A little story ... http://www.machka.net/2007/2007_200_VanIsle.htm

An excerpt from the story ...

We rode along chatting about brevets for a while, then rounded a corner and came to the top of a steep descent into Duncan, located south of Chemainus. It looked like farm or construction equipment had recently been driving up and down the hill. Then the light drizzle raised the dirt they had left behind. The hill was covered in whitish mud.

I eased my way down, trying to pick my way back and forth across the road to where the grade was less steep, and there was less muck. But the last 100 metres or so was straight down, and it was slippery ... I could feel myself skidding a bit. There was a 4-way stop at the bottom of the hill. The couple riding with me shot through the 4-way stop, and I was about to do the same when vehicles pulled up from all directions. I had to make a sudden decision ... do I blow through the stop, and hope that the vehicles all saw me and would stop, or do I assume that they haven't seen me and may hit me. I assumed they might not have seen me, and hit the brakes.

I only remember bits and pieces of what happened next. I remember seeing my front wheel turned back toward me, and thinking, "That's not good!" I remember falling to my left and landing on my left hip. My next thought was, "That's all right, I'm going to be OK" ... followed quickly by "MY HEAD IS GOING TOO FAST!" I tensed up, but then there was a loud crack and everything went white.

Ouch! My vision cleared and I tried to sit up ... but immediately had to lie back down again as everything went white again. I was able to sort of sit up on the second try.

My helmet was cracked ... and I had a mild concussion (among several other injuries) ... but at least my head wasn't cracked!! I'm rather fond of helmets.


Anyway, it's illegal to cycle without a helmet here in Australia.