My First (Almost Accident)

Hey all,

Lurked here for a couple of weeks, and noticed a few accident reports and whathave you. Just had a
lovely day cycling around Hyde Park after owning my cheapo mountain bike for a week.

Anyways, I was cycling around the west carriage drive ring when, as going round a corner, some bloke
on a racing bike zips past me. About ten seconds later, a group of four tourists step into the road
without looking and, even after a shout from racing-bloke, step out into the road without looking.
As expected, one of them gets hid hard from the bike and goes down. God only knows how the cyclist
didn't go flying. Fortunately, I was on the right side of enjoying a slow summer's cycle and so
stopped in time.

The girl had just a couple of cuts 'n' bruises, and appeared to be OK. She just wanted to get a taxi
to a hospital and be done with it. Likewise, the cyclist who hit her's also more than fine.

But no. Some American woman jumps out of her car and shouts at me for a few minutes to call the cops
and an ambulance. Anything for an easy life, so I
do.

Bah, fourty-five minutes later, everything's fine, as is the girl, and I can finally go on my way.

It did get me thinking about quite what one should do in such a situation, though. I really
regretted making the call as it wasn't needed at all and the girl was going to go to hospital
anyway. Next time, unless it's pretty serious, I won't be so week. I would have hung around as a
witness (and/or left my details), but no more.

What would others have done?

 

> But no. Some American woman jumps out of her car and shouts at me for a
few
> minutes to call the cops and an ambulance. Anything for an easy life, so I
> do.

Seen the signs of the back of a lot of ambulances these days? A picture of an ambulance and a taxi,
and the words "only one of these is a taxi service". Ambulances have better things to do than look
after things like this (e.g. collecting an unconcious cyclist after an accident. Ditto the police
(e.g. preventing serious cycling accidents in the first place). I would however, check that everyone
was ok, and if someone wanted to make a complaint, I'd hang around as a witness. And if someone
tells you to ring the police or an ambulance, if it matters that much to them, tell them to do it
themselves.

Glad no one was seriously hurt.

 

Thomas wrote: <lots cut out>
>
> But no. Some American woman jumps out of her car and shouts at me for a few minutes to call the
> cops and an ambulance. Anything for an easy life, so I do.
>
<more cut>
>
> What would others have done?

First thing to do would be ignore the American. I've nothing against Americans I have several
American relatives and friends, they are nice people, it's just most of them go over the top in what
ever they do.

If the girl was going to hospital any way the only other thing that I would have thought necessary
would be possibly an exchang of names/phone nos.
--
Mark

 

"David Gillbe" <david.NO^&[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > But no. Some American woman jumps out of her car and shouts at me for a
> few
> > minutes to call the cops and an ambulance. Anything for an easy life, so
I
> > do.
>
> Seen the signs of the back of a lot of ambulances these days? A picture of an ambulance and a
> taxi, and the words "only one of these is a taxi service". Ambulances have better things to do
> than look after things like this (e.g. collecting an unconcious cyclist after an accident. Ditto
> the police (e.g. preventing serious cycling accidents in the first place). I would however, check
> that everyone was ok, and if someone wanted to make a complaint, I'd hang around as a witness.
> And if someone tells you to ring the police or an ambulance, if it matters that much to them,
> tell them to
do
> it themselves.

I agree thoroughly about the taxi thing, and I was feeling pretty moo about the whole thing.
Anyways, the cops 'n' ambulence people didn't seem to mind nor tell anyone off, which was nice.

As it happens, a taxi was hailed to get the tourists back safely. To the bloke's credit, the cyclist
paid for it.

> Glad no one was seriously hurt.

Likewise. In fact, I think it's pretty fortunate that it was the cyclist that hit her - otherwise
I'm pretty sure the taxi in front of me would have.

 

On Sat, 31 May 2003 18:51:24 +0100 someone who may be "Thomas" <tom [at] greysheep [dot] co [dot]
uk> wrote this:-

>About ten seconds later, a group of four tourists step into the road without looking and, even
>after a shout from racing-bloke, step out into the road without looking. As expected, one of them
>gets hid hard from the bike and goes down.

<irony>She should have been wearing a helmet. Doesn't she know that they can prevent over 85% of
injuries? All pedestrians should wear them.</irony>

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

 

"Thomas" <tom [at] greysheep [dot] co [dot] uk> wrote in message
news:[email protected]... <snip>
> But no. Some American woman jumps out of her car and shouts at me for a
few
> minutes to call the cops and an ambulance.
<snip> Always think they know best ;o) Dave.
p.s. - make sure everyone involved knows who they are, where they are and where they're going, swap
names addresses and continue on my way thanking the 'Powers That Be' (tm) that I wasn't
involved in the accident......

 

On Sat, 31 May 2003 18:51:24 +0100, "Thomas" <tom [at] greysheep [dot] co [dot] uk> wrote:

[snip crash report & unhelpful American]

>What would others have done?

I would have given name & address as witness to both sides and trundled off into the far distance.
As long as they're all conscious and substantially unharmed, calling the cops / ambulance is a waste
of everybody's time. If I'd been the cyclist I'd have called in at the local cop shop in passing and
asked if they wanted an accident report (they won't, but it never hurts to show willing).

And then I'd have got on with enjoying the nice sunshine.

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

On Sun, 01 Jun 2003 17:18:35 +0100, "Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sat, 31 May 2003 18:51:24 +0100, "Thomas" <tom [at] greysheep [dot] co [dot] uk> wrote:
>
>[snip crash report & unhelpful American]
>
>>What would others have done?
>
>I would have given name & address as witness to both sides and trundled off into the far distance.
>As long as they're all conscious and substantially unharmed, calling the cops / ambulance is a
>waste of everybody's time. If I'd been the cyclist I'd have called in at the local cop shop in
>passing and asked if they wanted an accident report (they won't, but it never hurts to show
>willing).
>
>And then I'd have got on with enjoying the nice sunshine.
>

Following my recent crash I did nothing apart from pick myself up, make sure the bike was OK, get
the number of the car that had sped off (it was an incorrect number) then trundle off to the police
station and the hospital (via the Council Tax office).

I wish I'd stayed to take the details of those who had witnessed the accident. Fortunately,
several of those witnesses did phone the police with the details. The police arrived after I'd
left the scene.

James

--
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