Well, it was a good run. 10 years of cycling 25-30 miles most days, and only a couple of spills, both when the tyres gave way, and both relatively minor......until yesterday.
On my way home I had my first collision with a car. I was cycling briskly, on the Giant Fastroad, 20mph+down the A19 out of Askern. Just approaching the Owsten junction, a tractor pulled across the road in front of me. He cut it a bit close, but I didn't have to do an emergency brake, I just slowed as he passed. However, a Ford Focus was waiting to turn right, and he did, and I went from 20-0 in 0.0 seconds, a classic T-bone crash. I remember the tractor, and I vaguely remember knowing I was going to hit the car. Next thing, I'm sitting on the edge of the road, with what looks like 2 bikes to my side. It was just the one though, with the front wheel and forks lying next to the rest of the bike.
It all got a bit blury, but there were 6 or 7 people around me trying to help. One chap got my phone out of my panniers so I could call the Missus, whilst someone else rang 999. Quite a bit of blood from my left knee which had a deep cut, either from going 'through' the bike, or from the wing mirror which came off the car as I hit it. I also had a throbbing right cheek bone where I'm assuming I face planted the roof (thank God I was wearing the helmet), an achey thigh and a back ache. The ambulance arrived (first I think) then the Police, then the Missus. So, I was strapped to a back board, and taken off to hospital. The ambulance ride I remember very little of.
Nearly 4 hours without being able to move your head is not something I'd ever want to repeat! However, after a Cat scan, X-ray, and around 12 stitches (3 inside and 8 or 9 outside,) at around 11 pm I was allowed to go home. If I was pi55ed off yesterday, then imagine my complete despair when I went to review my helmet camera footage this morning, only to discover that I'd failed to turn it on when I left work yesterday!!!!!!! Fudge!
Onto the darker side of the story. The Focus driver didn't stop, and just left me for dead. Plently of witnesses, and 2 (possibly 3) van drivers had dashcams. Also the wing mirror had some sort of serial number on it. Hopefully the police will be able to use the mirror id, retreive the dashcam footage and use to catch, prosecute, and lock up the driver, who I'm told had 3 mates in the car with him. Had he stopped, I'd have probably born him no ill will, but to leave someone like that.....scum.
So, I've booked the week off work, in at the docs next in a week to get the stitches out, and hopefully, I'll be back to fitness soon. I was very lucky to come away with such minor injuries, and I did hear one of the cars drivers saying something about being lucky to not have been killed by the Focus driver. So, the A19 out of Askern, around 16.15-16.45 was when it happened, so if anyone saw the accident or could be of use, please ring Doncasterb Police, and hopefully they'll catch them!
Many, many thanks to all those who stopped to help.
Carl.
