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Old 04-16-06, 11:33 PM
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fthomas
Fred E Fenders
 
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Again! Philippines & S. California
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Bikes: Jamis Aurora Elite

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Crash with Injury - PLEASE RIDE TO THE RIGHT!!!

A beautiful Easter afternoon. So, I installed my new SKS fenders on my new Novara Randonee and took it for a spin. NOTE: Have to watch out for the fenders conflicting with the clips - 1/2" of overlap - not good. No big ride, just a ride of about 12 miles on a "two lane" bike path.

There is one hard 90 degree turn down hill with a hard right at the bottom (BLIND TURN) with a lot of brush on the hill side so you can not see anyone coming from the other direction until they are into the turn (left coming from the other direction), which I have been known to take at 24 mph, but today no way.

As I started down the steep hill I braked and slowed to 12 mph, which presents no need to swing wide and cut the apex of the turn. Today, however, along came lycra clad Dad on a US $ 4,000 + carbon bike with his son on a new Felt road bike with flat bars.

YEP! the were taking up both lanes and appeared just as I started into the turn. Instead of "T Boning" the boy I straightened out and tried to shoot between them. The lad paniced, realizing he was on the wrong side and moved towards his right. I clipped his bar end and as he went down ran over his front wheel with my rear. Off into the gravel to the left I went.

I went down with my bike sliding out from underneath me to the left. Ruined the bar tape, scratched the right hand STI brake lever up and got some nasty road rash on the right leg and arm. A broken (I think it is) right middle finger.

The young man had a nick (no blood) in his right thigh and a really good scare. I ended up with the worst of it - bike and body. All Dad could do was keep apologizing, which was accepted. At first I was more concerned about the welfare of his son. All I could say to Dad was: "Keep to the right, especially on a blind curve like this."

I guess it could have been a lot worse for both of us. If I had "T-Boned" Dad or LAD, I'm sure that the Carbon Bike or new FELT would have been toast and someone would have really ended up hurt. Guess I should count my blessings!

I got a couple of chips in the paint and the new is now off the new bike. Fenders are still intact. So, do I try and salvage the STI shifter on the right and replace the tape and count it good. Or do I order a Nitto Bar from Rivendell (wish I could order an Atlantis, but that will have to wait), keep the STI shifters or go for some bar ends? Any thoughts?

Last edited by fthomas; 04-19-06 at 11:47 PM.
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