Returning after an accident

[dynamick]

Hi everyone.

Those of you who read the touring forums might remember me getting all excited about my new Revolution Country Traveller..... - story Here

All was well with the world, then the last week in May....minding my own business I was riding along and got hit by a Citroen C4....no other cars around as it wasn't a busy road........I was laying in the road, in a mess, bleeding and in pain......the car had stopped 20ft up the road.....and the woman got back in the car and drove off!! To my disgust, the next 4 cars that came along the road, drove past despite me waving them down, until one old chap had the decency to stop and run me home. My mobile phone was broken, he didn't have one....so the only option was him to bring me home (before anyone says I should have called for an ambulance!)

Once I got home, my neighbour (who's a nurse) checked me over and took me straight to hospital. I had pain in my right knee, right arm, right shoulder, around the neck and really bad road rash all down my right hand side......not much skin left on there...just lots of gravel!!! LOL....anyway - the injuries to my knee (torn ligaments) weren't too severe but I'd broken my collarbone and cracked a bone in my arm too. It's taken me until today to get back on my bike, but that's not the end of the story......and I guess that's why I posted this in the "beginners and riding section".

It wasn't until a week after the accident that I went to examine all the bike gear (panniers/bike/clothing etc) to see how bad they'd got smashed up. So my Cervello kit was shredded down the right hand side (I just look slightly harder and rougher if I wear it!).....the panniers bags were just dusty and slightly scuffed (Altura from EBC)......the bike had ONE scratch on it and both handlebar endstops had broken off....NOTHING else, damn that bike's tough! Then there's my helmet (here's the kicker). I was nagged into buying a helmet when I first started cycling again a few years back...and I bought a decent one (cost £70) and I often thought...."waste of money"....well it's probably saved my life as it appears I must have hit my head at some point.....a HUGE crack where the scuff marks appear and it's quite a leveller when you think......WHAT IF? I've bought the same helmet (well slightly updated version!) THIS ONE!

So yeah, I'm back on the bike....I was as nervous as a kitten today as I took her for a run, body aching a bit, head a bit messed up....but I had to face the demons on the same set of roads as I got knocked off.....had something of a panic when I went past the spot where I got knocked off.....so much so that despite me being a bit of a tough guy (apparently).....I stopped further up the road, tears streaming down my face. I'm now fighting to get fit enough to run a half marathon in September....hopefully I'll be ok...infact even if I have to crawl round - I'll do it, my charity needs the funds! LOL

I hope the woman who hit me has had as many sleepless nights as I had....only hers caused by guilt rather than pain.

So for those of you asking the question. "should I buy a helmet".......don't even ask it.....just buy it!!!

Big thanks to the guys at Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative too........they don't only sell you a bike and the bits for it.....they were genuinely concerned when I told them about the accident.

Much love peeps.

Mick xxx

 

[bauldbairn]

F'kin ell Mick that's a bit of a shocker. I was starting to think that I hadn't seen any posts from you for a while - when I saw this.

Glad your okay!

Didn't you get the police involved?

Why didn't you post for some moral support from the CCers?

Cranckarm(if you know who he is) has given up cycling because of a hit and run like yours - although he still posts on here.

Anyway hopefully your fully recovered now and can get back to enjoying the last of whats left of our summer.

All the best.

 

[bauldbairn]

Oh! Welcome back - by the way!!!


........and how's the bike!!!

 

[dynamick]

F'kin ell Mick that's a bit of a shocker. I was starting to think that I hadn't seen any posts from you for a while - when I saw this.

Glad your okay!

Didn't you get the police involved?

Why didn't you post for some moral support from the CCers?

Cranckarm(if you know who he is) has given up cycling because of a hit and run like yours - although he still posts on here.

Anyway hopefully your fully recovered now and can get back to enjoying the last of whats left of our summer.

All the best.

Hi there mate!

I contacted the police and they were (unsuprisingly) as useless as I expected them to be. They gave me a crime number just in case the woman handed herself in at a police station (oooh look a pig flying past!)...apart from that - nothing...absolutely nothing!

I just took time away from the net, got into quite a bad depression (as I suffer with depression anyway...have done for years!)

The bicycle had 1 scratch and two broken handlebar stoppers...apart from that, she's in fine fettle. Oh I did replace the pedals though, just making a clicking noise and the guys at EBC gave me a spare set incase I needed them (they're damn good at EBC!)...that seems to have fixed it.

I'll try and get back on and post a little more now......I'm going to take it steady with the cycling (or touring) for the rest of the summer, I need to crack on and try and get some road-running done for this half marathon...it's ok running on a treadmill but not the same.

Oh and "TheMadCyclist" - seriously get a helmet - although some people will say they don't save your head if you have an impact.......I can speak from experience and say YES THEY DO!

Take care and I hope to be posting a bit more regular.

Mick

 

[bauldbairn]

I just took time away from the net, got into quite a bad depression (as I suffer with depression anyway...have done for years!)

Take care and I hope to be posting a bit more regular.

Mick

Sorry to hear about the depression - you've mentioned it before. Wouldn't talking about the incident maybe have helped a little with it?

I'm glad your bikes not to badly damaged and that you've decided to stick it out(cycling), maybe just keep off the roads for a while and stick to canal paths or country tracks. Haven't you been out cycling with "Sheffield Tiger" or any other local CCers?

Did you not get a registration number of the car?

Anyway take it easy and I'll look forward to seeing more posts from you in the future - didn't you notice the change in CC since last time you were on?

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

You really need to get a camera fitted so that you have the evidence to show the police (and with luck, the car registration should be discernable in the film too).

Says me who doesn't have a camera yet.

 

[tmcd35]

Just want to say thank you to Dynamick for posting his story here. Sorry to hear about the accident and really pleased you are fighting the demons and back on the pedals. I do think it's important that stories like this are published here as it gives us all a gentel reminder to the very real dangers of other road users.

 

[Randochap]

Glad to hear you're back on the bike.

I know how hard it can be facing traffic after an accident. Also how depressing such an experience can be. In your case, the cowardly woman didn't inspire much faith in humanity. Remember not all people are such twats.

Sounds like you have some good support though.

Hang in there and the running and cycling will help.

 

[PaulB]

What a shocking story. The callous auld boot! I'm glad you're back and I wish I'd been wearing a crash helmet at the moment I had my injury. Not many people wear them even in the world's most dangerous place that I was in that early evening (the kitchen of my own house) but my head injury has caused a real hiatus in my physical year so far. I can run, ride and walk leisurely for any distance but I've never been any good at that. I have to relentlessly push, pursue times, distances or positions (in races) and when competitiveness strikes, so does the blinding headache! Still, you've got the blades (my deepest sympathies) and you got back on the horse that threw you so well done. And here's to you for the future.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Being hit from behind and out of nowhere is every cyclists' nightmare. Top marks to you for getting back on the road and depression or no, your story is upbeat. I'm sincerely pleased you are now well on the way to recovery. Enjoy your riding.

 

[hobbygirl]

well done for getting back on your bike. glad you have mended well.
my son ( 12 ) went out on his bike with his grandad the other day and were witness to a child getting knocked off his bike and hurt quite badly. my son has not got the best road sense and no matter how we try and teach him the dangers i couldnt help think he was a bit blazee to it all. since witnessing the above accident he seems to be much more cautious and doesnt cycle off too far ahead.
i cant believe the lady didnt stop to see if you were o.k. i know i wouldnt be able to live with myself if i did that. i hope her conciense is eating up from the inside out.

 

[bauldbairn]

i cant believe the lady didnt stop to see if you were o.k. i know i wouldnt be able to live with myself if i did that. i hope her conciense is eating up from the inside out.

+1

I think she did stop briefly, then drove on - so she knew something had happened. Hopefully she's had a few sleepless nights thinking this will catch up with her.

 

[Midnight]

Great to hear you're o.k. and back on your bike Mick.

I know how you feel mate. I used to think I was as tough as old boots, but after I got hit, the first time a car came anywhere near me I froze - and that was in the hospital car park! It took me nearly a year to get back in the saddle, so you're doing well having got this far already. Just take it steady at first and keep at it, it does get easier...

And I hope Karma catches up with the culprit, even if the law never does.

 

[Chris S]

>> The callous auld boot!

A few years ago a survey found that 1 in 4 people would murder a complete stranger for a million pounds, if they knew they could get away with it.

I suspect at least 1 in 4 people wouldn't stop at an accident that they caused if they thought they could get away with it.

 

[Dunbar]

Hi there mate!

I contacted the police and they were (unsuprisingly) as useless as I expected them to be. They gave me a crime number just in case the woman handed herself in at a police station (oooh look a pig flying past!)...apart from that - nothing...absolutely nothing!

I just took time away from the net, got into quite a bad depression (as I suffer with depression anyway...have done for years!)

The bicycle had 1 scratch and two broken handlebar stoppers...apart from that, she's in fine fettle. Oh I did replace the pedals though, just making a clicking noise and the guys at EBC gave me a spare set incase I needed them (they're damn good at EBC!)...that seems to have fixed it.

I'll try and get back on and post a little more now......I'm going to take it steady with the cycling (or touring) for the rest of the summer, I need to crack on and try and get some road-running done for this half marathon...it's ok running on a treadmill but not the same.

Oh and "TheMadCyclist" - seriously get a helmet - although some people will say they don't save your head if you have an impact.......I can speak from experience and say YES THEY DO!

Take care and I hope to be posting a bit more regular.

Mick

Mick,

Sometimes I feel shame when I admit that I was a Police Officer for 25 years. In my day, your serious incident would have received the full investigation it warranted, depending on what you could tell the Police. Also a check of the local garages to see if any Citroen cars had been taken in for repairs. (From the description of your accident, there would likely have been damage to the vehicle.)

I won't apologise on behalf of some numb-skulls who are walking around posing as Police Officers today;. They are what they are and it's partly due to attitudes in Society as a whole, spreading to the higher echelons of the Force, who are mostly inexperienced, 'High-flyers', and completely out of touch.

However, for myself I was sorry to hear of your experience, and I hope your recovery is full and quick.

Regards
John