Ped, cyclist, bus shelter...

[Origamist]

Going at a good lick along Clapham Road (centre of the nearside lane) passing the bus stop, when a kid runs out from behind the bus stop without looking (he was concealed). I just manage to brake and steer, but still a sickening thud as I hit him a glancing blow. We both go down hard. He jumps up sporting grazed elbows - I stay down, winded trying to ascertain the extent of the damage.

A couple of peds and cyclists stop to help (one of whom was only 5 meters behind and avoided the wreckage) - the kid is chatting happily away and is checking that I'm OK.

Nothing seems to be broken, so I get up slowly. I have road rash to my left shoulder, waist, elbow, thigh and knee and pain in my ribs and wrist. Am now very stiff and sore...

Ambulance and police arrive, first aid and statements, etc.

On the painkillers now.

I don't really blame the kid - he had poor road sense, but he's a 13 year old kid. However, I feel I need to learn something here. My lesson - slow down on the commute - it's not a time-trial. As for passing bus stops, I'm usually a bit further to the right (bigger buffer), but I'm not sure even that would have made a lot difference in this situation, given the speed that the event unfolded.

 

[col]

Not nice,good to hear your ok.I treat passing things like i would in a car,expect these things to happen,and i check under the vehicle,through the windows to see if something might be there,but sometimes there isnt much you can do to avoid it,but like you said,slowing as you pass things you cant see through/under might help.

 

[dondare]

Lucky for the kid it was you and not a bus.

I have come to regard bus stops as one of the biggest hazards for cyclists, peds are more likely to step, or run, into the road at a bus stop than they are at a zebra crossing.

 

[Riding in Circles]

I try to stay well out when passing any structures at the side of the road for this very reason but sometimes you get caught out, hopefully he will think a bit more next time.

 

[Cab]

Nasty. Glad it wasn't worse though, could be a fatality, that kind of thing.

I ride past bus stops in primary, or even further out, and I often ring my bell as I approach too.

 

[domtyler]

We all try and stay well away from road side hazards, bus stops and tube stations being among them, but sometimes, despite our best efforts the unexpected catches us out.

Hope you, and more importantly, your bike are both back up and running soon Origamist!

 

[Twiggy]

ouch.

best to learn the lesson when it's only a little road rash, than on a steep downhill and it being something more unpleseant to deal with.

 

[Origamist]

The bike is fine - scraped bar tape that's all!

Part of the problem with bus stops is that you can't see through them when they have posters inserted - if it had been clear plastic/glass I'm pretty sure I would have avoided the incident.

I sometimes ring my bell when passing bus stops in primary, but in this case the two people at the stop were seated, so I didn't feel the need.

I'm heading home now as I'm stiff as a board.

 

[Origamist]

Sorry to hear that.

Two falls in quick succession. Not nice.

Glad you, the kid (and bike!) not more seriously hurt.

Yep, it's still only 2 minor(ish) incidents in the last 4 years - just very close together...

As I was sliding along the tarmac I was more worried for the kid. I'm 14 and half stone and probably hit him at 20mph - luckily it was a glancing blow, otherwise he could have been in real trouble.

Am sticking on 28mm tyres and gearing down - that should help to keep my speed down...

 

[Blackandblue]

Hi Origamist

Was this heading east just after the Stockwell "roundabout"?

I was cycling in this morning when a fellow cyclist told me the story of a guy that came off his bike when a kid ran out in the road. Apparently the guy landed on his head; the ambulance came and the guy couldn't speak "and everything". Apparently he wasn't wearing a helmet. I assumed I was being told this story because I wasn't wearing a helmet.

Nothing against the cyclist who told me this story - he didn't come across self righteous; just genuinely concerned.

Anyhow, if it was you, I hope the head is OK and your speech is back!!

 

[yenrod]

>Ped, cyclist, bus shelter...

Its london what the **** juh expect !

 

[swee'pea99]

Well done for being as quick witted as you were. A more numptyish rider might have frozen in panic or simply failed to react, and the upshot would have been a whole lot nastier. Still, not nice. Now go and take some ibuprofen and take it easy for a bit.

 

[LLB]

Bad luck Origamist

If there are shops on the other side of the road, which you can see a reflection in, you can look around buses by glancing across to see if anyone is going to step out from there.

 

[Origamist]

Hi Origamist

Was this heading east just after the Stockwell "roundabout"?

I was cycling in this morning when a fellow cyclist told me the story of a guy that came off his bike when a kid ran out in the road. Apparently the guy landed on his head; the ambulance came and the guy couldn't speak "and everything". Apparently he wasn't wearing a helmet. I assumed I was being told this story because I wasn't wearing a helmet.

Nothing against the cyclist who told me this story - he didn't come across self righteous; just genuinely concerned.

Anyhow, if it was you, I hope the head is OK and your speech is back!!

Yes, that sounds like me heading east just after Stockwell tube! However, the story seems to have taken on a life of its own...My head never touched the road and I never lost the power of speech. The ambulance/police were called because a child was involved.

 

[Blackandblue]

Glad it wasn't as serious as this bloke made out. I was tempted to tell him the story of the cyclist that was killed in an accident and how apparently he was wearing a helmet which is why I don't but that's another topic altogether....