kingalton

just a note, my medical aid only paid for the operation basically which was R8000, the rest came out of the medical savings and now my own pocket..

yip, so I just need to suck it up and fit the bills - so now my next bike has to be R30k+ cheaper

Exactly, they keep changing the laws, which in the end protect the guilty and the innocent suffer??

naught bru, that deserves CAPS!!

Hi all Just a note on claiming for medical expenses from a driver which hits you on your bike. long story short, I was taken out on the 15th of March while out on my bike, car came past 5 other guys behind me and knocked me off my bike, I hit the ground hard and luckily all that was broken was my hand.. I was as close as possible to the edge of the road and we were in single file, totally the drivers fault the problem is I hit the ground very hard with my head, helmet cracked, cut above my eye.. I needed to go for xrays, catscans etc as well as the operation. so the initial scans and xrays depleted my savings account and I have started receiving a lot of bills from the different doctors and hospitals for all that was done. the bills are coming thick and fast and its already amounting to over R30K. my shoulder is still very sore when I lift it at certain angles, so will need to check that out as well.. anyway, I claimed from the insurance for my damaged bike and helmet and all the rest and the paid out, but they don't pay for medical bills. I chatted the legal people at the insurance company and I cannot by law claim and medical expenses from the IDIOT that hit me, I have to claim from the RAF... which is a massive mission and will cost me more for lawyers fees etc... so this IDIOT just carries on as if nothing happens, I have to fork out thousands of rands due to his negligence.. it doesn't make sense. I should be able to claim from the guy that hit me, HE should take some responsibility for his wrong doing.. see the note from the legal people below As confirmed telephonically with you this afternoon, unfortunately any claims relating to injuries sustained, medical bills or loss of income as a result of a motor vehicle accident have to be submitted against the Road Accident Fund. Unfortunately in 2008, the Road Accident Fund Act was amended and this amendment dispelled of any claims of this nature that you may have against the wrong doer – in effect making you as the suffering / innocent party obligated to claim against the RAF only. The only recourse we have against the third party is for costs incurred in repairing damage he has caused to property (vehicles etc). We will forward this claim to the insurers of your policy, to institute recovery action against the third party for these costs. PS sorry, the long story short, became long again :-)

3 x 11? isn't that a bit of an overkill?

remember to take your road bike, not your tri bike (I take it its draft legal?)

haha, thanks

Pins and staples out, was crazy sore (I might be soft) almost fainted and was very nauseous.. Doc was happy with the new xrays, bone has aligned correctly... new cast for 3 weeks, then should be done.. going for my first run this evening and will try go for a road club ride on Sunday.. on the road back to recovery :-)

Will do, thanks

pins and stapples come out tomorrow, been a month today since the accident, month since I did anything to break a sweat - cant wait to get back onto my bike and go for a run... luckily I have only picked up 1 kg in this month, the first few sessions are gonna hurt though...

Weight is not the main consideration in TT\Tri bikes, aero dynamics is most important.. that being said, on a hilly course you don't want a 13kg bike to get up the hills.. my bike is under 9kgs, which is a decent weight for a TT bike

death wish

contact mytrainingday, they are based there in Cpt, super professional.. you get your programs on time, can call them anytime for advise.. would have got me through my first IM this weekend if I wasn't taken out by a car.. did my first triathlon last year October and did my first half ironman in 5:36 with their coaching, did the buffels ultra in 5:14 I think it was, their coaching REALLY helps.. the best is it takes the guessing and doubt about over and undertraining away..

I think coaching is most important to ensure we aren't over training, we tend to do to much without a coach, not to little...

"everyone" has to start one thread about idiot cyclist or idiot motorists or idiot runners etc.. its usually the only thread they start on the topic.. they soon realise its pretty pointless.. and they usually end up being the target.

The only thing that doesn't add up is the fact that the OP liked the post, by Witkop, which flamed him..?

I can't see anyone paying the price he did without thinking it was legit?

Agree, the OP got duped! If I got duped and was "happy" until I found out about being duped, it doesn't mean I must stay happy with the situation.. I would do everything in my power to destroy them. Must I contact the distributors each time I buy a bike to ensure it's not fake? No, you trust the shop you buy from! Sense, go look it up in Wikipedia!

the epic is very easy - compared to the months of HARD, Hectic training, dedication, no social life, eat, sleep and shyte MTBing getting ready for the race. Its an insanely tough race, those roadies in Europe cross train on MTBs and cyclocross, Rabon, has done extremely well to get to that level so quickly though, but if you see him on the bike, he is working hard, looks much more laboured than his partner.. bent double over the bars...

had the op on the hand.. out of IM ;-(

The problem with all these posts are we are preaching to the converted.. We all know how we should ride to stay safe, by we I mean the majority of the hubbers.. The awareness needs to get out there into the real world, not the hub world, we are a "handful" of people.. The OP is correct, they are chops, but chances are they don't read the hub, the cyclists that are moaned about, the triathletes that are moaned about, the runners that are moaned about, the motorists that are moaned about will most probably never ever read about the stupidity here.. It's just us and we are already aware..

ping

This is a great idea and getting carte Blanche to do a story on the problem would be super.. I have really been thinking about it and there is an issue, carte Blanche reaches a relatively small audience.. By small, I mean select.. We need to get SABC and Etv. Involved, the masses need to be educated as well. The guy that took me out on the weekend, wasn't part of the "carte Blanche audience" It's the same as twitter and Facebook, it reaches a lot of people, but not all walks of life.. Take the "just a second" campaign and the campaign I am trying to start today "I can drive while..." Most of the people following these twitter handles are cyclist or friends and family of cyclists.. (I may be wrong, but it just seems that way) people that already have a vested interest. I know Dangle is doing a great job with "just a second" with the radio interviews etc - so don't get me wrong.. We need to get non cycling "celebs" or "businesses" to endorse these initiatives, they need to relay the messages to the general public. Insurance companies come to mind, they are directly involved and reach a massive target audience. It's almost like we are preaching to the converted at the moment.. Please don't get me wrong, I am not dissing any initiatives currently out there, I just think we need to try get it OUT there.. I don't have all the answers, but if anyone wants to sit down and come up with possible solution, I am wiling to assist and brainstorm...

I have been guilty of most of these things, we all are.. Need to start with the change somewhere, so I am pledging to stay alert and concentrate 100 % on the road..