Road Cycling - My Bicycle Accident Last Wednesday

This past Wednesday, August 18th, I got into a serious crash.

I was doing my usual workout, 4-6 laps around Central Park drive. I was finishing my final lap, going downhill on the west side of the park, around 81st street. I was going about 20-23mph, my usual speed down that hill (it's not very steep) and about 10 feet in front of me a woman started crossing without looking to see if there was any traffic coming.

This was around 7:45pm and there are no cars allowed in the park after 7pm, so I guess she thought there was no traffic at all.

When I saw her start to cross she was already very close to me, I hit my brakes to slow down and swerved right to go behind her, but then she finally saw me and freaked out, instead of continuing to cross the street, she turn around and tried running back.

I yelled at her but at that point there was no way to avoid hitting her. I think I must have hit her going about 17-18mph.

I remember hitting her and then I remember waking up laying on the ground surrounded by EMTs and a big crowd. I was in major pain, asked someone how long I'd been laying there (about 10-15 minutes). I saw the woman laying there and asked if she was OK, someone said she was fine. I also asked "Is my bike OK?"

Someone said, "Your helmet saved your life!" and they showed it to me, it was cracked all over.

I was in a major daze, half conscious. I heard someone talking to the police I guess, he said that he was riding behind me and saw the accident, that I yelled and tried to stop but couldn't and I hit the woman.

The ambulance took me to the hospital (Cornell Medical Center on the East side) and I told the EMTs that my cell phone was in my back pocket and if I could call my family. I called my brother and told him what hospital I was being taken too.

I was in the ER for about 6 hours. They gave me a tetanus shot, took X-rays of my hands and neck and did a cat scan of my head. The doctor told me he'd seen a lot of people my age who died because they weren't wearing a helmet and that my helmet save me.

I was let out of the hospital at around 2AM and my dad took me home and stayed the night with me.

The next day I called the Central Park conservancy and they told me where to pick up my bike. I went to get it and spoke to the guy who was holding it for me, he told me the woman I hit lost some of her teeth and was banged up, but otherwise was OK.

My bike was fine too, the wheels need to be trued but everything else is OK. I have my helmet as a souvenir now, it totally saved me.

Man, what a mess! Glad your doing ok. Hope you heal quick! Also, get the witness information from the police in case she tries to litigate your bike out from under you. (so-to-speak)

I actually have no idea the name of the woman and the police have not contacted me at all. I'm hoping everything is OK and that she won't try to sue, I mean, I have nothing anyway, my net worth is about $200.

a helmet is the best investment a biker can make
glad you had one

I actually have no idea the name of the woman and the police have not contacted me at all. I'm hoping everything is OK and that she won't try to sue, I mean, I have nothing anyway, my net worth is about $200.

btw just wondering how much the hospital bill will be, do you have insurance?

You're lucky. My friend always gives me a bad time about the helmet looking kind of silly, but I always tell him that you should always wear one. You use clipless pedals right? I'm just wondering if those make you more apt to land on your head, because I don't have clips of any kind and went straight forward and onto my chest when the van clipped me. Don't get me wrong, I want to get clipless pedals, but it was just sort of a question. I noticed the people that talk about landing directly on their head have clipless pedals or toe clips.

That must have been scary (and painful!) as Hell. Glad to read that you survived intact.

You're lucky. My friend always gives me a bad time about the helmet looking kind of silly, but I always tell him that you should always wear one. You use clipless pedals right? I'm just wondering if those make you more apt to land on your head, because I don't have clips of any kind and went straight forward and onto my chest when the van clipped me. Don't get me wrong, I want to get clipless pedals, but it was just sort of a question. I noticed the people that talk about landing directly on their head have clipless pedals or toe clips.

No, clipless pedals actually seem to do a pretty good job of letting you slide the bike sideways, something our friend couldn't do because of the situation. I also think that clipless let you control the bike better with your body and might help you avoid accidents...

he told me the woman I hit lost some of her teeth and was banged up, but otherwise was OK.

thats good. stupid people deserve what they get. I mean, didn't your parents tell you to look both ways before you cross the street?

She's going to sue the sh$t out of you,watch.

She's going to sue the sh$t out of you,watch.

Well aren't you a cheerful earful?

There is actually little point for her filing suit. The cyclist was clearly in the right. He had witnesses. There was probably even a police report to that effect. Plus, the cyclist does not have any significant financial resources. People file suit to get money and you can not get money from a stone. Unless she is loaded with cash and supremely vindictive (and even here, she would lose and be vulnerable to countersuits), there is no way she is going to sue.

glad you're alright and your ride is okay too.
crazy, those accidents happen out of nowhere don't they?
really good thing you were wearing your helmet.

cool avatar (watched that flick last night)

Well aren't you a cheerful earful?

There is actually little point for her filing suit. The cyclist was clearly in the right. He had witnesses. There was probably even a police report to that effect. Plus, the cyclist does not have any significant financial resources. People file suit to get money and you can not get money from a stone. Unless she is loaded with cash and supremely vindictive (and even here, she would lose and be vulnerable to countersuits), there is no way she is going to sue.

I didnt know this was the cheerful thread. I'm just saying what could and does happen,maybe not in your little world but it does in the big one. Ever her of furture earnings? Witnesses are'nt the final say either.I'm glad you are so sure but i hope your not a lawyer. I'm sure she wont bother because you say so,thanks. Keep that helmet on.

glad you're alright and your ride is okay too.
crazy, those accidents happen out of nowhere don't they?
really good thing you were wearing your helmet.

cool avatar (watched that flick last night)

What flick is that?

Glad you are alright. I've been in a couple of mountain biking accidents, nothing serious but not road biking yet. Helmets save lives. I just can't understand why people who ride motorcycles don't wear them.

Hey ultra-g, glad to hear you're OK and recovering in full! After having crashed seriously enough to crack a helmet once, have to say that it was the best money I ever spent...went out the next day and bought the exact same thing.

Best to you and hope you are back on two-wheels soon!

ouchie. crashes suck. hope you recover okay, take it easy, let that head clear.

sd

Well aren't you a cheerful earful?

There is actually little point for her filing suit. The cyclist was clearly in the right. He had witnesses. There was probably even a police report to that effect. Plus, the cyclist does not have any significant financial resources. People file suit to get money and you can not get money from a stone. Unless she is loaded with cash and supremely vindictive (and even here, she would lose and be vulnerable to countersuits), there is no way she is going to sue.

New York City is loaded with lawyers. I suspect she's probably right now getting ready to sue the Parks department, the cyclist and everyone under the sun. These witnesses may not show up and they will want money. The area of the accident is quite a wealthy district and folks there have money.

Keep in mind that this is only one side of the argument and hers might be totally different. NYC DOT states your bicycle must have brakes to be street legal and did his single speed have them???

I would suggets the rider of the single speed to get a front brake. It could very well save his life.

Pat doesnt like uncheeful talk like that.

After reading this thread, it started me wondering... what insurance covers your liability in a bicycle accident, if any? Auto, home, umbrella, etc...

Damn, sorry to hear about this- it's terrible. I hope you're ok physically and mentally!

Even though you have nothing, she could still sue you, then try and get you for any future income. So watch out. We ARE a litigous society, and we do not like to take responsibility for our actions. :( There is no accountability on our parts, and I betcha that lady is just looking at her "options" right now. So be careful- it may pay for you to go to legal aid (if you're a college student, because it's free) or see if your parents can help you find a lawyer just to prepare for the "just in case". It wouldn't hurt to get a police report filed with the details and line up your witnesses too. Do it now, before you get stuck in litigation hell and you can't defend yourself.

Good luck and keep us updated on how things are going.

Koffee

Just a reminder.

EVERYTHING you write in this newsgroups is discoverable in a lawsuit. That means that, in a lawsuit, the opposing attorney will ask for everything you have written and everyone you have talked with. You are legally obligated to provide that, and if you don't, and they find out (which they will), you are in a big pot of trouble. Be careful what you write.

A Google search on something like "August 18th" Central Park" Bike" "Injury" would likely show just the post you have written. And they can subpoena either Joe or your ISP for the actual person who is "Ultra-q"

Written statements like "I think I must have hit her going about 17-18mph" would be extremely damaging in court.

I was in a pickle about three months ago. First thing the lawyer said - DON'T SAY OR WRITE ANYTHING TO ANYBODY without my being there or approving it first.

In my case, everything worked out fine, but, hey, s*** happens!

And you DO have assets - your future earnings.

Just a reminder.

EVERYTHING you write in this newsgroups is discoverable in a lawsuit. That means that, in a lawsuit, the opposing attorney will ask for everything you have written and everyone you have talked with. You are legally obligated to provide that, and if you don't, and they find out (which they will), you are in a big pot of trouble. Be careful what you write.

A Google search on something like "August 18th" Central Park" Bike" "Injury" would likely show just the post you have written. And they can subpoena either Joe or your IPS for the actual person who is "Ultra-q"

Written statements like "I think I must have hit her going about 17-18mph" would be extremely damaging in court.

I was in a pickle about three months ago. First thing the lawyer said - DON'T SAY OR WRITE ANYTHING TO ANYBODY without my being there or approving it first.

In my case, everything worked out fine, but, hey, s*** happens!

And you DO have assets - your future earnings.

HOLY COW!

You're right about this. Since I've been posting on this and a couple of other forums, people have emailed me thinking I'm some sort of wizzard on folding bikes. NOT TRUE! OH WELL...... Don't write anything more. Get that front brake

If the lawyer is going to subpoena that part of this document though, his lawyer would probably subpoena the rest of the document to show the context behind the message. The fact that he did the appropriate things trying to wave her off, and the fact that he made an attempt at evasive action would easily save him. I wouldn't worry about a suit, because if she put a suit into action you could launch a countersuit.

If the lawyer is going to subpoena that part of this document though, his lawyer would probably subpoena the rest of the document to show the context behind the message. The fact that he did the appropriate things trying to wave her off, and the fact that he made an attempt at evasive action would easily save him. I wouldn't worry about a suit, because if she put a suit into action you could launch a countersuit.

Depends - was the pedestrian in a crosswalk? Around here, peds have the right of way in a crosswalk, and if you hit one, you are a fault, period.

Either way, I don't believe it is good practice to describe accidents in which you might have liability on the internet thinking you have some anonymity or protection.

Ask all the guys who "deleted" their emails in the stock scandals!

I guess if I was a ped in a crosswalk and got hit by an errant biker and lost or broke several teeth and whatever and had no insurance that paid for broken teeth, I would be looking for someone else to pay my bills - replacing and fixing teeth is quite expensive.

And, if they didn't offer, you can bet I would be in court of some sort.

Depends - was the pedestrian in a crosswalk? Around here, peds have the right of way in a crosswalk, and if you hit one, you are a fault, period.

Either way, I don't believe it is good practice to describe accidents in which you might have liability on the internet thinking you have some anonymity or protection.

These are important points. We (forum users) don't know who had the right of way. She very well might have had the right of way, even if what she did was stupid. And if you still live with your parents, she might (I stress, might) be able to tap into their homeowners/renters insurance policy, and maybe even their auto policy. Only a local lawyer could give you an answer to that. And even if you have no money, an uncollected judgment can destroy your credit rating.

Call the helmet company (they should have a 1-800 number), and ask if they will give you a new helmet in exchange for the old. Do helmet companies still do that? It's worth the price of a free phone call to find out.

i feel like this exact same thing has almost happened to me 100 times.

i would be curious to know the details of the crash, if the pedestrian was in the roadway, etc.

in my experience in CP (daily rides, for the most part), the lax nature of the park surroundings make it rare for pedestrians to actually cross in the crosswalks, even though it is technically a road with traffic lights, crosswalks, etc.

bikes follow the rules of the road and pedestrians are obligated by law to follow the rules of the sidewalk!

anyway, best wishes and don't let a crash or all this legal talk discourage you.

Daily Commute I know that Trek replaces within one year of sale.

I actually have no idea the name of the woman and the police have not contacted me at all. I'm hoping everything is OK and that she won't try to sue, I mean, I have nothing anyway, my net worth is about $200.

Ah, what my Remedies professor referred to as a "judgment-proof defendant." Glad you're okay and good luck.

Weird,

Similar thing happened to me at CP a couple weeks ago.

On a Saturday, mid-morning, riding the south end of the loop, some a*hole walks across the road (and NOT in a cross walk) right in front of me without looking...I see him and think this guy is trouble, I should slow down or stop, just in case, but decide to give him the benefit of the doubt, by going around behind him, so as not to disturb him or frighten him, completely expecting him to continue going in the direction he was headed...WRONG! Just as I was passing him he decides to turn around, again w/o looking, and walk back...and bam he hits me, I'm at an angle and he's bigger than me, so I do my best Tyler Hamilton impression and tumble sideways over my bike...I land sitting up expecting the guy to be above asking whether I'm all right...WRONG AGAIN!...He's about 50 meters away waving his arms like some mother* ass*, and I'm left cursing him.

I get up check myself, banged up knee, some blood, not too bad, sore wrists, not too bad (I thought), try to get get back on my bike, bike doesn't go anywhere. Check my drivetrain, chain is off AND my rear derailleur drop-out is bent...and having my saddle twisted 90degrees didn't help either :rolleyes:

So, took the bike to the side and put the chain back on the chain ring, twisted the rear dropout back into place (My frame is Titanium :D ) and adjusted my seat, and notice my front wheel was out of true. Did one more lap around the park, rode to my bike shop (Conrad's) and had my bike mechanic get my bike into good shape.

Now, the only reason I decided to ride around CP (and not ride into NJ/upstate NY) was because I wanted to get back home in time to bid on an Ebay auction that was ending later in the morning. Well, I didn't make it home in time for the close of the auction...and adding salt to my wounds the item sold for far less than I was prepared to pay...doh! :cry:

Well, got home iced and treated my wounds, next morning I realized it was worse than I had thought, bruised ribs, sprained wrists, my right moreso than my left... This was about three weeks ago, haven't ridden the bike since.

Right now, I'm still mending the right wrist and plan on going out this weekend, hopefully... :)

When riding a bike in NYC there are three universal laws you must obey (much like Ohm's Law or the Law of Gravity):

Law # 1 - Pedestrians are stupid.

Law # 2 - Motorists are stupid.

Law # 3 - People are stupid.

If you ignore any of these three universal laws you will pay the price. In my moments of weakness, I have made the mistake of extending a generous heaping of expection upon my fellow "humanoids," an expectation of self-reliance, self-awareness and non-selfishness.

And its moments like the one that occurred that Saturday that have woken me up from my stupor and reminded me that people are *ING MORONS! ;)

After reading this thread, it started me wondering... what insurance covers your liability in a bicycle accident, if any? Auto, home, umbrella, etc...

Good question. I've never really thought about it. Anyone know the answer?

There's a guy I sometimes ride with in prospect park who has a huge ass bell. If there's even a hint that a pedestrian's going to sneeze, he'll ring it.
I, on the other hand, have a slightly smaller bell and will ring it while screaming, "Stay straight! Stay straight!" or "STOP STOP STOP STOP!" as loud as possible.
That plus my 30 watt light at night ensures that 98.5% of the time they will notice me. Whether they choose to act appropriately, well that's up to chance.

So right, right. They are morons. Couple of months ago I almost had my share of fun. I was "flying" down the 5th ave from 24th street to Washington Square park around 27 mph. I managed to beat all the lights. While I was dodging traffics, very little, and manholes and potholes, I had made the wrong decision to pass a pedestrian from behind. He was about to cross the street. Fortunately, he saw me coming fast and didn't move. I passed behind him. After reading this I realized I had made a mistake.

Tomorrow, I am doing some test ride with my new frame in CP. :D Wish me luck. Remember, to elbows out. "Lean" towards the pedestrians. Of course, yell at them. Scream at them. Deal with them with extreme prejudice. :D



Weird,

Similar thing happened to me at CP a couple weeks ago.

On a Saturday, mid-morning, riding the south end of the loop, some a*hole walks across the road (and NOT in a cross walk) right in front of me without looking...I see him and think this guy is trouble, I should slow down or stop, just in case, but decide to give him the benefit of the doubt, by going around behind him, so as not to disturb him or frighten him, completely expecting him to continue going in the direction he was headed...WRONG! Just as I was passing him he decides to turn around, again w/o looking, and walk back...and bam he hits me, I'm at an angle and he's bigger than me, so I do my best Tyler Hamilton impression and tumble sideways over my bike...I land sitting up expecting the guy to be above asking whether I'm all right...WRONG AGAIN!...He's about 50 meters away waving his arms like some mother* ass*, and I'm left cursing him.

I get up check myself, banged up knee, some blood, not too bad, sore wrists, not too bad (I thought), try to get get back on my bike, bike doesn't go anywhere. Check my drivetrain, chain is off AND my rear derailleur drop-out is bent...and having my saddle twisted 90degrees didn't help either :rolleyes:

So, took the bike to the side and put the chain back on the chain ring, twisted the rear dropout back into place (My frame is Titanium :D ) and adjusted my seat, and notice my front wheel was out of true. Did one more lap around the park, rode to my bike shop (Conrad's) and had my bike mechanic get my bike into good shape.

Now, the only reason I decided to ride around CP (and not ride into NJ/upstate NY) was because I wanted to get back home in time to bid on an Ebay auction that was ending later in the morning. Well, I didn't make it home in time for the close of the auction...and adding salt to my wounds the item sold for far less than I was prepared to pay...doh! :cry:

Well, got home iced and treated my wounds, next morning I realized it was worse than I had thought, bruised ribs, sprained wrists, my right moreso than my left... This was about three weeks ago, haven't ridden the bike since.

Right now, I'm still mending the right wrist and plan on going out this weekend, hopefully... :)

When riding a bike in NYC there are three universal laws you must obey (much like Ohm's Law or the Law of Gravity):

Law # 1 - Pedestrians are stupid.

Law # 2 - Motorists are stupid.

Law # 3 - People are stupid.

If you ignore any of these three universal laws you will pay the price. In my moments of weakness, I have made the mistake of extending a generous heaping of expection upon my fellow "humanoids," an expectation of self-reliance, self-awareness and non-selfishness.

And its moments like the one that occurred that Saturday that have woken me up from my stupor and reminded me that people are *ING MORONS! ;)

i feel like this exact same thing has almost happened to me 100 times.
i would be curious to know the details of the crash, if the pedestrian was in the roadway, etc.
in my experience in CP (daily rides, for the most part), the lax nature of the park surroundings make it rare for pedestrians to actually cross in the crosswalks, even though it is technically a road with traffic lights, crosswalks, etc bikes follow the rules of the road and pedestrians are obligated by law to follow the rules of the sidewalk! anyway, best wishes and don't let a crash or all this legal talk discourage you.

Hey Everyone, Thanks for the encouragement.

I've been offline for a few days, today will be my first long ride in the Park since my accident. I'm going to be very careful and go slower downhill and stay in the middle of the lane and not towards the side of the road (screw the cars).

Last week I just got hired as a salesman at a bicycle shop in Tribeca and I started on Friday. It's great, I love the job, selling bike and accessories and talking about cycling with the customers.

I'm learning more about the industry and about how to get into racing (the shop has it's own team). I've done 3 days so far and today is my day off. Last night we had a meeting to introduce us to some of the new 2005 Specialized Products, lots of very cool things, new innovations for 2005.

My face is healing up pretty good and the only pain I still have in in my wrist and ring finger (that was smashed pretty good in the crash), my fingernail is black. The back of my head is still sore, but I'm not having any problems at all.

I've been commuting to work and now I really feel safer riding in traffic with cars than riding on the west side bike path with pedestrians.

The one useful riding tip I've learned from crashing: Never try to pass a pedestrian from behind, it will startle them and when stupid idiots get startled they turn around and run (right into you). It's better to yell ("HEY YOU!!!" and pass in front of them).

Last Sunday I was riding up the Hudson Greenway and in the middle of the lane a woman just hits her brakes and comes to a stop, I almost ran into her. Before I would have just mumbled under my breath and pass, but this time I just thought, she almost made me crash into her and I got mad. Her husband was with her and I just yelled at her, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? TRYING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT??" then I just stared at her and her husband as I rode on, she apologized because she realized it was stupid to do what she did.

The one useful riding tip I've learned from crashing: Never try to pass a pedestrian from behind, it will startle them and when stupid idiots get startled they turn around and run (right into you). It's better to yell ("HEY YOU!!!" and pass in front of them).

Last Sunday I was riding up the Hudson Greenway and in the middle of the lane a woman just hits her brakes and comes to a stop, I almost ran into her. Before I would have just mumbled under my breath and pass, but this time I just thought, she almost made me crash into her and I got mad. Her husband was with her and I just yelled at her, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? TRYING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT??" then I just stared at her and her husband as I rode on, she apologized because she realized it was stupid to do what she did.

Glad you're back in the saddle. But I think we need to watch for idiot pedestrians the same way cars have to watch for idiot cyclists (and let's admit it, there are a lot of idiot cyclists). Just assume that the pedestrian will move toward you an ride accordingly.

And remember, streets are a form of "multi-use path," too.

I have another incident on the Brooklyn Bridge. I was at the bottom in the Manhattan side and about to ride through the divider. I saw this dude on a blue bike coming and trying to beat him to the divider. The bike side of it isn't enough room. After the divider, this dude heading straight at me!!! I was like didn't he see me coming? Didn't my Chris King hub giving this dude a hint? No. His mind was somewhere else. When I yelled "heads up!!!" He was surprised to see me coming. Dooh, if he looked forward he would have known. He lost his control a bit and managed to steer to his right. When I passed him I yelled "moron" at him.


Hey Everyone, Thanks for the encouragement.

I've been offline for a few days, today will be my first long ride in the Park since my accident. I'm going to be very careful and go slower downhill and stay in the middle of the lane and not towards the side of the road (screw the cars).

Last week I just got hired as a salesman at a bicycle shop in Tribeca and I started on Friday. It's great, I love the job, selling bike and accessories and talking about cycling with the customers.

I'm learning more about the industry and about how to get into racing (the shop has it's own team). I've done 3 days so far and today is my day off. Last night we had a meeting to introduce us to some of the new 2005 Specialized Products, lots of very cool things, new innovations for 2005.

My face is healing up pretty good and the only pain I still have in in my wrist and ring finger (that was smashed pretty good in the crash), my fingernail is black. The back of my head is still sore, but I'm not having any problems at all.

I've been commuting to work and now I really feel safer riding in traffic with cars than riding on the west side bike path with pedestrians.

The one useful riding tip I've learned from crashing: Never try to pass a pedestrian from behind, it will startle them and when stupid idiots get startled they turn around and run (right into you). It's better to yell ("HEY YOU!!!" and pass in front of them).

Last Sunday I was riding up the Hudson Greenway and in the middle of the lane a woman just hits her brakes and comes to a stop, I almost ran into her. Before I would have just mumbled under my breath and pass, but this time I just thought, she almost made me crash into her and I got mad. Her husband was with her and I just yelled at her, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? TRYING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT??" then I just stared at her and her husband as I rode on, she apologized because she realized it was stupid to do what she did.

I almost wiped out twice on sunday, first time a chinese guy is standing at the curb by the bikeroute by the west side ..he is looking right into my eyes as i am approaching then he decides to come out to start crossing. Then rather than jump out of the way or step back ect, he completely stops in the middle of the path like he wanted me to hit him or something! I had to come to a complete stop right in front of him and I just stared at him..he was like Oh sorry like I suprised him or something. Second time I am riding up that hill that approaches the GWB, I think its Riverside drive...F'in lady flings her car door open like a switchblade and I almost endo right into it. Again she was like Oh I am so sorry.

I think some of these people deserve to get hit IMO :mad: Right of way or not, they dont show any common sense.

But then again if they had common sense they would be RIDING and not WALKING :D

one of the biggest issues with pedestrians is that they often under-estimate your speed. (bikes go slow, not 26mph, right?)

my usual route to central park is up first ave and i often get into a traffic pattern in the east village where the roads will be clear (the traffic coming through the light at houston will have passed already), but the lights will be green and the pedestrians will just lackadaisically meander across first ave, staring into space.

since there are no cars coming, and maybe some bike is a few blocks away, they figure they can take their time and cross on the don't walk.

i encounter this almost every time i ride. i end up almost smashing into a crowd of people at 7th or st. marks. i'll typically slow down and yell something, though this has failed a few times and i've had to swerve to avoid hitting people stepping out into the street.

some of my buddies will give folks a bit of a shove on the back as a wake up call.

Hi Daily Commute,

You know, I tried the thing with the helmet exchange, as I know both Giro and Bell were doing this years ago. However, when I had my crash a couple of years ago, I called Giro, which is just over the hill from me in Santa Cruz, and they no longer had such a program. Spoke to several folks in Marketing, R&D and Mgmt., but no success. I had (and still have) a Giro Boreas, which was at the higher end at that time. The helmet cracked in the back, but did EXACTLY what it was supposed to do - absorb all of the impact. As soon as I found out I wasn't getting any break to replace it, I went right out and bought another one - the best $100+ I ever spent...