My first major 'off'. Hit and run. Doncaster.

[BlackPanther]

Well, it was a good run. 10 years of cycling 25-30 miles most days, and only a couple of spills, both when the tyres gave way, and both relatively minor......until yesterday.

On my way home I had my first collision with a car. I was cycling briskly, on the Giant Fastroad, 20mph+down the A19 out of Askern. Just approaching the Owsten junction, a tractor pulled across the road in front of me. He cut it a bit close, but I didn't have to do an emergency brake, I just slowed as he passed. However, a Ford Focus was waiting to turn right, and he did, and I went from 20-0 in 0.0 seconds, a classic T-bone crash. I remember the tractor, and I vaguely remember knowing I was going to hit the car. Next thing, I'm sitting on the edge of the road, with what looks like 2 bikes to my side. It was just the one though, with the front wheel and forks lying next to the rest of the bike.

It all got a bit blury, but there were 6 or 7 people around me trying to help. One chap got my phone out of my panniers so I could call the Missus, whilst someone else rang 999. Quite a bit of blood from my left knee which had a deep cut, either from going 'through' the bike, or from the wing mirror which came off the car as I hit it. I also had a throbbing right cheek bone where I'm assuming I face planted the roof (thank God I was wearing the helmet), an achey thigh and a back ache. The ambulance arrived (first I think) then the Police, then the Missus. So, I was strapped to a back board, and taken off to hospital. The ambulance ride I remember very little of.

Nearly 4 hours without being able to move your head is not something I'd ever want to repeat! However, after a Cat scan, X-ray, and around 12 stitches (3 inside and 8 or 9 outside,) at around 11 pm I was allowed to go home. If I was micturated off yesterday, then imagine my complete despair when I went to review my helmet camera footage this morning, only to discover that I'd failed to turn it on when I left work yesterday!!!!!!! Fudge!

Onto the darker side of the story. The Focus driver didn't stop, and just left me for dead. Plently of witnesses, and 2 (possibly 3) van drivers had dashcams. Also the wing mirror had some sort of serial number on it. Hopefully the police will be able to use the mirror id, retreive the dashcam footage and use to catch, prosecute, and lock up the driver, who I'm told had 3 mates in the car with him. Had he stopped, I'd have probably born him no ill will, but to leave someone like that.....scum.

So, I've booked the week off work, in at the docs next in a week to get the stitches out, and hopefully, I'll be back to fitness soon. I was very lucky to come away with such minor injuries, and I did hear one of the cars drivers saying something about being lucky to not have been killed by the Focus driver. So, the A19 out of Askern, around 16.15-16.45 was when it happened, so if anyone saw the accident or could be of use, please ring Doncasterb Police, and hopefully they'll catch them!

Many, many thanks to all those who stopped to help.

Carl.

[hemo]

Glad you seem ok.
Hopefully the SCUM will be caught/identified.

[reohn2]

Glad your injuries are relatively slight,likewise I do hope they catch the scumbag.
It's odds on s/he was driving illegally in some way,that's the usual reason for not stopping.
For all the driver knows you could be dead!
A1 scumbag

[Tiberius]

First off, I'm really glad to hear that you are still in one piece and on the mend.

BUT...What a dreadful tale. The way that people are driving nowadays and showing such scant regard for another human being, one that they have just injured and may have even killed. How on earth does anyone live with that? It is just inhuman !!

I'm a firm believer in 'Karma' An odious creep such as that car driver will surely 'get his' one day and hopefully that day will come before he kills someone.

I want him caught and punished big time. I would also like to know exactly who he is.

Please keep us informed on how everything progresses and I wish you personally a speedy recovery.

[mjr]

Get well soon and I hope they catch them - that wing mirror serial should help!

I also had a throbbing right cheek bone where I'm assuming I face planted the roof (thank God I was wearing the helmet),

If you face planted, the main effect of a helmet was probably to add weight to the planting, especially if the helmet isn't crushed, but as you don't remember and your camera wasn't on, we probably won't ever really know, so please don't use this as an argument either way!

[BlackPanther]

Get well soon and I hope they catch them - that wing mirror serial should help!

I also had a throbbing right cheek bone where I'm assuming I face planted the roof (thank God I was wearing the helmet),

If you face planted, the main effect of a helmet was probably to add weight to the planting, especially if the helmet isn't crushed, but as you don't remember and your camera wasn't on, we probably won't ever really know, so please don't use this as an argument either way!

Yeah I know what you're saying, and it's each to their own on helmets. Thinking about it (still don't remember) after hitting the car I must've bounced off and backwards to end up sitting at the verge side. I do have a bruise on my left thigh/ar5e cheek, so I assume that I fell on my back, so maybe the helmet did help with prevent head/tarmac contact?

Hopefully, I'll get to see the van drivers cam footage one day. Preferably in court when the scumbags getting sent down?

[Audax67]

Glad you're still with us, and that you escaped concussion and/or worse. That moment between knowing the crash is inevitable and the wham is strange - almost dispassionate. I hope they get the swine.

Heal well.

[DaveReading]

Get well soon and I hope they catch them - that wing mirror serial should help!

I'll be pleasantly surprised if it does.

[Spinners]

Like everyone here let me say get well soon mate and I hope the scum get caught. Nevermind the driver, prosecute them all!!

[mjr]

Get well soon and I hope they catch them - that wing mirror serial should help!

I'll be pleasantly surprised if it does.

Don't the makers keep a list of them? I'm sure the owner's manual on mine said something about the numbers etched on various glass and body parts being recorded (and to order genuine replacements only from a main dealer...)

[eileithyia]

Glad to hear you are relatively OK, hope they find the scum and in the mean time keep a tally of all costs, hospital car parking, etc., travel to Dr.s, and all costs of repairs.... keep a diary of how the healing progresses and of medical appointments. Hopefully when they catch the scum they will be prosecuted and you will be able to sue them.... they probably do not have insurance etc., hence the reason they did not stop....

[fastpedaller]

Get well soon and I hope they catch them - that wing mirror serial should help!

I'll be pleasantly surprised if it does.

Don't the makers keep a list of them? I'm sure the owner's manual on mine said something about the numbers etched on various glass and body parts being recorded (and to order genuine replacements only from a main dealer...)

The part number on the door mirror is unlikely to be uniquely marked, but will indicate what models in the Manufacturer's range it is used on. If Police contact local car recyclers 'breakers' they could get a lead when the miscreants try to get a replacement?

[mjr]

I'll be pleasantly surprised if it does.

Don't the makers keep a list of them? I'm sure the owner's manual on mine said something about the numbers etched on various glass and body parts being recorded (and to order genuine replacements only from a main dealer...)

The part number on the door mirror is unlikely to be uniquely marked, but will indicate what models in the Manufacturer's range it is used on. If Police contact local car recyclers 'breakers' they could get a lead when the miscreants try to get a replacement?

I checked and there's a list of what's etched on my car and the mirrors aren't on it. Now, if they had my car model and left a bumper, that would have an ID number on it... but I guess that would have been even more painful.

[PDQ Mobile]

Sounds very unpleasant to say the least.
Heal well.
Hope they find the driver.

[foxyrider]

was on that same bit of road just last week - there are some expletives driving around there.

of course, best wishes for a full recovery.

probably an argument for getting the details to the local rag and onto social media, the car may well already be torched though - those lanes out towards Sykehouse are littered by scorch marks