I was riding down a local bike trail on a sunny Saturday, just a few weeks after buying my new commuter. I was bombing along, and was passing another bike, and this guy dropped something, and hit his brakes and made a u-turn right in front of me. I plowed right into him at top speed. Flew off my bike, my helmet hit his, I landed in the ditch next to the bike trail. I was lying on my back seeing stars when the other guy came over to help me up. I was okay, just banged up & scared *****less. He apologized and took off. I just then realized that my front wheel was bent, and two of my front gears were all bent to hell from hitting his frame. I thought I was going to have to carry it 15 miles home, but I popped the brakes and the front wheel would turn, though wobbly, and the chain, amazingly, would still sit on the small gear for a half a turn, then jump onto the big one for a half, then the smallest, and back and forth between the 1st and 3rd gears, so it was rideable, for 10 miles anyway, until it gave out and I had to walk it the last 5 miles.

I live in Seattle. I always thought I would be taken out by someone driving a Forester, just before dawn in the rain, driving with a cell phone in one hand and a latte and a cigarette in the other. Instead, it was some fat, late 20s guy riding a mountain bike.

I've only been riding 3 or 4 weeks. How often does everyone get into crashes? I could not see this coming. This guy just dropped something on the bike trail and swerved in front of me. Now I have to drop $$$ to replace parts on my 3-week old bike! Is this what I'm in for for the rest of my riding life?

Here's some pics of the damage...