Bob Gilly - Update

[MattD]

Please pass on my regards to Bob - I was involved in an accident a few years ago with a car door , resulting in a broken colar bone that required an op . I dealt with http://www.alysonfrance.co.uk/,on a recommendation and cannot fault their service . Happy to answer any questions Bob may have about the claim process etc ..

[Wal]

Send him my regards too - hope to see him back on the mtb this summer!

[Bo-Gilly]

Thank you all for your kind wishes. I'm sorry I've haven't posted before, although I did previously write a long post it was somehow wiped off and I lost it all, due to loggin problems. I have now got a new password and hopefully will have better luck !

Firstly I'd like to thank Phil, Trev and all those who were there for moral support until the ambulance turned up. And of course the sweet lovely Michelle ! who came with me to the hospital.
Finally but not least, I'd like to thank and express my gratitude, to my Giro Hex which absorbed what I believe might have otherwise been a fatal blow to my head.

The accident occured about 30 metres pass Dean Lane Holey ( where the Happy Eater used to be ). I quite frankly haven't got a clue why the the car hit me, the road is so wide and me and Michelle were riding pretty close to the curb ( I had dropped back slightly from Michelle, in part, in preparation to start signaling for the Redhill righthand fork ). The police reckoned that driver ( minicab ) was probably distracted talking to his passengers.

Anyways, it would appear that the car side mirror hit my bike catapulting it forward, whilst catapulting me backwards. I landed on my back forcing my neck to whiplash and slamming the back of my head onto the tarmac - totally destroying my helmet. I remember being amazed that the impact didn't hurt my head at all. My bike got tangled up with Michelles' and she came off hers but landed on the grass verge with no injurys. She says that although I was thrown onto the middle of the road, I had dragged myself onto the grass verge before she had managed to get up. So not only did my helmet save my skull from being smashed, but it stopped me from laying unconscious in the middle of a dangerous road !

Luckily a Police car was in Dean Lane waiting to turn left, so Michelle was able to stop them and they dealt with the driver etc. He apparently told the police that he had been overtaking a long line of cyclists when I had pulled out and that is why he hit me. Unlucky for him, the police had just seen me and Michelle cycle pass them, and so were aware that we weren't part of a large group. And of course they saw the rest of the 15s return after the incident.

At the hospital they decided to keep me in for observations, as although my helment had saved me from the impact, I still had symptoms of concussion due to the jarring effect to my head. Later when I complained about severe back pain they decided to take x rays which showed that I had several fractured vertebras. The causality doctor managed to terrify me by suggesting that if I didn't lie flat without moving I might lose my legs and become incontinent ! An orthopedic doctor later told me that the fractures were stable. Later still they became concerned that I might have a raptured bowel because of abdominal pain (which apparently requires immeadiate surgery) but that proved to be false.

Anyway, hope to see you all again soon, in the meantime cycle safely

btw, although I always wear a helmet off-road, and always have on the CR, that saturday morning as I rushed to get ready, I did for a split second glance at my woolie beanie hat.

I'm glad I made the correct split second decision .........

[Andy K]

Sounds like a nasty incident and I just wanted to add my get well wishes to all the others.

[adrian]

Sounds horrific - pleased to hear you've come through it so well. All the best for a continued and speedy recovery.

[Andrew G]

Bit odd that they didn't seem to worry about doing x-rays until you said your back hurt.

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery and hope to see you out again soon.

[Marky Mark]

Bob sounds like a nice guy. So here's what we are going to do for him. We should (will) start a fund for him. So now can everybody please save all unused bubble wrap from your home and your offices if you have one. On Bob's return to the world we all know and love as cycling, we can then wrap him up in the above fore said mentioned fund of bubbles. We will all be safe in the fact that if he ever tries to pull this stunt again that he will bounce and continue the ride to the cafe for cake. Get well soon Bob.
Best wishes from Marky Mark

[Sylv]

Such bad luck, Bob. Let us know if you need anything .

[Marky Mark]

How are you feeling now Bob? Are you on the mend?

[Bo-Gilly]

Hi Mark,
Yes slowly getting there thanks. Not really been loggin onto the forum much, as I'm trying to avoid all bike related things - won't even buy bike magazines as they just remind me how frustrating it is not to be able to ride a bike !
I notice there's been talk of off-road rides recently which I find particularily frustrating - I don't want to hear about them !!!

Thanks everybody for your kind words, I am just about there now. It's now been 5 weeks and I'm now very mobile and can pretty much do everything, although I do get a bit of your bog standard 'lower back pain', if I overdo it a bit. I guess it'll be another couple of weeks or so before I'm back working on site. And also riding a BIKE !!

And thanks for the 'Bikeline' suggestion - they're on my case !

Anyways, see you all soon - ride safely

Bob

[ciad]

havent been on this forum for a while bob, so was sad to hear about your accident. hope you are getting better and hope to see you about soon.

[Bo-Gilly]

Thanks Cris. It's seven weeks now and apart from a few problems, everything has pretty much sorted themselves out. I've got an appointment with the orth. doc next thurs., hopefully he'll give me the all clear to get back on a bike. My road bike will take a little while longer to sort out however - it's still down Butlers' and the quote to get it fixed is £1495
Anyways, get your fat ar$e out sunday Cris, and I'll catch up with you soon