Being Hit by Car, Very painful!

2 Conversations

This happened to me, 22/07/03. I was coming home from work on my mountain bike, freewheeling down a hill like I always do then I see these two idiots racing each other. A white rover 400 and a black fiesta xr2. The rover turns right, I'm pulling my brakes full. The fiesta has to give way, I've got right of way (he's turning, I'm on the main carriageway, highway code is on my side here - cycle or not).
Then he becomes the biggest idiot on the planet, I'm tanking towards him - brakes full on, he decides to try and beat me to the turn. Damn fool. I try to steer left, see if I can mount the pavement. Nope, ain't gonna happen.
SLAM.
I'm seeing sky. Am I alive? check - mental check, I think I just hit him. Things hurt. I sit up, REAL slow. watch the neck, I might have broke it. Yep, I'm alive.
This IDIOT is still moving, I'm on his bonnet and I've shattered his windscreen. You totally can't see jack though it. He finally stops and I get off. Check the bike (I love my bike, it cost me a weeks wages) bike's shagged, the front forks have sheared from the nut, the wheel won't stay straight. The front brakes are fully locked and staying that way. I walk over to the pavement, idiot driver is pulling over behind his mate.
Spectators come over and ask if I'm ok. I don't know the answer to this question so I physically check. Roll up trousers, no marks, no bruises. Just impact shock I guess. I see my bike, I'm raging now.
Driver doesn't get out. Passenger doesn't get out.
Blokey passenger from the rover gets out. "You ok mate?"
Er, no. I don't think so. I nearly JUST DIED! (that's in my head)
"Er, I think so". Rover passenger blokey bends me wheel straight. This is called destroying evidence, btw.
"Did you not see me? Am I invisible?" No response.
Rover passenger blokey goes back to his car.

Stuff this, I'm alive. Nothing's broken, I'm just a bit battered. I start walking away with a spectator, we walk so far and then part company. I manage a few more streets then I realise I can't make it home like this. I'm pulling the bike and carrying the front wheel, I'm limping and things hurt everywhere.

I make it to a phone and call home and and tell my mum the details.
My bro comes and gets me. We go check out the scene but the other driver is gone. No, i didn't take his details, I was too busy being in shock and trying to make sure nothing was broken and I was still alive. No way was he going to take my details, he was breaking so many laws it was unreal.

driving without due care and attention.
drving without due consideration to other road users.
failing to interact with other road users.
speeding.
leaving the scene of an accident.
failing to report an accident.

anyway, a few days after i went to hospital, nothing broken - just badly bruised. it took me nearly 3 full weeks to recover.
I bought my new bike and as i didn't get any car details there won't be any insurance claims by me.

But I'm still alive and still cycling.

the scene of my accident is now marked by a long white scar mark on the road over 20ft long, the brake mark. I had a stone in my front wheel and it dug the tarmac up and left a permanent mark. I'll never forget this incident as long as I live.

but i'm still not sure why i am alive. or if i am alive.
i joked in an email to my work collegues If this is the afterlife it's rubbish.

Authors Addendum!

Over a year has now passed since this major incident in my existance ( I continue to claim I don't actually have "a life" as such, just an existance). I pass the spot where it took place and thought readers of the article might like to know that the groove I left on the road with the grit in my front tyre is still there and very clear.

I don't know if things happen for a reason I don't know if things "just happen". Things certainly do happen. No-one can really know why, but the things that do happen to you make you into the future person you will be.

The main way this accident changed me, it's turned me into a realist. I see things as they are. I'm also a lot more of a "the moment" person, I don't dwell on things, I don't over think them as much as I used.

Authors Addendum, Secondary:- Road surfacing has recently taken place on the sight of the accident so my road scar has been removed. Well, tarmacced over. Even though the road has been resurfaced there are still heavy tyre marks turning right like many others replicating hard and most likely illegal high speed right turns.

All I have left to say is after you've read this article, take whatever you gain from it and use it in a positive way.

Thank You.

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