Turn left? Turn right? pays your money takes your choice

[AndyRevill]

So, got to 4:45 yesterday afternoon and time to think about my ride home. It was a beautiful day in Hobart so couldn't decide, turn left and go my usual route or turn right and ride the longer route over the mountain - decisions decisions but it was such a nice day that the long route won. Bad decision, 3km into the ride and BANG, next thing I'm on the road sliding towards the gutter in pain. Look around and there's the car that's just hit me



Appears that after he hit me, I hit the windscreen and then got thrown onto the road, landing on my right shoulder/elbow and then sliding on left side. "Only" damage appears to be a fair bit of friction burn, some in sensitive spots (note left buttock) but helmet only shows signs of a slight scrape from the road. Had 2.5 hours in casualty just to make sure. neck is a bit stiff this morning, probably from being jolted.
Driver wasn't drunk, apparently just didn't see me WPC was a bike rider and at one point I heard her quite forcefully pointing out that a cyclist has exactly the same rights on the road as a car!

Lots of people stopped, including a fellow cyclist who took pics for me just in case. Unfortunately the bike is cactus



Should have turned left

cheers, Andy

[zues]

Count yourself Lucky Andy-looks like you came off better than the car.

[rkelsen]

Ow. Take it easy and heal well.

[lump_a_charcoal]

Wow - Considering you weren't seen, I think you got off lightly!

Hope you mend quickly, and that your gear is replaced promptly.

[fionahills]

How could he NOT see you I am very pleased that you managed to get out relatively unscathed but how do these things happen - I hope he gets charged with dangerous driving.

The weather looks clear, road ok - light clothing, no deep shadows etc...

So glad you are OK but this kind of thing seems to be so common - oops didn't see you....sorry that I squashed you....

I am genuinely scared some days, not of crashing but of being hit by a car and not getting home -

There was another thread that talked about why more women don't ride and MHL get blamed -I think this kind of incident is more to blame...Lots of us are not great bike handlers, especially in the beginning and no matter how good you are you can't escape getting hit from behind.

A lot of women I know are too scared to ever get off the pathways ( I try and say they have their own dangers) -

It seems like you run the gauntlet every time you get on the road - this is not supposed to be an extreme sport is it?

I am lit up like a xmas tree - flashy light on the bike - front and back and a really stupid looking one on my helmet (such a dag) -and still nearly get cleaned up - the nice ones wave and say sorry - the others just glare -

you are a lucky man to get out with the injuries you did- hope you heal quickly and your bike and gear is replaced - and that you are back on a bike soon..

fiona

[LM324]

Hope you are OK

[lump_a_charcoal]

As for not being seen, judging by the long shadows, the driver may have been looking into the sun.
Regardless, they need the book thrown at them.

[greyhoundtom]

You are extremely lucky that you have been able to basically walk away from this one, and by the looks of the model of the car I hope your luck continues and that the driver is insured.

[AndyRevill]

Thanks everyone, I do feel lucky. I think in a perverse way the sudden impact helped - no time to brace myself so I was nice and floppy

I was heading west, it was 5pm, nearly 3 hours before sunset, so it may have been a factor but not extreme, I certainly wasn't having an issue prior to being hit.

And yes, insurance/$$ will be the next battle

[zero]

I can't imagine there will be much problem with the repairs if the driver was insured, and they made a statement that they didn't see you. The accident seems to have occured at the end of the line of parked cars, which allowed for only one line of traffic on that side of the road, so rider swerved won't work as an excuse either.

There are no tall buildings, and no shadow areas - ie the sun is a straightforward permanent hazard for that road, not something that popped out from behind a large building.

Glad you are ok. Incidently have you checked the helmet lining for compression or do you know what part of your body broke the windscreen ?

[JessicaAlba]

Looking at those shadows, I'm going with sun in eyes too...although scant compensation, I know.

Glad you are ok. A shame about your ride, but bikes can afterall be replaced. Your life is what counts here.

Agree, looks like you came off the better...maybe the cost of a new windscreen and any ensuing fines will be lesson enough to the driver.

[il padrone]

That would be a really bad end to your day! A good thing you came out of it safe, with minimal injuries.

Agree, looks like you came off the better...

You reckon?? I think Andy's trashed road bike is worth a good deal more than a p!$$y aged Toyota windscreen

[RobertFrith]

Sun in the eyes excuses nothing. Long shadows excuse nothing. If the driver couldn't see properly they should have slowed down. Drivers must dial their speed down to the conditions not up to the posted limit. Glad you had a floppy landing hope you're back in the saddle soon.

[Lukeyboy]

Damn... I hope you're okay mate and hopefully it won't be too long before your back on the bike.

[bosvit]

I'm glad you got out with no major injury. Hopefully the back and kneck feel okay when the swelling goes down.

Heal quick

Have you started scanning bike exchange etal to work out your next bike yet?

[AndyRevill]

I can't imagine there will be much problem with the repairs if the driver was insured, and they made a statement that they didn't see you. The accident seems to have occured at the end of the line of parked cars, which allowed for only one line of traffic on that side of the road, so rider swerved won't work as an excuse either.

There lies the problem, I'm not optimistic, looking at the car, that he will be insured. Not having been involved in this sort of thing before it's interesting. If I was in a car we would have exchanged details but because I was lying on the road and not in much of a position to think about such things I have to pay $50 to get a copy of the accident report from the police

I can't imagine there will be much problem with the repairs if the driver was insured, and they made a statement that they didn't see you. The accident seems to have occured at the end of the line of parked cars, which allowed for only one line of traffic on that side of the road, so rider swerved won't work as an excuse either.

have you checked the helmet lining for compression or do you know what part of your body broke the windscreen ?

The road is quite wide and straight, he had plenty of room. Cars had no trouble getting past afterwards while his car was still in that position,

The only thing on the helmet is a scrape on the right side which must have hit when I landed - for that I'm truly grateful and now think with horror about all those times as a kid I rode a bike before helmets were really considered - but I will be replacing it nonetheless. I have no idea which bit of me hit the windscreen but I'm guessing my body - it was this that caused the Ambo most concern - the minute he saw that he started thinking the worst, again maybe a lucky escape.

Have you started scanning bike exchange etal to work out your next bike yet?

Of course but I fear it may take some time while we sort out $$, especially if it turns out he has no insurance

[iaintas]

Hope we treated you well at work? lucky escape.....

[silentbutdeadly]

Spectacularily fortunate. But unfortunately spectacular...

Heal well and with some grace.

[gabrielle260]

Like everyone else, sorry to hear about what happened but, gee - glad it wasn't worse!
There is a great thread on here somewhere on how to go about getting recompensed by the driver,
Best wishes,
Andrew

[Shred931]

You're so lucky you didn't hit the A pillar!! That photo sends chills down my spine.

Time to buy a lottery ticket mate. Glad you're ok.

[TailWind]

Glad to hear you're ok.
Hope you don't have to many post-crash aches and pains, and that you are able to recover your costs from the driver.
At least you got a bit of revenge on the car , unlike myself in my recent incident, launching cleanly over the bonnet without contact.
Good Luck!

[GraemeL]

You need to buy a lotto ticket, you were very lucky it could have ended badly. I think $50 for a copy of the police report is a bit rich, damn government wanting a slice of everything.

Hopefully the driver has insurance and the process is straight forward.

Graeme

[Alien27]

Ok Andy you can fess up now, your really the 6million dollar man in retirement aren't you!

Nothing broken after you did that to the car, you must be bionic.

I hope they at least have third party.

[jlh]

Hope all goes well with the recovery, please keep us abreast of how the process goes with recovering the costs of your bike and any medical expenses, etc. As someone who hasnt had an accident yet, but thinks that it is inevitable one day, I am keen to hear other peoples experiences and advice.

[familyguy]

Sun in the eyes excuses nothing. Long shadows excuse nothing. If the driver couldn't see properly they should have slowed down. Drivers must dial their speed down to the conditions not up to the posted limit. Glad you had a floppy landing hope you're back in the saddle soon.

This. Especially the highlighted bit. How many people do you see tearing along at 60 when you know full well they can't see much because of the sun, they just know that it's a "60km/h road"?

Heal up.

Jim