Collision with a Car

[Davywalnuts]

It's one of my favourite rides after work.
Up towards Datchet, through Eton, past Windsor Castle and then through the Great park before turning back towards Egham and Staines.

I sent you a PM.

PM received and returned thanks!

Really funny as I do the reverse route!!

 

[AndyB]

Very glad you're OK Andy!! You've been missed on here btw.

Thanks for that.
I will stick around this time.

 

[AndyB]

AndyB: hope you get better and back on a bike soon!

Showed this to a driving colleague of mine who happened to enter my office while I was watching - think he'll definitely be paying extra attention on the roads tonight!

Mind if we publicise it further?

I think it could do some good if more people saw it.
I have a much better quality HD copy on youtube, but it is currently private.
I was waiting until I spoke to the police about whether it might be used as evidence etc.

I might pop into Staines police station on my way home and see what they suggest.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Well, at least the driver stopped instead of just speeding away as though you didn't exist.

If there is a blind spot in the front of a car like that, then why do the car companies still design cars like that?? maybe we should start some sort of campaign to try and get them to change it!!

It's blatantly a design flaw!


Ok, so you will never make a design that is totally foolproof, but I'm sure that improvements COULD be made somewhere!!

 

[AndyB]

Well, at least the driver stopped instead of just speeding away as though you didn't exist.

If there is a blind spot in the front of a car like that, then why do the car companies still design cars like that?? maybe we should start some sort of campaign to try and get them to change it!!

It's blatantly a design flaw!


Ok, so you will never make a design that is totally foolproof, but I'm sure that improvements COULD be made somewhere!!

Yeah it amazes me how much they bang on about how good the visibility *above* the windscreen is. Like the Astra's oddly named "panoramic" window. Whilst leaving two huge gaping blindspots to the front.

 

[Simba]

All I can say is ouch, that was scary. Hope you are healing well.

 

[addictfreak]

Ouch!

One of those moments that when it happens to you seems to go in slow motion, you can see it coming but theres nothing you can do. Just hope for the best!

Glad you werent to badly hurt. How was the bike?

You were also remarkably calm (or was it shock) I would have had a few choice words to say.

What was the driver think of? And he should get at least 6 months for wearing those sandals and another 3 for wearing socks with them.

 

[slowmotion]

I hope you are mending fast. Best wishes.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I have now realised, this isn't REALLY a cycling forum, it's a branch of The Fashion Police hiding under a cycling decoy!!

Seriously though, I'm glad you are ok and I bet you were thinking when airbourne

'Oh, this is going to hurt!'.

 

[Mark_Robson]

Wow Andy I sat there cringing, waiting for the inevitable collision. I'm glad that you survived relatively unscathed.
BTW what's wrong with wearing socks with your sandals?

 

[AndyB]

I have now realised, this isn't REALLY a cycling forum, it's a branch of The Fashion Police hiding under a cycling decoy!!

Seriously though, I'm glad you are ok and I bet you were thinking when airbourne

'Oh, this is going to hurt!'.

I had just begun to assemble those words in my mind as the tarmac approached and then hit my face at high speed.
It all happened very quickly and I guess I was focused on checking myself.

Then I start feeling bad for the person who hit me...

I'm actually glad I had the helmet on. I don't doubt that it would have been very much worse if that hadn't taken some of the hit. I hadn't worn one for a couple of years. This one was three days old and mainly there to mount the camera....

 

[AndyB]

I've removed the link temporarily until I check with the officer who is dealing with the case... after advice at the local police station.

I will keep you updated.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

LUCKY!!

I have worn a helmet for years and never needed it.

In fact, I have fallen without a helmet when I was faffing about, rambling/climbing down a small cliff and I fell off and landed BADLY on my forehead from about 4 meters (or more, I don't really know, only a rough estimate from a witness).
Blood everywhere, but I was fine, thus proving that there isn't anything important in my head worth protecting in the first place!!

Actually, when I 'landed' (I felt like the pilot of a plane crashing), I was more concerned that the camera I had over my shoulder was ok, and then I started to wonder when it had started to rain.
Turns out it was the blood from my forehead dripping right in front of my eyes!

I made a point of never cleaning the camera, and it was covered in dried blood for quite a long time afterwards (I'm odd like that).

 

[D-Rider]

Ouch! Uncomfortable viewing, Andy, but thanks. Hope your recovery continues well!

 

[NigC]

I had just begun to assemble those words in my mind as the tarmac approached and then hit my face at high speed.
It all happened very quickly and I guess I was focused on checking myself.

Then I start feeling bad for the person who hit me...

I'm actually glad I had the helmet on. I don't doubt that it would have been very much worse if that hadn't taken some of the hit. I hadn't worn one for a couple of years. This one was three days old and mainly there to mount the camera....

From what you're saying, it sounds like the driver was genuinely and completely sorry for a stupid mistake.

It might sound odd to some people, but I think I'd prefer to be hit by a complete moron (as long as they didn't get away with it). At least you can focus some anger on them while you're recuperating and then smile like a Cheshire Cat when they lose their licence.

I bet if the driver had seen you at the last minute and managed to hit the brakes in time, that would have been all the wake-up call he needed for many years driving to come. Now he's had the wake-up call plus and then some!