John Jaajaa sued the government after the accident in Florey in 2009, claiming the bus driver had cut him off and braked suddenly to turn from Krefft Street into Barnard Circuit.

But the Supreme Court heard Mr Jaajaa was using his iPod at the time and the only thing the bus driver could have done to avoid the collision would have been to pull out dangerously into the intersection.

The ACTION bus driver told the court he saw Mr Jaajaa as he passed him and then slowed to 10-15km/h to take the corner because the streets were busy with children and parents leaving school.

He said he was surprised to hear that there had been an accident when he returned to the depot.

Mr Jaajaa told the court the accident left him with overwhelming pain in his entire spine, saying his shoulders consistently ''popped out'' and he had limited movement in his arms. But Acting Supreme Court Justice Margaret Sidis said the complaints were ''in stark contrast'' to his admission that he continued to skateboard and ride his bike.

The court heard Mr Jaajaa had used cannabis daily from the age of 15 and suffered significant psychiatric illness.

Medical reports showed he suffered panic disorder, depression, hypochondria and dependence on cannabis.

The accident was said to have played a minor part in his ongoing stress but could have been a trigger for destabilising his mental health.

Acting Justice Sidis said Mr Jaajaa's evidence about his mental and physical condition was entirely unreliable. She found that the bus driver was blameless and Mr Jaajaa had contributed to the accident by failing to control his bicycle.

The judge said a reasonable person in the bus driver's situation would not foresee that Mr Jaajaa, once he saw the bus ahead, would continue cycling at a speed that left him unable to avoid the collision.

She entered a verdict for the government and ordered Mr Jaajaa to pay costs.