I went to see Tom yesterday, (Sunday), using the trip to give the old Dragstar a run out to blow the cobwebs off. What a contrast to the TDM!!

Anyway, Tom's actually broken his shin bone in 3 places and has had the bone pinned from the knee downwards, and because it's been pinned they've not plastered his leg.

At first the hospital were concerned about spinal injuries, but after being examined, in Tom's words, he's fine from the neck down. Hmmm! He then had a CT scan and, again in Tom's words, they found nothing, so both tests have confirmed my long termed suspicions! Naturally, he's still in a lot of pain, but he's still in good spirits. Not sure if the morphine's got anything to do with that though!!

Apparently the staff are brilliant, although there was one fractious moment while I was there with the nurse taking the orders for the evening meal andTom asked if he could have chicken,

Nurse, “Yes Duck!”

Tom “No I want chicken”

Nurse “I know you want chicken Duck!”

Tom “No! I just want chicken! I don't like duck.”

Nurse “Who said anything about duck?”

Tom ” You did!”

At this point voices were getting raised, and to make matters worse one of her colleagues who had been entertaining the kids on the childrens' ward came to see what the fuss was about dressed in a Bug's Bunny costume and asked

“What's up Duck?” (Ba dum dum tsch!)

The accident occurred on the A515 near Biggin. Tom had just turned right and was starting to accelerate and go through the gears as the Land Rover Discovery came onto his side of the road and skidded 3 car lengths before hitting Tom, who had virtually stopped. Both offside wheels of the Disco ended up on the grass verge.

To cap it all, the woman driver had a go at Tom for pulling out on her, and then refused to call an ambulance, stating she had no signal on her phone. Tom persuaded her to get his phone out of his rucksack and try that, but she still insisted that she couldn't get a signal and the cheeky cow put his phone in her pocket. Tom managed to get it back from her, but in the meantime her friend was waving passers-by on saying that everything was OK. Eventually after begging her to get help, her friend ran to a local farm where the farmer called for assistance.

Once the farmer arrived at the scene, the woman in the Disco buggered off! Thankfully someone got her details and the police managed to track her down. Apparently they are charging her, but won't tell Tom what with.

Tom's still no idea of the damage to the bike, but the police reckon it's just front end damage.

Hopefully he'll be released on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. So get well soon Tom!

Rob D.

Thanks for the update Team, appart from the usual language barrier it seems like progress is being made which is all good news.

Get well soooon Tom n we can av u round to the club for a drink or two (chauffeur wont mind).

TNT x 

Hi All,

Im out of hospital and have been home for 5 days now.

As you probably know it was a head on collision where the woman driver came onto my side of the road at the last minute giving me no escape. It also turns out she was uninsured so any advice about dealing with an uninsured driver would be much appreciated.

I'd like to thank everyone at PMC for their sympathy and support to both me and my family. 

The Midlands Air Ambulance Service are the ones who attended the scene and as a biker that is the only way to travel to hospital as it was smooth and quick considering the rural location i was in.

We have made a donation to them and if anyone else would like to make a donation the address to send cheques to is:

Charity Headquarters, Unit 16 Enterprise Trading Estate, Pedmore Road, Brierley Hill, West Midlands, DY5 1TX 

Thanks again for your support and hopefully see you at the next meeting.

Tom

Tom,

       Iam pleased your on the mend and i hope you'll soon be back rideing, as mark says a good place to start is the Motor Insurers Bureau.

       I hope the police will be takeing action against the uninsured driver, as i fear a privet prosecution against a uninsured (probably pennyless) slapper wont be fruitful.

       I hesitate to suggest a “campaign” against uninsured drivers, as i fear the more militant members of the club could see it as a green light for public lynching.

regards, brads.

Tom,

Glad your back.  With some experience of this situation your own bike insurnace should follow this up as she is a third party as far as you are concerned.  They should take it up for your personal injury as this is all the MIB will cover, your bike will have to be looked after by your own insurance, Bummer!  Sorry I can't be more encouraging, but do get on to them and pester them and take up Ian's suggestion.  Don't let the “littigation blues” get you down, people who don't insure rely on it.  Keep plodding on it can be worth it even after a few years, 3 and 3 and 1/2 in my case.

David G