War Story I
Catagory: Crash
Location: Ft Belvoir, VA
Bike: not remembered(I was 12)
I just got a new bike for my birthday and my father drives me and the bike to the base gas station to fill the tires with air. Dad lets me ride the bike home and follows behind to protect me from other vehicles. Going down a big hill I gather a lot of speed(have no idea how fast) and I lose control. Last thing I remember was my being 1 foot off the ground ready to crash. Now, what happens next was told to me as I don't remember it. My father stops the car and he helps me up and helps me walk to the car. He then puts my bike in the back of the station wagon and takes me home. My dad says he gave me a bath and put me to bed. Three hours later, I wake up with a bloody pillow and start puking my brains out. We go to the base emergency room where I'm hospitalized overnight for a concussion.
I still ride bikes afterwards.
War Story II
Catagory: Endover
Location: Newport News, VA
Bike: DiamondBack Edgewood LX
I'm coming up from Museum Drive to where it intersects Avenue of the Arts. In front of me is a cyclist with no helmet who goes onto the sidewalk and across to the other lane(lanes are separated by a triangular median). He goes further towards the other sidewalk which I presume he's going to ride on. I have a yield sign and no traffic is coming so I cross the road(4 lanes separated by a median) and suddenly the other cyclist decides he's going to cross and crosses in front of me while I'm going about 15mph. I slam on the brakes, and slam the front brakes a bit too much. I do an endover hitting the pavement hard on my right thigh, scrape my right arm, and hit my head(front) on the road with a really good thud. Fortunately, I had a helmet which saved me from likely a slight concussion. I end up with a huge bruise which migrates down the leg during the next 2 weeks.