Pal in RTC in south Surrey

[lazybloke]

A pal of mine suffered a very nasty leg break on Monday in an RTC involving a van. This police webpage says the van driver was arrested.
My pal was in high spirits after an op to pin his leg back together, but I imagine his recovery will be arduous.
Meanwhile, the shattered pieces of his bike got taken away as evidence.

He's the second of my cycling pals to have a serious crash, but this one feels more shocking as the location is very familiar to me Not only did I grow up just round the corner, but my folks are still there, and I regularly cyclethat way. I shall very uneasy the next time I ride over that way.

 

[Shadow]

Very sorry to hear of this @lazybloke.

Give him best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Offer him support to get back on the bike when he's feeliling able.

 

[sevenfourate]

Terrible. A huge GWS for your buddy.

I’ve had one friend lost; and one injured in the last few months. Seems to be becoming more common (More widely reported ?).

Ride safe yourself…..🙏

 

[lazybloke]

Thank you @Shadow and @sevenfourate.

Ride safe yourself…..🙏

Hearing about crashes doesn't usually affect me, but I've already cut back my riding a lot since last summer, and this news is definitely now on my mind too; deffo a drop in motivation.

 

[Binky]

This is another good reason to record your rides. I do it primarily because of close passes but also if I was involved in an accident then hopefully footage will show what happened.

 

[mjr]

This is another good reason to record your rides. I do it primarily because of close passes but also if I was involved in an accident then hopefully footage will show what happened.

Even a GPS track should show you weren't doing much odd.

GWS to the injured rider. Don't let the moterrorists win!

 

[johnnyb47]

The sounds nasty,
I hope you're friend makes a speedy recovery

 

[YMFB]

I’m sorry to read of your friends accident and injuries. I hope he makes a speedy full recovery.

The police website is seeking more evidence and the van driver arrested, which is common in accidents with commercial vehicles. It does not mean the driver is guilty. He maybe, but he might not and people are best advised not to jump to conclusions as it could effect a future court case.

“The van driver, a man in his 50s, was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by careless driving. He has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.”

I really hope your friend is back in the saddle in the not too distant future.

 

[Binky]

Even a GPS track should show you weren't doing much odd.

GWS to the injured rider. Don't let the moterrorists win!

Yes but will give zero information of what any other vehicle/person was doing and not a chance the police will act without good enough evidence.

 

[Venod]

Yes but will give zero information of what any other vehicle/person was doing and not a chance the police will act without good enough evidence.

When I was knocked off last August on a roundabout the driver said it was my fault and it didn't happen on the roundabout but further up the road as I swerved in front of him, (he actually pushed me several yards up the road) the police appealed for witnesses but didn't get any, so I put an appeal on the towns Facebook page for witnesses and got two replies, one from a person who had rang my wife on my phone, and another from a driver who was coming the other way and described exactly what happened and stated it was definitely the driver at fault, also my Garmin sent a collision alert to the wifes phone showing the precise location of the collision, the witness report and the Garmin report resulted in me getting a positive settlement within two months of the accident.
The driver had to attend a driver awareness course but I don't think he was prosecuted, which was disappointing.

 

[Drago]

I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but its mad that operators of dangerous kinetic weapons get away with Driver Awereness Courses. Shoplifters who haven't put anyone at risk dont get such countenance, so why do drivers?

Dog sitting round Daughter # 3's house recently I was watching one of those Road Wars type programmes, but with Aussie Coppers. They don't foxtrot about - big fat fines at the roadside, oh, and we'll seize the car for 28 days as further punishment for what would be considered a minor speeding offence over here. Let's have some of that.

 

[Binky]

When I was knocked off last August on a roundabout the driver said it was my fault and it didn't happen on the roundabout but further up the road as I swerved in front of him, (he actually pushed me several yards up the road) the police appealed for witnesses but didn't get any, so I put an appeal on the towns Facebook page for witnesses and got two replies, one from a person who had rang my wife on my phone, and another from a driver who was coming the other way and described exactly what happened and stated it was definitely the driver at fault, also my Garmin sent a collision alert to the wifes phone showing the precise location of the collision, the witness report and the Garmin report resulted in me getting a positive settlement within two months of the accident.
The driver had to attend a driver awareness course but I don't think he was prosecuted, which was disappointing.

Almost certainly it was witness reports that helped, I honestly do not think a GPS track will be anything other than a supplement. Better to have something than nothing but in my experience of sending in reports on close passes etc in every case clear video evidence was required.
A Garmin collision report could mean you just hit a lampost or fell off etc.

 

[Binky]

When I was knocked off last August on a roundabout the driver said it was my fault and it didn't happen on the roundabout but further up the road as I swerved in front of him, (he actually pushed me several yards up the road) the police appealed for witnesses but didn't get any, so I put an appeal on the towns Facebook page for witnesses and got two replies, one from a person who had rang my wife on my phone, and another from a driver who was coming the other way and described exactly what happened and stated it was definitely the driver at fault, also my Garmin sent a collision alert to the wifes phone showing the precise location of the collision, the witness report and the Garmin report resulted in me getting a positive settlement within two months of the accident.
The driver had to attend a driver awareness course but I don't think he was prosecuted, which was disappointing.

As a matter of interest, do you still ride after that as it must have been pretty traumatic.
If the driver was found guilty of knocking you off if he/she only got an Awareness course that is a disgrace.

 

[Venod]

As a matter of interest, do you still ride after that as it must have been pretty traumatic.
If the driver was found guilty of knocking you off if he/she only got an Awareness course that is a disgrace.

Yes I still ride but it has affected me more than I am comfortable with, I am very wary of any traffic nowadays, just yesterday I had an uncomfortablely close pass, there was nothing on the other side of the road, there was no need for it.
I try to get off road when I can, after yesterday's ride I decided to sell my more road orientated bike.
Its the second time I have been hospitalised through bad driving, I don't want a third.

 

[fossyant]

The garmin trace was interesting when I had my spine broken by a driver. It show's the bike gained considerable height and flew some distance away from me - I didn't get to see that as I was on the floor face up and unable to move.