I got hit by a car on Tuesday. After twenty years of travelling. After 96 countries worth of dodgy buses, minivans and rickshaws. The first time I get injured by a mode of transport is on Euston Square in London.
The guy was a travelling salesman from Glasgow. He turned in off Euston Road and collected me as I crossed the road. I had right of way. The little green man was beckoning me across. He just wasn’t watching where he was going.
Thankfully the guy pulled over to the side of the road and called the police on his hands-free mobile phone. He wound the window down and asked me if I needed an ambulance. My left knee took most of the brunt. (That’s a picture of my jeans above –the impact left an imprint the tyre size!) It was a bit sore but not enough to warrant going to hospital.
His mobile was on speakerphone and when the policewoman asked for his personal details he told me to step back and wound up his window. I think he thought I was trying to scam him. The Brits are so paranoid about that sort of thing here.
Anyway, I was left standing like a shag on a rock until a police car arrived a few minutes later. They took down both mine and the driver’s details, gave me an incident number and asked if there was anyone I’d like to be notified. I said no and hobbled back to the library.
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do now. My knee seems OK. And the tyre mark will wash out of my jeans.
Just put it down to experience, I guess.
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Gosh, you were lucky. Having grown up and then spent 20 years of adult life in London, much of which commuting around the Euston area, I can assure you your experience is very unusual.
It should have been a cyclist that knocked you down on a crossing and rather than stop, the vehicle operator should have sworn at you for being there and then carried on.
Be glad it was a tourist that knocked you down! That’s why he stopped.
What should you do now? Same as we Brits do – whinge about it for a while, notice nobody seems to care very much, then carry on with life. Stiff upper lip and all that.
Alternatively, wander into a hospital A&E / Casualty (I forget what we call them now) and have them take a look. Assuming you have nothing to do for the next eight hours.
PS I’ve just finished reading “NSITT” which is why I’ve visited your web site for the first time. The first travel guide I’ve trusted. The world owes you an immense debt for gathering the experience you have condensed into that gem.
You could try selling the jeans at a profit – right trendy damage that is.
Gosh, lucky you haven’t got any serious injuries! Keep us posted on this.
Surely, but surely, that guy should be done for careless driving, or ‘without due care and attention’ or whatever they call it. He broke a rule/law after all. He was lucky – as were you – that the consequences weren’t far more serious.
The police won’t have told you, but you’re probably due compensation as a ‘victim’. A similar thing happened to me a few years ago and I received a letter from a police-related organisation within a few weeks. Can’t recall the details.
Don’t just let it slide, Peter.
And by the way, I think you’ve got a great pitch to the jeans companies.
Cripes! Hope you’re OK Peter, and that there wasn’t delayed shock.