Cycling Accident 2014
July 23rd 2014
Only now, two months later, do I feel able to fully reflect about this day. You may have noticed a distinct gap in my events over the summer. You may not.
On a morning cycle commute into work in July, I was hit by a van.
A lovely bright morning, I set off as normal on my four-month old cyclo-cross bike. Work items in my panniers, I pedalled steadily down the road towards Sutton Coldfield, taking the left towards Upper Holland Road. At the traffic lights I went through and started the descent towards Ebrook road, which happens to be on a key cycle route through Birmingham. As I was freewheeling down the hill, I noticed a van coming the opposite way up the hill. Not abnormal so I carried on cycling, about to pass a side road on my left. As I approached (at 20mph), and within a split second, the van turned right into the side road - exactly when I was passing it.
What followed is difficult to remember. I heard loud bang as I hit the windscreen and bonnet combined with a lot of crunching and cracking. I remember landing on the curb on my back. I never consciously unclipped from my pedals.
Cycling behind me, it later turned out was an off-duty police officer who witnessed the entire event. My head went through the windscreen and shoulder and body through the bonnet. My bike hit the vehicle too, came unattached from me (luckily) and ended up underneath the van. As the driver hit the curb (he missed the corner) I was thrown off the vehicle and onto the ground.
The van driver did have a glance up the hill. He looked only for cars, not cyclists or smaller vehicles.
Quickly arriving at the scene was a nurse on her way to work, who provided assistance. A passing ambulance also happened upon me and helped until another ambulance arrived. I vaguely remember being put onto a spinal board and strapped in (incredibly uncomfortable) before being transported to Heartlands Hospital A&E.
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I came out of A&E much later that day with severe neck and shoulder pain, lacerations to my knee, ankle, elbow, fingers and face, bruising and swelling on my legs and unable to walk unassisted. And I was considered extremely lucky.
A couple of days after the incident my bike was retrieved from the police station for me. Looking at it was very difficult and only reinforced how severe the incident had been and how luck I was. Both fork ends had snapped off, and both wheels were crushed. The drop bars were squashed completely flat on themselves. The chainset had snapped in half and the pedal cranks and pedals were warped and twisted. Even my pannier was shredded and the rack ruined.
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Two months later and I'm still suffering from residual whiplash, neck and shoulder pain. I have about 70 % of head/neck movement. However, I'm hopeful these symptoms will heal, given time and treatment. According to the doctor, the scars on my knee will never fade - a visible and constant reminder whilst training of what could and does happen.
More worrying perhaps, is the anxiety associated with being on the roads. I'm yet to cycle unaccompanied more than a mile or so away from my home. White vans in particular seem even less trustworthy than they did before. I've done a couple of events to build my confidence which have still made me nervous (particularly being the first to come across a cyclist who'd just come off on a descent - the blood pouring down the road surface and his wails were a horrifically traumatising reminder of my accident). However, knowing that there are riders, marshals, supporters and signage inspires a confidence that I just don't have to go it alone. Maybe next year.
Only now, two months later, do I feel able to fully reflect about this day. You may have noticed a distinct gap in my events over the summer. You may not.
On a morning cycle commute into work in July, I was hit by a van.
A lovely bright morning, I set off as normal on my four-month old cyclo-cross bike. Work items in my panniers, I pedalled steadily down the road towards Sutton Coldfield, taking the left towards Upper Holland Road. At the traffic lights I went through and started the descent towards Ebrook road, which happens to be on a key cycle route through Birmingham. As I was freewheeling down the hill, I noticed a van coming the opposite way up the hill. Not abnormal so I carried on cycling, about to pass a side road on my left. As I approached (at 20mph), and within a split second, the van turned right into the side road - exactly when I was passing it.
What followed is difficult to remember. I heard loud bang as I hit the windscreen and bonnet combined with a lot of crunching and cracking. I remember landing on the curb on my back. I never consciously unclipped from my pedals.
Cycling behind me, it later turned out was an off-duty police officer who witnessed the entire event. My head went through the windscreen and shoulder and body through the bonnet. My bike hit the vehicle too, came unattached from me (luckily) and ended up underneath the van. As the driver hit the curb (he missed the corner) I was thrown off the vehicle and onto the ground.
The van driver did have a glance up the hill. He looked only for cars, not cyclists or smaller vehicles.
Quickly arriving at the scene was a nurse on her way to work, who provided assistance. A passing ambulance also happened upon me and helped until another ambulance arrived. I vaguely remember being put onto a spinal board and strapped in (incredibly uncomfortable) before being transported to Heartlands Hospital A&E.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I came out of A&E much later that day with severe neck and shoulder pain, lacerations to my knee, ankle, elbow, fingers and face, bruising and swelling on my legs and unable to walk unassisted. And I was considered extremely lucky.
A couple of days after the incident my bike was retrieved from the police station for me. Looking at it was very difficult and only reinforced how severe the incident had been and how luck I was. Both fork ends had snapped off, and both wheels were crushed. The drop bars were squashed completely flat on themselves. The chainset had snapped in half and the pedal cranks and pedals were warped and twisted. Even my pannier was shredded and the rack ruined.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Two months later and I'm still suffering from residual whiplash, neck and shoulder pain. I have about 70 % of head/neck movement. However, I'm hopeful these symptoms will heal, given time and treatment. According to the doctor, the scars on my knee will never fade - a visible and constant reminder whilst training of what could and does happen.
More worrying perhaps, is the anxiety associated with being on the roads. I'm yet to cycle unaccompanied more than a mile or so away from my home. White vans in particular seem even less trustworthy than they did before. I've done a couple of events to build my confidence which have still made me nervous (particularly being the first to come across a cyclist who'd just come off on a descent - the blood pouring down the road surface and his wails were a horrifically traumatising reminder of my accident). However, knowing that there are riders, marshals, supporters and signage inspires a confidence that I just don't have to go it alone. Maybe next year.
This is a terrible. The accident you’ve gone through seems pretty serious. It’s good to know that you managed to recover from it all by now, and I hope it did not cause an awful burden on you at the time. Anyway, thanks for sharing this with us. Take care!
ReplyDeleteModesto Culbertson @ D & Z Law Group