First hit & run, am I *real* cyclist now?

[toontra]

for what it's worth, get an insurance claim in and hit this idiot where it hurts, in the pocket, they didn't even have the decency to leave their details, scum like this need teaching a lesson.

That's what I did in the end. If the police don't teach them a lesson then maybe a whacking increase on their premium will.

 

[classic33]

Get yourself checked over as soon as possible. You may miss something as it's masked by other injury.
Then when you've that bit done, get the bike checked.

Question:
Why should you have to be knocked off to consider yourself a "Real Cyclist"?

 

[oldstrath]

I'll be alright, like I say, after spending pretty much an entire day being redirected by various medical health professionals I kinda feel let down that all I got was some bandages and pain killers (which is exactly what I'd gone into the pharmacy for in the first place! I was so confident that that's all I needed that I was actually wearing my pajamas under my jeans/coat).

I called the police as soon as I got home! They just said someone would call me within 24 hours (they did, I missed the call as I was cleaning up my wounds) but all it said was "The car is insured. Fill out this form when you get it."

I'm not really after compensation. I'm a fairly resiliant individual, and although I've not been on a bike since then I will have to get on one tomorrow as it's my only way of getting to work, so I'll soon get my confidence back. It'd be nice if someone would pay to have my hoodie replaced, though (it's basically my only one!).




I might just do that. We've only recently moved here but the local MP seems to be a decent guy from what people have to say about him.




I'm not keen on filling out this sort of form as I have already had 2-3 texts claiming they can get me a settlement. I can only imagine this spam is a coincidence cos I've had similar before. I'm tired of leeches like that trying to do me a "favour" by sucking every penny out of someone for their own benefit.

Ultimately, I'm not on the make, and I don;t see that "punishing" stupidity/negligence is the best course of action, I want someone to shake this dude and make sure he understands that mirrors (and indicators) are there for good reason!

It's not about 'punishing' stupidity, but if he is stupid or negligent he shouldn't be driving. Removing the privilege of doing so should not be seen as punishment, but as protection for the rest of us.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Gws OP!
If that is what it takes to become a real cyclist I hope I'll stay an amateur forever

 

[steveindenmark]

Wee bit confused. How did you give him a mouthful if he didnt stop?

It seems you dont want this person punishing but you want the police to use ressources to find him to tell him off. If he is willing to take you off your bike and do a runner. What good do you think a slap on the wrist will do? None in my opinion.

 

[night cycler]

Steve, from what I have deduced, lucksmith sounds like a real nice guy-easy going etc , and just wants a quiet hassle free life, which is kind of nice. (I wish I was more like that myself, as it’s sort of admirable at some level). However, I understand that if you don’t stand up for something, you basically take everything laying down.

When he mentions giving a bit of a mouthful, I would guess he means as the guy drove off. I’ve done similar at vehicles when they have passed too tightly. Some will not have even heard me, but it’s a release of some sort.

 

[growingvegetables]

.... lucksmith sounds like a real nice guy-easy going etc , and just wants a quiet hassle free life, which is kind of nice. ....

And a bit younger than me?

Having kids who cycle ............ sharpens one's perspective a little.

 

[mjr]

Gws OP!
If that is what it takes to become a real cyclist I hope I'll stay an amateur forever

Amateurs are real! It's the pros who ride mainly because they're paid that are fakes! (Some pros are also amateurs in the true "for the love of it" sense of the word.)

 

[classic33]

I got totalled just a few metres from my house the other day. Broad day light, plenty of witnesses, this guy turned straight across me without indicating or looking.

His wing-mirror got smashed up and he got a bit of a mouthful from me. My bike's mostly alright (luckily it was my old one, if it was my new one I'd have been even more livid), my elbow was trashed and my hoodie got covered in blood & a big rip in it.

I got one witness's phone number (though a number of people offered) and walked home to have a bath.

I called the police who said they'll send me a form til fill out and then they'll see if the car insurer will say who was driving. They weren't interested in talking to me or finding the guy any time soon.

The next day I went to the pharmacist to get something to bandage my elbow. He said I really needed to see a doctor. The drop-in GP told me I had to go to A&E. 8 hours after I left home I finally got back with some bandages, a belly full of pain-killers, and a story about how the doc was surprised that my elbow wasn't broken, and how the chunk that was missing was "too big to be stitched".

Now I'm just sore, and while I'm glad I'm not seriously injured (my boss would have gone mad if I'd have been off for a few weeks), I also feel like I've got nothing to show for an entire Friday spent traipsing around getting fixed up cos this idiot can't drive.

The police haven't explained at all what might happen from now, but I imagine that the fact that I'll be fully healed in a week or two and that my bike isn't wrecked. I really don't fancy having to go to court or anything, and frankly, I don't really want this guy to lose his licence or anything. I just wanted some uniform bods to show up and put the shoots up him so maybe he'll pay more attention next time.

buh.

Anyway, I've been hit by a car in broad day light just metres from my house, does this mean I'm a *real* cyclist now?

To answer your last question. No it doesn't.

 

[lucksmith]

The driver DID stop, but only because I was blocking the rode. He would literally have had to drive right at me (a second time) to not have stopped. I shouted at him he made some stupid excuses, I took his reg, then he drove off. So did did literally stop, but not stop in the sense that he fulfilled his duty as a driver to give me his details.

And to answer several people, I'm in Levenshulme (I was on Stockport Road in Levenshulme when I got hit)

 

[lucksmith]

Get yourself checked over as soon as possible. You may miss something as it's masked by other injury.
Then when you've that bit done, get the bike checked.

I spent most of Friday in A&E (I'm basically fine, a bit sore, a bit of blood. I'll be right as rain before too long) and they were surpised nothing was broken. I got some nice painkillers. I also asked them to chek out my nose cos it just doesn't feel right since the crash but they said there's nowt wrong.

I even rode to work this morning, it was less painful than I expected, I guess I sit at just the right position for the elbow to be alright, cos putting on a jumper/coat hurts like HELL still.

This reminds me however, that I have a few friends who are medical health professionals and they've asked me to send them photos of my elbow healing! It's pretty gross, but I guess each to their own ;-)

Luckily I was riding my old bike when I got hit. I gave it a look over yesterday and it seems pretty much fine. Bit of a buckled wheel, but not totally bent up like I expected.

Question:
Why should you have to be knocked off to consider yourself a "Real Cyclist"?

Just feels like a rite of passage!

 

[classic33]

@lucksmith, been there, had it done and I don't consider it a "right of passage" as a cyclist. To be considered a "real cyclist".
At the time I was hit(drink driver, thought I was a bus), I was doing a 1000 miles a month to and from work, plus what was done in my spare time. That made me more of a "real cyclist" than hitting the top of a bonnet of a car.
Others aren't as lucky though, and have to give up cycling. Me, I'm one of the lucky ones.

 

[Milkfloat]

Seeing as you have witnesses, I cannot see why you are not interested in an insurance claim. If the driver had stopped and been civil I would have been happy to deal with it outside of insurance, but their behaviour has forced you to go the insurance route. It really is quite a simple process and should get you covered for your losses. We are not talking about suing him for thousands here - at a minimum you get your bike repaired, hoody replaced and any out of pocket expenses covered. The driver on the other hand finds out that although the police don't care, there are consequences to his actions. Other cyclists benefit as this driver will probably be a bit more careful next time (or at least make sure there are no witnesses).

 

[fossyant]

Levenshulme A6. Carnage. I don't use it anymore.

Hope you said hi to my friends at Stepping Hill. First name terms with quite a few in there. Radiology knew me as 'the cyclist' as I was in and out of MRI/CT/X-ray quite a bit during my 6 week 'vacation'.

 

[fossyant]

@lucksmith, been there, had it done and I don't consider it a "right of passage" as a cyclist. To be considered a "real cyclist".
At the time I was hit(drink driver, thought I was a bus), I was doing a 1000 miles a month to and from work, plus what was done in my spare time. That made me more of a "real cyclist" than hitting the top of a bonnet of a car.
Others aren't as lucky though, and have to give up cycling. Me, I'm one of the lucky ones.

This above. Hit 3 months ago, 4 broken ribs, badly fractured spine, over 6 weeks in hospital, still lying on a settee 23 hours a day. Cant ride, cant exercise. Can walk or stand for a few minutes then the pain kicks in. Hit about 2 miles from you.