bicyclepriest

I have been reading some of the threads on the two phases of initiation into the commuting community. One being having to change a flat while communting and the other being getting into a wreck. I consider myself to be a hardcore commuter and have only participated in the changing of a flat phase many times until this morning. Don't get me wrong, I have had numerours wrecks earlier in my life in my teens, that were "more bloody"(is that correct?) than this one but this is one for the books. I was travling this morning on a one way street on the far right side. The light up ahead was green and traffic up ahead was moving in a normal fashion. The traffic was backed up for a little and I was on the tail end of it. Not really paying any attention to the stopped traffic beside me, I proceeded on since the traffic way up ahead was moving and it was only at matter of time before all the traffic started moving. Little did I know that this traffic a little back from the intersection and 3 lanes wide had stopped to let a lady in a red Baretta go from one parking lot on the left side of the street to a parking alot on the right side of the street. I just keep going on up the right side and as soon as I got to the front of the traffic BOOOMMMM. A NICE AND TASTY T-BONE STEAK. My front wheel hit the front right fender of her car and I T-BONED into her. This sent my "gliding" over the hood and crashing to the ground. I pop right up with a smile on my face that one could see halfway around the world. A RUSH is not the word for it. The lady was taking her daughter to preschool and was really worried. I told her I was fine and gave her a hug to come her down and told her to go ahead and get her daughter to school and I would call in my cavalry(my wife) to come and get me. The worst thing about the whole deal is that the incident tacoed my S-7 Rim on my 1976 Schwinn Suburban. You just cannot pick up one of these at a bike shop or some online shop so I will have to do some searching. I really like this bike since it is the closest to being NOS(New Old Stock) out of my ten bikes I have. Any body else out there had a mouth watering T-BONE steak?

Cambronne

OKAY, I admit it... I had to ask a coworker what T-BONE was, as relates to crashing. I've been speaking english since 1991, and though I'm good, I still encounter words like this.

You were lucky. No broken bones, no head injury. Shame about the bent rim, though. You should find one of those handymen whose back yard is filled with old bikes and lawnmowers... he'd be bound to have a 25 year old Schwinn in there...

Yes. I have ridden into cars with enough force that I cause them damage. I once had a lady in a Renault Espace (minivan, looks like a Chrysler) overtake me and then make a right turn, directly in my path. God how I hate it when people do this! It happens at least once every commute...

BAMM!

I swerved, but not enough... and I "bailed out" rather than run my bike into the van. I dented in the passenger side door with my hip as I fell. I also... and I'm especially proud of this... pulled the passenger mirror completely off of the door.

I was bruised, but otherwise unhurt, and the bike was okay with just scratches. Madame Renault got the PV. (ticket)

Tip: I ride a hybrid, with a straight handlebar. I attached bar ends to it, not to aid climbing, but to protect my hands from passing traffic. The scratches on those bar ends attest to their effectiveness.