Hit-and-Run

cant get a more literal title than that. 
decided to do a post since this is the biggest bike accident i have to date by far. actually, i wouldn't call it an accident but to me, it just felt like an intentional hit and run. ok.. let me start.

it was 4th april, sunday night.
i had a good and smooth day. too good and smooth that towards the evening.. i was like.. how come today so good. too good to be true. the day before, it was shit coz... i had an accident. IKR.
ok to put things into perspective, i've been riding for 11+ yrs . i dont have any accidents. other than stupidly dropping my bike at carparks, i scrapped a side of a car before coz i accidentally hit the curb and the rebound hit the car ahhas (this one my bad); and had 3 self-skids. 1 at the bend at ecp coz i was riding under pressure from a car behind while the road was wet; 2nd was at this zebra crossing coz the bicycle signaled for me to go first... then i go, then he go wtf. so this one idk who in the wrong... coz based on traffic rules, i should give way to ppl using the pedestrians.. but he signaled for me to go while he stopped while he was on his bicycle but decided to go when i'm going. ok 3rd one was at Betong.. going in too fast into deep bend and my rear tyre hit a sand bed and just didnt have enough forward traction to keep the bike moving forward.

ok so 3rd april, was just heading out from my house cp. at the stop line, waiting for the on-coming traffic to clear before i can do a right turn, this car suddenly hit me from behind. like she totally didnt see me while i was on the slight right of the midline of the lane. the impact was enough to send my bike into the major road and i saw an oncoming blue taxi. my relfex was good enough to force me to turn my handle bar to the left while the taxi swerved out onto his right lane to avoid me. he didnt even have time to horn. thank God there wasn't any car on his right while i managed to get out of his way as well. also thank God i just cut my seat so both my legs could stabilize my light bike. i put my bike on side stand awhile to compose myself while the driver came out to apologize. she was super apologetic. i briefly checked my bike... i guess because of the build up of traffic, i was under abit of pressure so it seemed all ok and i just rode off without taking her plate no. and details. its probably something i regretted coz after a closer inspection while i parked at a safer place, i realized my rear fender was damaged. the center piece was broken and bent inward, rubbing on the rear tyre while the light cover was broken as well. other than that, my number plate was also bent. so yea, all my friends were saying that i shouldn't let her go.. probably could have asked for $100 to pay for damages or sent her the receipt for repairs. yea, so she got lucky, while i was just sian the whole day.

 

so the next day. 4th april 2021. was about 8.30pm while i was otw to my friend's house for dinner that was also near my house. at the junction of New Upp Changi Road, trying to make a right turn into Bedok South Road. its those major junctions with lotsa cars and big busses turning into bedok int. so as i inched out to look at the oncoming traffic, this white car was behind me, pressuring me to go. he probably cant see the oncoming traffic situation coz there was a bus in front narrowing his view. was quite annoyed but i just dun care... got no traffic then go what.

so after i made the turn in, i was on lane 2. he was pretty close to me from behind. i thought ok, nvm. then a new moments later, i could feel the car damn close to me. i turned my head slightly to look at where the stupid car was and just when could actually see the front of the car super close to me, i actually saw the car sweeping in to hit me on my right. the road was clear and i was riding in the middle of lane 2. so he was the in the middle of lane 1 and 2 and just decided to side swipe my bike. like FOR FCK. issit u purposely or u drink driver u fcker.

i saw myself falling down. i actually had time to think and try and look out for the car plate no, but i saw him cutting back out into lane 1 and speeding off; couldn't catch his plate no coz i was underneath my bike and sliding together lol. i was faced down and my bike was on top of me, thinking like when is this sliding gg to stop.  i didnt try to stop or break my fall coz instincts from rugby knows that the best thing to do is to go in with it. it was interesting that i wasn't in shock, just like my mind keep thinking what's the best thing to do, whats the best thing to do. 

so finally, my bike came to a stop. i needa to get up and go to the side of the road coz i scared on coming cars bang me. i crawled out of my motorcycle and got onto the pavement. then i looked at my bike.. it was like in the middle of lane 2 and 3. couldn't find one side of my shoe.

ok so i went to my bike and tried to lift it up. just then this passer-by came running towards me from the bus stop to help me bring it up and push my bike. my bike was in gear 4.. so it couldnt move. i tried to kick it to neutral gear but idky cant. by then my mind was trying to process alot of things. 2 more cars stopped by to help. another guy suggested to carry the bike.. hahas i was like.. eh no la.. just need to get it to neutral gear. the 3rd passer-by managed to get the bike to neutral gear then pushed it to the side. 

i felt so loved by random strangers. i couldn't process fast enough to know what was the next best thing to do. first thing i did was to text my friends that i can't make it for dinner coz i got into an accident lol; and then texted another biker friend. then the passerby1 asked me if i'm ok... i felt like super ok. adrenaline was my best friend then. then he said i was bleeding.. then i examined my wounds and like.. ok... hahah i'm injured. 

passedby2 asked passerby1 to call the police coz it he said that it's a hit-and-run.. must call police. at first i didnt want to make it a big commotion.. but i realized it's not as simple as it is ah. then passerby1 asked me if i needed an ambulance. i was like i think i'm fine.. but passerby2 say.. just call the ambulance coz i'm wounded. then passerby1 asked the location.. i was proud of myself that my brain was still functioning when i could  suggest to him to look at the bus stop number while the rest of them just said Bedok South Road. meanwhile, passer-by 3 was trying to control traffic abit. passer-by 1 then went to get my shoe that was stuck in my bike and my fallen cup that rolled another 20m down.

passerby2 gave me a box of tissue and a bottle of water to wash my wounds. probably in such situations, its nice to be a girl? coz they all really damn care and concern. they kept ensuring that everything is fine for now, just needa wait for police and ambulance and asked if there was any witness.

i told them confirm no witness coz when it happened, the road was clear and i only saw the white car speeding off after hitting me. can hear that the car was zheng one. passerby1 who was at the bus stop heard the crash and looked up only to see me skidding for 70m. 

he also helped me to find the contact number for my bike insurance reporting hotline.. but the first number was only avail during office hours. then he managed to find the NTUC orange force contact. but most of the procedures was on hold coz it was at night.

 

 

ok within 5 mins, the TP came. he was also v nice. he asked if i'm ok and if i'm able to stand and all. i was fully functioning. i looked at my injuries but didnt want to register them since no pain mah. he took down some of my statement first before a 2nd TP came.

soon the ambulance came. then like.. the gravity of the situation was starting to sink in with all the blue and red lights flashing.

like ok, i thought just rest awhile, clean up and continue to ride to my destination or smth. 

lol. not happening.

the passerbys stayed until the ambulance came. i thanked them and was very grateful for them to imposing their time like that. i think it was about 30mins or smth. was starting to lose track of time also. i feel like buying them coffee one day or smth, but didnt exchange contact. 

then the paramedics cleaned my wounds. was actually not that bad. maybe my body was still in shock so the adrenaline was my best friend? haha. my mind was calm but i could see my hands shaking. then i also had to decide what's the next step to do. should i go to the hospital? what about the bike? to hand over to TP for investigation? night tow? or find a way to bring it to the nearest cp then tow next day? to workshop? need to retain for insurance? wah. damn noob at this.

first thing is, i didn't want to go to the hospital. another bad choice coz based on my friends' experiences, they say i should have gone to A&E. then also i didnt't want to spend on night towing coz its more ex and really there was no hurry. but i couldnt leave my bike on the road also. the motorbike was able to start and the engine was all ok, but the handle bar was quite bad out of alignment. i considered riding home, but to go home, there's one major junction that i had to go through and to make a right turn. my bike can't do a right turn. but ok, i just decided to settle the ambulance first, then settle the TP, then give myself some time to think. by then my biker friend just arrived.

after all that's needed to be done, the ambulance left and while saying good-bye to the TP, i think i started crying. hahas i think i was fine, just that the walls came down after putting on a brave front for a period of time after a significantly traumatic incident? i didnt know what i need. probably just some time to cool it off.

then really to save money, i didnt want to night tow. so i tried riding, at least to the major junction then see how. my friend was riding behind me with his hazard light on since the brake footrest on my right was also sheared off. then i reached the entrance of Panasonic factory. i told him i dont think me nor the bike can make it home, and then decided to ride to the nearest petrol station which was esso.. just a few hundred metres away.

decided to park there and leave it to tow the next day. 

after that my friend drove me back to put down my stuff then head went to the police station to make a report. waited pretty long. by then it was about 12am. thought like all's ok alrdy, can settle my wounds myself. but i think i might need a medical report. so i went home to change out into comfortable clothes and also too my airport pass and then headed down to T3 raffles. i was thinking if i should go CGH A&E.. but i think T3 would be easier for company claims?

oh yea. saw mother poon at home. tried to hide my wounds abit.. then i just told her.. 'oh i fell off my bike..'. i think b4 she let her thoughts run wild and get all worried i just say 'oh im gg raffles to get some supplies coz can claim.' hahahs so ya that part settled. 

of all my working pants, this is my fav pair and really sad to say bye bye to it. so yea. thank God i was wearing long pants and long sleeves if not i think there would be more suffering. 

ok thank God i saw the doctor, coz it was then i realized the severity of my injuries. i mean its not that bad, just that i needed to clean the wound real bad. but u see the white part.. its actually my fats. haahas. the white area is not as pain coz the nerves have died so i dont feel the pain lol. i guess my fats saved my knees too. ahhahhahs 

actually i should have gone to to the docs asap coz the wounds were very exposed. but yea.. i'm really glad that i didnt break anything and miraculously no sprain. supposed to get a tetanus jab but.. HENG OUT OF STOCK. hahhas i really hate injections so i'm glad to siam this one. what are the odds right. got 2 days MC coz the doc wants me to come back to change the dressing and review the wounds.

 

went home. by then was about 3am. i showered abit and realized for the whole day, i only had 1 packet of hello panda for lunch. i wasn't hungry, neither was my stomach growling. i also wasn't in any pain but just very miserable. before closing my eyes, i'm just glad to be on my bed, thinking about my bike being at the essos station, and where the fck the hit-runner went. 

next day situation...

woke up and called to tow my bike to my usual workshop. called the insurance guy to say i'm on MC so i'm able to do the insurance report when i'm done with my MC. 

then rested the whole day... b4 its time to bathe and change dressing.

changing the dressing was mad. the doc prescribed me some naproxen (painkillers).. i thought like ok la.. nvm. hero abit. dun think it'll be that bad. wah. then when i took out the dressing to bathe and wash it down... ooooohhhmaahhhgaawwdddd. i painnnnnnnnnnn until i can't scream. its like.. pain was so intense that i was seeing flashing lights. my stomach cringeeeeeeed and my screams were probably sent to the cillas in my stomach walls. i came out of the toilet feeling like i just ended some war. then i faster go take my painkillers and hope for the best coz i havent even started on my dressing change. 

ok ya, ahhas day 2 of injury so it's expected that there'd be alot of exudate. its good. realized that i'm spamming tissue paper, so i decided to use sanitary pad. hahas if Bear Grylls can use a condom to store water for drinking, i think using pad to store the blood is fine. in fact, that's the function of a pad anyway right whahas. but damn effective.

 

but yea. pain is temporary. but pain is real.

mother poon was lol-ing abit coz she just recovered from her burns recently. so she was like 'haha now got someone to use my box of medical stuff'. hahas ya. so actually thank God her insurance covered her... so the hospital gave her alot of Tegaderm to use. i wanted to use her duoderm coz raffles didnt have. so they used jelonet + gauze which is alittle harsher on the skin. looking at the wounds, i'm pretty glad that no infection. i'm also on anti-biotics. i wanted hydrocolloid, but they didnt have either. i dun think i'd wanna buy it coz its really too ex. 

so yea. went back 2 days later on Tues night. before that i went to my motorbike workshop to settle the insurance report. saw my fav ah chong and he gave me alot of assurance on the many things.

had dinner before going to the doc.

at the clinic, i told the nurse that i wanna remove the dressing on my own coz i'm trained to do this abit (ok this one abit legit. coz i'm a legit first aider, but more so, i had experience at the mission fields in northern Thailand). so quite shiok, they left me alone in the room and gave me all the supplies i need. like self-service buffet style. 

 

ahhahs. after removing, the doc came in. saw my fav doc! coz he's the guy who trust my medical knowledge and also knows what i need (in terms of stocking up supplies so i can self-diagnose at times hahahahs). he looked at me and lol. he usually damn chill kind. but he saw my wounds and like.. wah.. this one like deep abrasions ah. hahahahs and boomz. 15 days MC. he ask if i'd like to come back and change my dressings, but i told him i'm good on my own, just need the supplies. at first the nurse helped me packed 5 days worth of dressings. i damnn happy. coz no need to spend money liao. then whille checking out.. the other head nurse was like.. eh.. i think only pack 2 days worth coz if not their clinic not enough. sobbbzzz. but yea, the doc prescribed me stronger pain killers - Tramadol. i googled naproxen vs tramadol.. and hope that this painkiller can work its magic.

so as of today.. it's Day 5. have been diligently taking care of my wounds so that i can heal faster. the strong tramadol doesn't seem to help. i still feel pain. but i'm not sure if its a decreased pain. 

as of now, i'm just feeling like... i really dont deserve all these. all these pain and expenses. its really damn innocent ok. i'm praying hard for the driver to be caught. 1. so that i dont need to spend more money on my bike damages. as some of u guys know, i just got this bike less than a month ago and in good condition ok. 2. so that he can fcking learn his lesson and not drive recklessly. idk if it is intentional or not, but i think it is. idk if he has a driving license or not, but i just hope such a hazard can be removed from the traffic.

this is probably my biggest traffic accident for me, and i'm really thankful my injuries are superficial. like no need injury, nothing internal, no sprain nor the need to be warded or do physio. though the pain is really miserable, i hope this increases my pain threshold? i'm not looking forward to dressing change, but i wanna heal fast. i saw mother poon's leg and got really inspired to heal well.

ok in the midst of this, i think i still wanna thank God. with my 15 day of mc and cnpl, i'd be having 17 days of being at home.... macham like SHN. hahas. i dont think i've got such a length of time to do nothing at home in my life before. prior to this accident, my back was aching but i just didnt want to take mc and continued working. now that i'm home bound, i'm glad i can finally just rest and hopefully recover. but yea. from a i-dont-think-i-need-to-see-the-doc to a 15 day MC. guess i'm underestimating my injures / overestimating my capabilities in healing.

hhahas. the pain from my wounds is so intense that my back pain seems to be insignificant now. but yea, now that the wound is healing, i feel the back pain creeping in. i'm not sure if i should be worried coz its been about 2 months since my back is aching. i pulled it again 1 week ago and now the pain doesnt seem to be subsiding despite resting at home for the past 5 days. 

i also thank God for all my caring friends who showed me tlc. sorry to make u guys worry and feel sian abt this, but social media does give me some form of comfort unfortunately. i'm glad that i'm still quite positive abt this whole situation (but wrt finding the driver, i think its like 0.00001%). pls pray that the police can get a clear footage of the carplate number. its gg to be a week now and i think all hopes should be diminishing abit. 

but yea. the only 2 car-hit-me-and-not-my-fault-at-all accidents in 2 days, in 11 yrs of riding. lol.

i'm looking forward to recover and be back at work again. idky i miss work. maybe coz i'm not looking forward to see my reduction in this month's income. sighzzzzz. stupid driver. i really dont deserve thisssss. but ok. thankful. 

good night.

thanks for reading and hearing my rants and documentation.