Irregular Report 30
Team Soulcraft writes:
It's not every day that former Tour de France champion (?) Floyd Landis comes to town for a charity ride and shows up in your bike shop to borrow your autistic mechanic's Soulcraft while there's a dog fight going on in front of him, and after the ride proclaims the Soulcraft to be "one sweet ride." But, it happened today.Soulcraft makes custom steel frames in Petaluma. I like the high flange wheels. These must be Royales.
And Beth Bikes offers this from the Track Nats::
"here is me and meg kickin' it with floyd landis."
Racejunkie provides the definitive solution to end doping in the peloton for all time.
As pointed out in a comment, there was another Federal Case involving Landis (and co-conspirator Martha Stewart) that we'd missed,
The first page of the complaint:"FLOODING MY MIND"
It seems to have been dismissed. Can any of the attorneys here figure out why?
And you think cycling is a marginal sport with PED problems, Dept.
Bicykel writes,
Leave the pros alone.. leave floyd alone. He was forced into it.. it was peer pressure.. He caved big deal.Anyway. . …. . Look at any sport.. any sport. Doping is present in them all. Even in fucking race walking. Whats more surpising, the fact they were doping or the fact that people compete in race walking?
Alas, poor bike, we hardly new ye, Dept.
Back home last Friday from a 9 day stay at the hospital following my accident, I've managed to look at the bike that was brand spanking new at the end of June.
Top tube.I wonder if I have any carbon nanotubes in the lacerations? That could be a whole new type of injury.
Top tube, side view. Yes, that is an original Bell Biker helmet in the rack..
The PowerTap SL 2.4 wheel isn't looking so good.
The brown stuff is blood, but the helmet did its job.The insurance company hasn't returned my calls once I faxed them the police report that concluded, with four witness statements (including the driver), that it was the driver's fault. Maybe they didn't like the replacement bike cost quoted from the Competitive Cyclist. I offered them broken parts only for less, and they seemed not to like that either. I guess I'll need to take the next step and refer this all to a personal injury attorney.
I talked to one of the witnesses, who had come down the hill behind me in his car. We were going about 30 mph, and the driver pulled in front of me when we were 50-60 feet apart. He said I braked and veered, and the driver stopped. (At about 44 feet-per-second, that's 1.25 seconds to do anything.) He was amazed that I didn't go straight into it. He said the fender on the SUV was dented, the rear side window broken, and the frame of that window bent, presumably by the helmet.
The CHP on scene, seeing the cracked frame, reported "minor" damage to the bike. I guess as long as it is basically in one piece it is considered "minor". You just apply a torch and bend the frame back, right?
8 comments:
TbV,
Hope you are healing well and beginning to feel better.
Perhaps send a fax / make contact with the insurance company one more time, noting that if you have not gotten a satisfactory response by x date, your next contact will be made via your attorney.
Get well, jrd
I think it likely that you can find plenty of legal assistance, should the need arise, from the attorneys that have been following your blog for over two years. I think you've earned it!
Turns out, if you need an expert witness on the technical skills involved descending steep inclines on a road bike, the handling qualities of BMC products, or how serious a cycling injury can be, and that avoid a hip resurfacing is an inportant thing, I know of someone in Murreita CA that is quite knowledgeable on the subject. He has some litigation experience too.
Get well soon.
Home and in your own bed, that is GREAT! Many of the legal persuasion and others will echo the fact that most likely you have three years before you need to sign of on injury. It is probably different in CA but thats the law in WA. So don't be in a hurry 'till all the aches and pains and issuances are finished.
A good time for all of us to count our blessings. Here's hopin' for a complete and fast recovery. Support your local Traumatic Brain Injury Support Group. Cheers, L.
Geez TBV, MINOR damage to the bike? So glad you are home and relatively "OK". Hang in there buddy....
str
Next step is back on the bike ...
Don't rush it bud. It really does take a while to get over major trauma. My last major incident ( which kindly gave the gift of amnesia), hung around for a long time (even after I'd remembered that I'd had an accident !).
On the other hand, get out there as soon as you can. Is your Diablo challenge still out of the question ?
Sorry about the pain and suffering endured by your bike, TBV, but very glad to hear your own is easing enough to bring you home from the hospital--I hope you're all better and back on your bike soon!
racejunkie
TbV, I'm regular reader, and extremely glad you are healing and hitting those keys again.
I was hit by a car over a year ago, and while fortunate enough to walk away bruised and shaken (my medical bills were hundreds, not thousands), I would echo others' comments: take your time and don't settle quickly. 16mos later on, I might have had a legitimate case had I kept it open against subsequent back and knee problems. But more likely it is just I'm getting old..
I think you should be able to separate your loss of personal property claim from the medical claim. My guess is a lawyer for medical issues is warranted, but not an effective lever to get your bike back. Both the insurance company and the lawyers are mainly concerned about/interested in the relatively large, and perhaps indeterminate cost of your medical bills compared to that of your bike, no matter how expensive it is. Perhaps you can use the insurance company's own resources, to counteract the obvious mistaken CHP's judgement should you need it.
In my case the insurance company hired an 'independent insurance adjuster' to come and look at the broken bike and bits. He was actually pretty decent guy (a retired engineer). I had both Colorado Cyclist estimates, as well as LBS's in a spreadsheet to compare, and the company pretty much gave me what I asked for after three months or so of painful waiting. As example LBS was pretty helpful to explain to that guy that the cost of replacing pieces of scratched up brake lever is way too high..best to get a new one.
Anyway, I hope you get well and strong soon and back out there.
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