2011-06-14 - Rider down : Me.

Fucking ow.

Was pulling away from some traffic lights - had waited through the red and then they turned green - I was in the left turn/going straight lane, to go straight, motorbike next to me in the other lane (the going straight on only lane) - he started in the ASL, (is this legal for a motorbike?) accelerated past and turned left across me. Hit me, my handlebars and my front wheel as he did so and I went flying. Glasses flew off, d-lock skidded across the road, I went flying.. picked myself up and dragged myself to my feet and dragged my bike out of the road, and went looking for the motorbike driver. Thankfully he'd stopped, and he came back to where he'd hit me and gave me my details and checked I was alright - at the time I didn't feel too bad, I've got some nice road rash on my hip, elbow, bit of a cut on my right hand (there goes the sex life) and a tiny one on the left - at first he said we were equally to blame but I wasn't having any of it and told him he a) was in the wrong lane, b) cut across me c) shouldnt have been in the ASL and d) what the fuck were you doing??! (those are actually in reverse order) - Anyway he changed his mind and said it was his fault, admitted liabilty etc - I noticed my phone was broken when I took down his licence plate and number, he's offered to pay for replacing that, I also have 2 witnesses and their contact details..

Cycled home with my friend and had a pint up the road, but now a few hours later and after a bath my upper back (between the spine and the shoulder blade on the left side, which I landed on) is fucking killing me and my hip is aching with what i'm sure is going to turn into a lovely big bruise.

Couple of questions - should I report this to the police? and b) he said he'd pay for anything that was broken, so, how fussy should I be with that list? My phone is smashed, but, the jumper and shorts I was wearing are torn, bill him for those too? What about for injury? Should i get my bike checked over at the LBS and bill him for that? Or should I go full-retard on him and get on the blower to injurylawyersforyou etc? That seems a bit excessive, he seemed like quite a nice chap who'd just made a bit of a blundering error.. but what's the done thing here?

I have witness details and everybody including him says it was his fault...

I think you need to go through the proper channels; it can take a while for injuries to reveal themselves.
Also, yes; claim for everything.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread4213.html

Glad you are relatively ok. (love life line made me chuckle!)

yup, go full wack, make sure you report it to the police tomorrow, just so you have a reference number. then do it properly! he won't have to pay for each item, he will just have a bump on his insurance policy.

photograph everything that's broken too.

hope your aight dude!

yeah, i'm alright, fucking back is killing me tho, was ok at first but now its dreadful! as luck would have it ive got a drs appt 2moz anyway, so i'll get her to do an injuries appraisal. if i can get the money for the damaged stuff thatd be good, with maybe a bit of compensation for the pain and sheer unplesantness of it, i'd be happy - it wasnt my fault and i totally didnt deserve that shit!

sorry for the lack of capitals and slight txt spk in the above, typing with one arm because frankly it hurts to lift the other one and you 'orrible lot can barely read anyway... ;)

I had something similar and recently a friend who got hit by a car and going through the same shit, you have to take into consideration going through the no win no fee line is good and you get everything you broken on your bike and your replaces (as long as your have the receipts) you get everything claim back, but it will take them about 2-3 months though, so hence why you need to report your injuries to the police and possible see the doctor so you can get report on your injuries right away. if he said he will pay for everything he broke then you should really ask yourself what you want replaced, your iphone your bike (maybe not your shorts) but it really how much is he willing to fork out as the insurance claim people can get you money but you will have to wait a while...

...as long as your have the receipts....

oh fuck, i don't have receipts for anything!!!

bike seems ok, tbh - main damage was to me, my clothes and my phone!

Ah thats rubbish mate! Sorry to hear it

If you want compensation for your injuries I'd go for using a solicitor as if u don't the other side will use their own medical assessors for ur injuries and u will have less control over the outcome. I'm doing same for a genuinely very nice woman who unfortunately turned across the road in front of me, mashing my bike and injuring my elbow, leg n whiplash. She admitted full liability. I tried dealing with her insurance company directly but it was a nightmare tbh.

definately get checked out with doctor and report to police. your pain now will go away, but it could develop into worse. it helps with any insurance. and get the bike checked by lbs. it could be twisted but you might not notice until you ride it properly again.
awful to hear it though, H*TFU

*Heal

I'd head out to the chiropractor and get them to take a look, get a proper assessment, the cost of which could go onto the bill..
the tighter your game the more you stand to get, so list broken items with photos and costs (receipts would be great) photos of physical damage - scratches don't amount to much but it indicates the severity and any skeletal or muscular work that needs to be done on you is more believable if they see the bloodied torso.
and get organised with the physical side. if you genuinely have back problem find out now and understand the cost to fix it - including time off work, travel expenses etc. if you haven't got a back problem then just man up, pain is for mortals.

I hope you've seen the doctor now and are getting some treatment and pain relief. Definitiely follow the advice above about reporting and contacting solicitors, also get your bike checked by a shop.
I was hit by a motorcyclist in the same way but with less serious injuries a few years ago. The rider said it couldn't have been his fault because he had had police 'Bike Safe' training. He tried to claim against me for damage to his bike, but got nowhere.

I thought that 'Bike Safe' was the one that they sent bikers on if they didn't want to be given points on their licence for being caught speeding/driving badly on country roads...

Slightly two different things http://www.bikesafe.co.uk/ is a kinda advanced bike training; the other initiative applies in certain participating counties to bike and car users, but only participating ones, and it's a one-time offer.

Heal up OP, lots of sympathy re: the sex life #insertsmilee