VAMPIRES CAN FLY.

[VLAD (the Friendly Vamp)]

Yep - it finally happened today - after 8 years of cycling and a truly crap week it got even worse.VLAD learnt how to fly today.unfortunately he was still attached to his bike - only for a short time though.There I was having a nice ride in the country lanes around Warwickshire.   Then I crested a hill and went down the other side with the intention of turning right under a rail bridge to go up another hill.Down I went at 30  mph and slowed down and saw a car coming towards me.   Then   -  Horror   - he turns to his right and cuts across my path.Slamming on the brakes now with only 10 feet to go and swerves to the left to try to avoid him and hit the verge.   Car driver however still carries on and I collide with his f*%&king BULL Bars and go flying over his bonnet 6 foot in the air, and lands on Terra Ferma to find that its really very hard actually, and bounces up 3 feet in the air before coming down again.Have severe lower back pain and right ankle pain.Here comes to cavelery.   AIR AMBULANCE.Taken by Air Ambulance on a spinal board to Coventy Hospital where they cut off all me best racing outfit. Have 15 X Rays and now glow in the dark.Stayed in Hospital for over 5 hours and then released without any broken bones at all.Have severe swelling to right lumber area and right ankle looks as big as me thigh.   Ain't Gas and Air great stuff though. Wife collected me from hospital and brough freah cloths as had nothing left.   Recovered bike on way home to find the old lady who looked after it say "Its all in one piece love"On quick look bike has following damage now - possible bent rear stays,nackerd forks, bent new bars, brake levers broken and a saddle that looks to the sky.   New 1380 Dura ace wheels still need to be checked out.Also me brand new Sony Erricson phone is bent like a bannana and cracked screen.Have contacted British Cycling as a Gold Member and hold a race licence.Fellow Bobbies from Warwickshire did arrive - not very caring at all - Buggers.   Have got incident number though and bloke was insured.Now sitting at home in great pain and discomfort.At least I get to watch the tour every day now for the next week or so.

[Ed Hobbs]

Hope you mend ok,best eat those lo cal donuts as you cant ride for a while

[Tom Knowlton]

Unbelievable. No doubt the driver "didn't see you". Hope you recover quickly.

[Gary Sellars]

Put your feet up have a rest and enjoy the racing,get back on the bike asap injuries permitting.Try and get a new bike out of the claim.

[Stephen Casey]

And I was feeling solrry for you reading about your weekend disappointments.  Get well soon and enjoy the Tour.  We expect regular updates as our new resident tour reporter.

[Bally]

I see a new Trek and all the latest gadgets coming out of all these accidents....... Or, are you getting back at Sarg for messing up your Wales event?! What was the Driver's reaction when he knew you were a Police chappy?!!VLAD, you are cursed or has young Staniford been coaching you, awful luck mucker, all the best with the recovery.

[pic_man]

Well it looks like it'll take a while longer for you to get to travel to sunny Wales.  I do hope you recover quickly Vlad.  Glad there are no breaks, but it does sound like you're going to be sore for a while.  Hows the noggin?

[Ashley Webster]

Hope you're feeling better soon and back on your (new) bike.  At least you'll have Duffers on Eurosport to keep you company while you look through the new bike catalogues Try to look on the bright side, to quote Monty Python; ultimately a bike can be repaired / replaced and there's no lasting damage to you and which is the main thing.  +1 to above point about getting back out ASAP.

[viccas]

lol. DUFFIELDS CURSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Salmon]

Blimey, you've really upset someone 'up there' Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

[VLAD (the Friendly Vamp)]

Update: Just had my Local Bike Shop look at the bike.   Its Now Officially a write off.   TREK have confirmed that it should be written off.   Also rear wheel of 1380 Dura Ace set also busted.Had contcat from the Sols in London Via British Cycling - They sound very very good - I'm impressed.

[ClaudB]

I'm sorry to hear of your crash Vlad and hope you are 100% soon.Just enjoy Le Tour - some people will do anything to get some time off work !!

[Greg Quinn]

Wow bad luck Vlad glad your in one piece and your on the mend. So you would recommend a British Cycling Gold membership? Is your bike insured?Hope your recovery goes well and you get a new bike and wheels at no cost to yourself.

[Strangely Brown]

Still, it could be worse... erm...

[Jersey Ninja]

Bad luck mate. I wish you a speedy recovery.I recommend a course of TdF viewing and browsing bike porn.Ps - Aren't bull bars illegal in the UK?

[peter b 3]

Look forward to reading your contribution to every thread now you've nothing else to do! Hope you get mended soon!

[Richard Hallett]

Tom Knowlton wrote (see)Unbelievable. No doubt the driver "didn't see you". Hope you recover quickly.On the contrary, it is all too believable, especially as it involves VLAD - who is now the official RCUK site bad luck recipient. Email me your address and size (better be 5) , VLAD, and I'll post you a compensatory RCUK jersey. Good to hear the local plod are as unsympathetic with one of their colleagues as they may be expected to be with the general cycling public...

[Ernie Simmons]

bull bars are now but if there already on there then you dont have to remove them (i think)

[Ken]

Bad luck VLAD - hope you mend fast.  Curious as to where it occurred ?

[VLAD (the Friendly Vamp)]

Little village of Wootton Wawen as you come under the rail way bridge into the village from Morton Baggot.link to map here

[steven ward]

Get well soon.......The solicitors Bcf use are excellent, so no worries there, Ps be sure to pick plenty of physio treatment up, for a quicker  recovery.

[phil parker]

Bad Luck, Vlad, mate - at least you don't appear to have any serious or long lasting injuries and as some people have said it could have been much worse!!Unfortunately it was for my mate and work colleague just recently on the outskirts of Porlock who was hit from behind by a car, 3 days before departing to do the Raid Pyrenean; it will take him some time to recover from the many injuries he incurred because the car driver had the sun in his eyes!!! Speedy recovery!!

[Tom Staniford]

Ah, unlucky, mate. Really hope you get well soon!

[Ken]

VLAD (the Friendly Vamp) wrote (see) Little village of Wootton Wawen as you come under the rail way bridge into the village from Morton Baggot.link to map hereYes, know it, stopped for tea at the craft centre there .... a reminder, as if we needed it, that danger is never far away, even on fairly quiet roads such as these.  Hope the driver gets appropriate justice.

[pic_man]

'Unfortunately it was for my mate and work colleague just recently on the outskirts of Porlock who was hit from behind by a car, 3 days before departing to do the Raid Pyrenean; it will take him some time to recover from the many injuries he incurred because the car driver had the sun in his eyes!!!'Amazing how many drivers don't have the basic road craft  to slow down and take more care when they can't see their way clear.

[puddings]

good luck with the recovery - the Met has some amazing physio services, dont know if your force has the same - even knocks and bruises are worth getting looked at to make sure that they are not hiding tendon and ligament damage

[VLAD (the Friendly Vamp)]

Thanks Everyone.I know I was very very lucky and if it wasn;'t for my own quick reactions it would have been a very diffrent outcome.

[Richard Hallett]

pic_man wrote (see)'Unfortunately it was for my mate and work colleague just recently on the outskirts of Porlock who was hit from behind by a car, 3 days before departing to do the Raid Pyrenean; it will take him some time to recover from the many injuries he incurred because the car driver had the sun in his eyes!!!'Amazing how many drivers don't have the basic road craft  to slow down and take more care when they can't see their way clear.It's because the law does not and never has punished the way of thinking that says being unable to see ahead is sufficient excuse to hit someone.

[Mike the bike]

Hope you heal quickly. The urge for revenge is an unproductive, childish and immature emotion, so take the prat to the cleaners!!Maybe a big hike in next year's insurance premium will encourage him to look where he's going.

[pic_man]

Richard, I think it has more to do with selfishness to the nth degree when people are behind the wheel;  that they're invincible and it nothing matters more than them getting from A-B doing in the least time with the least effort. That and not being taught properly to drive defencively.  Punishment and the law does little to stop people's bad behaviour for the most part - they do what they can get away with.  cf speeding.

[Mike Norden]

Hope you get well soon Vlad.Now this could be a strange coincidence, but last night whilst cycling home from work at 10pm,  I saw and felt what I thought was a large moth land on my forhead.  I tried to gently brush it away, but it seemed to cling to my hand.  On stopping to examine it, it turned out to be Bat.  It remained motionless for a few seconds before taking off , seemingly unharmed.(Probably flew home to complain about speeding cyclists that dont look where they are going?)

[VLAD (the Friendly Vamp)]

Nah,As I can,t cycle at the moment I'm flying around at night to make sure everyone is OK.

[Jorrin Peereboom]

Vlad, sorry to hear that mate. Get well soon.

[Jorrin Peereboom]

Re the Leigh Day and Co outfit (the BC solicitors) - they do require pushing and they do require you to assert the importance of the case and getting updates. You have an advantage being a bobbie and presumably being aware of different procedures and things to do in the start-up of a case whether legal+insco route or just insco, but many a time I have felt I was doing their job for them (see some of my posts on the site about them) so keep them on a short leash.

[VLAD (the Friendly Vamp)]

Cheers Jorrin.

[Jim288]

Vlad, very sorry to learn about the accident.  Salutary reminder it could happen to any of us.Didn't he hear your bell warning him you were there?

[NickF]

Bad luck there Vlad, hope you heal quickly.  I've not been able to ride outdoors for 6 weeks now - not fun, but leTour makes it a little more bearable.  You get a good excuse to buy a new bike at some point too.  Hope there's no long-term damage - at your age you never know

[Graham Gamblin]

Get well soon Vlad. Hope you get a payout for a nice new bike.I know Wooten Wawen - it's where the wooten wabbits wive. Arf arf.

[Over The Hill]

It could have been worse. ("How many times am I going to read that?" I hear you shouting.) I've spent the last twenty five years without my top front teeth as a result of a similar incident.But what really hurt was my first NEW bike, my shiny RED Carlton Grand Prix, was well and truly BENT - never got over that, really.Still, at least you haven't been as foolish as me: left the hospital after an hour or so, walked the last couple of miles to work, and carried on.Very sorry to hear of your misfortune. Hope you're well and rebicycled soon.

[Tom Staniford]

I've spent the last 4 years without my top front teeth. I have a bridge now!

[VLAD (the Friendly Vamp)]

YIPEE ATTENDED MAGISTRATES COURT TODAY ITS NOW OFFICIAL. THE OTHER DRIVER HAS NOW GOT A CONVICTION FOR DRIVE WITHOUT DUE CARE. ALSO GOT A FINE OF £435 AND 5 POINTS.

[pic_man]

Good but pity they didn't get a ban and a retest imho.

[Ashley Webster]

A good result overall, Vlad.  How's the comeback trail going?If you let your insurance company know, they may be able to recover their costs from him as well and hopefully preserve any NCB you get on your policy.

[Jersey Ninja]

Good news indeed!