# Cyclist down Manchester



## middleagecyclist (4 Jun 2014)

Hello all

This was me on Sunday 1 June after a 55 miler and 0.5 miles from home. Got a sore shoulder and the bike is fecked. Could have been worse though.

Can't embed the video so this hyperlink takes you to my blog


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## glasgowcyclist (4 Jun 2014)

Bloody hell!

Tear up that driver's licence and make him sit an extended retest.

I hope the police were involved and that you're in touch with that driver's insurers?

GC


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## Rooster1 (4 Jun 2014)

Bloody hell. That is outrageous. Get well soon.


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## hopless500 (4 Jun 2014)

Jesus.


Edit/ also meant to say, glad you're basically ok. Looks like you were very lucky


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## glasgowcyclist (4 Jun 2014)

I meant to add; well done on obtaining the cctv footage so quickly. Whose camera was that, council?

GC


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## GetAGrip (4 Jun 2014)

Boy oh Boy, were you lucky to get away without serious injuries. Hope your back on top form ASAP.
Please tell me there is a prosecution pending?


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## raleighnut (4 Jun 2014)

Could have been real nasty, I mean a lot worse, get well soon.
!00% drivers fault and on street CCTV, sue the numpty


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## Peter Armstrong (4 Jun 2014)

How fast was you going? Nothing to do with the crash just wondering. Get well soon.


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## ianrauk (4 Jun 2014)

Sorry to hear about this Mac.


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## Cycling Dan (4 Jun 2014)

I can't watch the video as Safari says the link is not valid when I click the video


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## ianrauk (4 Jun 2014)

Blimey, just watched the vid.
That was a very close call Mac.
Amazed you got up from that one with only minor injuries.

The car driver just didn't look, check or give way to anything that may have been coming from the right.
Plenty of witnesses by the looks of things.
Hope you drag his arse for compensation.


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## DWiggy (4 Jun 2014)

Blimey!! amazing you didn't have anything more serious, so glad your ok fella! It very scary watching as you just know the only thing's the driver's are usually looking for are other car's not bikes we just don't seem to register the same way!

Just out of interest was you wearing a helmet? and did hit help if you was?


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## Goonerobes (4 Jun 2014)

Christ, I'm glad that you are okay(ish) after that!


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## potsy (4 Jun 2014)

That looked nasty, glad you are ok D


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## DCLane (4 Jun 2014)

Ouch! Get better soon.

Looked like the car driver didn't even slow or, if he saw you, thought there'd be no problem getting through.


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## Herzog (4 Jun 2014)

Glad you're here to tell us about it, looks like you got off lightly as that could have been a lot, lot worse!

Hope you can get back on the bike soon (the mental 'recovery' is often significantly harder than the physical one - I know from experience).


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## Shaun (4 Jun 2014)

OUCH!!! Glad you're okay (well, as okay as can be expected after that!! ) - is it just me or does the driver appear to just plough straight through without slowing / checking to his right?


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## fossyant (4 Jun 2014)

Ouch. Watch that shoulder though.. Theyt are complicated joints !! Hope it's OK.


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## Hacienda71 (4 Jun 2014)

Ouch. Get well soon.


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## Phaeton (4 Jun 2014)

I suspect if the blind driver actually admits it, he was looking right as he approached the roundabout, but failed to see that you had already left the space where he would have expected to see a car & just accelerated onto the roundabout. You were already on the roundabout before he gets to his give way/yield point.

Alan..


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## middleagecyclist (4 Jun 2014)

Thanks for all the kind comments. I'm doing OK but very sore. Need an MRI of the shoulder to see if I've torn owt.



glasgowcyclist said:


> ...I hope the police were involved and that you're in touch with that driver's insurers?


Police were at the scene and I contacted CTC legal today



glasgowcyclist said:


> ...Whose camera was that, council?Local shop.


Local shop. The guy uses them on Sundays when he works. The lady in the shop doesn't bother at all Monday - Saturday! 'Independent witness' said i cycled into the car!!



GetAGrip said:


> ...Please tell me there is a prosecution pending?


I've been informed he's being prosecuted but not sure on what charge yet.



Peter Armstrong said:


> ...How fast was you going? Nothing to do with the crash just wondering. Get well soon.


About 16mph coming up to the roundabout.



DWiggy said:


> ...Just out of interest was you wearing a helmet? and did hit help if you was?


I was wearing a lid. It cracked. Not sure if it was a help (please no helmet debate).



Shaun said:


> ...is it just me or does the driver appear to just plough straight through without slowing / checking to his right?


Approaching the junction, off camera, he initally slowed. At that speed I would have had enough time to clear the roundabout. As i entered the roundabout he sped up. I tried to give him more room to stop but as you can see he didn't react until he hit me.


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## Profpointy (4 Jun 2014)

k'nell that's bad!
phew - very relieved you got away with it (so to speak)


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## smokeysmoo (4 Jun 2014)

Ow! GWS


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## YahudaMoon (4 Jun 2014)

Hi Darell

Wow, Im surprised your stiil walking looking at that vid, car was going some speed.

Your poor bike 

Ive only seen two of your bikes and both were fantastic

Its not the Santos or your steel audax bike is it?


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## Cycling Dan (4 Jun 2014)

Independent witness must have been blind and stupid.


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## middleagecyclist (4 Jun 2014)

YahudaMoon said:


> Hi Darell
> 
> Wow, Im surprised your stiil walking looking at that vid, car was going some speed.
> 
> ...


This was my carbon fibre bike with brand new, handbuilt. Hewitt aero wheels on the very first outing. All mangled!


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## ComedyPilot (4 Jun 2014)

Oooooooooofffff sorry to hear this fella. Gws and sue the fecker


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## hopless500 (4 Jun 2014)

Cycling Dan said:


> Independent witness must have been blind and stupid.


Or a friend of the driver.


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## Sods_Laur (4 Jun 2014)

Christ almighty. I had to watch that a few times before I realised what happened. I feel ill now! 

That could have ended very badly, I'm glad it didn't. What a bell end. I don't understand how he got that so wrong, you were almost in front of him when he cut across you. He must have seen you and just decided to carry on :s


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## Pat "5mph" (4 Jun 2014)

You're a very lucky man to be able to tell us about this, it looks horrific.
Hope you shoulder will recover.


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## fossyant (4 Jun 2014)

The CCTV stuff has them bang to rights.

Don't worry about liability, it's clear cut. The issue is you and that shoulder. I got scooped rather than side on like you, but my shoulder got mangled just enough to be a problem for 4 years. Got fixed eventually.

I notice you got a bad off with a silly ped last year. 

Please don't give up on cycling. Crap happens sometimes and it sometimes just comes on after another is fixed (I am there now) so keep at it. Hopefully you should get the bike replaced soon, push for that to be sorted, but hold off for injuries, as by experience, shoulders don't like that, neither do hips.


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## middleagecyclist (4 Jun 2014)

fossyant said:


> Please don't give up on cycling. Crap happens sometimes and it sometimes just comes on after another is fixed (I am there now) so keep at it. Hopefully you should get the bike replaced soon, push for that to be sorted, but hold off for injuries, as by experience, shoulders don't like that, neither do hips.


I've no intention of giving up cycling. I'm already eyeing up my replacement bike!


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## Sods_Laur (5 Jun 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> This was my carbon fibre bike with brand new, handbuilt. Hewitt aero wheels on the very first outing. All mangled!


Just noticed this too. What awful timing!


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## Gez73 (5 Jun 2014)

Horrendous, Get Well Soon and look forward to the new bike. Gerry


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## theclaud (5 Jun 2014)

Eeek. Glad you're still standing. Mend soon.


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## Cubist (6 Jun 2014)

Good job the Jaguar driver was concentrating too. GWS. That looked fairly scary.


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## MattyKo (6 Jun 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> Hello all
> 
> This was me on Sunday 1 June after a 55 miler and 0.5 miles from home. Got a sore shoulder and the bike is fecked. Could have been worse though.
> 
> Can't embed the video so this hyperlink takes you to my blog



Do not need telling by me, but it is fortunate that the dark car coming from the opposite entrance that your entered the roundabout from, did not drive over you. Very much hope that you are okay and that it was only the bicycle that is written off. Fortunate, that the CCTV was a provider of good evidence. All the best and sorry that you were knocked over and hope you are looking upon the incident favourably. Regards


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## MikeG (6 Jun 2014)

That's just horrible. Horrible, horrible. I hope you mend soon, and completely, and that you get a nice shiny new bike on the driver's insurance, plus a few quid for your trouble. It must have been an awful feeling lying on the tarmac in front of another car. For a second I bet you wondered whether it had seen you.


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## middleagecyclist (6 Jun 2014)

MattyKo said:


> Do not need telling by me, but it is fortunate that the dark car coming from the opposite entrance that your entered the roundabout from, did not drive over you...





MikeG said:


> ...It must have been an awful feeling lying on the tarmac in front of another car. For a second I bet you wondered whether it had seen you.



I had no idea where i landed or that another car was there. Quite interesting watching it. I have the full CCTV and can slow it to individual frames. I remember just going limp and not bracing anything when the car hit me and I can see that worked quite well. Keep waking up reliving it.


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## babytiger (7 Jun 2014)

your one lucky bloke.... get well soon


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## Sara_H (7 Jun 2014)

Wow! Nasty!

This is the stuff of nightmares. I ride very defensively, but it just boils down to bad luck that you could happen upon a driver like this who just isn't paying proper attention.

I've been very anxious about stuff like this since someone rear ended me in my car at a red traffic light a couple of years ago. The driver was still accelerating and going at some speed even though the light had been at red for some time. If I'd been on my bike, things would have been very nasty.


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## middleagecyclist (10 Jun 2014)

Just spoke to the Traffic Officer dealing with my RTC. Apparently, even after being shown the video, the driver of the vehicle that hit me still doesn't see what he did wrong! The driver is being prosecuted for driving 'without due care and attention'.


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## Beebo (10 Jun 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> Just spoke to the Traffic Officer dealing with my RTC. Apparently, even after being shown the video, the driver of the vehicle that hit me still doesn't see what he did wrong! The driver is being prosecuted for driving 'without due care and attention'.


 What a total nobber! Wonder if he would have pulled the same stunt if a cement mixer was coming on to the roundabout!


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## glasgowcyclist (10 Jun 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> Just spoke to the Traffic Officer dealing with my RTC. Apparently, even after being shown the video, the driver of the vehicle that hit me still doesn't see what he did wrong! The driver is being prosecuted for driving 'without due care and attention'.


 
Maybe he'd understand better if you staged a reconstruction but swapped vehicles.

GC


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## David Higson (11 Jun 2014)

The driver obviously missed rule 170 of the HIghway Code, he failed to regulate his speed whilst approaching a junction, (in this case a roundabout.) There's a double dotted line which indicates that he should have been cautious of and given way to oncoming traffic. As such, he should have been slowing down rather than speeding up. Astonishingly, he then parks up in the middle of the roundabout and exits his vehicle, (causing further hazards to all traffic) He exits the car extremely quickly - Was he wearing a seatbelt? If he was, he was pretty quick on the release. You had rolled into the chevron zone so he had no need to protect you from oncoming traffic by staying put.
He seems to have made an assumption that there was a gap that he could jump into. Either than or he didn't see you, 
I drive through Manchester every day and see clowns behaving like this all the time. Don't know what gets into them


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## AnneW (11 Jun 2014)

glasgowcyclist said:


> Maybe he'd understand better if you staged a reconstruction but swapped vehicles.
> 
> GC



Just what I was thinking!

Glad you're as OK as you are Middleagedcyclist. And I hope you get to sue the driver's ass.


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## Kiwiavenger (11 Jun 2014)

Glad your ok, looks horrific! 

Some people really have a 'I can do no wrong, I've been driving for 25 years etc' mentalit and are just an absolute pain to reason with when it truely is their fault!


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## vickster (11 Jun 2014)

Ouch! Get well soon


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## middleagecyclist (12 Jun 2014)

Just ordered the replacement bicycle. My wrecked bike was a Verenti Rhigos 0.3 (Wiggle own brand). Nice bike and I'd upgraded the groupset/components as things wore out. I'd just fitted Ultegra 6800 calipers and new hand built, mid depth wheels the week before the incident. I'm now getting an all Ultegra Di2 spec'd Scott Foil 15. I didn't want to pay any more than my old bike was worth new but with this deal i think i've got a cracker. Hope I can soon ride it more than the 4 miles i'm currently managing!


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## glasgowcyclist (12 Jun 2014)

If the police went to that driver's house I wouldn't be surprised if they found a few of these on the wall:








GC


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## I like Skol (13 Jun 2014)

Wow, yikes, crikey! Just seen this and what shocking footage. The ape driving the car didn't slow at all as he approached and crossed the roundabout so he had no chance to check the road was clear. He could just as easily have failed to spot a bus coming at that speed (if he even looked?) and he has been caught bang to rights with the CCTV footage.

Just my humble opinion and I'm not one of the cycling Nazi types but that driver should lose his licence and have to start again. That wasn't just a lapse or an accident, his actions show a total disregard for the safety of other road users and up until the point he hit you he seemed to be calm and confident about travelling across the busy roundabout at that speed.

Get well soon D. I'm sure the new bike will help and you will quickly bounce back from this


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## Saluki (13 Jun 2014)

Just seen this. 
Make sure that the shoulder heals properly before doing anything daft with it. 
Sue that bloody driver too. If he really cannot see what he did wrong then hurt his pocket. His premiums will go up for years and years after being done for driving without due care, especially if there is a great big claim against him. He might lie to the insurance co and say that it was a claim for £200 or whatever but these companies do share things on a database and they will find out, to the penny, how much any claim on his policy was for and penalise him accordingly.

How can that driver not see what he did wrong? Is he somehow mentally stymied? 

GWS and I'm looking forward to pics of the new bike.


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## 400bhp (14 Jun 2014)

Bl00dy hell.

V V glad you walked away (relatively) unscathed.

Interesting point on not bracing for impact. Reckon it served you well.

Why oh why can't people just hold their hand up and say sorry.


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## middleagecyclist (18 Jun 2014)

Thanks for all the kind wishes. Here is a recovery update.

Riding the bike for 5-6 miles at a time. Can't get up out of the saddle for any power though. Hurts my left shoulder and left ankle too much.

Got a copy of my shoulder MRI report. The pertinent sections:

1. Large effusion at the acromioclavicular joint
2. Disruption of the joint capsule with extension of fluid into soft tissues superior to the acromioclavicular joint
3. High signal in the anterior part of the proximal deltoid muscle in keeping with partial tear
4. No tendon damage
5. No bone marrow oedema

Physio is going fine. As well as the range of movement exercises i'm already doing, the physio has just commenced me on a strengthening programme.

Waiting to see an orthopaedic shoulder surgeon to see if I need an arthroscopy or just to continue with physio exercises for the moment.

Scabs have all fallen off.

Enjoy your riding everyone. And remember...let's all keep safe out there!


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## MikeG (18 Jun 2014)

Was that really an MRI scan, or was it a CAT scan?


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## fossyant (18 Jun 2014)

It's usually an MRI. Surgery is often a good option with shoulders. I struggled with mine for 2 years, then got it operated on and it was another 18 months before it was sorted.


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## MikeG (18 Jun 2014)

It's just that "hot spot" (or "high signal") in terms of soft tissue injury is something you'd normally hear after a CAT scan, rather than an MRI.


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## Hacienda71 (18 Jun 2014)

Mac will know what he had, he is in the profession.


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## middleagecyclist (18 Jun 2014)

T'was an MRI. I'm no expert in interpreting XRs, CTs or MRIs. The term 'high signal' is from the radiologist report.


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## machew (18 Jun 2014)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3495576/


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## Sods_Laur (19 Jun 2014)

Sounds like you'll heal up well, if I've interpreted it correctly. Glad the physio is helping. 

I didn't have surgery on mine, but it was a different injury. See what the surgeon says. I went to see two because the first one was a d*ckhead. I'd say it's 90% better now but that last 10% is going to be difficult whether I have surgery or not.


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## MattyKo (21 Jun 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> Thanks for all the kind wishes. Here is a recovery update.
> 
> Riding the bike for 5-6 miles at a time. Can't get up out of the saddle for any power though. Hurts my left shoulder and left ankle too much.
> 
> ...




Thank you for the update with you program of recovery. We are no specialist (we may only ride upon a "Specialized" cycles), however, I am sure the NHS in your area shall provide you with the necessary level of options concerning surgery or not. The extensive experience, I gained following my accident; my Physiotherapist, made it abundantly clear that the Surgeons know best however should you not be happy with their initial opinion you always have the right to seek a second opinion. The shoulder really is the work horse of the upper extremities, so if surgery procedures can be avoided that is presumable the best option to select.

On a personal note which would you suggest - ProTeam folding cycle or Hercules Folding Cycle (vintage - second hand) - thread also posted on another part of the site, however, always nice to have you brain distracted.


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## middleagecyclist (29 Jun 2014)

Here's my new bike. As you can see i've gone electric. As i'm now pushing 20 miles at a time i don't think i'll have many battery worries for a while!


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## I like Skol (29 Jun 2014)

middleagecyclist said:


> Here's my new bike. As you can see i've gone electric. As i'm now pushing 20 miles at a time i don't think i'll have many battery worries for a while!
> 
> View attachment 48880


Chain's slack 


(How did you balance the bike for that picture? I've had a look and can't see any photoshop blemishes.)


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## middleagecyclist (29 Jun 2014)

I like Skol said:


> Chain's slack
> 
> 
> (How did you balance the bike for that picture? I've had a look and can't see any photoshop blemishes.)


Chain is purrfect! LH pedal propped up with pedal spanner. Photoshop to remove and tidy up background.


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## I like Skol (29 Jun 2014)

Nice picture and no scratches (yet ).

When you go back to do it again make sure the tyre valves are lined up at the top or the bottom and the chain is on the big chainring


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## Mr. Cow (13 Jul 2014)

Hi,

Reading your thread I had to sign up to reply. The same thing happened to me in May, although the driver admitted full liability from the off. I received shoulder, knee and fractured vertebrae. Doctor said I was lucky to not have been paralysed or worse. I have a claim going through.

What worries me is in 5 years of commuting I have never considered this type of accident a serious "threat" until now. Given the number of roundabouts I have to negotiate to/from work I am now seriously considering not replacing my road bike if/when the other party compensate. It just doesn't seem worth getting another decent set of carbon for the same thing to happen, and I do not think I could cope with being put through that much pain again and almost accept that as cyclists, no matter how much you make yourself visible or ride defensively, if motorists do not expect to see you, they will not see you. The consequences of which do not bear thinking about.

I hope you are making a full recovery and you receive adequate compensation for your losses. You were very, very lucky that day.


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## 400bhp (13 Jul 2014)

Mr. Cow said:


> Hi,
> 
> Reading your thread I had to sign up to reply. The same thing happened to me in May, although the driver admitted full liability from the off. I received shoulder, knee and fractured vertebrae. Doctor said I was lucky to not have been paralysed or worse. I have a claim going through.
> 
> ...



This is a shame that you think this way.

We all have to work out what risks we are comfortable with but there's such a small chance of this happening.

For example I would say there's a similar risk of being seriously injured or killed in a car. Would you stop going in cars?


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## Rickshaw Phil (19 Jul 2014)

I've only just come across this thread. That was a shocking crash @middleagecyclist. I'm glad you weren't hurt worse than that.

How are you doing now and how's the new bike?


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## middleagecyclist (21 Jul 2014)

Hi recent readers. 

Still working towards full recovery. Left shoulder and ankle are sore but they are getting stronger. I managed 70 miles on a single ride last week (although it was quite sedate). The legal process goes on but I am hopeful I should get all my costs back and a little something towards the mortgage. The new bike is lovely but i'm only riding it for fun and not general use - aiming to keep it grime free!

Keep safe.


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## Pumpkin the robot (21 Jul 2014)

Mr. Cow said:


> Hi,
> 
> Reading your thread I had to sign up to reply. The same thing happened to me in May, although the driver admitted full liability from the off. I received shoulder, knee and fractured vertebrae. Doctor said I was lucky to not have been paralysed or worse. I have a claim going through.
> 
> ...



I recently had an accident in Bredbury on my commute home and will be off the bike for at least 8 weeks. A driver pulled out in front of me while I was going 30mph. It has made me think about making myself more visible even though the accident happened in the middle of the day in bright sunny conditions (I normally wear black clothing) and maybe I will change my route to cut out going through the centre of Manchester as some of those roads are very busy in ruch hour traffic, but i will not let it effect me riding my bike to and from work. If you start down that road, you will never get out of bed!


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