Cough it up ..you know you're wrong!!!

Back in December I had a bit of a slide on my scoot , Tammy, and slid my ar*e 65 feet down the Newtown Road. Now, as it happens, Severn Trent were 100% in the wrong but as you might expect would not admit liability. The law stands that if someone does not admit liability in 3 months then you sue them and take them to court to fleece them. Well what do you know? Severn Trent, 3 months to the dot, paid up without a quibble. None of the "reducing your estimate for damages" was heard, they just paid up. Of course they also didn't admit liability but why pay up if they're innocent ? I should have claimed way more, now I think about it but I am happy to see an end to it and get Tammy repaired so I can sell her.
XVS here I come!

Slip sliding away.....

Well it had to happen at some point I guess and happen it did in style. I am talking about an accident I had this morning at the top of Newtown Road. I set off for work as usual at about 5.30'ish in the morning, taking extra care because of the hard frost the night before and made my way up to the top of Ronkswood Bank. What I didn't know was that a water leak, left unattended ALL weekend, had turned into an ice rink on the other side of the brow of the hill. Yep, you guessed it, as I hit the ice I crashed the bike and proceeded to slide on my ass for 65.2 feet ( as calculated by the insurance company on Google Earth) coming to a halt some way down the road. I was helped up by a passer by who remarked on the prang as "spectacular". A Police car soon arrived, having been notified by a motorist who nearly crashed, and I chose, at this point, to phone Tree. As I was on the phone, another bike came over the hill and slid past me, missing me and the Policeman by inches. Tree was going crazy by this time as all she heard was me shout "Noooooo" very loudly and then the sound of the crash as his bike disintegrated.

I went on to work and got checked out as okay, apart from bruising, but, in hindsight, I should have taken the rest of the day off. It was a good job I wear an armoured jacket as I certainly would have broken my arm without it. The elbow plate is cracked and the arm torn.

Tammy, however, took the brunt of the crash and looks in a very sorry state. I am still riding her but she needs a full makeover. My insurers are taking a case against the local water authority for negligence in doing nothing about the leak, knowing there was a frost due, so I should get her fully repaired. I, meanwhile, feel more than a bit stiff and achey now the adrenaline is wearing off !!!

Oh I almost forgot, I also got a mention on Radio Wyvern as the "White bike man". There is now traffic lights and one way traffic, a frost sign, a slow sign, a police slow sign and a slippery road sign out at the scene. Smacks of too little, too late !!!!!!

Good News!!!!!

Following up the blog concerning John, the cyclist run over on at Link Top, I can report that he is now home convalescing and is expected to make a full recovery. Taking into account his age (65), and the fact he was hit by no less than two cars, I think this is bloody amazing! Just goes to show how resilient and tough the human body can be, not forgetting self will and determination on his part. Well done John!!!
Otherwise, not much to report. The shop is going slow but sure, which is to be expected at this time of year, and both Tree and I are waiting on certain Festies to get back to us and confirm so I can get on with preparing for them.
We went to the Spring show last Sunday and bought loads of new stock and bought shed loads of crystal on Monday. Ooh I love inventories and price listing.......Not! Oh well, it keeps me busy.

A happy and not so happy New Year.

This was to be a cheerful first blog post of the year, however events last night have tainted it a little. Taking some time out in the first two weeks of January, I have stated to complete the work on the house, ready for selling it. It is good to see things moving again and a light at the end of the tunnel. In addition, I have made loads of mirrors to replace all of the ones I sold at Christmas. By the time we had closed the shop on Christmas Eve I had sold all of my existing stock!
However, yesterday put a bit of a damper on things after work. Tree and I were driving home and, as we came down the Worcester Road off Link Top in Malvern I saw a man lying in the middle of the road. I screeched to a halt and both Tree and I leapt out of the car. Unfortunately, someone driving up the hill didn't see him and ran into him. Chaos ensued as Tree, along with two others, started directing traffic, that was still heading towards him, around to a side road. I ran over to his side and started to assess the situation. He was lying in the recovery position and I checked to see he was conscious. He knew his name but had no idea where he was or what had happened. He was bleeding copiously from his ear and nose, which is not good. After what seemed an age the ambulance arrived and the paramedics took over. The whole time this was going on it was raining hard and everyone was having a hard job keeping the traffic moving and not rubber necking. One person was so impatient with the queue of traffic they pulled out and tried to overtake which would have resulted in another accident. Tree was brilliant, as was everyone, and I was well impressed how we all kept it together. All those years of working in A&E paid off I think!
What seems to have happened is that John, the victim, was cycling down the hill when a car pulled out from the left. He went over the bonnet and up in the air landing on his head on the other side of the road. We arrived just after it had happened but before the second car hit him. The second car DID NOT STOP!!!!!!
As the ambulance took him away we asked how he was and were told it was not looking good. We then had to stick around while the Police closed off the road, top and bottom, as it was now getting much more serious. No-one could remember the make or model of the hit and run car. We gave statements and finally were let go at about 8.30pm, by which time we were soaked to the skin. The man from the car, John initially hit, was distraught and a woman who helped me keep John conscious was in shock as well. Both Tree and I slept uneasily last night and dreamt about what happened over and over.
Worcester Evening News- Man involved in Hit and Run