Injuries?
09-14-07, 02:33 PM
#26
genec
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I guess that's a personal call as far as injuries strongly discouraging cycling again.
To be sure, a fender bender is not going to hurt a driver in the same way as it would to a cyclist knocked down, but, like I said, comparing injuries is a funny thing. There has to be a better way of classifying them to get a better picture as to the severity. I'd bet that vast majority of cyclist injury is superficial and the vast majority of motorist injury is more severe than that. I know in my province, cyclists are involved in traffic accidents at a much lesser rate than motorists are.
I'm sure there are lots of whiplash, broken legs etc., that motorists suffer and they get right back in those cars. I guess there are some cyclists who suffer an injury and figure ridings not for them, but that's not to say that they aren't going to be sitting in their car waiting to make a left and some bozo ends up rear ending them sending them int a hospital.
To be sure, a fender bender is not going to hurt a driver in the same way as it would to a cyclist knocked down, but, like I said, comparing injuries is a funny thing. There has to be a better way of classifying them to get a better picture as to the severity. I'd bet that vast majority of cyclist injury is superficial and the vast majority of motorist injury is more severe than that. I know in my province, cyclists are involved in traffic accidents at a much lesser rate than motorists are.
I'm sure there are lots of whiplash, broken legs etc., that motorists suffer and they get right back in those cars. I guess there are some cyclists who suffer an injury and figure ridings not for them, but that's not to say that they aren't going to be sitting in their car waiting to make a left and some bozo ends up rear ending them sending them int a hospital.
I wouldn't say that is much of a "judgment call," would you? Certainly a broken arm is not going to make the "death statistics," but it can certainly occur during a "fender bender." A co-worker broke a collarbone last year commuting. Bike was barely bent, but that broken collarbone really discouraged him from cycling... no "personal call" involved... he had one arm taped to his chest for several weeks.
I've known lots of cyclists with broken collarbones... (seems to be a common track injury). It is not a "personal call" that they don't ride with such an injury... it is a physical reality.
09-14-07, 04:11 PM
#27
Senior Member
I don't know. It didn't stop Tyler Hamilton.
I think broken limbs and even torn ligaments are relatively rare. I'd like to see a more accurate assement of the severity of injuries that cyclists are treated for, and just how long they couldn't cycle because of them.
I broke my ankle playing hockey during one game. I didn't even know it until after the game I went and got it x-rayed. Put it in a cast and kept on going on doing my daily activities. I ore a ligament after a collision with a car. Don't really see the difference. A lot of my friends have broken limbs and torn ligaments playing ball, and they take it in stride. Bummer, but they back on the feild after they healed.
As far as I understand, most "serious" injury or death are the result of collisions with motor vehicles, and collisions with motor vehicles are anywhere from 10 to 20% of crashes on bikes, and even then, most collisions with motor vehicles result in no or little injury. I'm sure motorists themselves only have a small pecentage of their collisions end up in injuries, but the rate of a "serious" injury isn't much different than that of a cyclist.
Cyclists fall, and tear off their skin. Sometimes, something is stretched, torn or broken, but from what I've read, cyclists are a healthier lot than motorists, live longer and stay out of the hospital more.
I agree the potential of death or serious injury is what really nages at our sub-concious, but is it really any more worse on a bike than in a car? In my province the death rates are the same. I know my enjoyment of riding won't be detered by a "bump in the road" that we often face day to day. If I have a "bump" I just figure out what went wrong, and don't do it again.
I think broken limbs and even torn ligaments are relatively rare. I'd like to see a more accurate assement of the severity of injuries that cyclists are treated for, and just how long they couldn't cycle because of them.
I broke my ankle playing hockey during one game. I didn't even know it until after the game I went and got it x-rayed. Put it in a cast and kept on going on doing my daily activities. I ore a ligament after a collision with a car. Don't really see the difference. A lot of my friends have broken limbs and torn ligaments playing ball, and they take it in stride. Bummer, but they back on the feild after they healed.
As far as I understand, most "serious" injury or death are the result of collisions with motor vehicles, and collisions with motor vehicles are anywhere from 10 to 20% of crashes on bikes, and even then, most collisions with motor vehicles result in no or little injury. I'm sure motorists themselves only have a small pecentage of their collisions end up in injuries, but the rate of a "serious" injury isn't much different than that of a cyclist.
Cyclists fall, and tear off their skin. Sometimes, something is stretched, torn or broken, but from what I've read, cyclists are a healthier lot than motorists, live longer and stay out of the hospital more.
I agree the potential of death or serious injury is what really nages at our sub-concious, but is it really any more worse on a bike than in a car? In my province the death rates are the same. I know my enjoyment of riding won't be detered by a "bump in the road" that we often face day to day. If I have a "bump" I just figure out what went wrong, and don't do it again.
Last edited by closetbiker; 09-14-07 at 04:19 PM.
09-16-07, 03:19 PM
#28
i like mud
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After a foot surgery a couple years ago, my physical therapist told me that I probably would never recover, or it would take a looooong time, had I not been active. Even riding regularly, it took almost a full two years to build back most of the muscle mass I lost, and not without help of some weightlifting. My foot still bothers me sometimes but I can't imagine where I'd be if I was a sedentary person. Completely miserable, I'd guess. I'd have daily foot pain and two different sized legs.
