Public Information post
shipley
Posts: 548
Now I have always been of the "I'll make my own decisions thank you" mindset and do not want to start a helmet debate here as I always thought that most injuries are to limbs and collar bones, but......
Sunday morning I was returning from a 50km ride, nearly within sight of my house when despite having a row of parked cars in his lane, a nice man in a BMW X5 decided he couldn't wait 20 seconds for me to go past. Visibility was good and I had a strong flashing light but he drove straight at me nonetheless.
I had no option but to jump the bike onto the kerb at 20mph (I was travelling downhill) but then hit a hole in the pavement which immediately stopped the bike. Of course I didn't stop and woke up in an ambulance 20 minutes later. I have today returned home from hospital, the bleeding on my brain has stopped, the whiplash is unbelievably sore and the 3 broken fingers are an inconvenience. I have a face like a Pizza too.
I'm posting this as I was ambling down a hill, virtually post ride.... and the severity of this 'off' has surprised me to say the least. Like I said I don't want to start a helmet debate but because my bike stopped dead, I 'face planted' and had I not been wearing a helmet and glasses (see scratched lenses below) I doubt I'd be typing this yet, if at all.
Be careful out there - they can get you any time. (oh...nearly forgot....the bike is fine
)
Sunday morning I was returning from a 50km ride, nearly within sight of my house when despite having a row of parked cars in his lane, a nice man in a BMW X5 decided he couldn't wait 20 seconds for me to go past. Visibility was good and I had a strong flashing light but he drove straight at me nonetheless.
I had no option but to jump the bike onto the kerb at 20mph (I was travelling downhill) but then hit a hole in the pavement which immediately stopped the bike. Of course I didn't stop and woke up in an ambulance 20 minutes later. I have today returned home from hospital, the bleeding on my brain has stopped, the whiplash is unbelievably sore and the 3 broken fingers are an inconvenience. I have a face like a Pizza too.
I'm posting this as I was ambling down a hill, virtually post ride.... and the severity of this 'off' has surprised me to say the least. Like I said I don't want to start a helmet debate but because my bike stopped dead, I 'face planted' and had I not been wearing a helmet and glasses (see scratched lenses below) I doubt I'd be typing this yet, if at all.
Be careful out there - they can get you any time. (oh...nearly forgot....the bike is fine
) 0
Posts
I hope the driver stopped?!
I am currently riding a green and black bike .... looks rubbish with blood
X5 drivers seem to be of a similar mindset wherever they are sadly.
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 18
The driver didn't stop.
Glad you got the tyres John, good job I posted them on Friday !!
me too .... nothing would have annoyed me more than tyres tyrning up late AND with blood on them ... again especially seing that it wouldnt match the bike.
glad your ok though ... well still in one piece if not a bit beaten up ...... just goes to show you how in the blink of an eye your day is somewhat ruined !
In which case track him down and get his details so you can claim something for the inconvenience / damage / injuries?
Heal quickly, but take plenty of photos.
And if he caused an accident and drove away the police might want to know. Any witnesses? Who called the ambulance?
Any CCTV anywhere near? The police might be interested...
He was driving towards me up the hill but was impeded by the parked cars. I was coming down the hill. Apparently 2 female cyclists were on the road behind me and saw me go down but he had passed them before they realised the severity. They were great, found my details in my jacket, called the ambulance and my wife and put my bike in the back of her car for her.
That, coupled with the care I received from the NHS staff, shows that most people are great...the rest drive X5s
Glad you are okay, I bet he was being "jockeyed" from behind by an Audi driver too!! Joking aside, what happened to the OP is for most cyclists an almost every ride occurrence, unluckily for the OP he suffered very badly. Suffice to say, once better my actions would be to "patrol" that section of road for a while in an effort to find said driver. Even if he doesn't know what he did, he should be made aware, w ill have saved mere seconds, yet he has caused the OP some no doubt lengthy painful recovery time, and incurred costs too. Cyclists & other road users CAN coexist, it's education that is required!
That grey stuff in your helmet pic? Will you need that put back in?
Nothing else I can say other than it is good to see you remain alive and reasonably positive post horrific accident, best of luck in your recovery!