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There's also firm forum favourite ojeffcott. Good luck, Birilio, it sounds traumatic. I hope you manage to get good support.
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+1 to Oliver Jeffcott
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wandsworth road today at about 2:15pm
nasty looking crash with cyclist and BMW 1 series. massive hole in rear windscreen cyclist was up and looked cut and bruised but otherwise ok. looked very "on here" hope you are ok and that it wasnt your head that caused the hole! -
Thought I'd post the long version of what happened to me, in case there's someone who isn't yet bored of my instagram/facebook/what are you up to right now witterings...
Saturday morning, and I set out from my parents (Cambridgeshire) towards London, with the idea of riding to somewhere like Stevenage and getting the train from there into town. Within 5 miles, the headwind, rain and cold had ruined this resolution and I decided to ride to Cambridge and get the train from there instead. So, 20 grim miles, and I'm thinking about the cup of tea I'm going to have at Cambridge station, and all the things I'm going to do when I get back to London... and then I slip.
I don't really know why it happened. It was wet, there was a lot of standing water on the roundabout I was on, there were painted lines (double yellows, a red bike lane type thing and a white line) which seemed liberally applied, but nothing extraordinary. I had my carradice on, fully loaded, so about 15kg weight behind me, which didn't help. Once I slipped I just couldn't wrestle it back.
I hit the ground face first, smashing a tooth and hard on to my chin. Next down came a leg, the bike, another leg onto the bike, and my arm onto the ground with a thud.
A man ran over, and I managed to unclip and get out of the road. I tried to pat myself down but couldn't move my arm. "Are you ok? Can I call someone for you? Are you alright?" I had no fucking clue. My face hurt. My hand... it didn't even feel like a hand. I told him that I didn't know, I was ok in that I could stand but I didn't think I was actually ok. We propped my bike against a fence and I sheltered from the rain under a tree. What had he said? Call someone? Maybe that was a good idea. I called my parents. My dad sounded frantic and said he'd come straight away. I stood by the road for an hour while blood dripped from my face and my hand and my leg, staring at the spot of road where I'd come off, occasionally having epiphanies like WHATABOUTTHECAT OMGWHOWILLFEEDTHECAT.
Eventually my dad came, we put the bike in the car and drove to hospital. I finally went into shock and lost the vision in one eye and started shaking uncontrollably. The nurses spent some time trying to remove my rings from my massive swollen hand and amazingly managed to get my gloves off without cutting them (brand new gloves! I was so relieved, even if the pain of this made me cry).
I saw a whole load of doctors and nurses and had lots of xrays, before specialists from plastic surgery were called to come and have a look at my "acute claw". My hand was amusing me by now, it really did look like a claw and I seemed to have no knuckles. All the xrays showed no broken bones and after testing loads of things it was decided that I have neurapraxia, or nerve damage. My ulnar nerve has taken such a hit that it's shut down. My 3rd and 4th fingers won't move, are numb and can't stay out of a claw position. I had a bit of a debate with a doctor who was keen for me to stay in overnight (not a chance - what about the cat?!) and after about 6 hours I was finally allowed to leave, with my arm in plastercast and a referral to see specialists at St Thomas' on monday. I came back to london, fed the cat, got drunk and went to sleep.
On monday I went to St Thomas' and had all sorts of people prod my arm and exclaim "I've never seen anything like it!" and had more xrays as everyone was convinced I must have broken SOMETHING as my hand is so swollen. "Look how fat you are!" said one nurse, before apologising profusely and assuring me she was talking only about my hand. My hateful cast was cut off and has been replaced by a thermoplastic splint, in which I am completely unable to move. Neurapraxia can take over a year to get better but if there's improvement by friday, and given that I'm young and healthy etc, it could be weeks/months rather than anything longer. I've got strict instructions to keep a positive mental attitude.
And my bike? The handlebars were knocked off centre, but other than that, there doesn't appear to be a scratch (although I have already arranged for it to have a check up).
Here I am, modelling this season's latest look...
http://statigr.am/p/484096628080028887_183997858
http://statigr.am/p/485324272314395750_183997858 -
cvndsh needs someone for a fstassfck, perhaps you should volunteer with your new handclub
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if there's improvement by friday, and given that I'm young and healthy etc, it could be weeks/months rather than anything longer
Fingers crossed! The Jeremy Beadle look might suit you, though, if you grow a little goatee to go with it.
The whole thing sounds even more painful and shite now you've properly described it all. Hope you are mostly managing to follow doctor's orders of staying positive under the circumstances. I'm sure Rowley appreciates your regard for him, he might bring you more presents as a thank you.
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Hats, I think you can now justify getting someone to wash your hair for you.
Get well soon.
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There are some upside to having a completely numb hand...
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Cheers guys :)
As if to add insult to injury, I'm working at home today and first email I opened said "welcome to BUPA!". Bit fucking late for that now!
That will cover any rehab though. Get some physio booked, stat. -
Oh shit Hats. I saw some chatter about you taking a dive but had no idea of details.
Really sorry to hear about your hand.
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All the best hats.
time for a list of the forum's favourite milliners?
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Had a bit of a crap ride in to work today. There was a big Volvo C90 stopped partway into the road at the junction of Hambalt Road and Abbeville Road. He'd pulled out, not seen a car coming and then stopped. I pulled up behind him intending to go straight on, when he reversed into me without warning. Despite me shouting he clearly had no idea what he'd done. I got off the bike and went to his door to show him my bike wedged in place under the back of his car and he was adamant it was my fault for being in his blind spot.
Our discussion went on for a few minutes with him claiming it was my fault because he couldn't see me and refusing to give me his details. So I phoned the Police. They turned up, first words out of the Policeman's mouth was "Oh, this is clearly his fault.."
Front wheel, mudguard, dynamo front light, all fucked.
I now have his details, so hopefully all will be resolved amicably. He dropped me a phone message to apologise earlier, so let's hope this works out OK.
Sucks to be on the train in weather like this though. -
keep all your receipts, take taxis, make him pay
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Glad to hear that you're relatively ok hats and that you're managing to keep a sense of humour about things! Fingers crossed for a swift recovery!
Hope the bike gets sorted soon Alex. Well done for getting details and keeping him there.
Oliver Schick
dancing james
Birilio
JumboFrames
hats
andyp
Backstop
bothwell
deleted
NotThamesWater
mands
Stonehedge
helly
Aroogah
AlexB
ricky2slicky-
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About
Forum Rider Down and/or notification of minor incidents
Posted by
@Object
Ouch! I'm not sure if the law is against you but the lack of evidence is. A solicitor will know if it is possible to put a claim to the Motor Insurers Bureau regarding the unidentified car. As well as the CTC's solicitor linked above we use Levenes and British Cycling use Leigh Day. They are all good and staffed by cyclists who know what it's all about.
The legal aid rules are changing so solicitors will not be so willing to take on small value claims as they have been in the past. The cost of 2 weeks off work and fixing your face could turn this into a big claim.