Pianist’s finger is smashed in crash
woman knocked off bike in accident hopes her experience will serve as a warning to both cyclists and drivers to stay safe on the roads
A CONCERT pianist from Swadlincote has spoken of seeing her finger broken so badly it lay against her knuckle after she was knocked off her bike while cycling home.
Corinne Marsh was cycling home from Stapenhill on Friday, November 30, when she was involved in a crash with a car on the A444, close to the Happy Chef in Stanton Road.
The 54-year-old, who lives in Wilmot Road, has been a keen cyclist since she was young, said she was riding down the road at around 5.30pm and the traffic in the area was heavy, meaning she was even more careful than usual.
Despite her being more cautious and having three lights on her bike and reflective straps on her clothing to make her visible to motorists, Corinne says she knocked off her bike when a motorist crashed into her.
She said: “I think my hand must have hit the car’s wing mirror and knocked it off as I fell.
“I was knocked unconscious by the impact.
“The paramedics actually wrapped me in a blanket because of the cold, and a friend dove past, saw me and thought I was dead! They then took me to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham by ambulance.
“When I was in the ambulance, I remember looking down at my hand and I could just see my finger broken in such a way it was resting on my knuckle.
“The surgeon who operated on me said he had never seen such a bad finger break.”
Corinne broke her fourth finger and base of her right hand in the accident and was left with severe injuries on her face, leaving her only able to see out of one eye – although she hopes this will not be permanent.
She was kept in hospital for four days.
She is due to see doctors again soon for a more accurate prognosis of when she is expected to recover from her injuries.
Being a self-employed concert pianist and multi-instrumentalist has meant that, with a broken finger, Corinne is unable to work. She had been offered a contract on a cruise line in the Caribbean over Christmas, but has now lost the job as she is unable to play.
Corinne is now hoping her experience can act as a warning for other cyclists and motorists to be safe when they are on the road and show how easily an accident can happen, even when all parties involved are being careful.
She said: “I want to make everybody – motorists and cyclists – more aware of the dangers on the road.
“I have cycled for many years and spent a lot of my life riding my bike around central London, so I am an experienced cyclist.
“I had lights on my bike and was wearing reflective clothing but I was still hit. I did everything that you are supposed to do.
“The police haven’t said it was the motorist who hit me’s fault either, so it just goes to show how careful everyone needs to be on the roads.
“I know cyclists can be frustrating, especially when people are trying to get past but somebody getting injured is much worse than having to wait a few extra seconds to get home.
“I’m just so grateful I wasn’t paralysed or worse.”