General Cycling Discussion - My stupidity

Yes, I've done it again, the 9th totally preventable crash in the last two years, this one the most severe of all. I have some very nasty road rash, and my left shoulder is barely functional at all (I'm off the bike until at least wednesday). Oh yeah, I also totalled my helmet after it valiantly sacrificed itself to protect whatever dense commodity I use for a brain. (In view of the circumstances, I could understand if my helmet had decided my head wasn't worth saving).

So how did it happen you ask? Well, I'm riding through Tallebudgera Valley, and it's cold. I'm not just talking about Queensland cold either, there was actually frost on the grass! Anyway, my hands froze to the point that my thumbs couldn't shift up through the gears (I could shift down OK, and braking wasn't a problem).

I reached a crest and decided to shift up for the mini-descent to follow. When my thumb failed to function, I decided to bump the gears with the back of my hand, big mistake. At that point I lost balance at high speed and for what seemed like 5 minutes (but was probably only about 2-3 seconds) battled vailiantly and in vain to produce a save of some kind. I failed.

The thing that bugs me is that this was totally my own fault (as were the other eight). Had I been even moderately sensible and just pedalled with a higher cadence on that section and it would not have been a problem. Some better gloves would have prevented my thumbs from going numb. Come to think of it, a semi-functional brain would have probably solved both of those issues.

I am an idiot. :cry:

Would you like me to send over my winter gloves? I have a pair of neoprenes I can send over that I use when it's late fall... ;)

Ouch! Welcome to our (winter)world! The good thing is, once you learn from this experience, you're less likely to repeat it!

Get better soon!

Koffee

I hope you recover quickly Chris.

Hey, don't feel too bad, I noticed that the end-cap on my barhandle was coming out so I decided to give it a nice whack with the palm of my hand. Though I didn't fall it sure scared the crud out of me for a few seconds. Hope your feeling better soon. Paul J.

Bummer Chris. Hope you recover quickly. Sounds like it was cold out. Maybe your brain just froze too, eh? :)

Glad you're ok. First crash on the new bike, huh?

One time I decided to try to steer with my feet. It didn't work. I biffed right in front of a daycare, and all the little twirps started screaming, "wipe out, wipe out!." When one is in pain, little kids screaming transforms said kids into little poops, and one has less regard for poop than kids, so one feels no restraint in venting one's frustration at the little poops, though the poops really had nothing to do with the crash.

Hehe, the adults watching the kids didn't think to much of me. But hey, I got the kids to shutup.

Damn! Heal well and quickly, and uh...maybe just leave earlier next time. :D

Shoulder injuries really bit the big one..Hope you're ok, and tell your doc (if he didn't already) to give you some "medications."

Originally posted by RobCat
and uh...maybe just leave earlier next time. :D

I would have been leaving in the dark had I done that. It was just a little too early.


Originally posted by fubar5
Shoulder injuries really bit the big one..Hope you're ok, and tell your doc (if he didn't already) to give you some "medications."

Haven't been to see the doc yet (Sunday in Queensland, can't expect too much around here. :( ). The one positive is that it was my left shoulder, and I'm right handed, so resting it won't present any problems.

Damn this road rash sucks!

Road rash really sucks. I was hit by a van a few years back that ran a red light. I was on foot and the van was going about 45mph. Somehow I managed to walk away from it with only a very sever case of roadrash. I was wearing mesh shorts and my right thigh had little dots where the road burned up my leg through the shorts. Hopefully you arent a person that scars too easily. I dont think that was a very bad mistake Chris, the fact that you wore a helmet is what is important. Good luck.

Originally posted by bg4533
Hopefully you arent a person that scars too easily. I dont think that was a very bad mistake Chris, the fact that you wore a helmet is what is important. Good luck.

I've already got a few scars, and I think one or two of those have been re-opened. :( Hopefully I won't get too many more out of this. I know they're going to be a problem when I get older. :eek: Maybe "burning out" (hence the other thread) wouldn't be such a bad thing.

I hope I'm not misinterpreting your post. I didn't mean to suggest that I though wearing a helmet was my mistake (although I did wonder if the helmet would have felt justified in protecting my head, maybe a "why am I bothering here"?), it most certainly was not. However, trying to use the back of my hands to change gears when it wasn't absolutely necessary was just dumb. I know I've done it before, but it's still wasn't smart on my part. I think that's worse than the road rash or the shoulder problem - the feeling that all this could have been avoided.

Oh yeah, Prosody, the first crash on the new bike was actually the first day I rode it. Check out this thread:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?threadid=27969

Get better soon Chris, Here's praying for a speedy and relitively painless recovery!

Heal up soon, Chris L. I once crashed doing something utterly stupid... attempting to reclose my front QR while moving (it didn't look fully closed). Luckily I wasn't going very fast and luckily the wheel didn't fall off. I just lost control and went down hard.

Get better Chris. Is the bike ok?

Joe

Originally posted by Chris L
Oh yeah, Prosody, the first crash on the new bike was actually the first day I rode it. Check out this thread:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?threadid=27969

I read your report when you posted it; just didn't remember the crash part. I feel fortunate to have some nice areas for cycling around here, but your ride reports always spark a little envy in me. :D

Originally posted by joeprim
Get better Chris. Is the bike ok?

Oh, the bike is fine - not a scratch. I do have my priorities in order. :D

Originally posted by Chris L

I am an idiot. :cry:

Yep.

Second that :)

Chris. Hope a speedy recovery for you. I had no such luck. My right shouler was injured and I am right handed. Unlike you, I would be more content if I knewwhat caused my crash. Then, I would have an idea how to avoid it. So whatis worse? As have said, suspect I missed an object in the road?
But that brings up a change of values. Riding long miles is a greater goal than speed. I slow down to see what is in the road. Climbing hills is plenty enough excercise. Who needs speed. I am not a big speed fan whgen driving a car, yet alone a bike.
This brings up lesson of cycling friend I just heard about.
He was racing down Palomar Mountain switchbacks..
Racing over 40 miles an hour. Well, he hit a 'cow grate.' Luckily it only messed up his new Cosmic rim. Could be far worse.
Not something I will ever do again.

Chris, with shoulder injuries that aren't as serious as cyclezealot's (he couldn't lift his arm from day 1) it is fairly important to maintain shoulder mobility, otherwise you can get adhesive capsulitis ("frozen shoulder"). Generally it is more common in older folks but young bucks like you are not immune. The other thing I got out of my last 2 injuries is that I tend not to use NSAIDS long enough after injuries and set myself up for chronic inflammatory responses. Take care of yourself, you'll be back riding soon. And don't kick yourself too much for making a mistake in judgement, you did and you probably won't again. That's how most of us learn at the school of hard knocks.

I'd say you only get Idiot for a Day for that one :D You've gotta do more to earn permanent status.

My most recent Idiot for a Day stunt (i.e. take it as wisdom): Come to a complete stop before picking leaves out of your brakes.

What??? I grab leaves out all the time.

Originally posted by Jean Beetham Smith
Chris, with shoulder injuries that aren't as serious as cyclezealot's (he couldn't lift his arm from day 1) it is fairly important to maintain shoulder mobility, otherwise you can get adhesive capsulitis ("frozen shoulder"). Generally it is more common in older folks but young bucks like you are not immune

Thanks for that Jean. I've been moving my shoulder a little more each day as the mobility starts to come back, and I can do small things with it now, so it's definitely improving. I'm racing the clock a little as I'm supposed to be leading a ride with bicycle Gold Coast this weekend which involves a lot of climbing. I'm hoping I'll be OK to do it (even if I have to back off my pace a little) without doing myself further damage to the shoulder. However, I've told them I won't be riding if I'm likely to make it worse.

Hope you feel better soon, Chris L, hope you can lead your ride this weekend, if you feel well enough.. Just take one day at a time.

Originally posted by iamlucky13
My most recent Idiot for a Day stunt (i.e. take it as wisdom): Come to a complete stop before picking leaves out of your brakes.

Is that just for brakes? Does picking leaves out of your chain or drivetrain (front derailleur/chainring area... haven't attempted the rear yet) while moving count too? How about the buckles of your shoes?

Sorry to hear about your crash - hope you're back riding soon.

This quote seems appropriate:
Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils (H. Berlioz)

Be well,

Team

hey Chris, just read this thread... sorry to hear about the crash.. and no, you aren't an idiot..lol if you were, that would mean i (and many others) would also fit that catagory- and I am just not ready to be classified as yet! ;)
keep moving the shoulder- and keep the road rash moist- i use polysporin, and have often wondered if i should just write the company and ask to be sponsored by them..lol my use of their product outweighs the amount of meals i consume in a week.lol
get better soon... or we will just have to get a new nicname for ya-
p.s. i went riding on a new trail sunday- didn't wear my sunglasses- flying tree branches and butterflys are extremely hazardous to speeding objects(me:) )

p.s.s.- Iamlucky13- idiot of the day award was already given to my friend who decided to clean out the snowblower of ice- while it was on!- lucky she had mits- only lost mobility and had her two fingers sewn back on... bonus was they let her run the siren on the ambulance on the way to the hospital-----

Chris ... hope you recover quickly. I know how much I hate to miss a single day of riding.

Fortunately I have "burned" only twice in 15 years. Guess I have not been riding hard enough. Both of mine were my fault as well.

It's funny how I have made it through blowouts and mechanical failures without a fall, but those "brain farts" get me.

Mark

Good luck Chris! Get better soon.

Just think of them as rest days...

Get well soon

A shoulder injury? I hope it works out. I have managed to injure both shoulders in the last 2 years. I manage to get along but it is a bit frustrating. Hope you heal up fine.

Thanks for the wishes guys (and gals)! The road rash seems to be clearing up faster than I expected, but the shoulder appears to be taking a little longer
:( . That's what I get for catching Gold Coast buses to work.

For minor road rashes, I have used 'Brave Soldier.' The stuff is a miracle drug.