Watch out for other cyclists

[Richard A Thackeray]

Is it a Halfords bike?

Now it'll take less space in the shed, or garage, too!

 

[Reynard]

@roadrash Thanks for asking. I've been to the fracture clinic today. Bit of a tiring trip even though I was collected and dropped off by ambulance. Bonus that both of the team on the first ambulance were cyclists

Nurse took the stitches out at the clinic and everyone is pleased that it's healing well. A doctor popped in and said I looked a lot better than when he last saw me but I think that was immediately after the operation so I probably wasn't at my best!

Got a phone interview tomorrow with my rehab key worker and then back to hospital on Thursday to get my fractured vertebrae looked.

Upsetting thing today though was looking at the state of my bike. My brother got it out of the garage and took some photos. I haven't cried over my own injuries but thinking of my poor bike sets me off 😭

Here's a couple of the pics. Don't think the forks are supposed to be like that.

Hmmm, I was thinking you could flip the forks round a la Pinarello Dogma (or my more humble Wiggins)

But lordy... With my materials engineer hat on, goodness me, that must've taken a fair old whack.

But keep mending

 

[Deleted member 1258]

As @roadrash says that might look worse than it is , If it's just the fork surely that can be replaced . Cool cylcechat sticker when were they a thing
Good luck on your recovery

I suspect the frame might be twisted and the headset has moved, after a hit like that I'd want to write that off.

 

[annedonnelly]

Hmmm, I was thinking you could flip the forks round a la Pinarello Dogma (or my more humble Wiggins)

But lordy... With my materials engineer hat on, goodness me, that must've taken a fair old whack.

But keep mending

I think it ended up with me, bloke's bike and bloke on top. I'm only 8 stone wet through but the combined weight would be a fair bit.

Think I must be recovering as I'm starting to have enough energy to be bored. Going to have to find things I can do from my temporary bed-sit.

 

[T4tomo]

Think I must be recovering as I'm starting to have enough energy to be bored. Going to have to find things I can do from my temporary bed-sit.

See if you can track down the witness the nurse mentioned to find out what happened and get some lawyers onto the other party if they were at fault (which they appear to be). The front wheel / forks looks a bit like a Brompton in the folded position.

 

[Pale Rider]

See if you can track down the witness the nurse mentioned to find out what happened and get some lawyers onto the other party if they were at fault (which they appear to be). The front wheel / forks looks a bit like a Brompton in the folded position.

Worth remembering there are two witnesses, the best one probably being the other cyclist.

I'd want to speak to him before setting lawyers away, which will likely make him less cooperative.

 

[annedonnelly]

I've spoken to Leigh Day who aren't terribly hopeful. Other cyclist hasn't come forward so might be tricky to track him down. And the chance of him having any money to pay anything is pretty slim.


The more I think of it the more I think it'll be a youngish bloke cycling to work, possibly no handed, maybe with no lights. Not a "serious" cyclist who'll have some idea of the damage he's caused.

To be honest I would love to send the culprit a nasty letter explaining the damage he could've caused if he'd hit a bairn walking to the bus stop to go to school or an elderly person walking their dog. If he didn't see me with my flashing lights and bright jacket he'd never have seen them.

I hope that his broken jaw has been wired and has to stay like that all through Christmas and that he can't afford to replace his bike.

 

[Pale Rider]

Other cyclist hasn't come forward so might be tricky to track him down

While I (sadly) agree with your assessment of the other cyclist's likely circumstances, I suppose he doesn't know who to come forward to in the unlikely event that's what he wants to do.

He would get the same response from the cops as you did - a brush off - and in any case presumably the cops haven't recorded who you are, so couldn't help him even if they wanted to.

You can be all but certain he's local, probably very local.

Is there any merit in publishing an appeal on social media?

If I recall, you have some knowledge of local sites, and it's something you could do from the 'bedsit'.

 

[I like Skol]

Leigh Day should have no trouble tracing the other rider as the hospital should have the records required and should be able to make them available to a legal request even if they won't give them to you.

I suppose it depends what you are asking for. If you just want your bike repaired/replaced then I guess it really isn't worth their time to deal with it too enthusiastically. On the other hand, if you wish to seek compensation for your injuries (and these sound serious and may possibly have an affect on you for some time, if not forever?) then that is a bigger case and more of a worthwhile prospect for them.

In your position I would not so easily be making light of the situation when you clearly have received major injuries due to negligence of another person.

Get Leigh Day on the case and find out what the other party's position is.

 

[Badger_Boom]

You call it nonsense, but at 15:38 there was no legal requirements for lights to be used. The clothing and headphones are just nonsense by drivers who don't want to take responsibility for their driving.

At 1538 in York yesterday it was well on the way to being dark.

Being visible is as important as being vigilant and I prefer to what I can to make myself obvious to the less observant.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

To be honest I would love to send the culprit a nasty letter explaining the damage he could've caused if he'd hit a bairn walking to the bus stop to go to school or an elderly person walking their dog. If he didn't see me with my flashing lights and bright jacket he'd never have seen them.

I don't know why you need to focus on the hypothetical - your injuries are pretty serious!

I can't believe that at this stage you still don't know what happened!

There is something wrong when someone going about their business wakes up in hospital with only the vaguest of notions how they got there.
Surely if the Police can write it off as just one of those things they have to have some idea of the sequence of events?
If not, how can they know that there was nothing criminal or negligent?

If I've understood correctly the Police were not at the scene?
But they have told you that tracing the other rider would be straightforward through a solicitor?

I wonder if a letter to the (insert ranking officer) would be helpful?

I know you see no point in the Police investigating if there's no evidence of a crime but I'd suggest there may be more important reasons for finding out what happened.
Whether you just want to send a nasty letter or claim compensation (and you have a long road to travel yet before making that decision) I'd be concerned about the future of your cycling when the time comes again.
It's conceptual at the moment but it wouldn't be unusual that when the reality arrives that it may be far more difficult than you expect precisely because you don't know what happened.

From the beginning you have said that you were hit from behind. How do you know that? I'm not an engineer but I'm struggling to imagine an impact from behind causing that damage to your bike. To me it looks like a head on impact.

I'm sorry if I'm coming across all doom and gloom but if the truth is to come out the sooner the better.

Best of luck in your recovery

 

[vickster]

Leigh Day should have no trouble tracing the other rider as the hospital should have the records required and should be able to make them available to a legal request even if they won't give them to you.

I suppose it depends what you are asking for. If you just want your bike repaired/replaced then I guess it really isn't worth their time to deal with it too enthusiastically. On the other hand, if you wish to seek compensation for your injuries (and these sound serious and may possibly have an affect on you for some time, if not forever?) then that is a bigger case and more of a worthwhile prospect for them.

In your position I would not so easily be making light of the situation when you clearly have received major injuries due to negligence of another person.

Get Leigh Day on the case and find out what the other party's position is.

Wouldn't you actually need a name (not actually sure that is known, how would a solicitor do that without any sort of identification, it's easier when a vehhicle is involved as they should have a number plate [albeit can be false]). Also, surely a hospital must need consent to release individual medical details / records legal, request or not (or at least I would hope so in terms of patient confidentiality!)?

 

[mjr]

I've spoken to Leigh Day who aren't terribly hopeful. Other cyclist hasn't come forward so might be tricky to track him down. And the chance of him having any money to pay anything is pretty slim.

He might be covered by his or his family's home insurance. I wouldn't dismiss the chance so lightly when it's caused you such losses.

 

[I like Skol]

Wouldn't you actually need a name (not actually sure that is known, how would a solicitor do that without any sort of identification, it's easier when a vehhicle is involved as they should have a number plate [albeit can be false]). Also, surely a hospital must need consent to release individual medical details / records legal, request or not (or at least I would hope so in terms of patient confidentiality!)?

Someone in officialdom will know the identity of the other person, be it the police, the ambulance service who presumably transported both to hospital, or the hospital administration. Anne has a right to know this and a legitimate reason to require it. There is no need to have any of the person's private medical information, just an identity for legal purposes and I expect this should be available to a solicitor following the appropriate process?

 

[vickster]

Someone in officialdom will know the identity of the other person, be it the police, the ambulance service who presumably transported both to hospital, or the hospital administration. Anne has a right to know this and a legitimate reason to require it. There is no need to have any of the person's private medical information, just an identity for legal purposes and I expect this should be available to a solicitor following the appropriate process?

Not sure. I'll leave you to read the GDPR small print
Although presumably Leigh Day can advise on identifying the other cyclist