a ride to the Selkent meet.....sounds simply doesn't it ?

[rictus01]

On my way back from a good days riding in kent on Wednesday for the Selkent meet, it was dark about 7.45pm, I entered the righthand bent at around 30mph having slowed from 40 or so, coming around and as the road straightened (about 30 feet) there was an unlit pushbike at an angle about a foot inside the white line on the left hand lane, front wheel was facing the curb on that side; both the riders hands were on the bars so no sight of any signal and it was level with the mid point of a turning on the right, to me it looked like it had pulled out of the turning and joined the main road, moving to the curb,I thought it a bit tight and how they didn't hear me was anyones guess, but never the less I leaned the bike over a little more as I didn't want to cut between them and the curb, aiming to pass on there right as the road was clear.

About 15 foot before passing the cycle, it turned across my path, not a gentle curve or anything as it wouldn't have made the side road, but a sharp turn (kind of swan necked if you know what I mean?), once again how they didn't hear me is a mystery, the 6 feet or so clearance was gone and I had a view full of the side of the cycle across in front of me, I turely thought I was going to hit them, it wouldn't have been gentle either a full on middle hit no less, I hadn't throttled up from the corner apex as that's where I'd spotted the cycle but my bike was far from upright at this point, so braking would have sent my bike like a bowling ball into the cycle anyway, the only action open to me was to lean it further over (to the right), I made it passed bearly but the lean had to be extreme to do it, which left me heading at an angle in to the curb on the right, even though I consciously avoided target fixation on the curb ahead I couldn't get the bike up and leaned over to the left in the space I had and clipped the curb, it flipped the bike to the left and I felt myself unsaddled before hitting the gutter that side.

Obviously a world of pain, let the kaleidoscope effect subside, my left knee was predictably an area of intense pain as was my left elbow (point of impact), having been trained in all of this I tensed muscles along my other long bones and tried a deep breath, I couldn't move my left side but my right appeared to be OK, once again my previous knowledge warrented me staying absolutely still, I wasn't knocked out at any point and remember everything clearly, although concentrating on dealing with the pain took most of my efforts I caught bits and pieces of what was going on around me, An off duty nurse and a orthopedic surgeon were two of many people to stop before the ambulance car arrived, I was cannulated and given morphine but the dose didn't have much effect, I still found myself having to fight to remain conscious through waves of pain that threatened to overwhelm me, being the day of action no ambulances were available and I subsequently found I'd been on the road for two and a half hours, the police were in attendance as I remember them asking what to do with the bike, I realy didn't care at that point, I was cold to the bone and trying desperately to hold on to things, apparently I'd lost the ability to generate any body heat at all, (apparently the bike was put into someones front garden as they had offered), spine board and head immobilized by the ambulance crew eventually I was loaded on an ambulance and taken to hosp.

In A&E they were concerned I had some abdominal discoloration and after the normal spinal/cervical (yes I know it has two meanings, neck is what I mean) examination I was given an ultrasound scan, before xrays on my elbow and knee, to be honest I was terrified the knee would be smashed as it's a jumble of pinned together dead bone and metal, but apart from impressing the doc with the screws and pins nothing beyond the previous damage was found, the elbow turned out to be soft tissue damage, so nothing broken there either, I've had a lot of practise with pain so once I was told that, I could deal to an extent with the rest, a problem arose then apart from my boots and t shirt the paramedics had cut everything else off me, a kind student nurse found me a set of scrubs eventually to wear, I needed a fag but this time (about midnight), Obviously I was told I couldn't, and to watch it would have appeared my ability to walk was all but gone, but me being me, made my way towards an outside door, Nice nurse grabbed a chair and pushed me down into it, wheeled me outside and whispered she'd be bad in 10 minutes, what a darling she was, once back inside I was offered more morphine, but I know anything over what I'd had (25mg) and they'd keep me in, so I declined, I rang my brother, but got no answer, I knew he was out of the country this week but not exactly when, so after asking where I was, thought who was near, Matt answered on the first ring and was more than happy to come pick me up, although I'd been told I was in princess hosp in Orpington which sent Matt to the wrong place (turned out to be the princess royal hospital farnborough) after than he collected me and kindly took me home, he sorted me out with smokes and made sure I had whisky to hand before leaving me, my thanks to him for that, very much appreciated.

I downed a good bottle of single malt and 400mg of tramadol over the next few hours as I lay on the sofa and tried to allow myself to relax, I'm just about coming out the other side of that now, what have I got, well I haven't seen the bike no idea what it's like, broken big toe on my right foot, useless left elbow and a knee still resonating from the hammering it got, won't be walking for a while I guess, but it'll be no longer than absolutely necessary.

I'm glad I didn't kill the cyclist and could easily see it being a "came round the corner and a bike was in the middle of the road and I couldn't avoid it" kind of thing, I don't think I could have done anything else or been more observant or indeed slower, but until I revisit the place I won't know for sure, I'm never too wise to not see my faults if they are there.


Cheers Mark.

Blimey mate sounds painful but glad to hear that you're relatively ok. As always if you need anything or help retrieving the bike just shout. Did the dopey cyclist stick around?

Christ Mark! Sounds like one hell of a bad experience. Am just glad that you are at least capable of writing this yourself and haven't done more serious damage to yourself/your knee.

I've also had a couple of near misses with cyclists lately for similar reasons - seriously, a pitch black country road and you are riding without lights?? But thank goodness you managed to miss them - though maybe a slap round the head wouldn't have gone amiss... And another nail in the coffin for the public sector strikers! Can't believe you were left at the side of the road in winter temperatures for 2 1/2 hrs - I really hope they realise the impact of what they have done to others.

Sending massive hugs (would deliver them in person but am not well at the mo and I'm sure you could do without being sick as well as everything else right now!)

Oh Mark. So so sorry to read this, you of all people could really do without this utter crap. You're mainly bruised and in a shedload of pain then, no fractures or anything?

Was there no sign of this cyclist after the incident? I suppose hanging about for two and a half hours was too much

Big kisses xxx

[Geodude]

Ouch fella, hope you mend fast and well.

[rictus01]

yeah funnily enough I wasn't worried about my own mortality at any point until I was down on the road, I've no idea what happened to the cyclist, but I have a cad number so will find out, although the police were at least 20 minutes or so arriving.

still a bit doped/boozed up, and can't stand at the moment (not brave enough to stop the painkillers at the moment), it's just enough to alloww me to drift a bit.

I've taped my toe to the next as they do nothing for a broken toe these days, that aches but no more than anything else, the elbow hurts a fair bit and I can't lift a cup with that arm presently, stomach feels like I've been hit with a baseball bat and of course the knee is a known pain.

as always I'll keep a mental list of all you lovely ladies hugs & kisses and make sure I collect at a future time......

Cheers Mark.

[SoulKiss]

Ouch, sorry to hear Mark.

If you need anything, I'm just round the corner.

Dude you're a cat, just how many lives do you have left?

[timwilky]

**** read Mark.

Take the pain killers, heal. Strangle cyclist if ever you find him.

[maviczap]

Blimey Mark, sorry to hear this

GWS