I’m lucky to be alive.. please look and then look again on the roads
Injured motorcyclist calls on other bikers to take extra care
I can’t do anything at minute because of my injuries
A YOUNG motorcyclist involved in an accident last month says he is “lucky” to be alive and has urged all road users to look twice.
Aaron Murphy, 30, suffered bad breaks to his leg and both arms, spent 12 days in hospital and has no recollection of the smash.
The accident involved his motorcycle and a car on the main Trim to Longwood Road in Co Meath,
The chef regained consciousness to find gardai at his bedside.
Despite the accident, Aaron says he is looking forward to being able to get back on the bike again.
He added: “I know I’m very lucky to be alive and not to have suffered worse injuries.
“As it is, I have a broken femur and needed a metal bar inserted as well as 27 staples to my leg.
“I broke both arms and into my wrists so I needed pins and screws there, which I’m hoping to get out in the coming weeks.
“I also fractured my orbital bone in the right hand side of my face and it feels like my nose is broken. But I’m alive.
““I’ve known people who were killed falling off bikes while driving at 10kph because of the way that they fell. I have my helmet here and there is little wrong with it.
“I can’t do anything at the minute because of my injuries and I can just hope I’ll make a full recovery.”
Aaron, who is dad to five-month-old son Riley, was due to be his brother’s best man three days after the accident
He says he can’t remember details of what happened before the crash.
Aaron added: “I arrived back at my home in Trim and I’m told I rang my partner in Longwood and took the bike out to take a spin over. I can’t remember any of that. When I didn’t arrive 45 minutes later, she came driving towards me and saw the gardai at the accident spot.
“I was taken to Connolly Hospital in Dublin where I was stabilised and then transferred to the Mater for surgery. I woke up to find gardai beside my bed. “I had to watch my brother’s wedding online and some say I’d do anything to get out of making a speech. Gardai are still investigating but I’m told I was in a collision with a car.
“I’m very conscious of motorbike safety and in my history, I don’t think I was speeding on that road when the accident occurred.
“I am aware that I am very vulnerable on a bike and that unfortunately things can happen.
“I can’t speak for every biker but we all have to take our own responsibility when out on the roads.
“Yes, some bikers do drive like lunatics. Sometimes they are able to get home and sometimes they aren’t.
“But I think there still is a stigma out there that bikers can be reckless and that is not the case for the majority of us.
“Many road users look left and right but may not take everything in.
“I would ask everyone, motorcyclists, pedestrians, motorists and cyclists to look left and right and then do it a second time, more slowly to ensure nothing is coming.”
Aaron founded a group called Meath Bike Meets which has 1,300 members. A number of bikers meet each week for a spin and then coffee somewhere for an hour or two.
Members of the group have rallied around to raise funds for Aaron who has no income while he is recovering.