Last Sunday's ride came to an abrupt end at Notting Hill in a collision with a van. Reaching the top of the hill from Holland Park with the lights ahead turning green and road ahead apparently clear, the bus in the lane to my right apparently flashed him to go ahead and turn across the traffic. Suddenly appeared a couple of metres ahead of me, tried to brake and steer round but no time or space and went into the side of it and down. Started to get up but my back was so sore decided to lie there for a bit. Some passers by tried calling an ambulance but were told it would take a long time - so the guys in the van took me to St Mary's and then dropped my bike off at home whilst I was there. Have come off pretty lightly - dislocation and small fracture of the tip my right ring finger, grazing and bruising on my shoulder that I wasn't even aware of for a couple of hours - but it's my lower back that's the most painful - they reckon the injury there was just muscular. Sit or lie in one position too long and it's murder to get up. Lucky escape though. Finger splint is a pita though , keeps getting caught on things and can't hold a pen or spoon properly or tie laces. Did manage to cycle down to the dentist on the other bike this morning without too much trouble.