I’ve cycled for quite some time in London and have always expected this day, considering the amount of times there are close calls, but yesterday evening I got knocked off my bike cycling home from work. This has never happened to me before so i’m not really sure what you are supposed to do afterwards if anything?

Here’s what happened and what i’ve done so far…

Riding along a cycle lane which follows a residential road in Earlsfield last night and a car is along side me, there is another car in front of him turning right and stopped in the road, car along side me decides to pull around the car turning right which means using the full width cycle lane… Where he finds me! I’m riding down said cycle lane at about 30kmph and obviously have nowhere to go except between him and the curb so he essentially side swipes me into the curb, i’m sent tumbling down the road and into a heap in the cycle lane!

The car stopped and they got out. My first reaction was to get straight up and go F**king NUTS at him and his passenger who got out first. I think driver wanted to leave because of my reaction but his wife/girlfriend managed to persuade him to stay and me to calm down. i must say i am surprised they stayed given how angry and shouty I was tbh, but on the other hand her comment of ‘look we are doing the right thing we could have just driven off’ didn’t help my mood.

Anyway, calmed down and found all the grazes on my knees, hand, leg, and turns out my wrist was really flipping sore, bike has scratches in a few places, shifters/gear levers are bent, lost a spoke somehow? Shorts has a few new holes in. The people did offer to help and order taxi or take me home or whatever but i think i just wanted to be left alone and refused everything they offered (plus i hate taxis). We did exchange details and i got their registration no. too.

After they left I realised my wrist was really really sore and decided it might be broken (never broken anything so I wasn’t sure) but decided it would be best to go get it checked at hospital so went to A and E. After a long wait They did some-rays and decided it probably isn’t broken but might be so i should come for another specialist test next Tuesday, gave me a splint and sent me home.

So today i’ve woken up with one very sore wrist, some stingy legs and a sore neck (not whiplash though, although I don’t know what that is like either so wouldn’t know).

I’m pretty pi**ed off to say the least. Probably no MTB for a month or so, can’t ride my bike to work and have to pay for and endure the horrid trains, am sitting here in a fair bit of pain and can’t do much as usual and just not sure if I just leave it or tell the Police or do you make an insurance claim against his insurance in this kind of thing orrr…?

Slightly restrained/fed-up rant over, it really made me sad last night thinking about this, just the fact that we basically have to ride around assuming drivers are going to do the stupid thing, you can’t ride around in the knowledge that you are safe at any point and that we are basically forced to ride scared in case of people not giving a sh*t about us. After they left me on the road side I actually almost felt like crying because of this point, it makes me so sad that we are so unconsidered by drivers on the road. I’m not sure what i’ll feel like when i go back on the road, probably even more scared, but I can tell you i’m not looking forward to it.

Hope you get better soon.

I have no experience of this yet, but from other sources:

Report it to the police and get a reference number.

Speak to your insurer.

Have a chat with the several cycling advice lawyers or seek a specialist like Osbournes.

Make sure you NOTE everything down…even the Teariness this is essentially PTSD.

See doctors about your injuries, make notes of difficulties beacuse of your wrist etc…

Are you SURE you didn’t get whiplash…I mean are you REALLLY sure you didn’t get whiplash because I know several doctors that might suggest you actually do have whiplash.

Get a quote from your bike shop reagrding how much damage your bike has and how much it would cost to replace as new. I’m sure your assos cycling shorts took a pounding so make sure you note those down.

Then my son rip their insurance company a new arsehole and don’t back down.

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

This became a HUGE thread on the LFGSS forum, they’ve sort of edited it down a bit but it’s got loads of useful info in there.

Are you a member of British Cycling or CTC? If so, contact their accident helpline. If not, think about joining!

First thing is to report it to the police before the other party decides to report how you aggressively undertook them or that you must be mistaken with the number plate as they’ve never heard of you…

All a bit late now but did you get witness contact numbers? I know when in shock it is very difficult to think straight but I know from painful experience that drivers can be absolute ****!

If I get knocked off I treat it like an accident in my car, exchange details and I pass it on to the legal advisors that come with my CYcling UK membership and police if necessary. It’s why I’m a member. Let the experts deal with it. Simple. No point in anger or stress. It’s happened.

thanks for the info guys.

I didn’t get witness contact info, one other cyclist stopped but left fairly soon after, i think she was probably put off by my shoutyness. I think you’re right, I was in shock afterwards as nothing hurt for like 15-20mins then I realised my wrist was agony.

I’ve taken photos of everything so far – injuries, bike, clothes etc. i’ll go along to the rozzers later and report it!

I’m not a member of any cycling body but I think i’ll give Osbournes a call and see what they say. I also don’t have an insurer as i don’t own a car at the minute!

You were injured and the driver has a duty to report it, otherwise it’s a criminal offence

I’m not sure what i’ll feel like when i go back on the road, probably even more scared, but I can tell you i’m not looking forward to it.

A friend of mine was side swiped in a similar manner, but ended up in a hedge. It was a long time before he felt confident to ride again. He sought professional help to assist him with his anxieties, which might help you too.

Cycle lane denoted by continuous line or just a gutter ghetto dashed line? The former is a due care and attention job.

You should record all costs involved – train fares, etc – and keep receipts, so you can add an appropriate amount to your claim.
This can be a significant amount, so don’t overlook it.

I know its too late now but Join British Cycling membership. I was knocked off my bike a few years back and could not work for over a week. I cannot praise the legal representation I received from them.I just told them honestly what happened. Nearly never bothered with the claim, but after talking over the phone it was the right thing to do. I was told to list damaged items, had to attend medical examinations, always kept up to date regarding my claim and received physio sessions (which helped immensely).

It also covers you for liability if the boots on the other foot.

Hope you recover soon!

I found British Cycling to be a waste of space following an accident, this was back in the early 90’s maybe they’ve improved.

It was tipping out time at the Old Bailey, I had about 10 Police witnesses. The driver said he’d seen me but thought he could beat me across the junction, he got done for dangerous driving. My bike was totalled and I had three broken ribs which put me off work as a self employed courier for a few weeks. I had to pursue the drivers insurance company myself as BC had bugger all interest.

My claim was about 3 years ago.