hit and run

[Crankarm]

I was riding home this evening at about 7:30pm just passed St. Ives doing about 22-24mph when a car approaching me from behind decided not to pull out to pass me but instead to drive straight into the back of me at 45+mph sending me flying. I flew for 14m. Bike is mashed, rear wheel rim snapped totally in two and bent right around, rear stays out of alignment what else I don't know yet. Me I am very very sore right shoulder and right side. I think I might have landed on my panniers, don't know how, or edge of verge road as I now see I am quite muddy as well as lots of heavy scuff marks to the back of my jacket and shorts. The driver slowed to pull into side about 50 yds ahead but almost immediately drove off. Unfortunately I was only able to get the briefest glimpse of the registration as the car drove off as I was lying in the road wondering if I were dead. Police on this occasion were excellent, even arranging for a van to come to take me and bike home. They also called for ambulance but I said I felt bruised and battered but basically ok and there were probably others who needed it more than me and in any case I didn't fancy spending 4 hours in A&E getting told to go home and take it easy for a few days.

Police are now trying to trace the car. It won't be going very far as there was what looked like engine coolant on the road from the impact which likely caused damage to it's radiator or adjacent pipework meaning it is now leaking and must also have caused quite a bit of damage to the front bumper, shattered the number plate, etc.

 

[simon.r]

Hope they get the driver.

It may be worth getting yourself checked over at A and E to be on the safe side?

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and resolution.

 

[Cycling Dan]

I thought you ran a camera but I must be wrong.
With getting hit from the rear at 30+mph I would have gone to hospital just to check everything is ok on the outside and in. With that sort of speed anything could have happened internally.
Very nasty incident.

 

[potsy]

Glad you're relatively Ok and hope they catch the cowardly gits soon

What's your feeling on how they didn't see you? Mobile phone?

 

[Crankarm]

Hope they get the driver.

It may be worth getting yourself checked over at A and E to be on the safe side?

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and resolution.

Thanks. You may well be right. I will see how I feel in the morning, very stiff I should imagine. Maybe make an appointment to see my GP.

I just feel angry that some one can be so incompetent to drive into the back of me and then such a low life as to drive off when I am lying possibly seriously injured in the road. I have an Exposure Red rear light powered by their triple cell which is extremely bright. Every one else at night passes with a very large margin. It is unforgivable not to stop when you have clearly hit some one. Plus there is all the reflective Scotchlite on my panniers and on my jacket.

 

[Cycling Dan]

Thanks. You may well be right. I will see how I feel in the morning, very stiff I should imagine. Maybe make an appointment to see my GP.

I just feel angry that some one can be so incompetent to drive into the back of me and then such a low life as to drive off when I am lying possibly seriously injured in the road. I have an Exposure Red rear light powered by their triple cell which is extremely bright. Every one else at night passes with a very large margin. It is unforgivable not to stop when you have clearly hit some one. Plus there is all the reflective Scotchlite on my panniers and on my jacket.

At night, didn't see a good quality bright light and didn't stop. Drunk? Likely racing hope hoping the booze wears off before the police get him.

 

[hopless500]

Jeez. Glad you are basically ok and hope they catch the bastards.

 

[Crankarm]

I thought you ran a camera but I must be wrong.
With getting hit from the rear at 30+mph I would have gone to hospital just to check everything is ok on the outside and in. With that sort of speed anything could have happened internally.
Very nasty incident.

I did use a Contour HD for a bit, but tbh got bored with it plus only then cycled on the guided bus way so wasn'tof much use just a faff. But have let my guard down in the last 6-8 months. Purely by coincidence I was thinking of getting a Go-Pro 3 black and using the Contour as a rear facing camera but even so filming at night, as it was dark, is notoriously difficult unless you have a hyper expensive night vision IR camera. I am not convinced a head cam would have been any benefit it was a rural road with little or no lighting. Re injuries I am sure you are right but it feels just muscular discomfort at the moment nothing broken AFAICT. I did't consider that an ambulance or visit to A&E was appropriate. I am just so grateful not to be dead or obviously seriously injured, unconscious breathing through a straw. Thanks all the same Dan.

Crankarm

 

[Archie_tect]

Glad you sound as if you're OK Crankarm... but best get an appointment at your doctors for a check-up tomorrow. I'd not enjoy A+E either.

 

[Crankarm]

At night, didn't see a good quality bright light and didn't stop. Drunk? Likely racing hope hoping the booze wears off before the police get him.

Who knows, but a low life piece of scum to drive off without checking or offering assistance. Hopefully the policer do catch up with them but realistically what's the likelihood? The PC who took all my details said she would try her best to trace the car with the time and resources she has which I believe she will, then it goes onto a collision investigation unit department thingy team which I guess if there is no progress it is case closed. She was pretty positive though and think she will make a good effort of tracing the vehicle even if she draws a blank. But lets hope the driver has a crisis of conscience and reports it to police within 24 hours.

 

[fossyant]

Bloody hell. You have had no luck with motorists in recent years. Rest up and I hope they catch the bar stewards.

 

[classic33]

Don't wait until the morning. Get yourself to the A&E now. Everything else can be sorted afterwards.
You can even give yourself something to do whilst there. See 4 Sep 2013.

 

[Crankarm]

Glad you're relatively Ok and hope they catch the cowardly gits soon

What's your feeling on how they didn't see you? Mobile phone?

No idea. Your guess is as good as mine. Incompetence, dui, stolen, unauthorised or disqualified, no insurance, the list could be quite long. At the moment I would be more than happy if the police only managed to trace the car, anything else would be a bonus as bizarre as it sounds. I think the best moment to look forward to would be when the police knock on the door of the vehicle's registered owner, who hopefully was also the driver, and he/she sh1ts themselves.

 

[slowmotion]

All the best Crankarm. That's despicable behaviour.

 

[hopless500]

Who knows, but a low life piece of scum to drive off without checking or offering assistance. Hopefully the policer do catch up with them but realistically what's the likelihood? The PC who took all my details said she would try her best to trace the car with the time and resources she has which I believe she will, then it goes onto a collision investigation unit department thingy team which I guess if there is no progress it is case closed. She was pretty positive though and think she will make a good effort of tracing the vehicle even if she draws a blank. But lets hope the driver has a crisis of conscience and reports it to police within 24 hours.

Trouble is, AFAICT most people who lack conscience and drive off knowing they have injured somebody don't tend to have a change of heart. They just hope they'll get away with it.
I hope they don't.