2008-05-03 - Rider Down, #746

Riding east along Chiswick High Road last night at approx 5:40pm, I was just overtaking another cyclist before I had to slow down to let a ped cross at the crossing right opposite the church on the common. Supposedly the next thing that happened was the car behind me (a silver Mercedes people carrier, I know this as I had filtered in front of him a few yards further back up the road at the x-roads with the HSBC and The Packhorse pub) gave me a whack from behind.

I have a vague memory of flying through the air, then the next thing I can remember is being helped into the Read Recruitment agency right opposite where I hit the deck. My only witness (Chiswick High Road at 17:40 on a Friday, where did the other cyclist or the person crossing the road go??!!??) says that the driver stopped, helped me to the side of the road, then drove off. The witness got his reg number, but after speaking to the police later in Charing Cross hospital, it seems as though he wrote it down wrong. But hopefully they can trace the car by doing a partial search of the number.

Had xrays on my face and right knee, but nothing's broken. Lots of swelling around my right eye socket and jaw, my right knee has been carved open, my left hand has has the skin taken off the knuckles, and my right forearm and shoulder have a bit of road rash. Discharged from hospital just before 10pm, I finally got home to Maidstone at a quarter past midnight.

The bike?? Well, it looks like I've just let it fall over, the saddle and plastic bar end plug are a bit ripped and that's it.

When I was lying on the bed in A&E I thought how lucky it was that the bike hardly got a scratch, then how lucky it was that my cycling gear didn't get torn or ripped (apart from my manky old track mitts that I was about to chuck anyway, plus the toes of my Sidi's have got a bit scuffed), then I started to actually think about myself. Anything could have happened, as far as I am concerned, I have got off very very lightly.

Anyway, if you've made it this far into the post I suppose I might as well reward you with a pic of my ugly boat.

Feels worse than it actually looks TBH.

Ride safe everone.

nasty... sorry to hear/see, hope you get better quick! and here's hoping you find the driver. wanker.

Shit, get well soon mate. Fucking arseholes, can't believe how many hit&runs I read about on here :/

ouch... sounds like you did a proper roll. Sore limbs... ie can you ride?
Good luck with the recovery.

Get well soon Sam. West london drinking massive have got a pint behind the bar for whenever you return.
Riding in london is becoming ever more dangerous, be careful out there people.

its amazing how inconsiderate people are...fair enough people make mistakes but at least have the balls to except responsibility.
the driver is a gutless cunt and needs to be in prison.i hope you heal quick.

Get well soon man!

Get well and get back on your pedals soon.

What is it that makes people think it's ok to just run someone off the road and then drive away?

Shitty luck. Heal up soon fella.

i think that they must just think they would end up in prison or lose there job...

Jesus, another hit and run. They're not allowed to leave the scene of an accident!

I hope they find him.

More than that though, I'm really glad you're OK.

There must've been more witnesses. Maybe a police appeal sign can be put up?

Thanks everyone. Trouble is, I honestly couldn't say if he hit me or not, I do not remember. But surely he hit me! I wouldn't chuck myself off head first for a laugh.

You're right VB, but no one wants to assist anyone else any more for fear of recrimination, being stabbed, and a lot more!

Might post a message on the chiswickw4.com web site a bit later once I've spoken to the police again. The two people that would have definitely seen it would be the cyclist I overtook, and the person using the crossing. Thanks for hanging aroung, you gutless pricks.

the cheek of helping you to the side of the road...kind of like moving you out of his path.i suppose he was killing two birds with one stone as he probably was checking if you were still alive.

the cheek of helping you to the side of the road...kind of like moving you out of his path.i suppose he was killing two birds with one stone as he probably was checking if you were still alive.

There should be some offence he/she could be done for for that too. What if sam had fractured something in his neck/spine moving him could have paralised him.

hope you heal well sam.

ouch! hope you're better soon.

Shocking stuff. I think all London drivers should be made to cycle round Vauxhall and Elephant a couple of times before being allowed to drive in the capital so they pay more attention.

Shit Sam.. being rear-ended is actually a pretty rare case. Guess you should feel "special"? :S

Hope you heal up and find the cnuts that did it.

One possible scenario though, from past experience, is that the driver did stop but you waved them off in a concussed state saying you'd be fine. I've done this before and the next day really fscking regretted not getting their details, etc. Just an option to consider given your memory loss. Those cnuts still should've traded details if they hit you and taken you to a frickin' hospital or something so yours is a more serious case by far (I could still cycle after my accident).

shit man, that is fucking terrible, have to get someone to hang around the scene at a similar time, on a week day checking for the car. i hope that they get the bastard, could have had a few beers and panicked, what ever reason it was wrong for him to leave you there and fuck off.
i hope you heal soon man. buy you a beer next thurs.
p.s. you coulda smiled for the camera ;)

yeah come on, give us a smile!

let me guess, the bastard had a tfl sticker on the back window, fucking worst drivers!!! hope he spilt his boiling hot coffee in his crotch!!

+1 to what's been said above Sam, get well soon mate.

Ouch. Heal up and get back on the bike.

let me guess, the bastard had a tfl sticker on the back window, fucking worst drivers!!! hope he spilt his boiling hot coffee in his crotch!!

spot on there...fucking useless tossers.