John_V 

I was riding at the usual MUP today and pulled into the north parking lot on my last lap of my ride. The parking lot is seven miles from the end of my ride. It's also a one-way circle. The MUP was quite crowded with cyclist getting in their last training ride before a 70.3 triathlon being held tomorrow.

As I was coming around a curve by the exit, I came to the barricade that keeps cars from going out the wrong way and there he was, trying to exit in the entrance lane. Choices: 1) dump the bike or 2) get hit by the car. I was able to get one foot unclipped, but not quick enough to dismount, so I took option number 1. After going down, I tried to sit up but my shoulder was in too much pain. Several people came running over to see how I was and the guy in the car, with his Quintana Roo TT bike on the back, looks at me lying on the ground, doesn't say squat, didn't even stop and continues going out the park in the wrong lane.

My wife was also riding at the MUP this morning, but not with me. After someone lifted my bike off me and some others helped me up, I called her to come and get me and take me to the ER. Luckily, she just got finished with her ride and was at the truck when I called. Three hours later and a dislocated shoulder, I finally made it home. And of course, it's my right shoulder and I'm right handed. Eating is going to be fun since my arm is in a sling and hurts like hell with any movement.

There is no damage to the Colnago except some scratched bar tape and barend plug. So, thanks to an ******* cyclist, whose also an ******* behind the wheel of a car, I'm off the bike for an undetermined amount of time. Who says cyclist are curtious to other cyclist?

End of rant.

stapfam

No need to call it a rant. Not all morons only have one form of transport.

Recover quicker that you hope you will and glad to see nothing more serious--To you or the bike.

Retro Grouch 

There's a lot of people who ride bicycles. Show me 100 of anything and I'm going to like some better than others. Show me 100 Catholic nuns and they won't all be like Mother Teresa.

CraigB

No, some will be younger and hotter.

Wait, did I just type that?

10 Wheels

He didn't like your White bike.

John_V 

He must not have. Or he didn't like my MS 150 jersey.

Well, he was younger! Probably part of the "I don't give a s**t, if it doesn't effect me" generation.

NOS88

Heal quickly.

Dudelsack 

Condolences. As others have said, heal quickly.

Digital Gee

That's just terrible and it pisses me off to hear stories like these. What a freakin' jerk. I can only echo the others and hope you heal quickly, and remember there's such a thing as karma. You might not be there when it comes round to bite him on the a$$, but trust me, it will.

Ruby13

This past October I got cut off by a golf cart that was cutting through my development in Florida. The course runs through it but carts are supposed to stop. Did an endo, the cart and passengers took off and I separated my shoulder that cost me a month plus a big knot on my shoulder. Thankfully you'll heal and the bike is ok and the cyclist/motorist will still be an ahole.

cccorlew

He wasn't a cyclist, he was a tri geek. I'll venture driving skills are as bad as their cycling skills.

billydonn

Maybe so... but, be that as it may, it has slowly begun to dawn on me that being a cyclist does not necessarily indicate that a person is smart or nice.

teachme

That is awful, just awful! So sorry about your inury... Hope you start feeling better soon! That guy going the wrong way through the entrance lane is a moron!!

JonnyHK 

Did you get his licence plate number?He might not have made contact, but he certainly caused your injuries. Sue the bastard!

Phil85207

Lets someone knew who it was and will let the athorities know. Now you need to concentrate on getting better.

seenoweevil

Hope you heal quickly! Nothing to say about the tri guy that hasn't already been said!

DnvrFox

Heal well. Pain HURTS and it takes a lot of energy from the rest of your body. So rest well, also. My sincerest condolences.

John_V 

Thanks to all that responded. The swelling in the shoulder has gone down considerably since yesterday, and thanks to the Percodan, the pain is tolerable. Being right handed, I'm having a tough time doing things with only my left hand. We don't realize how fortunate we are until the use of something we take for granted is lost, even if it's temporary. Using my mouse with my left hand as well as typing with it is proving to be quite an ordeal. Washing my left hand without the use of my right hand is even harder.

I wish I could have taken down this jerk's tag number, but I couldn't see it when I was down on the ground. However, you don't see to many Roo's at this MUP, especially being carried by a green Toyota Camery. Since I ride this MUP on a daily basis, I'm sure that I'll run into him again. I'll just have to take it easy until my shoulder heals before I can start the hunt.

donheff

Not stopping to check on you was particularly obnoxious. A******* are A*******. Unfortunately, defensive riding only goes so far to protect you. Sometimes you just can avoid these jerks.

Dudelsack 

I never understood exactly why that is until I learned that for many tri geeks, their TT is their first bike ever. Someone with no cycling experience gets a temperamental bike first and wonders why they become a public menace.

dynodonn 

In retrospect from class photos and personal memories, the nun who taught my 4th grade class was young and pretty good looking.

t4mv

You could go back to the 70.3 tri today, or whatever, and let the air out of his tires.

Heal up quickly.

david58

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have a parallel observation. I live in "cycling-friendly" Oregon. I also ride in Alabama when I work down there from time to time.

Guess what the ass-hole ratio is between the two? Here in OR, the land of the "I'm superior because I am green/liberal/cyclist/hiker/environmentalist/doglover/whatever", riding can be very, very scary. Rural roads where double dump-trucks like to blast past you at 70 blowing the horn, or where folks will make a point of showing displeasure by passing close and snapping in front of you for an exclamation point, etc. etc. And yes, I have been squeezed toward the ditch by folks with racks on the back and the magic cycling license plate...

Back to the ratio, not once have I had a single passing experience in Alabama like I do on almost every ride here....

Mr. Beanz

Out of curiosity, how fast were you riding? Man of the parking lots/areas around here have a 5 mph speed limit.

Banded Krait

John,

I am very sorry to hear of your injury and the damage to your brand new Colnago (it's such a great looking bike). I wish you a speedy recovery, and I hope some sort of punishment can be dealt to the unthinking clod who caused the accident.