Celebration and a time to chill

Post by **Neil B** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:40 am

Okay folks, for those of you who have heard of the saga of the cycle accident I was involved in in September 2002 (3 weeks after I retired):

Today was the day in the small claims court.
Nearly 2 hours of questioning in front of the judge and the car driver's barrister.

Honesty and justice have prevailed and prayers have been well and truly answered.

I won the case, was awarded full damages and expenses for the bike plus a ridiculously high amount of personal injury compensation.
The personal injury money is a bit embarrasing, but if that is how the system works, so be it. I'm sure my church will benefit from a donation.

I know it isn't always the case, but this time, total honesty, openness and justice has prevailed.

I can get back to stress free normality now and start downloading some of your latest tracks.

Thanks for the emails and posts to all who wished me well for today. Your support has been much appreciated.

And no - I'm not going to buy a Noah or whatever - might buy the wife a new bike though.

paulrmartin · Post by **paulrmartin** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:45 am

Good news. Now I'm curious to know if the guy's going to pay....

wayne · Post by **wayne** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:57 am

great news, Neil - chill, celebrate with a couple of bishops fingers, and i shall crack a king brown of emu bitter with you

Post by **Neil B** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:59 am

Thanks guys
Yes Paul - the judge made sure that payment would be within 14 days.

Wayne - please be careful talking about the Bishops Fingers

Counterparts · Post by **Counterparts** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:00 am

Blimey - one and a half years..!

Glad to hear that you've come through it all, Neil.

Royston

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:10 am

didn't know it had grown into a court case. I'm happy to hear you got compensated tho! Going through the whole court thing must have been a drag.

Immanuel · Post by **Immanuel** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:46 am

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:51 am

...errrrmmm, how did it happend? Can it be reconstructed?

Congratulations, I'm glad everything went fine, and nevertheless, I'm sorry fo the guy that has to pay so much money... Anyway it was a mistake, and not in purpose...

Post by **garyb** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 12:40 pm

the big thumbs up!

Post by **Neil B** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:27 pm

Thankx again folks.

Yes, I'm sure it can be recreated but I wouldn't go through that again for more money, thanks anyway. The sight of half a tonne or more of metal coming at you and you can do nothing about it is not something that you want to see too often.

Ken - the court case wasn't so much a drag as an eternity arriving - lots of stress and tension in the last couple of weeks building up to it too. The case was interesting but I survived the heavy questioning and trick questions (yes, they tried everything) but I had a superb barrister.

Nestor - I'm a forgiving person and yes, I have forgiven him now, but as far as I am concerned it was not a mistake. Someone who was driving a car and didn't see me for 100 metres because he was using his mobile phone is not making a mistake - he is attempting manslaughter !!!!! He was helpful at the time of the crash but a blatant liar in court. I feel no sympathy at all even though I have forgiven. If he had misjudged by another 10Cm I would probably be dead - end of story. Perhaps I have saved the lives of other cyclists that he might have hit - he'll think twice now I hope.

Thanks for the thumbs up Gary - I know we don't seem to share many threads somehow but nice to know you're there for me and others too.

Immanuel - a smiley goes a long long way. I can understand yours better than Hubirds too

Royston - yeah 18 months has been a drag but the guy in after me had waited 6 years - and he had witnesses! So, you owe it to the innocents in the accident you saw to make sure that you can remember everything in case you're called as a witness - write it down for their sakes.

I've been saving a small bottle of Talsiker 10 Year Old single malt (sorry Chris, but this one was really hidden

when you came over). I think I'll enjoy it tonight.

ChrisWerner · Post by **ChrisWerner** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:38 pm

Hm, is it the small one in the left corner?
If I remember right I drunk up this too and filled it up with black tea again.
Sorry. <img src="http://www.pepp.de/hilfe/PIX/trink.gif"></img>
Anyway, congratulations, sometimes the truth wins.

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 1:40 pm

Wow Neil, I didn't know it was as serious as this...

darkrezin · Post by **darkrezin** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 2:07 pm

Nice result Neil.. I find that things tend to iron themselves out if you chill out about them and don't get all het up and angry about it, even if the injustice is immense. It's a lot better for your long-term health as well (stress is bad).

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 3:11 pm

On 2004-02-11 14:07, dArKr3zIn wrote:
Nice result Neil.. I find that things tend to iron themselves out if you chill out about them and don't get all het up and angry about it, even if the injustice is immense. It's a lot better for your long-term health as well (stress is bad).

Stress is bad: so simple, and so wise! You're so right!

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 7:56 pm

congrats Neil

of course most for your personal health - as another sports biker my sentiments are with you

I try to think ahead in dayly traffic, it has become an automatic to expect always the worst (doesn't bother me anymore), but even that cannot save you. Finally it's only luck.

cheers and good rides, Tom

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2004-02-11 19:58 ]</font>

Post by **hubird** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:20 pm

Good news Neil, congrats !!
Present the bike you'll give your wive during an exclusive dinner with candle light, the bike she will forget, but the dinner never

cheers to you!

btw I challenge you to demonstrate that even ONE smiley wasn't clear

_________________
Let There Be Music!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2004-02-11 21:40 ]</font>

Micha · Post by **Micha** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 4:56 am

Congratulations, and I hope the peace of mind while riding freely returns to your brain.

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:38 am

Seriously that is a very dangerous mode of transportation. I would not ride on one.

You going to buy any new synths?

Post by **Neil B** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 12:14 pm

Thanks again guys

Huub - no chance of a romantic candle-lit meal - she's way too insatiable as it is

Tom - perhaps I subconsciously spent more time off-road riding than on-road last year, but I won't let it put me off.
I'm always double careful on the road and quite an idiot sometimes off-road.

Braincell:
Yep, biking can be dangerous but I love being a bit extreme mountain biking and skiing. Probably road riding is the most dangerous nowadays.
You may not ride on one, but I refuse to go through life wrapped in cotton wool. I want to live life, not exist.
Am I going to buy any new synths? No for 2 reasons:
1: I'm b****y useless with the ones I've got half of the time

2: They don't make them with wheels, handlebars and disk brakes

Nice sentiments from you all.
Thanx

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 2:25 pm

On 2004-02-12 12:14, Neil B wrote:
... Probably road riding is the most dangerous nowadays...

definetely !
I've been smashed off once by a lady moving a 'long' car backwards out of her parking place right into the road without even a chance to see me or anyone else coming.

She almost broke into tears when seeing what she done, but now the bummer:
I was her second hit - she already had kicked someone else off the same way

Ok, I wore a helmet and got a new bike...
though, as Neil said, I'd rather prefer a different way to finance

cheers, Tom