.