Commuting - Your most embarrassing crash?

After reading another one of the threads I was reminded of a situation I found myself in a few years ago while cycling to work.

While riding to work I glided up to a stop light. Unclipped my left foot which I then used to balance myself upright while waiting for the light to change.

Then wammo. This very fetching young lady starts crossing the street in front of me. At this point I'm sure my stare is making me look like I should belong in the psycho ward of the local hospital.

Well, she got closer and closer to the front of me and just as she passed I suddenly realised I was starting to fall to the side of my bike where my foot was still clipped in. But by the time I noticed what was happening I must of been at a 40 degree angle going down. No time to get my foot out. The result? handlebars went into my side and cracked two ribs. Not to mention the cracked ego. I still cringe at the thought of what the car drivers waiting for the light from the opposite direction thought when they witnessed the entire event.

Anyone else make an Ar$e of themselves?

Well, this is embarrasing from a personal standpoint, but fortunately no one saw me. It was right after I had purchased my new bike. We have a driveway that has a base layer of sandstone rubble since the top layer of limestone hasn't been added yet. I was at the end of the driveway getting ready to launch ( I ride a recumbent). I had some fine grit on my shoes from the driveway. As I was preparing for the first pedal stroke my balance foot slid out from under me. I scrambled but could not get a grip on the road. I went down on my right side, my foot went under the bike and tangled with the idlers and chain. Snapped off one of the nylon chain keepers. Another embarrasing time was when I was coming home from work. I can usually dodge the "boulders" without too much difficulty. I dodged one with the front wheel but the rear wheel hit it. The wheel went right up over the rock nicely but as it reached the top the rock decided to roll. Next thing I knew I was on my side, bike still between my legs and still strapped in to the pedals. The wife and one of the 4-H leaders was in the front yard. I thought they were gong to die from laughter. I took me a while to extricate myself from the bike. not a scratch on the bike but I found a missing patch of skin on my left elbow.

'bent Brian

Long ago & far away, I still ran cleated shoes & toeclips. Eased up to a light with the left strap loosened. Went into a trackstand & proceeded to fall over to the right, in front of the entire cheerleading squad from my school.
Major ego bruise.

It would have to be my last one. It happened last Wednesday. Click here to read my post about it. (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=57914)

Riding with a -very- lovely woman. Watching her -very- lovely spandex covered backside. Not noticing the the road curved sharply to the left.

I landed in several inches of muck and leaves in the bottom of the drainage ditch alongside the roadway. I had just long enough to think, "Wow...not a scratch on me. I wonder where my bike is?" Then it hit me. Square on top of me. Hard.

Paul

Seems like many straight men (or lesbians, it's hard to tell with some of these tags)
crash because of women.

Hmm, very interesting.

Did fall over thanks to clips on St Patrick's day a few years ago,
but that's to be expected.

Seems like many straight men (or lesbians, it's hard to tell with some of these tags)
crash because of women.

Hmm, very interesting.

Did fall over thanks to clips on St Patrick's day a few years ago,
but that's to be expected.

Messengers here say the most dangerous thing here in the summer are the girls.

Last July.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=33206&highlight=stupidity

Messengers here say the most dangerous thing here in the summer are the girls.

Rofl...

I once tried to ride with a bottle of coke in one hand. Hit an unavoidably huge pavement crevasse, knocking my hand off the handlebar and throwing me off balance, out of the seat, and over the handlebars. Boink bonk BONK sssshhhtt fliip cshshshhrrrr... "Uh, are you OK sir?" Dammit.

bkr

Seems like many straight men (or lesbians, it's hard to tell with some of these tags)
crash because of women.

Hmm, very interesting.

Did fall over thanks to clips on St Patrick's day a few years ago,
but that's to be expected.

I think both are to be expected! :)

Men look. They just do. The differentiating factor between them is whether or not they get caught, and how they behave when they are caught. A tip of the helmet and an embarrassed grin. :)

I've only had one crash to date since I was a kid. It was the first time I'd ridden a bike in about 8 years, and it was my mom's 3-speed that had been in the garage for about the same amount of time. The brakes weren't fully functional, but I figured I'd just be riding really slow around campus, no big deal.

Between classes one day, I was behind a couple guys who were walking slowly under all this scaffolding (no, this was not the result of staring at the guys!). I was trying to keep upright without putting my foot down or peddling. One guy stopped, and the other turned and took a step to the left--and then stopped. There were people coming from the other direction, and people behind me. Scaffolding to my right, guy in front of me, guy to the left--I went for the scaffolding. Fortunately I didn't hit too hard, since I wasn't moving very fast...

I was checking out a rather nice example of the species femalus collegius, or the college-going female. I was watching this specimen doing a tradition known as "the morning jog"....only in rather hot pink spandex...well I wasn't paying attention, and was on the sidewalk due to some bus eating up the entire lane....and ran into a bush....

So there I was, stuck in a bush, head and torso in it, feet hanging out with my bike still attatched to me...somehow my half-clips actually held for a change...

The worst part....she heard something, and looked over and came to help....and I'm rather bad at making cover stories... :(

....wosrt part....I was too embarassed to ask her out :cry:

You win first prize catatonic.

Mine's simple ... going down a nice hill in town, wind in my face, eyes closed, enjoying life ... then my face met a mailbox. :o

I was checking out a rather nice example of the species femalus collegius, or the college-going female. I was watching this specimen doing a tradition known as "the morning jog"....only in rather hot pink spandex...well I wasn't paying attention, and was on the sidewalk due to some bus eating up the entire lane....and ran into a bush....

State or Santa Clara University?

I've only had one crash in my adult life. I ride a short wheelbase recumbent, and I had noticed an article stating that you need to be more careful going downhill on these, as the smaller wheel builds up heat faster, making a blowout more likely.

I decided to ride on Hicks Road, in San Jose, which is pretty darned steep. I had to walk up the backside for parts, as my legs just couldn't keep crunching the slope. At the summit of the road, I paged my wife to let her know that I was running late, but that I should be home soon. I also noticed it was starting to get dark. My mind was not as clear as it should have been, and I decided to proceed anyways.

After a couple of rear wheel drifts in corners, I got a little intimidated (OK, I was scared) and started using the front brake more, hoping to avoid a spill from a locked back wheel. During one descent that got a little out of my comfort zone, speedwise, I was trying to stop to take another break. At about 30 mph, I heard the dreaded PSSSSSSSS of my front tube.

All I could think was, "Oh [poop]!" as the bike began to wobble. The slime had also leaked out of the tube, making a slick mess. When I went down, my left hand started breaking my fall. I rubbed off all of the leather in the palm of that glove slowing down. My left Sidi Dominator 4 has nice scrape marks all over the heel from the slide. The seat of the 'bent was a little scraped up, but the fabric for it was toast.The worst part was my leg. A patch 5x8" had pretty bad road rash.

With no other choices, I began my walk downhill. I figured I would have cellular reception soon. I was not so lucky. I hiked about a mile with blood leaking down my leg, as car after car passed me by without a single person stopping to check with me. Once I got reception, I called my wife, and she came to pick me up.

It's embarrassing because this was totally avoidable. I shouldn't have been riding that late, with that little experience, on that hill.

SJSU...I suck :(

I've always wanted to try hicks road..gotta remeber to get some heavy tire armor going on first though.

i was tooling around town going slowly on my beater mtb that i use to just ride errands and things, i hopped a curb to get into traffic and hit a little rock...somehow my chain flew off and i was peddling rappidly and for some reason my front wheel jacknifed and i went over the front, i would have been fine but the library books in my backpack pulled over my shoulder and BLAM on the ground....the worst part about this whole thing was i was going SO SLOW. the whole crash must have been a great thing to watch because i didnt it right at the intersection and really slow so everyone could get to see me flailing around. only damage was to my ego.

OKay, this is very old. It was back when I was still riding a banana bike with back-pedal brakes.

I was living in NJ at the time and there was a rather steep hill 9well to a 10 year old it was steep). A couple friends and I had ridden up the easy side and were comming down the fsat side. Just as we got to the top, my "friend" turns to me and asks if we want to swap bikes for the ride down. Having a father that had not yet allowed me to get monkey bars I gladly accepted. Herein lies the problem.

My friends were ahead of me and turned onto a side streeet. I was going rather fast (at least 35mh) and thought, "I am too fast for that turn. I better slow dowwn" Yes I still remember the exact thoughts. I backpedaled--"oh, yeah--hand breaks" I tried the handbreaks. THEY DIDN"T WORK.

At this point a car had come to the stop sign on that road I needed. (Thinking about it I must have been on a sidewalk.) "Crap, I can make it"

I remember trying the turn then waking up on the other side of the street. Appearently I did the best superman impression a 10yr old girl can do. :) I opened my eyes and my head was on the far sidewalk and my hip was on the curb. I got up, walked to the car, looked at the bike then looked at the car. I had scratched the paint.

The driver got out, I looked at him and said, "I'm sorry I scratched your paint."

Just then a guy comes down and says, "I saw everything. I have a van just up the rode. I can take you home." Being the good army brat and girl scout my brain said," Don't take rides from strangers"

"No thanks," I said, "I'll walk, it's not far." As my friends rode back I carried the bike the 1-1/2 miles home. There was no way to ride it as the front whell was bent at a 90 degree angle.

We dropped the bike at her house and I rode my bike home. The next morning I had a huge bruise on my hip. My mothjer saw it and asked what happened. "I wrecked when I was riding yesterday. I'm okay"

Now, my friend and I had a love hate relationship. We would fight and make up. About a month later we had a fight. To retaliate she told my mom I hit a car on her bike and the condition of the bike. She left out the "I asked to swap because I knew my brakes didn't work" part.

I was called--Jennifer Clare--I was in trouble.

I had to explain the entire thing to my mother. She was worried about me being hit by a car. I explained I hit the car, the car didn't hit me. It was stopped on the road. Okay, I lied. I told her it was parked at the corner. I told her about the van guy and she thought I was wise.

Not too long after that my parents decided my bike was too small for me. I had been stopping at the LBS for a while and managed to get my dad to go there with me. The salesman explained the idea behind the racing bars and how they were actually better for me if the bike was the right size. They didn't have one the right size for me.

My next bike came for Toy-r-us, but it had monkey bars.

I'm 13 years old, riding my Raleigh 3 speed down hill "no hands" to impress some girls only to discover it was a bit less stable than my old Schwinn. I lost control & went off the road into a patch of brush....No, really, I'm OK, I'll be fine! Just help me find my shoe.

I was about to turn right onto a one-way parkway which circles a lake in Minneapolis. I was preoccupied looking for cars and didn't notice a small rock in my path until it was too late. I hit the rock and it upset my balance and I went into the curb on the other side of the street and was vaulted off the bike onto the grass right in front of a cute girl who was jogging on the path. No injuries except to my ego. Also had two flat tires so I had to walk home.

Yes.....the good old "foot stuck in the clip trick!!!!"......I resemble that remark...hehehe....did it myself once in California. Glide up to the stoplight, tried to balance while waiting for the light, could not get the left foot out quick enough....and down I went. Just like the guy on the tricycle falling on Rowan and Martins Laugh-In!!!!!

Back when I was 11 or 12 grandpa came out to the farm and I had to show of my trick bike riding skills, he was taking pictures, did the left hand on right bar and right hand on left bar trick for about 15 feet before instint took over and I corrected for something backwards, bang down I go onto the gravel drive, first time in a few years.
Every few years I need a refresher lesson on being humble and not show off.
About the third ride I did with my club I managed to fall over and roll into the ditch cause I didn't notice the rural paved road had CURBS, sure felt stupid that day too.
However they then told me of a gal who could not upclip from her new fangled pedals (1989), she was stopped and then rolled backwards into the ditch, landing on her back in a berry bush, staining her new jersey, still clipped in. I didn't feel so bad.
farmer kev

I rolled up a driveway onto the sidewalk and over some rough, broken pavement and dropped my chain. I wasn't ready to catch my weight when my feet went spinning out from under me, and, as a result, totally clocked my chin on the handle bar - good night nurse! The next thing I knew I was comming to on my arse on the sidewalk with a nice, concerned couple standing over me urging me to stay down while they dialed the paramedics. From their car they thought I had simply slummped over and passed out then fell off the bike. They were quite concerned, as were the firemen. I recognized my surroundings. I was just around the corner from home. But when I could remember neither the name of the street or my phone number I won a free ride in the ambulance. The firemen were nice enough to put my take my bike back to the station where I picked it up after leaving the E.R. Half way to the hospital I was able to remember my address and phone number but they wouldn't pull over and let me out. Hey, I had never had a head CT anyway. Perhaps the most embarrassing moment was convincing the doctor that I knocked myself out and then fell off the bike (and not visa versa) while dialing my wife. I'll have to say it made me believe in helmets more than ever, since after loosing consciousness I wasn't able to break my fall with anything other than the side of my helmet. I hate to think what would have happened if I hadn't been wearing decent protection.

DanO

There I was commuting back to work at 1:00 pm in broken up weather, angry thunderstorm clouds lurking ahead. Despite pedalling like mad I found I wouldn't make it before the rain broke out, the wind had already picked up noticeably.

My commute involves crossing an wide aircraft parking area with vast stretches of tarmac and the occasional bike/motorcycle shelter.

Riding past one of these shelters I had to decide whether to stop there and wait it out or keep going and run the risk of getting drenched big time.

As I was making up my mind I braked my bike almost to a complete stop and kept my feet off the ground by barely making headway. As I swayed my bars left and right in ample arcs to keep the balance a blast of wind hit me. The front wheel jackknifed and I was slapped to the ground without even a split second to react.

That was the proverbial stupid fall. I got back on the bike and hurried for shelter, luckily without any physical bruise (the bruise to my ego is another story).

I was at the local MTbike trail last week by myself when this happened. I'd come off the trail onto the main park path. It had been raining recently so it looked very slippy under the trees at the side. I went to turn around and go back so I just touched the front brake to slow down and the front wheel locked up. I let go quickly and stayed balanced. Thought to myself right dont try that again. 3 secs later I try to turn round again much slower this time and whoops. Wheel goes left, I go right and splat. No one around just a slap on the forhead for me. So easliy avoidable.

My most embarrassing crash? Coincidentally, it is also my only crash. I was riding a very heavy bike (fully loaded panniers and a schoolbag carrying weights and books). Coming home, I got off the bike and I kept the load on the rear pannier while I *attempted* to open a door above three stairs leading to where I store my bike. I was holding my bike with the right hand while trying to open the door with the left, and as the bike tipped over to the right, I tried to keep it from falling, but I ended up falling over the bike! Luckily, the garbage can broke my fall and no one was around!

Most recent embarrassing crash - last night. Sun going down. On my roadie, going into Maple Bluff (think: Grosse Pointe) to hammer some hills on the residential streets. A bit of rain still on the roads. Doing a left thru a two-way stop (other street had the stop). Car in cross street stops, I lean into the turn to go 'round him, and before I know it, my front wheel is out from under me. Nothing I can do but think, oh, gosh, I'm gonna fall. And I did, right in front of the stopped car (no danger, they weren't about to proceed or anything). 'Course, the driver of the stopped car was very gracious, asked if I was okay. I got up, took a bow, said I was fine. I'd actually re-skinned my left knee (it was just healing up from a previous crash, but that's another story), but it was just surface pain.

Wet road and my speed weren't enough to warrant this (though in retrospect I shoulda been going a tad slower). A minute or so later I had my explanation. Front tire was low; slow leak. Was able to get home by stopping every mile or so to air it up, but my evening's ride was shot (not to mention my sense of dignity).

Heh, I'm getting back into cycling for the first time in 15 years, and reading this thread actually got me to register here so I could post my *horror story*

I was about 10 years old, and was cycling through a local park area in Australia with my Dad. The park area had some rough bumpy ground in it, and I took my BMX into this area so I could make little jumps and whatnot.

All of a sudden I hit a ridge or a bump that I had not anticipated, at speed, and I leave the bike completely, and vertically. Whilst I fly the bike falls over and comes to rest with the handlebars vertical, such that they are sticking up from the ground like a pole. Then I stop flying and come back down . . . onto the pole, landing right between my legs (I'm a guy).

That wasn't the embarassing part, although I did howl with pain and my Dad did pick me up and run home with me. No the embarassing part was the stitches I had to get . . . down there, and I still have a nice scar to show for it!

When I was still new to clipless pedals, I leaned the wrong way at a stop light, in a left turn lane. After going down, I jumped up and bowed to the cars waiting around me, and they got a good laugh out of it.

jumping some steps straight onto a gravel path and lost control went head over heels cracked my head on a fence and got my bits :cry: jammed between my back wheel and frame!!! Well it weren't dat embaressing cos there was only three people there but it was f****** painfull!!

Let’s see I had not ridden in 15 years I get a great racing bike in a trade and off I go. I am coming from a hardware store and I am on the sidewalk for about ½ block it is a bit narrow with a chain link fence. I think man it would suck if I ran into it. Then I wobbled and did. I was not used to the twitchy bike yet.
Then on a ride home on a windy night I was just getting ready to pull my foot off the pedal and a bug gust of wind blows me over.
I am pretty careful looking at cute woman I know how they can kill you (G)

Heh, your tellin me...I just had another incident courtesy of a pack of girls, all in nice tight dresses, decked to hit the clubs. I forgot to unclip...fell over like a dead animal :(

The opposite sex is danger when your showing off. I was hitting a tiny little gap and I went forward, landed and stayed completly verticle, slid off the seat and straight down on the handlebars. Left a big red line down the center of my chest for a while. And I also hit my stem right beetween the legs. Poor me somtimes I hate being a guy. lol

Okay, which one?!

Probably my most public exhibition was at a busy intersection. I wasn't even actually on the bike. I'd hopped off to wait out the light and decided to roll the bike backwards to reach the walk signal button. Somehow I tripped over the pedal and went down flat on my butt. Oh yes, the intersection was full. Broad daylight, too.

The one that did the most damage wasn't actually even a bike. I was seven years old and I was on one of those scooters. No brakes, 1" lip on the driveway dip. I hit it full force and the scooter came to a complete stop. I didn't. Total face plant, three days in the hospital. Ouch.

Mine was out side my school. It was really funny really. I hit a little dip and my wheel stopped but i didnt... And there was a dude walking past...Could it get any worse yes. Some random dude laughed at me so i i did what any good teenage student at massey high would i yelled at him... And the nurse had just pulled up...So i was taken away and i lost a bit of my bike.

Marie

When I was still new to clipless pedals, I leaned the wrong way at a stop light, in a left turn lane. After going down, I jumped up and bowed to the cars waiting around me, and they got a good laugh out of it.

Well, today was my first commute with clipless pedals. So, of course I'm getting to the front gate at commute time. Tons of cars lineing up, all waiting to get into work. The car in front of me suddenly stops, I lock up the rear wheel and stop just barely in time, but the feet didn't come out in time. So I go down. Pedestrian asks "Are you ok?" I tell him "yes" then drag my bike onto the sidewalk and ride the sidewalk the rest of the way.

Saturday I rode around a bit to practice getting into and out of the pedals, I thought I was pretty good, but I guess it'll take a while to retrain my reaction. Until then, I think I'll put the toeclips back on the commuter and put the clipless on the MTB.

This was not a commuting accident, but an accident none the less. I already shared it with the Classic and Vintage forum.

Beat This.......................................

Rode a bmx bike in flip flops in third grade. Flip flop came off and lodged in the front fork, locking the tire up. I flew over the handlebars, but didn't really let them go so the bike kinda did a front flip with me.
You know how eventually your handle grips wear out on the ends, leaving the metal handlebar exposed?
Well I somehow landed right on one of the bar ends completely spread eagle and um......lacerated myself.:o

7 stitches up the right hand side of my scrotum.:twitchy:

Another "foot stuck in the clip trick!!!!"......friend and I on our 4mile commute into campus. Busy T junction we are first in line waiting to turn left at the light. Friend is bunny hopping in place and all of a sudden jumps, rotates 90 degrees in the air and lands on his side. I can't tell you how many cars were honking at his antics. Priceless.

Then wammo. This very fetching young lady starts crossing the street in front of me. At this point I'm sure my stare is making me look like I should belong in the psycho ward of the local hospital.

...I still cringe at the thought of what the car drivers waiting for the light from the opposite direction thought when they witnessed the entire event.


The men thought:
a. Amen brother.
b. Haha! I am a superior mate for that young woman!

The women thought:
a. Pig.
b. Silly boys.

Sound about right?


I think clip ins are the most common tool for embarrassment. We should all agree to stop using them.

haha... one of the few reasons I stand by toe clips.

Me... got distracted, slammed the brakes in the middle of the street, did a classic over the handlebars face plant.

This was right in center city too.

On my way to work, I was doing a high speed turn onto a bike path from the road. While going around the poles at the entrance of the path my pedal clipped a chuck of concrete being pushed up by roots or something and i went over the handle bars. Backback full of work stuff, including my laptop helped carry me about 5 feet from my bike, but luckily i was wearing only shorts and tshirt so i had plenty of skin to help me stop sliding. Rode the rest of the way to work bleeding out of both elbows and knees. Most of the leather was worn of my right glove and my shoulder felt like i had been hit by a car. Still hurts (this was only 4 days ago). Hopefully this will be the last time i eat it like that.

Hmm

There was the time when I was 16 and riding home from work in the dark and rain. I had to look down because of the rain. I car approached from behind and slowed. I figured I was too far out in the middle of the road so I moved just a bit to the right. Yup right into the back of a parked car :eek: Went back and fessed up to the owner the next day...

Then a couple years later I got a set of rollers and was riding in the daylight basement. I was finding it quite a bit easier than I had expected. So when the phone rang I leaned over and answered it and told my brother that riding on rollers with no hands isn't that hard. I am still not sure how the bike hopped off the rollers and then accelerated into the wall about 8ft away. There I was in a crumpled heap and I can hear the laughing over the phone. I check the phone for damage (it was owned by the phone company after all) and hung up on my brother.

And my best uncrash was in a cat 4 race and I was riding near the center line of the road. Somebody came from behind and locked bars and ran onto my front wheel. When I untangled I was in a sharp left turn going across the road at a high rate of speed. I managed to cross the ditch and find my way back to the road. When I get back to the pack they ask me if I saw that guy crash into the ditch. I tell them it was me and suddenly I have space to be able to move up in the pack :D Unfortunately later on in that race I did the dreaded wheel overlap and went down. I think most of the pack ran over me (the tire marks wouldn't wash out of my jersey)

And I wonder why nobody wants to ride with me? :innocent:

One time, I was practicing clipping in and out on my thick lawn. I fell, but it felt like falling on a big pillow. I took a moment, right there, laying on the grass while clipped in, just stared at the sky. The weather was perfect - I thought of food and girls. No one saw me fall, except some horses in my neighbors property.

Actually this isn't embarrassing at all. Why am I posting here?

SJSU...I suck :(

In spite of the stereotypes about Stanford girls, I enjoy my commute across Palo Alto.

I got rear-ended (in my car) and the driver jumped out and the first thing he said was, "Sorry dude, but did you see that BABE on the sidewalk?"

Umm, no, I was watching the road.

Getting back on topic: I was tucked down because of a fierce headwind when I rear ended a parked car in the shoulder.

Slipped on algae in the middle of the desert on a 100+ degree day.

Fell asleep--just for a second--while riding to work on a MUP, rode straight into one of those poles they put to keep the cars out. Five minutes later, I'm straightening out my headset, screwing my brake levers back in place, checking cables, and an old hobo dude asks if I'm OK..."yeah, just stupid."

(Of course there was also that time when I was 5 and thought it would be cool to take my feet off the pedals--smack into a tree.)

Depends on whether the crash was witnessed or not:

Witnessed: Track standing in traffic. Fell right over.

When I was alone: Lost the road in thick fog at night and rode over an embankment into a ditch filled with water.