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lynx
Thanks for all the good wishes, which I haven't replied to. Quick update on the collision.
Shattered metatarsal in right foot (little toe), so in a cast and on crutches for 6 weeks. Numerous other bruises, grazes and bumps, but that's it. A couple of feet over and it would've been head on and I probably wouldn't be typing this.
The police have been in touch and they've opened an investigation, so I spent this afternoon filling in questionnaires and writing my statement. I suspect they think they have enough to charge the other driver with driving with due care and attention. Both the police and ambulance service were great on the day.
I hope they do charge her - I was there 18 years ago when a car pulled out of a driveway into my path and nearly killed me. My insurance company was happy to settle 50-50/knock for knock - despite numerous witnesses. At first I couldn't understand why they would pay out 50% of the cost on a claim that clearly wasn't my fault. Then I had it explained to me - the motor insurance industry as a whole pays out way more in personal injury claims than it does in repairs and write-offs (at least they did 18 years ago), so they collude and settle 50-50 so there is no liability and, bingo, no personal injury claims. They may end up paying out on claims they shouldn't, as individual firms, but collectively they reduce the overall pay outs the industry has to make. Utter cunts.
That last claim only got settled in my favour after a year, after the driver who took me out was prosecuted in a magistrates court and found guilty. Only then did the two insurance companies have no grounds for arguing it was anything other than her fault entirely. Of course, by then, I'd paid the excess on replacing my bike, seen my insurance premium rocket for a total loss claim, and replaced leathers/helmet/boots/etc. at my own cost. Apart from how that hits your personal cash flow, stresses you out and generally angers you, you never really get all the money back and your insurance premium takes ages to get back to where it should be.
CSB/TLDR and all that...
Anyway, ride as safely as you can and know that there are idiots everywhere.