Had a wreck this morning, cycle v. cycle, I may be biased but i'm pretty sure I got the worst of it.

Approaching my final destination this morning an hour earlier than normal at 7, I ride the last 100 yards or so on a WIDE sidewalk (no cars allowed on this part of campus so sidewalk riding it is). Anyway in the last 25 yards there is some landscaping going on off to the right side so they have errected a rather nasty looking fence (glo orange ruberized wire strung between very nasty rusty looking fence posts (which look like they would do double duty as cyclists pokers if hit)). So I see a rider coming towards me, looks like a student from campus (which should have clued me in, the only students up at 7 are drunk ones on their way home, the following interaction ensues:

0. Student and I are in the center of the WIDE (more than 10 ft) sidewalk heading towards each other.

1. I move to a definite solid right position.

2. The student for reasons I cannot begin to fathom moves to his left so that we are still heading right towards each other.
Maybe he thought we were in England?

3. I now take a definite right position on the sidewalk with only inches between me and narly rusty fence.

4. The student again moves to his left.

5. I signal my intention to stay on the right right side of the walk. The student looks at me with a blank expression.

5. I realize to late that we are going to collide, I put on my brakes and endo, although that could have been more because my front tire impacted the main triangle of his frame as he swerved out of the way again to his LEFT!!!!!!

6. My helmet takes the brunt of the impact and splits the front section in two, I then apparently turn and my upper lips takes an impact and then slides along the concrete.

7. I proceed to give said student a few choice unprintable words.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Damage: A single tooth took all of the impact to my lip, it hurts like nobody's buisiness, the dentist took a couple of x-rays and declared that things should be fine in a week. My helmet is DONE.

The student appeared fine although I think he was hammered from a night out, he had no marks on him anywhere, I don't think he fell down at all, but he couldn't answer any questions that me or the witness that stopped were asking him. I showed him my helmet and recommend he find one.

Lessons learned:

1. As soon as he moved left the first time I should have yelled something. At that point it might have become clear to me he was an idiot.

2. My initial speed was fine for this area provided that no one is around which usually no one is. However given the outcome I'd have to say I was going to fast.

3. I NEED a FULL FACE HELMET!!! Who here uses one? What do you reccommend. I looked at the Downhill ones but they don't appear to always have meaningful face protection. What about a Dirt bike helmet? I'm worried that a Motorcycle helmet would be to heavy, but aren't the Dirt bike ones lighter?

Rant: I fricking hate people that walk/bike ride/run or do anything else on their left side of a sidewalk! It doesn't take a genius to figure out that in America everything should happen on the right side!! Damn left-walkers and left-riders!!