Hey folks,
Just to let you know I am that cyclist and thankfully appears to be only minor injuries.
What happened is, I was coming round the ferrytoll roundabout from castlandhill road in the right hand lane heading for the bridge, I had just passed the junction from inverkeithing/park & ride and a car pulled out and hit me on my left side. My left hip and arm took the brunt of it and I was knocked down to the ground.
I was just pulling over to the left into the bus lane and then onto the cycle path when it happened. I was actually past the junction so I was facing more or less in the same direction as the driver, which I guess is better than running straight into the side of him.
I remember hearing the engine revving behind me then being hit and lying on the ground. I remember thinking "shit, I hope no one runs over me". I saw the car stop a bit further up the road and the guy came back. A few other people came and checked on me and helped me off the road.
The pain in my left leg was intense, I was sure it was broken. I was checked over by the ambulance and they reckoned it was just soft tissue damage.
I really want to thank the people who stopped to help me, and those who saw it happen and offered to be witnesses if needed. They were very kind.
To be fair the driver did seem totally shocked that it happened, I don't think he saw me at all. I did have my lights on with a steady light and a flashing light, it was around 5:30-5:45pm I think so still light, although it was raining and quite overcast and dull.
Like I'd imagine most cyclists do, I always cover the brakes at junctions just in case anyone does pull out in front of me, which did actually happened just prior to this while going through Pitreavie and I had to slam the brakes on. But this time I was past the junction and thought I was safe, there was nothing I could do to avoid it as he came up so quick from behind.
So 3 days on and I'm on painkillers but still in a lot of pain in my hip, arm, inside of my leg and groin, and in my neck where I must've got whiplash. But I do know that it could've been a lot worse and I'm very lucky. In July 2010 I had a mountain biking accident where I broke my left collar bone and suffered a compression fracture to L1 vertebrae, this was going through my mind if I'd damaged my back again, but it does not appear to be any sorer than usual :)
It's funny as I've just been boring everyone to death with all this cycle safety, the times campaign and the pedal on Parliment stuff which have been making news lately.
I do think this is a bad road if you're coming from Queensferry, Ferrytoll Rd or Castlandhill Rd as there is no cycle path/lane, whereas coming from Inverkeithing is not so bad as there is a cycle lane there and then you can jump on the path before the roundabout. But for me coming from Dunfermline, Castlandhill Rd is the most direct route. I think I may change and head through Inverkeithing in the future.
Anyway, thanks for the concern guys, and stay safe!
Maybe see you's at Pedal on Parliment on the 28th.
Carl