Thanks for the idea. I don't know why I didn't think of it. I've even seen some research which showed that they cut the chance of a concusion for football players in addition to protecting their teeth, gums, lips, tounge, and cheeks. The first one that came up in your link also has exterior lip protection. Very nice.

That's my take in this situation. Sure, there are some common guidelines that most people obey. But these aren't hard and fast rules, and nobody is "wrong" for not following them. I hate to say it, but the OP sounds like he was being an idiot for continuing to plow through at speed because the other guy wasn't clued in to what the OP was thinking (notice that he never said anything to the other guy before the accident, he just expected him to be clued in to his actions).

I agree: I was being stubborn, and I was almost at my destination and didn't want to stop. However I also fully expected this guy to move to his right at some point, in fact when it got to the point where I knew I had to make a decision, it was to late because I couldn't go to my left because of the possiblity he would finally join the country I live in and do the right thing. and I couldn't go to my right because of the scary metal fence thing.

I certainly should have slowed to a 'less than endo' speed the moment he matched my first avoidance manuver. at that point I could have let my superior mass (I outweighed him by 20+ lbs) move him out of the way; and to boot I still had 25 yards in which to slow down rather than the eventual 3 or so I tried to stop in.

I did however signal to him (although maybe I'm at fault for not issuing a verbal signal at some point): I gave a right turn signal after the second avoidance manuver (which he had already matched) and then I pointed to the right side of the walk (I was trying to indicate: I am turning right ahead, I am maintaining this line right here). After the conversation me and the witness had 'with' him I don't think he was aware of what was going on around him. He seemed confused about why his bike had fallen over and what this slightly bloody guy was doing asking him questions like "What day is it?" and "Do you know where you are?" Actually I don't think he said anything, and he was definitely having trouble focusing on us; I probably should have called the police, now that I think about it, I hope he didn't get hurt worse whereever he was going.

College kids, I hated them when I was one, and I hate them more now

I think the main issue here was that the other guy was drunk. It's clear that the inebriated will have a slower reaction speed, and make bad decisions. It's unfortunate the B2M missed the cue about the other rider in a spot where he was trapped (by the fence). Sure, it might have been overly optimistic to expect reasonable decisions on the part of another rider, but we all do.

FWIW I ride on campus 'sidewalks' all the time. BTW as far as I'm concerned, if there is no motorized road to a destination, and the walkway is fairly wide then it is a road. Think MUP and you've got the right idea. When they're busy, or the visibility or other conditions are bad, I ride slowly, and when I have good visibility and few other users I ride faster (probably no more than 20 kph though).

I've worried about the face injury thing too - the mouthguard is an interesting idea. A lot of hockey players I know wear them (especially the ones with no or a 1/2 visor), and they seem to keep the teeth attached to the jaw fairly well (just look at a middle aged hockey player from the 80's now ).

You have failed to learn the most important lesson relevant to your situation -- as a group, students are the worst cyclists on the planet and you must adjust your riding style. I hate riding anywhere near campuses because there are always college kids on bikes flying every which way without paying the least amount of attention to what they are doing.

You should drastically reduce speed, be especially alert for being t-boned where ever any kind of path meets the street, watch out for wrong way riders, and don't even think those lights or signs will impact anyone's behavior but yours. If you find yourself on a collision course with some knucklehead (going the wrong way, about to hop off a sidewalk, going to turn into you, etc), take evasive action immediately and get off the bike if necessary. I've seen plenty of head on collisions.

You do not need a full face helmet. Just slow down, assume the nincompoops are out to get you, and be careful and you'll be fine.

Maybe he'd been watching Footloose the night before and thought you guys were reliving the scene with the tractors, playing chicken?

I'm sorry about your tooth and your face, and I agree that you had every reason to expect that he'd wise up and move the heck over! I probably would have handled it about the same way you did, all the way up to trusting that he'd do the smart, expected thing.

The problem was that you expected him to behave like you would, like a cyclist would. I have had similar conversations about drunks or bums on bikes - they are not necessarily what I call cyclists, but rather people that lost their license and are forced to ride a bike. When I approach someone on a MTB trail or a road, I always yield, even if I have the right of way -- I simply move way over or dismount. At least then I know I have done what I can for my own safety. People are friggin' stupid -- I won't let them wreck into me.

Just as it is unwise to presume that all motorists are rational, it is also not a great idea to assume the same just because they're on two wheels.

It reminds me of the phrase I teach my children. We repeat it like a mantra: "Drivers are dumb." I tell them that even I, their redoubtable father, am dumb when I'm driving. As a non-driver, you must always assume that the guy behind the wheel of a car is a blind idiot. I guess the same thing holds for students on bikes.

You wouldn't have happened to be riding to the math building at OSU, would you? (I'm putting the "bike2math" together with the Ohio location and the largest university in the state, which still leaves a lot of room for error.) In that case, the "sidewalk" is actually 18th ave., closed off to all but service vehicles. It's essentially a MUP, though it is as wide as a city street.

I'm also reminded of the thread about DUIs. I'm surprised at the number of participants on this forum who have drunken-riding experience. Maybe the other party will show up here someday?

980grams...too hot in the summer, but I love mine.

Something like that would be great when it's snowy and icy. Slap some goggles on and you are good to go.

I wear it all winter on my rides and only need a balaclava in the sub -15

I've probably posted this one before, but your story reminds me of the old epitaph:

Here lies the body of Edward Grey, who died, defending his right of way
He was right, dead right, as he pedalled along
But he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong

My sympathies are with your injuries, but when faced with some plonker with the apparent IQ of a mentally-******** jerbil and the judgement of a drunken fruit bat, get the hell out of his way