Advocacy & Safety - Knocked off again!

Yesterday morning about five minutes into my regular commute, I was knocked off my bike by a car. More specifically by the wide trailer laden with boats which the car was towing. The driver must have seen me when stopped at the traffic lights about 50 metres back, but didn't give enough clearance around me for the trailer. The trailer just got closer and closer, and then when it touched me, down I went.

A motorcyclist stopped to assist me as I picked myself up. He got my chain back on the chainwheels and lent me his mobile to phone home. However no one was up, so I got back on the bike and rode home.

Then to the doctor, who sent me off for pelvic X-ray. The low point was when the radiographer came in to say they had found a fracture in a small bone at the bottom of the pelvis. I chimed in, so you're now looking for the other fracture - I know that from when I fractured in this area last year. Then she went out, and returned with the news that what they had seen was the old fracture line!

So the good news is no fractures, just a very sore leg (not as bad as yesterday evening, thankfully), a sore shoulder capsule, road rash on left elbow, hip and knee, and somehow a badly bruised right thumb.

This morning on aus.bicycle newsgroup was a message from the motorcyclist, so I've been able to email him to thank him for this help. Coincidences!

So, Media Creations, I won't be around on the Saturday morning ride for a couple o' weeks, while I get over this one. My crash last year was much worse - fractured clavicle as well as pelvis - but I have a complete memory of this one, unlike last year.

Years of riding without accidents, and then two within a year! I suppose you just have to take life as it comes.

Cheers, all.

That LOSER! :mad: :fight: I certainly hope they're found and charged with hit-and-run and anything else that can be made to stick! :mad: Get well soon Beaver, good to hear it wasn't any worse. :(

PS: how's your bike?

Sorry to hear about your accident. Did you get the rego on the car or trailer?

I'm glad it wasn't as bad as last time but it's still not nice.

I suppose that'll put your settlement back a while for the last accident.

Get well. See you on the road again soon.

I'm glad you were unhurt, Beaver. I, too, hope this guy hears from the cops in the near future.

Could've been worse so get well soon.

Something similar happened to me when I was about 18, but it was a caravan which hit me.!

Unfortunately neither I nor my witness got a licence plate. I had my mind on other things at the time. ;) The driver is probably unaware that anything untoward has happened. My best hope is that someone else noted the plate number and contacted the police.

As for the settlement of last year's crash, hopefully by the next time I see my specialist in December, any injuries from this one will have resolved. He hasn't looked at my pelvis since January, it healed so quickly. The main problem has been my clavicle, and, apart from some pain in the shoulder capsule, that isn't involved this time.

The driver certainly did not leave anywhere near enough space as he passed me. If he can be found, I suppose it is within the realms of possiblity that a careless driving charge might be sustained.:rolleyes:

Originally posted by Beaver
The driver is probably unaware that anything untoward has happened.

Scary, but all too true. :mad:

Not too long ago a local biker was hit and killed by the trailer part of a tractor-trailer. (The road he was on had lots of t-t traffic because of a stone quarry nearby.) Turns out the driver of the t-t had no idea what had happened.

My one rule with tractor-trailiers or other vehicles with a pivot (some buses, pickup trucks with RVs, etc.): let them by !! They are the one type of vehicle I will actually stop for. The drivers invariably "forget" what is behind them as they are very concerned with what is in front of them. They can only swing so wide without taking out another lane of traffic, and the trailing piece oftentimes comes very close to clipping the curb ... much less a bike rider trapped on the inside.

Not to make excuses for the drivers of such vehicles, but it is a fact. I also realize this may not exactly describe the circumstances of this post. All I can say to my fellow bikers: watch out for trailers and other vehicles with pivots.

Glad to hear you made it relatively unscathed, Beaver. Must have scared the daylights out of you. I wish the same were true for our local biker.

I'm glad you are ok!

:(

Get well soon Beaver. It could have been so much worse. I'm with Andy. Busses, RV's, anything with a wide or long load... I yeild the road to them. It may not be fair but at least my grand daughter will have her nana to play with another day.

Thanks for the messages. Trouble is, I had nowhere to go to yield to this trailer - it didn't give me enough room and there was kerbing to the left (that's the way we do it down under).

Recovering well although slowly - can't wait to get off the crutches again.

Cheers

A bad year for you to be sure. Hope you are well soon.

Your message inspires me to glance in the rear view mirror more often.

Carl

Update:
This morning the medicos had another look at the X-ray from last Monday, and have now decided that there is a small pelvic fracture - superior pubic remus, for those who understand that kind of thing. It's not on a weight-bearing part of the structure and there's minimal displacement, so the outlook is good. At least it explains the level of discomfort when trying to walk without crutches - another couple of weeks to go. Should I buy a pair???

Damage to the bike - bent brake hood and derailleur. It was time for a service anyhow.:D

Underwent the most unpleasant medical prodecure this evening. There's some numbness on the end of the little finger of the right hand. The most likely explanation is that it's from the way I've had to hold the crutch with a sprained thumb. The first part consisted of measuring the effect of little electric shocks to different parts of my arm. It was bad enough having shocks applied to the hand, but by the time it got to the elbow it was awful. BUT THAT WASN'T ALL. The neurologist then stuck a needle in the back of my hand between the base of the thumb and first finger. While the machine made various noises, he wiggled the needle around, and then I had to push my finger against his resistance. At first it felt like acupuncture, but then much worse. Following that he turned my hand over and did the same on the other side. Even shoulder physio last year wasn't as horrible as this. I'll definitely think three times before complaining about something neurological again.

Phone call tonight from a policeman who was very nice, and is himself a biker. He can't do anything since there's no record of the driver's number plate. At least my medical bills are covered by third-party insurance, since it was definitely the fault of the vehicle.

Cheers
Beaver

Thanks for the update Beaver. Sure hope you don't have to have any follow up tests with that sadistic doctor and his needle.

Get well soon.