So, yesterday morning's commute started nicely, with a much lighter morning following the re-introduciton of GMT at the weekend.

I'd loaded the pannier with the usual gubbins, and was trundling down the road. Seeing another commuter up ahead, I said to myself "You have sore legs from the weekend's riding; if you catch him, you're riding too hard". And, so, I continued on, through the traffic lights, at a steady pace.

Less than a minute up the road, as if from nowehere, a black jacketed, bald-headed man strode straight into my path. Not 20 metres away. Not 10. Right into the perfect spot for us to collide perfectly.

Boom, went the explosion, as the middle of my face struck the side of his head. And then I'm sliding along the floor, separated from my bike. Afer a moment of assuring myself nithing was obviouslt broken, I reached for my glasses – amazingly intact – and lifted my head. My front teeth hurt, but were stioll there. And then the blood started rushing from my nose. This feels broken, I though, as I lifted myself to a kneeling position in the middle of the road.

Glancing across to my left, my assailant was lying motionless and sayiung nothing. Then he started groaning, but wasn't moving. Quickly, people gathered, and traffic stopped (well, not all traffic – most of it just drove around us). There were legs and squatting bodies helping the pedestrian as he lay in the road, someone explaining what had happened to him. Another guy stood over me, and was on the phone to 999. A voice suggested I get myself out of the road – my response was rather terse.

Eventually, me, and Derek – the pedestrian – shared a ride in an Ambulance to A&E for both of us to be checked out. Last I heard he was fine, though needed a couple of stitches in his head. I just had a broken nose and a bad headache.

Lesson learned: even when riding out into a lane, don't assume that all pedestrians will remain on the pavement, especically if they are partially sighted and rely on sound as well as (limited) vision to help them cross a road where there are no pedestrian crossings. It was about as "accident" as it can get, but not very nice for either of us.

I shall go and see him and make sure he's OK, but we both live to fight another day.

(Oh, and bike damage is fairly minimal: trashed front wheel – it looks like a pringle – and a nicely bent pannier rack.)

glad you are both ok'ish

as a matter of interest what did you do with your bike while you went to hospital in the ambulance?
i guess you didn't take it with you

as a matter of interest what did you do with your bike while you went to hospital in the ambulance?

Police very kindly took it home for me (as I lived only a couple of minutes' drive away).

Glad you're both okay.

A blind old lady did this to me once, she was walking along then suddenly turned and stepped straight out into the road a couple of metres in front of me.
I managed to avoid her, but she'd also lifted her walking stick and held it striaght out at arms length (I assume so cars would know she was blind?) so it clouted me right in the gob. I was a bit dazed but otherwise unhurt. I think the poor lady nearly had a heart attack.

I always try and ride quite far out in the lane now to avoid that kind of thing.

Knocked out a school girl in very similar fashion.
She just laid there closing the road for ten minutes.
Her and her mate closed to middle of raod, then waited.
Right until I was alongside when one of them stepped out.
I was the only heard hurt as she was a big girl.
J.

haha! oh dear sounds like a adventure of sorts. My dad is registered blind although does have some vision enough to get around. Bikes are the least of his concerns it's the people who park there cars half or even covering pavements.

He has twice broken his white stick when it has caught in the wheel arch and often bumps into the mirrors, which if you own a expensive bmw or merc is frustrating for them as well as broken mirrors cost money. He has spoke to those useless PCSOs who said aslong as a person can get past it's okay, well it's not okay for him or my mother with her trolley or the young lass with the pram.

Anyway glad your both alright, I wonder how often it happens to him.

I've had a few near misses like that, glad you're not too badly injured, and him.

Hope you both make a quick recovery.

Interestingly, Derek explained that he is at the point where he could or could not have a white stick. He chooses not to, I think because of certain negative connotations, though I would have throught being run over by me can't come high up the list of positive life experiences.

Interestingly, he was on his way to theological college, so perhaps he was using an alternative GPS…. 😉 (No, this isn't an invitation for the neo-Darwinists to start…!)

Cheers for the good wishes, all.

Glad you're both (relatively) ok.

Front wheel:

Oh dear. Would his home insurance cover it?

Would his home insurance cover it?

It was a distinct 50/50. I ought to have anticipated a pedestrian stepping out, and he ought to have checked for me (harder, though, given he is partically sighted).

It's only a new rim and spokes – I'll get that done cheap enough. Pannier rack will go onto the fixed once it's built, and I'll just use the panner on the other side.

No (real) harm done.

Have a virtual beer (and a real one if ever the occasion arises) on me Tom for being so very reasonable about it all and I hope bike and body (for both parties) get well soon.

Have a virtual beer (and a real one if ever the occasion arises) on me Tom for being so very reasonable about it all and I hope bike and body (for both parties) get well soon.

Cheers..!