domtyler
Über Member
Yesterday afternoon, just after five, I had just left work and was waiting at the lights at the junction of Primrose Street and Bishopsgate. I know the sequence there very well, there is a pedestrian phase and then a side road phase (which I was waiting for) and then the main road phase. Once the pedestrian phase turns to red I begin to get clipped in and by the time my light turns green I am ready to go. Bearing in mind that at this point the lights for straight on along Bishopsgate have been at red for a good two minutes.
As I move out onto Bishopsgate to turn right (south) toward Liverpool Street station I just catch something moving toward me at high speed. A young lad on a road bike (Giant SCR) has just jumped straight through the red light on the north bound carriageway at what must have been a good high twenties or low thirties, sees me, wobbles briefly and smacks straight into my bike, broadside. Thank the lord I was on my very heavy Marin rather than the featherweight Dolan fixie I had been on the day before as it barely budged. The lad somersaulted through the air and cracked his head on the road. Immediately a thick and gloopy bright red puddle of blood emerged and spread out from his head.
Resisting the urge to panic I positioned my bike in front of him to shield him from other traffic and fortunately people began to appear instantly, including a male nurse who immediately took control followed by a policeman who had witnessed the collision from his vehicle behind me on Primrose street. A paramedic on a motorbike quickly arrived followed by an ambulance.
The lad began to come round at this point, what was the first thing he said?
Yep, "Is my bike alright?". I pushed my bike back to the garage at my office building and then came back for his and put that in there too, we somehow managed to exchange mobile numbers as he was getting treated in the back of the ambulance. They then left for the hospital.
On inspection, his bike appears to have sustained no damage, mine is cracked where the carbon wishbone seat stays join the aluminium diamond and also the chain stays are bent writing off the frame. Incidentally, he hit the bike just where the child seat is positioned which kind of made me shudder! Needless to say I didn't have my daughter on the back at the time.
So, not the best start to the weekend really, although it did mean that I got to go to the pub and get totally w@nkered with my workmates instead of coming straight home
And of course I am now in the market for a new frame, I am thinking of a Thorn Club Tour!
As I move out onto Bishopsgate to turn right (south) toward Liverpool Street station I just catch something moving toward me at high speed. A young lad on a road bike (Giant SCR) has just jumped straight through the red light on the north bound carriageway at what must have been a good high twenties or low thirties, sees me, wobbles briefly and smacks straight into my bike, broadside. Thank the lord I was on my very heavy Marin rather than the featherweight Dolan fixie I had been on the day before as it barely budged. The lad somersaulted through the air and cracked his head on the road. Immediately a thick and gloopy bright red puddle of blood emerged and spread out from his head.
Resisting the urge to panic I positioned my bike in front of him to shield him from other traffic and fortunately people began to appear instantly, including a male nurse who immediately took control followed by a policeman who had witnessed the collision from his vehicle behind me on Primrose street. A paramedic on a motorbike quickly arrived followed by an ambulance.
The lad began to come round at this point, what was the first thing he said?
Yep, "Is my bike alright?". I pushed my bike back to the garage at my office building and then came back for his and put that in there too, we somehow managed to exchange mobile numbers as he was getting treated in the back of the ambulance. They then left for the hospital.
On inspection, his bike appears to have sustained no damage, mine is cracked where the carbon wishbone seat stays join the aluminium diamond and also the chain stays are bent writing off the frame. Incidentally, he hit the bike just where the child seat is positioned which kind of made me shudder! Needless to say I didn't have my daughter on the back at the time.
So, not the best start to the weekend really, although it did mean that I got to go to the pub and get totally w@nkered with my workmates instead of coming straight home
And of course I am now in the market for a new frame, I am thinking of a Thorn Club Tour!
