Great Western Sportive, Swindon - Any witnesses?

[levad]

Did anyone else do the Great Western Sportive from Swindon on Sunday?

If so, did you see an accident near Ramsbury, rider down and unconscious for several minutes?

If you did then that was me, I believe a horse was led out of field in front of me and I crashed taking evasive action!

I was taken to the Great Western Hospital by ambulance, they checked I could grip and push with my feet, asked a few questions and then after a few hours said I could go home. I am suffering from concussion and have road rash and deeper cuts.

If anyone saw what happend could they please PM me with what they saw, I have been in touch with the organisers and also the CTC Accident Line and need as much info as possible.

Thanks

 

[Coco]

Sorry to hear that Levad. Hope you heal quickly.

 

[Scoosh]

OUCH ! That sounds BAD .

I do hope you get a useful response to your request for information and hope you get back to normal very soon.

Virtual on its way

 

[fossyant]

Ouch....How's the bike...........


Someone has to ask !

 

[Broadside]

I can't help but ask, but what do you need witnesses for? Are you hoping to prosecute the horse?

 

[delstron]

The horse was being LED. Anyone leading a horse onto a highway with oncoming traffic is clearly negligent.

 

[levad]

I can't help but ask, but what do you need witnesses for? Are you hoping to prosecute the horse?

delstron is correct, apparently the horse was being led out of the field by a lady. I recall vaguely some horsewoman coming up the road to see what had happened.

I aslo don't remember much of the accident at all so it would be nice to know what happened!

I saw the bike for the first time yesterday and first inspection it looks OK. Steel frame with steel fork

 

[gizguest]

I did the Great Western sportive on Sunday 100 mile route. but I have to confesss I did not see your accident though or any aftermath.
Glad to hear you are not too bad ( I smashed my skull in a few years back when I came of one of my bike, all leaky brain fluid etc so you did well).
and the bike is ok (good old steel, my carbon fibre bike may not have survived).

In fairness to the organisers there were signs up saying beware horses where they had expected them and so we eased up.
The downhill sections with these signs were taken with care as I did not fancy hitting a horse at over 40 mph

I only came across your message as told by fellow finisher that a chap had a heart attack on one of the steep hills and hoped he was ok.

I hope you quickly recover and are back on the bike soon, I am sure you will

I had to learn to walk again from scratch and told it was impossible to ride a bike again with my brain/skull issues but back on the road in 6 months. Now ,2 years on , back doing 100 mile sportives & 10 mile TT's etc so I am certain you will soon get over the concusion, the brain is remarkable piece of work and can be reprogrammed , even at my great age ( 56) , to make things work.

Giz

 

[mike-L]

I only came across your message as told by fellow finisher that a chap had a heart attack on one of the steep hills and hoped he was ok.

Very sad to report that the guy who collapsed on Fox Hill later died.

I did that ride too. Very lucky with the weather! Coming down a pretty steep hill - maybe about 70 miles in, a male on a horse was ambling down the middle of the road in front of me. I shouted about 100 yards behind him, and then about 50 yards 'cyclist coming through'. I'm pretty sure he deliberately ignored me. I slowed to overtake and then he pulled the horse sharply over to the left and started shouting obscenities. The horse knew damn well where I was, so the rider's attempt at 'scared horse' was obvious and transparent - a point I made less tactfuly once past him. Idiot. With about 180 riders behind me I'm sure he enjoyed the afternoon...

 

[levad]

I did the Great Western sportive on Sunday 100 mile route. but I have to confesss I did not see your accident though or any aftermath.
Glad to hear you are not too bad ( I smashed my skull in a few years back when I came of one of my bike, all leaky brain fluid etc so you did well).
and the bike is ok (good old steel, my carbon fibre bike may not have survived).

In fairness to the organisers there were signs up saying beware horses where they had expected them and so we eased up.
The downhill sections with these signs were taken with care as I did not fancy hitting a horse at over 40 mph

I only came across your message as told by fellow finisher that a chap had a heart attack on one of the steep hills and hoped he was ok.

I hope you quickly recover and are back on the bike soon, I am sure you will

I had to learn to walk again from scratch and told it was impossible to ride a bike again with my brain/skull issues but back on the road in 6 months. Now ,2 years on , back doing 100 mile sportives & 10 mile TT's etc so I am certain you will soon get over the concusion, the brain is remarkable piece of work and can be reprogrammed , even at my great age ( 56) , to make things work.

Giz

Thanks for the concern. I didn't do the ride this year, the accident was in 2010! All is well now and am still commuting to work a marathon a day for 4 days each week.

I am glad that they did put up signs warning of nags and sorry to hear about a more serious incident than mine.