My first car-caused off (photo not for squeemish)
nweststeyn
Posts: 1,574
Had a great ride today, 70 miles around the Tay from Dundee to Perth and back again... On my way home, about 1 mile from the house on the last stretch of road (wide, 2 lane country road with no oncoming traffic) a car overtook me incredibly close on a straight bit of road and their wing mirror clipped my bars and caused my front wheel to 'jackknife'. I was on the tops, not the hoods so couldn't right it in time. There was a strong tail wind so I was going a little over 20mph. Bike slid sideways and I came down hard on the tarmac and slid along the road for what seemed like an eternity. By the time I regained my composure I looked up only to see a small blue/grey/black dot of a car dissapearing around a corner up ahead. The B****** didn't bother to stop!
Called the police and they were helpful, took all the details and offered to send out a local PC to give me a lift home (after checking if I needed an ambulance), but I said I'd manage to walk the last mile. They said they would do what they could but in all likelihood they would not be able to find out who it was without more info (which I don't have).
My (carbon) frame is fooked - top tube has a big split in it and thats the thing that hurts the most. I'm done with carbon bikes, my first frame cracked under normal use and now it's warranty replacement is screwed too (although it's more understandable this time).
Sorry for the rant, but be careful out there guys. Even on a straight road with good visibility some people are still dangerously careless.
Called the police and they were helpful, took all the details and offered to send out a local PC to give me a lift home (after checking if I needed an ambulance), but I said I'd manage to walk the last mile. They said they would do what they could but in all likelihood they would not be able to find out who it was without more info (which I don't have).
My (carbon) frame is fooked - top tube has a big split in it and thats the thing that hurts the most. I'm done with carbon bikes, my first frame cracked under normal use and now it's warranty replacement is screwed too (although it's more understandable this time).
Sorry for the rant, but be careful out there guys. Even on a straight road with good visibility some people are still dangerously careless.
0
Comments
-
Feel for you, really do. Looks like your shoulder & thigh should be OK but your elbow looks pretty mashed up.
Not nice being hit & even worse when you realise that the driver just keeps going either from not noticing or just trying to get away with it.
FWIW I think your rant was pretty polite!Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0 -
Elbows not too sore, its the hip/thigh that is burning the most at the moment. I'm slowly getting more and more angry as time goes on. I try to be understanding but there was absolutely no need for this to happen on a road with a clear view for all drivers and no bends. Just poor driving. Im now bruised and bikeless for the Etape Caledonia next week... may have to give it a miss
0 -
I think that the worst thing is that even if you had a helmet cam and managed to clearly capture the incident not much would happen to the driver.
He/she would claim that they couldn't see anything, had a lapse of concentration, sneezed uncontrollably or were blinded by the sun.. Oh... and you woul be partially to blame coz you weren't wearing high-viz clothes ... :evil:
£30 fine at best?0 -
Bad news is that you will probably feel worse by tomorrow but thats the way these sort of injuries work. Just make sure you give it a good clean & apply the appropriate dressings.
Your right no need but for balance I live in MK and where ever your drive there are plenty of roundabouts & often see drivers not able to judge where the white lines are and get to close to other road users. More a refection on poor driving skills all round rather than anger towards you specifically as a cyclists I would hope.Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0 -
I hope so too, I don't want to believe it was malicious but - if you clip something with your wing mirror in a car you usually hear it... I'm surprised they didn't notice it and stop, and if they did notice and carried on driving then they are ******************************
Gah
On the plus side... I get to go bike shopping at some point in the future.0 -
Sorry to hear about your 'off' - it's bad enough when it's your own fault, but I can imagine you are proper cross at the thoughtlessness.nweststeyn wrote:Elbows not too sore, its the hip/thigh that is burning the most at the moment.
Re the hip & thigh - I certainly found that a hydrocolloid (or similar) dressing reduces the pain enormously, if you haven't already done that. I hope you heal quickly.0 -
briantrumpet wrote:Re the hip & thigh - I certainly found that a hydrocolloid (or similar) dressing reduces the pain enormously, if you haven't already done that. I hope you heal quickly.
Thanks. I'll try and get some of those picked up for me
0 -
Do you have insurance that you'll be able to claim on if the police can't trace the car?0
-
They might even do them in tartan up your way. If they don't, never mind, you'll get some nice coloured gunk in the dressing pretty quickly. Amazingly it doesn't smell. Make sure you clean the wound thoroughly, let it dry, then apply the dressing. You need to get a dressing that is larger than the wound, so you can seal the dressing onto undamaged skin, as the damaged skin will ooze. But as long as it's clean and sealed, the ooze will help the skin heal without scarring.nweststeyn wrote:Thanks. I will ask the kind lady if she will pick some up for me.0 -
lc1981 wrote:Do you have insurance that you'll be able to claim on if the police can't trace the car?
Unfortunately no, and I know that is stupid so don't tell me off! Don't have insurance for the bike, only for myself.0 -
if the driver cant be traced you can make a MIB claim.
see a solicitor (OP)'dont forget lads, one evertonian is worth twenty kopites'0 -
Ouch. Hope you get better soon.
You'll probably feel angrier as the day goes on - thoughts about what you should have done earlier, could you have avoided it, what you'd do the person who did it. Theres no easy solution other than to be angry - and if you feel any spells of dizziness etc get to a docs - all too often the adrenaline can make you feel invicible.
On the plus side you walked away and used the word squeamish which sounds like a scottish clan.
The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.0 -
Bad news mate.
Get in contact with the MIB and make a claim. I had a similar thing when someone drove off (not bike) and got paid out.
Google it and speak to a local solicitor to deal with it for you.Living MY dream.0 -
I'll do that, thanks for the advice guys.0
-
nweststeyn wrote:lc1981 wrote:Do you have insurance that you'll be able to claim on if the police can't trace the car?
Unfortunately no, and I know that is stupid so don't tell me off! Don't have insurance for the bike, only for myself.
I'm pretty sure you're not alone there, and it's not exactly unreasonable to expect drivers to stop and give you their details if they're at fault. I was going to recommend contacting the MIB, but I couldn't remember what they were called, so glad others have done so.0 -
Glad your (reasonably ) ok pal!
There were a few mental drivers about today for some reason!? I met 2 myself but was a lot luckier than you, thankfully :shock:0 -
Bummer
Hope you heal quickly and shame about your bike.
I'd say most of the closest encounters I have had, are always on a clear road with plenty of room and yet the driver, for whatever reason, doesn't move out far enough and give you a wide berth!Share The Road Event http://www.sharetheroadride.co.uk
Lancashire Cycle Link Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/126682247491640/0 -
I will never understand why drivers are disinclined to cross the white line even when the other lane is obviously clear. :?
There but for the grace of (your) god goes us.
Sympathies.None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.0 -
Get well soon, hope you make the Etape. At least you can go bike shopping at some point - what about a Shand for something less plastic and more Scottish.0
-
Was nearly ill when I saw that pic just then. Poor poor bike frame. You on the other hand should MTFU!!
Kidding, glad your OK.
I had a close call yesterday, Car traveling in opposite direction, ironically overtaking more cyclists, came so far over to avoid them, he nearly hit me. What a Tw*t!!0 -
As you say, it's the bike that hurts the most. Just stripped her down to the frame... second time I've had to do that now.0
-
You'll heal naturally or with the aid of the NHS, your bike...............well.nweststeyn wrote:As you say, it's the bike that hurts the most. Just stripped her down to the frame... second time I've had to do that now.
Shall we all refer to you as Johnny Hoogerland from now on?
Tail end Charlie
The above post may contain traces of sarcasm or/and bullsh*t.0 -
It wasn't quite worthy of such a title... no fences involved.0
-
Sorry to hear that, hope you get well soon and make the Etape. Hope the rozzers manage to find the culprit as they need a serious word for driving off - scumbags!
Having done the Tay loop myself (last time was yesterday), I think I know exactly which stretch of road your incident happened on. If it is then I've had numerous close passes there too. Twice yesterday as it happens. One from a 4x4 overtaking cyclists on opposite side of the road giving them plenty of room and not noticing me. The other was a car behind that thought it was safe to overtake me while a car was coming the other way ...
I'm guessing you wont be going for another BeOne frame, as you don't seem to be having much luck with them ...0 -
dee4life2005 wrote:Sorry to hear that, hope you get well soon and make the Etape. Hope the rozzers manage to find the culprit as they need a serious word for driving off - scumbags!
Having done the Tay loop myself (last time was yesterday), I think I know exactly which stretch of road your incident happened on. If it is then I've had numerous close passes there too. Twice yesterday as it happens. One from a 4x4 overtaking cyclists on opposite side of the road giving them plenty of room and not noticing me. The other was a car behind that thought it was safe to overtake me while a car was coming the other way ...
I'm guessing you wont be going for another BeOne frame, as you don't seem to be having much luck with them ...
I mentioned that to Nico yesterday too and asked him if it was a new black Golf. There's one particular guy who drives like a lunatic on that road and I've had a couple of encounters with him. Actually thinking about it there are two idiots in the area - a guy who drives a champagne Lexus who definitely has an issue with cyclists.
Chin up mate. Sadly I'm at the other end of the height scale, otherwise I'd have lent you a bike for the Etape C :-(
If it's just the top tube you could get it properly fixed by these guys:
http://www.carboncyclerepairs.co.uk/index.html
Send them that pic and get a quote!0 -
Funny you should say new black golf. It was a black golf that gave the close pass by overtaking when a car was coming the other way, didn't clock the registration but it looked fairly new...0
-
Dave, me and Jimmy have had a run in with that champagne Lexus before! We've tried to see if we can find it parked anywhere but as yet no luck! Interesting someone else has encountered that twat...
As for the car that clipped me, all I can be sure of is that it was dark blue, black or grey and it wasn't a 4x4 or anything - just a normal sized car. By the time my head had caught up with what was happening and I realised I hadn't broken anything, the car was in the distance. The way it drove (i.e. in a straight line past me far too close at a steady, but fast, speed) has made me think more and more that, unlike the champagne Lexus, this person maybe didnt notice me. I don't think they 'sped off', and I don't remember hearing any accelleration either before or after. The scary thought is that it could be someone who genuinely has no idea they did this.0 -
Hard luck fella. As you've said, the damage to the bike is almost the hardest to swallow, but it would've been a different issue if you'd seriously been hurt. Bastards!
+1 for hydrocolloid patches. A couple of years ago, I made the mistake of playing 1st football match of the season in studs on a rock hard ground, which took most of the skin off the balls of my feet and heals. A week later I was supposed to do the Bristol half marathon - for a charity close to my wife's family. I spent the entire week replacing HC patches, and my feet were rebuilt within the week.0 -
I'm glad I read on. I was wincing and trying to work out how...jawooga wrote:A couple of years ago, I made the mistake of playing 1st football match of the season in studs on a rock hard ground, which took most of the skin off the balls ...0 -
briantrumpet wrote:
I'm glad I read on. I was wincing and trying to work out how...jawooga wrote:A couple of years ago, I made the mistake of playing 1st football match of the season in studs on a rock hard ground, which took most of the skin off the balls ...
:roll: 0
