After a bit of advice/thoughts after this afternoon’s fun and games.

Was within half a mile of my house after a good day on the road bike.
Then there’s a massive slam against my RH side with car bits flying everywhere.
Next thing I know I’m flat on my back lying in the middle of the road…not sure if I was out – if I was it was seconds – but I remember thinking ‘I’m going to be run over by the car behind’. I was aware of stationery traffic on both sides on people fussing seeing if I was ok. Not sure how long I was down but it was no more than a couple of minutes. I get to my feet thinking this is weird – it dawns on me I’ve been hit by a car. She’s pulled over at least 5 car lengths up the road. There’s a few people milling around – the only one I can place is the lady driver who is bawling and apologising constantly…’I don’t see you…I’m so sorry’. A few ask if I’m ok/do I need an ambulance – I said no as I was sure nothing was broken though the little finger on my left hand hurts like **** instantly. My bike was on the pavement but I seem to recall someone wheeling it there. Traffic still watching at this point. I check it over – spins wheels etc and it seems fine. Witness calls cops on the phone of the person who hit me. Bits of mirror/housing strewn all over place – so fair to say that’s what hit me.
I’m not sure what to do so call wife who comes within 2 mins. Driver now on her phone but she’s not sure what’s happening and call ends. So no ambulance and no cops. Wife then swaps numbers with Claire the ‘hitter’ and gets reg no of her car and one of witnesses who stopped. Claire’s then picking all the mirror bits up.
Witnesses gone by now and traffic back to normal. All this is over 25-30 mins and by now I’m noticing back of right forearm is killing and left wrist/back of hand very painful. Wife insists we go to local A&E which is a few mins away. Bike in back of car and go to A&E where it’s rammed with a ‘3 hour’ wait and X-ray shuts in less than 90 mins so I thinks what’s the point. Come home and wife gets a call from police – Claire’s reported it (good!) so now it’s official. Gotta give statement tomorrow morning but they said to get checked out and call 111 which we did. I’m shuddering quite badly and now very cold. Go to Leicester Royal, see doc, get x-ray on finger and wrist – no breaks but assured I will ache tomorrow. Oh forgot, badly cut right knee which was sticking out of bib tights so they’re borked.
So – cop shop tomorrow. Claire admitted it was her fault – to me at least – I was pretty tight to the curb so def not mine. There was a very bright sun low in the sky directly ahead but that’s not an excuse surely? My bike SEEMS ok bit it’s carbon so who knows – there could be unseen damage – any way of getting it checked thoroughly? Head may have hit floor so lid could be damaged – it’s got a few dings from tree branches etc but there is a fresh ding – need replacing? Peace of mind would say so. Bibs need replacing too – they’re a bin job.

Should I contact her insurer? I’ll wait and see what the fuzz have to say.
Bike concerns me a bit.
At the very least Claire should fork out for bibs if not a lid too I think.

Interested to know what the STW massive think.

Ooof. Get to bed. Sort it tomorrow.

Sounds like “Claire” is doing the decent thing. See what tomorrow brings. Hope you get a decent night.

Sort it tomorrow . she via her insurance pays for damage to bike clothes helmet etc plus pain and suffering plus drive to work and parking . no won no fee local solicitor will sort it. I can give you a name in Leeds .

A&E where it’s rammed with a ‘3 hour’ wait and X-ray shuts in less than 90 mins

X ray shuts?

‘3 hour wait and the X-ray dept shuts at 6’ is what the lovely receptionist said
I thought I might need x-rays so thought it was pointless sitting there til (at least) 7.30.
That’s what happens when you live in the provinces.

Xray doesn’t shut in a and e. That’s possibly the shittest advice given out ever! Glad Claire has got morals and hopefully she’ll tell her insurance company to sort it when they try to coerce her with their it’s not your fault games.
Main thing is you’re up and walking wounded. Take it easy for a few days…

Glad you’re (relatively ok OP) I’d be badly shook up if something like that happened to me. Glad driver is doing the legal and honest thing. Too many tales of hit and run and backsliding…

However, not sure why you think

Claire admitted it was her fault – to me at least – I was pretty tight to the curb so def not mine.

has anything to do with your fault – arguably being out in the lane makes you more visible…

Make lots of written notes ASAP. Include names of anyone that was there and that you later saw, doctors, police, etc

Don’t bin anything. Get some decent photos of everything that you can think of; bike, clothing and get Mrs R to take some of your injuries and all from different angles. Get your injuries photographed daily over several days because this will be the only record once healed

Stand the bike upright next to a tape measure and photograph any scuffs and damage relative to height, these can be compared to the damage on the car. Ideally do this next to the car if the driver will let you

More photos at the scene while there’s still debris, ideally with the same light conditions, include road markings, signs, etc and the approach from your perspective and the other drivers

Contact British Cycling / CTC if a member or a solicitor (household insurance might be helpful if you have a legal helpline clause included)

Don’t assume anything about your bike, I’d be pushing for it to be examined by a dealer

And relax…Get well soon

So – cop shop tomorrow. Claire admitted it was her fault – to me at least – I was pretty tight to the curb so def not mine. There was a very bright sun low in the sky directly ahead but that’s not an excuse surely?

It would be a tough one to blame you for getting hit by a car that I can only assume was behind you. But as a general point being tight to the kerb tends to encourage silly passing, on a buys road the gap between a bike and the oncoming traffic is tight so one of you cops it. Being a bit further out stops the squeeze through passing.

When I had one I dropped bike round a LBS I trust (good mate) who gave it a good looking over. Nothing wrong which was a shame as I fancied a new road bike 🙁
Document whats trashed, make sure you replace your lid especially as you don’t know what happened there.
The CTC/BC/Household legal advice stacks up too.

Make sure your finger is actually okay with no lasting affects, bike damage is the easy bit.

I go knocked off 8 years ago and smashed by middle finger (bone around knuckle had to be screwed together) 3 operations due to finger not bending and now I have a finger that only bends about 30 degrees.
Not exactly the end of the world but a nuisance none the less and I got well compensated for it (although I would rather have a had a finger that works (you should see how I form chords on guitar now…)

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/131099/

OP: read that linked page.

Get well soon. The driver should replace your helmet, any damaged clothes and your bike if it’s damaged.

Push for the police to take some action too (even if it’s only a driver improvement course). What would have happened if she’d have hit you properly rather than clipping you with the mirror?

Speak to British Cycling, see if you can join now and use their legal people.

Wrightyson – Loughborough hospital has an Urgent Care Unit so technically not an A&E – more like a walk-in centre but the closest we have to A&E – and it’s ridiculous the X-ray dept shuts at 6. The probability of needing them is quite high given that people have falls etc – next nearest is Leicester 13 miles away. Just thinking about this and I’ll ask the cops – I think she must have been going faster than the 30 limit given the scattering of her mirror housing – it was covering a fair old distance. Had an ok sleep but some real aches – little finger swollen and very bruised on the palm side. Will have a look over bike in more detail. Thanks for all replies

Bit of an update.
Total cockup at police station…long-winded story but essentially as she has admitted liability to the police they don’t seem overly interested in my account/witness accounts of what actually happened and I don’t know the details of what she’s told them. It’s ‘in the system’. I’ve been told I can contact the driver if I want to claim for any kit/bike damage irrespective of the case conclusion. I spoke to a personal injury solicitor who said I can claim for X, Y and Z and get the bike checked over at a bike shop which I’m going to do. This could be fairly inconclusive either way though but at least adds kudos to a claim for a new bike (or frame at least). On balance of this info I contacted the driver – all very polite – and she would rather go down the my solicitor to her insurer route rather than resolve person to person. Fair enough. Based on the outcome of the bike report, I could potentially not be allowed to ride my roadie until the case is resolved which could be months. Plus I haven’t got a usable lid even though I can still ride my MTB. This has all the potential to be a long drawn-out affair which will totally screw up my sportive on 6th March.
Sat could have been a LOT worse but it’s a totally arse situation at the same time 🙁

Plus I haven’t got a usable lid

I get that that’s annoying but just go and buy a new one, they’re not expensive*, and you’d be in the same position if you just fell off on your own or dropped it etc.

I could potentially not be allowed to ride my roadie until the case is resolved which could be months

Then she/her insurers should be expecting a big bill for bike hire…especially if you use it for commuting.

Anyone local that can lend you a bike for your sportive if needs be?

* a lot of helmet manufacturers offer cut-price crash replacement so may be even cheaper than you think.

Total cockup at police station…long-winded story but essentially as she has admitted liability to the police they don’t seem overly interested in my account/witness accounts of what actually happened and I don’t know the details of what she’s told them. It’s ‘in the system’.

The police shouldn’t be worried about liability. It’s their job to deal with any offences she may have committed.

Do you think she was driving with due care and attention when she drove into you? I think the question answers itself tbh. Just because she’s (and she deserves some credit for being honest) put her hands up and said it was her fault doesn’t mean she hasn’t committed an offence. From the sounds of it they’d have an easy conviction, and in the interests of public safety she should be getting a driver improvement course or something!

On the insurance/kit replacement front…
Get in touch with her insurers (or get you solicitors to do it, try Leigh Day) to get the ball rolling as kit replacement should be straightforward (which = quick).

The driver has been nice (apart from running you over) but don’t let that cloud your judgement. You’re dealing with her insurers now, and they don’t want to give you anything.

When I was knocked off, I had the bike checked by an LBS and the insurance co refunded me what I’d paid (£40 or so). From the sounds of your collision I’d be wary of riding that bike again. The material side of things should be done quite quickly because you know what’s damaged and what it would cost to replace. You should get the cost of new stuff. It’s not like there’s a healthy market in second hand helmets. Obviously there’s a bit of uncertainty with the bike. They might offer a new one or maybe the insurance co agree to pay out in the event of any future failure (they’d probably prefer to provide you with a new frame/bike and then wash their hands of it). If they give you just the frame then make sure they also cover the cost of swapping all the parts over. I had the cheque for the bike damage and kit within 2 weeks, maybe sooner.

That is all separate to the injury claim.

Make sure you’re getting photos of injuries as they heal. Write notes on how things feel each day. Otherwise, if you’re asked to recall it all in 6 months time you’ll say “um, it was a bit sore for a couple of days, but it’s fine now”. If you can keep a detailed note on what you could/couldn’t do and how things healed day by day then you’ll be in a better position.

DO NOT AGREE on a settlement for injuries until you are 100% sure that you are fully healed. Make sure you have ridden a bike/run/played football/been climbing/done whatever else it is that you do so that any ‘hidden’ injuries make themselves known. After I was hit I thought I was fine, it was only once the bruising had gone down that I hopped on a bike and realised I couldn’t pedal without it feeling like someone was cheese-gratering the underside of my kneecap.

If I’d have said “I’m just a bit sore, I’ll settle for £250” a week after the bump then I’d have been stuffed.

And before anyone chips in about “encouraging” or “fraudulent” claims, be honest, I’m not suggesting you exaggerate anything, just make sure you get what you’re owed.

My 2p is that insurance companies at fault always promise to cough up for the bike readily until they get the bill for a multiple of £1000’s.

They expect you to be riding a Halfords Special so if you have a boutique bike you can expect a lot more hoops to jump through.

Witnesses are the best thing you can have on your side. Lucky you.

Ask a local bike shop to hire you a bike, till yours is replaced and then hand over bill to her insurance co,car rtc,s you get a free hire car or van