Rider Taken Out!

Pufftmw

Me!!

Coming home about 19:00 after a long long day. I come up to Tower Bridge Road from Mansell St/Minories. Traffic is not too bad but as usual I come down the middle of the road, not the inside and place myself in the ASL. Lights change & I move off behind a couple of mopeds but in front of the cars. I notice another cyclist on the inside has set off and is looking like he's overtaking another on the inside but he's quite close to me, then next thing I know he has veered across and because I'm going a bit faster, our handlebars tangle & I'm on the deck in the middle of the road worried I'm just about to get run over. Fortunately the car behind stops & I stand up. Numptie who'd run into my path picks his bike up & moves over to the central reservation, where he's talking to a mate. I'm in shock but check myself over (sore hip/grazed bruised elbow) & pick up the lens to my glasses (phew!) and bike. He asks if I'm OK & I say "no". He carrys on chatting to the other fellow whilst I straighten my handlebars & check everything else. He asks if I'm ok again & I again say "no" but this time I added "but there's no point having a row about it" because quite honestly there wasn't any point in having a shout with a numptie who was so busy yacking to a pal that he veered into my path and took me out. I'm going to shout about him looking where he's going? The damage he's caused my bike? The injuries he's caused me? He probably didn't realise what had happened & as usual in London no-one stops to discuss it, they just move on.

I'm sitting at home now, bruised left thumb, grazed/bruised elbow, shoulder & hip (that is also stiff as feck). Bike is not too bad, scratches & a lost bar-end, ripped jersey but you know the bit above where I said I pick up my glass lens? Well I'd obviously hit the ground so hard with my helmet that one had popped out. Looking at the helmet (Giro Hex MTB) I'd hit so hard that it had cracked and split the polystyrene apart at the back, behind the ear. Its got indentations from where it hit the ground as well - so that's a £70 helmet that's for the bin but I'm sure glad that I had it on and that I'd used this one, even though MTB specific, as it comes down and protects the back of the head too. Even at 10mph, the force I hit the ground at would have caused a severe trauma to my head if not wearing it.

I'm seriously hacked off that some numptie just took me out whilst chatting to a friend. It's caused me injury and has ultimately cost me nigh on £100. Nothing you can do can protect you against some pillock not looking where he's going but I'm really glad that I was wearing a helmet and it was that which took the damage, not me.

veronese68

Sorry to read that. Glad it's not you that's cracked at least. Yes, the blokes a nobber. He probably would have tried to blame you if you'd forced the issue at the roadside.
Just keep thinking of the upside that it's not you that's broken.

cyclingprop

Glad you're ok. Serves you right for going the short way home when the old kent road was closed perhaps?

Torvid

Glad your okay.

Giro do a crash replacement, or did, might be worth looking into to save a few squid.

Pufftmw

Torvid wrote:

Glad your okay.

Giro do a crash replacement, or did, might be worth looking into to save a few squid.

Thanks mate, they still do


Shame BlackBerry don't offer one for their Playbook, mine which I've just found has a smashed screen from the accident

dhope

Pufftmw wrote:

Shame BlackBerry don't offer one for their Playbook, mine which I've just found has a smashed screen from the accident

On the up side, it's no less useful now than before...

(Glad you're alright)

rjsterry

Glad you're relatively OK and the lid did it's job.

nich

Accidents happen, but the guy should have assessed your damage and offered to pay towards replacement parts if needed. I would have done He's a numpty.

First.Aspect

Surely if the helmet split, it means it didn't do its job properly?

JamesFree

Glad your ok!

I got clipped by a car a couple of years ago (which didn't stop) managed to do a full front flip landing on my backpack, wasn't hurt at all until I got to work and unpacked my Macbook to find the screen completely smashed!!

alidaf

First Aspect wrote:

Surely if the helmet split, it means it didn't do its job properly?

Actually, it is precisely because it split that it is doing its job. The energy went into break/crack, released as sound, and not propagated into the cyclists head.

spasypaddy

Glad you're ok.

In better news though you now have a few options:
Playbook from pc world for £129
Kindle fire HD (rooted and stock android put on)
Google nexus 7 32gb
Apple iPoo mini

Personally, I'd get a Nexus 7...

UndercoverElephant

Pufftmw wrote:

Me!!

Aw, and I thought Willhub had finally pulled!

Glad you're OK. Bloody cyclists, eh?

airbag

alidaf wrote:

Actually, it is precisely because it split that it is doing its job. The energy went into break/crack, released as sound, and not propagated into the cyclists head.

It depends a lot on the geometry of the load, but cracking is usually a pretty terrible way of absorbing energy - crumpling, crushing or bending failure are far better.

Koncordski

airbag wrote:

alidaf wrote:

Actually, it is precisely because it split that it is doing its job. The energy went into break/crack, released as sound, and not propagated into the cyclists head.

It depends a lot on the geometry of the load, but cracking is usually a pretty terrible way of absorbing energy - crumpling, crushing or bending failure are far better.

Don't turn this into a helmet debate, there's a thousand threads on here already. He's the one who hit the deck and he's glad he was wearing it. Let's leave it there.

Bad luck mate, hope the bruises don't keep you off the bike for too long.

Headhuunter

Some idiot on a hybrid almost did the same to me a couple of mornings ago. I was riding at a fairly quick pace in the middle of the lane with the cars, passing a bunch of nodders on the left when 1 guy decided he was pulling across to turn right. He glanced over his shoulder, stuck his arm out and moved into my path... I braked hard and avoided being taken out... Seems that the glance over the shoulder was purely perfunctory and he took no notice of what was actually approaching from behind... I shouted "whoa, whoa, whooooooa"... His response was "You've got brakes haven't you?"... Yes mate, thank god I have because if my bike hadn't been in tip top condition I would have slammed straight into the side of you and we would both have been on the deck in front of the traffic....

hegyestomi

Bad luck man, not much you can do about it now, hope you're getting better and be able to ride soon.

davis

Glad you're ok fella. Shame about the bust bits but at least they're all replaceable.

wgwarburton

Koncordski wrote:

airbag wrote:

alidaf wrote:

Actually, it is precisely because it split that it is doing its job. The energy went into break/crack, released as sound, and not propagated into the cyclists head.

It depends a lot on the geometry of the load, but cracking is usually a pretty terrible way of absorbing energy - crumpling, crushing or bending failure are far better.

Don't turn this into a helmet debate, there's a thousand threads on here already. He's the one who hit the deck and he's glad he was wearing it. Let's leave it there....

[irony]
Yeah! No point thinking about what might-have-been. Much better to assume that the helmet saved his life and hence conclude that we should all wear them.

We cannot know whether he would have missed the road completely if he hadn't been wearing one (I mean, it's happened to me several times but that's just anecdotal evidence, and anyway I've obviously been very lucky). Much better to assume that any damage to the helmet would have happened to the riders brain without it!

We all know that cycling's really dangerous and that any protection is better than none. It's obvious that you're safer wearing a helmet and incidents like this Prove It. We must all go out and buy £70 helmets and wear them all the time because incidents like this happen all the time and we'd all be dead if we didn't wear them.
[/irony]

Sorry, but repeatedly posting stuff like this reinforces the assumption that helmets are both useful and effective- saying "don't start a helmet war" without pointing out the flaws in that assumption doesn't help.

Cheers,
W.

veronese68

First Aspect wrote:

Surely if the helmet split, it means it didn't do its job properly?

If you'd been wearing a helmet you wouldn't have all those pins and plates in your arm.
Assuming that's your arm in your avatar.

rjsterry

Nobody is suggesting anything saved anyone's life, you can climb down off your soapbox.

BTW, Buns, you'll be pleased with the motions proposed at the Cambridge Cycle Wotsit AGM - something about not supporting events that push helmets and hi-viz IIRC.

wgwarburton

rjsterry wrote:

Nobody is suggesting anything saved anyone's life, you can climb down off your soapbox.

BTW, Buns, you'll be pleased with the motions proposed at the Cambridge Cycle Wotsit AGM - something about not supporting events that push helmets and hi-viz IIRC.

Spokes, in Edinburgh, have taken that line, too. Outbreak of sanity alert!

More here:

http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2012 ... factsheet/

Cheers,
W.

First.Aspect

Veronese68 wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

Surely if the helmet split, it means it didn't do its job properly?

If you'd been wearing a helmet you wouldn't have all those pins and plates in your arm.
Assuming that's your arm in your avatar.

Actually, its what passes for my left ankle these days.

When I was being wheeled into ER, I was asked not once, but twice, whether I'd been wearing a helmet. My wittiest retort was, "Yes, but sadly it was on my head."

I didn't mean to start a helmet debate.

Actually, that's a lie. I was trolling. I admit it.

First.Aspect

WGWarburton wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Nobody is suggesting anything saved anyone's life, you can climb down off your soapbox.

BTW, Buns, you'll be pleased with the motions proposed at the Cambridge Cycle Wotsit AGM - something about not supporting events that push helmets and hi-viz IIRC.

Spokes, in Edinburgh, have taken that line, too. Outbreak of sanity alert!

More here:

http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2012 ... factsheet/

Cheers,
W.

I've read their fact sheet. I like that they've only cited the most credible literature, such as the Bath academic fun summer dress like a girl research (which is more definitive even than the author thinks) and cyclehelmets.org, that well known group of impartial researchers and statisticians (affiliated with the Global Climate Coalition and the Flat Earth Society).

I'm not for compulsion and I find implied compulsion disagreeable. But this Spokes leaflet is the same old recycled and out of date claptrap and I honestly don't think it helps.

Pufftmw

Giro do in fact do a replacement service and would be £40 against an RRP of £75. That would be fine but by the time I've sent it up to them, paid postage (£5) and then waited a week, I can just walk into Cyclesurgery & do price-match against CRC for £50. Can't be without helmet for that length of time.

Thanks for good wishes, am back on my bike already - rode home last night & in this morning, though not at my usual pace for sure. No-one took my scalp though Sleepless night as unable to get comfortable and painful to cycle but no alternative as walking just as bad. Found my gloves are ripped as well - grr!

bigmat

WGWarburton wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Nobody is suggesting anything saved anyone's life, you can climb down off your soapbox.

BTW, Buns, you'll be pleased with the motions proposed at the Cambridge Cycle Wotsit AGM - something about not supporting events that push helmets and hi-viz IIRC.

Spokes, in Edinburgh, have taken that line, too. Outbreak of sanity alert!

More here:

http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2012 ... factsheet/

Cheers,
W.

For events, its just an insurance thing isn't it?

wgwarburton

First Aspect wrote:

...I'm not for compulsion and I find implied compulsion disagreeable. But this Spokes leaflet is the same old recycled and out of date claptrap and I honestly don't think it helps.

I completely agree and feel exactly the same way about the pro-helmet lobby! Lots of recycled and out-of-date claptrap which honestly doesn't help...

I think that's pretty much where we are on this "debate" here at Chat. The only time it resurfaces is when some new research comes up (like the Australian item recently) or when someone posts something along the "Look how effective this broken helmet was!" line, and those of us opposed to creeping compulsion feel compelled not to let the assumptions go unchallenged...

Feel free to ignore us.. we're just the "other brands are available" tagline that balances the argument. As long as someone who comes googling for helmet info isn't presented with a whole stack of one-sided MHSML posts we're happy (well, I am, anyway :-).

Cheers,
W.

the_fuggler

BigMat wrote:

For events, its just an insurance thing isn't it?

That's how I understand it.

Glad to hear you're in one piece and back on the bike.

cat_with_no_tail

You can get a Hex from Merlin for about £40 after discounts.

Linky

pangolin

Why not take the opportunity to get one that won't break

veronese68

First Aspect wrote:

When I was being wheeled into ER, I was asked not once, but twice, whether I'd been wearing a helmet. My wittiest retort was, "Yes, but sadly it was on my head."

I was asked the same thing with a damaged hand, arm and ribs. My answers were simlar to yours. I will continue to wear one as it makes the EPO rest a little bit easier, although she will never stop worrying.