bayareawheeler

So yesterday on the way home as I was enjoying the cool weather on the commute home. I hooked a sharp right to get onto the MUT that gets me to pointb.

Right after turning I come face to face with an elderly gentlemen coming right at me on the wrong side of the MUT. We had about 5ft to respond. We both stabbed our brakes (brake in my case as im on a fixed gear) and then collided. Handlebars made contact and then he flew forward and basically bounced off my shoulder and then went down pretty hard.

Now its the offseason so im currently weighing in at 6ft +190lbs about 15% body fat and I imagine it felt like the poor guy hit a brick wall I then helped him get to his feet, he had some nice gouges in his hands and elbows that were bleeding a bit. Few other cyclists stopped to make sure he was okay while giving me the stinkeye like I ran this guy over on purpose.

Didnt want to add insult to injury so I didnt say a word about him being on the wrong side of the road and was quiet for the most part while he cursed and pulled himself together. Pretty sure he was aware he was in the wrong also as he didnt say a word regarding fault ect. After he regained his wits I told him it was nice meeting him and offered my hand. He said same but would have liked to meet under different circumstances haha

nice enough guy and I felt bad about him taking the worst of it. We both headed our seperate ways and I had to stop because my front brake was locked tight...crap! Fiddled with it and got it working well enough. The brake will no longer return to the open position so it seems the spring got fubared. No biggie its a cheapo brake. Also noticed my poor bell was mangled and will need to be replaced...while examining the bell i noticed some hair sticking out of the allenbolt head on my stem...look al little closer and realized it it completely stuffed with this guys flesh and hair GROSSSSSSSS!!! Of course i had to show my wife so i left it in there till i got home. She was not amused! But my 3 year old was fascinated!

So this morning as I got up to shower and get ready for work I noticed alot of soreness in my shoulder and had completely put the incident out of my mind. Took off my shirt and my right shoulder is black and blue! Yikes

anyways wanted to share. Not a good idea to attempt a left turn in the far left lane as you can imagine. Be safe out there

joninkrakow

The only time my shoulder ever looked like that was when I broke my collar bone. You might want to consider an x-ray.

-Jon

pinkrobe

Oh, that is gross! Still, a trophy is a trophy...

neilfein

It could have been worse, but keep an eye on that shoulder.

dalmore

+1 - only for me it was fractured greater tuberosity (knob like projection at the top of the arm bone.)

Hopefully you're not facing a fracture!!

MUPs are the worse for that kinda thing. I've had a number of close calls but now I'm really careful of those blind curves and turns. I suppose I could still get wiped out by someone flying around them but I can't control everything

rugerben

You. Are. My. Hero.

sjauch

Oh man, that nasty. How did you get it out, a toothpick?

bayareawheeler

thanks for the concern guys, pretty sure im just bruised as ive got full range of motion and ive broken both collarbones in the past so i know the drill.

and to the ? above...i havent. Threw the bike in the garage and grabbed a cold beer. Shall i snap a pic??

rugerben

I think you should take the piece of flesh and have it bronzed. Save that little trophy for posterity.

ironhorse3

E gad. Heard of double fatality from similar wreck on a MUP. I often imagine a big crash when topping a hill or rounding a curve. Sounds like a good place to put a bullseye mirror. A good time to ring the little bell (reminder to self: get one).

vincentpaul

Are MUP's marked with traffic lanes in your area? I'm having a hard time picturing a scenario where the person already on the MUP wouldn't have had legal right of way to the entire path, with the party turning onto the path having the obligation to yield to someone already on the path.

rugerben

My local MUP has a yellow line down the center. You are to stay to the right of the line. If you are on the wrong side, people get mad.

One time I was riding with a friend who was visiting from a foreign country. He and I were side-by-side on the MUP, and I was right on the yellow line. This little old lady in a sun dress riding an old looking cruiser bike is coming at us in from the other direction on her side of the line. When she gets about 10-15 yards from us she dings the bell:

Ding-Ding "GET THE F**K OUT OF THE WAY!!!!"

It was one of the funniest bike experiences of my life. My friend...he was just bewildered.

savethekudzu

I can't believe nobody has asked whether he was wearing a helmet!

Raven87

Doesn't everyone?

cyclokitty 

Oh what the heck... picture of the flesh and hair stuffed allen bolt, please!

I nearly ran over someone on the local MUP recently. It was a walker who suddenly stopped and started dancing all over the width of the trail. I barely managed to avoid smooshing her. She acted like I was just a horrible, horrible person. And she was wearing earphones (I only imagine the music was playing, and it was something she liked).

slloth

Glad to hear you are alright. I'm convinced those MUP's are more dangerous than the road. I've only ridden on one in the past few months and got a flat from broken glass.

nahh

Glad you're ok. MUP's are crazy.

Throwmeabone

What do you mean? Was he trying to turn left to a connecting path or something? Also how fast were each of you going?

funrover 

OUCH!!! Glad it wasn't worse