accidents

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18th Nov '02 10th Mar '03 1st Oct '03 7th Oct '04 8th Sep '05

Accidents

Well what can I say, everyone said they would happen - especially in London, although I wanted to believe that they wouldn't I knew in my heart I'd feel the tarmac at some point. However I didn't expect them quite so soon (or so often!). The first one was a bit of a relief - an OK I've had it now, I won't have another - kind of thing. The second one hurt, really hurt and I wondered if it were me, maybe my riding wasn't up to it. I did a day out with a riding instructor as an assessment and also the BikeSafe London rideout/assessment. I asked the instructor straight out - "is it me?" If he'd said yes I think I would have stopped riding then and there. He said "No, you are a good and competent rider." So I won't be put off. Not yet anyway.

Each accident has taught me something. Usually not to get complacent! Also that sometimes you really do not have full control over all of the elements around you - other road users can, and will, screw up your day (and the following months!). After each accident I go through a period (some longer than others) of doubting my competence, abilities and my road awareness.

I believe that the day that I am involved in a multi-vehicle accident (i.e. I didn't just come off on ice, snow, diesel etc) where I know in my heart that I was wrong to be doing whatever I was doing, I will stop riding. I have no wish to be a danger to myself or others. Until then, well it takes more than a Skoda, a silver whatever, a Golf or even a Transit van to stop me...

After some consideration I have decided to put how the insurance people decided, basically so my experiences can help others in similar situations.

18th Nov 2002

8:10 crossing a junction on the old Kent Road on my way to Paddington, light blue Skoda (makes it even more embarrassing!) turns right across my green (rather than wait for filter) low speed, no obvious injuries, tissue injuries to left foot (subsequent damage to that foot means aches and pains can't be related to one accident or another). Bike, technical write off - tank dented, clocks scratched, exhaust - say no more it was a P reg CB500 - that's the value gone there. I hurt my foot but didn't realise how badly and made it worse by wearing my boots too much - weakening it even more. Started physio for it in December of 2002.

Although Mr Skoda claimed it wasn't his fault... yea, yea, his insurance had to spell it out to him - it was her green light, she was doing nothing out of the ordinary apart from crossing a junction, how is it her fault? He still couldn't get it so they told him, No sorry you have no choice - it was your fault. Settled; eventually 100% in my favour. Put it back on the road until...

10th Mar 2003	08:10ish (again) filtering past slow moving/stationary traffic Dulwich Common car comes pulling out of a drive on my left - turning right with no signal and straight into me. I can still remember shouting "NO!" as I tried out flying and found that neither me nor the bike had wings. That was the end of my CB500, twisted forks, front end gone basically. Me, I got to ride in an ambulance and a fetching cast for three weeks, physio and the rest.

	I didn't know what to expect in the outcome from this accident. Rider support, who dealt with the claim advised me it could go 50/50 so I wasn't too upset when it went 80/20 in my favour, although I was extra pleased when I found out that the police cautioned (shame it wasn't a charge) the other driver for driving without due care. Three weeks out of my cast I test rode and took home my beautiful Zed, until...

1st Oct 2003	17:50 (Ha!) nice lady decides to turn right from the LH Lane, choices = 3; stop, pull well out into oncoming traffic or try her bonnet out for size. Went for the stop option without enough room to stop in. Discovered the phrase "highside." Tarmac was nice and hard. I suffered a neck sprain that lasted a good 6 weeks, and the usual bumps and bruises.
	2/10/03: feeling sorry for himself
	9/10/03: patched up & ready to ride
	This case is still (as at June 2006) wide open. The other driver gave minimal details, and I admit, I did get enough info - I was too busy trying to make her go away before I smacked her! That will teach me! Either she gave me a dodgy number or I wrote it down wrong, either way I found the right one in the end, but after various excuses (moving house, friend dying, you name it - this woman had no shame) she refused to give full details. The claim was submitted to the MIB - Motor Insurance Bureau - anyone who buys insurance pays some of their premium into this pot to allow for hit and runs, and people who refuse to give details...

7th Oct 2004
08:10 (again! - this seems to be a very bad time of day for me, remind me never to be on the road at this time again!) Mr. White Van Man decides he'd rather not sit in the queue on the A24 up the Deepdene hill, so pulls well into the left (making sure I can't see him!) then swings out into a U-turn without once looking out of his window. It has to be said, he did indicate, however with no chance of stopping in time, my only choice if I didn't want to see the underside of his van was to pull wide into the oncoming lane, which was nice and empty in the hope that he would look before completing his turn. He never looked, so never stopped and I flew once more. His passenger wing (I can never work out off & nearside!) hit the bike just in front of my leg, the crash bung was shredded but pulled his bumper off nicely! Me? Well I got another ride in an ambulance - this time with sirens and lights, a cast for 5 weeks (two fractures of the main bone in my foot), a sling for 4 weeks (dislocated the end bit of my shoulder), a crutch to hop on (ever tried it with one hand and one leg!?) some wicked bruises, and some pretty wicked painkillers! My Arai saved my head, and my Fieldsheer jacket saved my back - and it must be said - mitigated the damage to my shoulder I'm sure.

got to stay cheerful! hey, this side looks fine!... shame about the other side...

Well the good new is that after some feeble arguments the other side gave it up. This will be settled 100% in my favour, the fact of it is really helping to repair some of the mental damage done to both my confidence and even down to the way I am. to be continued.....

8th Sep 2005 Well, come on - it couldn't last really could it? I debated whether to include this one but at the end of the day an accident is an accident. Was on my way home, waiting at the Hook roundabout to turn onto the A243 when the car behind me back-ended me. Fortunately I had both feet down so held it upright. No (immediately) visibly damage so I sent the woman who hit me on her way. Halfway home another motorist warned me that my number plate was coming off, so stopped and removed it. When I got home the rear mudguard had had quite a hefty knock and the plate hanger was twisted. I lost my tax disc holder and (copy) disc. The rear panels had been pushed out of shape, shearing off one tiny lug. I have managed to bend it all back to some semblance of normality. Was a tad stiff the next day, but otherwise a lucky escape, just wish I had taken some details as there was far more damage than I had first seen.