Phantoj

"In a cycling accident, the sudden loss of control can affect a rider’s response, one risk expert says."

"I remembered what Michael Berry, an exercise physiologist at Wake Forest University, once told me. With cycling, he said, it’s not if you crash, it’s when. He should know. He’s a competitive cyclist whose first serious injury — a broken hip — happened when he crashed taking a sharp turn riding down a mountain road."

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/he...ewanted=1&_r=1

DigitalN

The picture subtext is absolutely silly. Who thought of that sentence?

bfuser198374019

Interesting article. However, vow to never do something again due to an injury or bad experience?

I've experienced my share of "accidents" never on a bike thankfully but in motor vehicle accidents, atv accidents and as of recent while riding with a friend in his Polaris RZR we rolled doing 50mph avoiding an obstacle, came milliseconds away from breaking my arm and leg (both flew out the side as the vehicle was airborne), luckily jerked them back inside the cab before when landed on my side.

Life is dangerous, but we learn from our experiences, HTFU, get out there and live.

coasting 

after i crashed, i didnt ride for 10 years.

Essex

Not sure if this article says anything that any competitive athlete, or avid cyclist wouldn't know? An bad accident may, or may not create niche-specific aversion.

ScottStr

After my crash in July, all I wanted to do was get back on my bike as soon as I could. Maybe that's when you know you're a cyclist and not just somebody who happens to be riding a bike.

cbfight

The article lacked substance and meandered. I still don't know what the author was trying to get at, aside that accidents suck. Sometimes it's your fault, sometimes it isn't, but either way you go down hard and fast. Comparing the risk of a crash to a running overuse injury seems pointless too, as they're completely different beasts. The risks are hardly the same. If you go out riding in the wet, descend fast, corner quickly, you're pushing the laws of physics and likely will crash. That's your fault; you knew the risks. If someone crosses over into you and takes you out, that wasn't in your control. You could have been jogging through an intersection and been taken out by someone running a red, or making a turn. It shouldn't spook you out of the sport, unless living in a bubble appeals to you.

jshelly

If someone vows to never get on a bike again after crashing that's their prerogative. I don't get the point of this story as everyone is different and weighs risk/reward differently.

patentcad

Fixed for Pcad.

MajorMantra

Obvious article states obvious.

collegeskier

The article did seem like something that should have been appearing on a local news program and not in a real newspaper. I think the point is that a bike crash is more traumatic and seems riskier and less controlled then a running injury. That implied risk and lack of control makes people less likely to continue. Basically that people like to feel in control especially of risk, we think we can control if we are in a car accident and if we will die and that is how we all just hop in cars.

I was disappointed the article did not point out other interesting and as little known facts like the earth is round, the sun is hot and the earth travels around the sun.

RavingManiac

[img]C:\Users\Bruce\Pictures\2010-08-11 Le Tour 2\Le Tour 2 001.JPG[/img]

patentcad

So don't crash.

utefan001

Don't overlap your husband's rear wheel.
Don't join "century" ride events.
Don't forget wet metal is slippery.

Reynolds 

When I was hit from behind by a drunk driver 1 year ago and broke my scapula, for a few days I was afraid of being afraid to ride again. Fortunately, it didn't happen.

Phantoj

fail

Phantoj

If you "go advanced", you can click on "manage attachments" and upload this picture.

Pug

Timely for me. I wiped out on some black ice Sunday morning. Got a headache (nothing worse thanks to my helmet) and some road rash on my hip. I'm definitely riding again, but will think twice about doing it when outside temp is <32F. I also stopped by REI on the way home from work to pick up some 'cross tires to replace the semi-slicks I was riding on. I love riding my bike ! !

gundom66

My first and last big crash on a road bike was when I was about 11 or 12 back in the old country. There was this place called The Circle and it's about 1km in circumference. I was with a group of friends doing laps... of course we are racing amongst ourselves... and I was in 3rd position, drafting, and about 1 1/2 feet away from the curb. The person behind me was in the inner lane behind me and his front wheel is about 3/4 way in from my rear wheel. I knew he was back there so I was keeping my line so I won't hit his front, but the worst case scenario happened... for some reason there was a rock about 2 1/2 fist-size in the inner lane that our friend in front of us pointed at. I saw it already prior to being notified and I was inches out of the path. However, my friend behind me was trying to avoid it and clipped my back. I felt a huge wiggle, I felt a tug on my shirt, I looked back to my right and saw my friend letting go of my shirt as I was trying to keep my balance, I saw him falling in the curb on the grass, then I basically scraped on the asphalt with my bike on top of me. I was still a little kid, but I was going pretty fast because it seemed like I scraped forever.

I rode back home and everyday after that with a huge gash on my right shoulder, 3/4 of my right arm, right hip, right knee and shin, with a broken toe and fractured right wrist. You would think that something like that would stop me from riding at that age... I was a hard-headed little kid even after being scolded by my parents. I went back to The Circle when I was fully cured...

caloso

After I crashed, I still had to get home.

zstjohn

I hit a car, flew over, got a concussion and bruises all over and i couldn't wait til i was medically cleared to ride again.

Seattle Forrest

I swore I'd never ride again after a few of my crashes. Thank goodness I didn't keep that promise...!

Honestly I wind up happier breaking a few ribs every few years, than I would sitting on the couch watching life pass me by but not being injured those same few years.

BengeBoy 

Stuff I have spent some time around that scare me, in order:

1. horses
2. motorcycles *
3. farm equipment *
4. cars. *
5. downhill skis
6. whitewater kayaks
7. fork lifts *
8. bicycles.

* things that have actually hurt me.

There is nothing scarier than a horse, which is why I always carry a sugar cube in my pocket. Always. Riding a bike is sane by comparison. Everything else is somewhere in between.

achoo

Yep. I punched that ticket, too.

Deer popped out from behind some bushes and dove right into my front wheel. I was flying over the handlebars playing Superman at 25 mph before I even got to the expletive part of my "Oh ****!!!" thought - forget about saying it, I didn't even have time to think it.

I only remember a few snippets of riding back home with a concussion and a shattered helmet on a bike with a bent fork and saddle.

I had a new helmet overnighted to me, only missed a few days riding from the concussion.

The numerous times I made bare-skin contact with trees, rocks, bushes, pavement, concrete, sidewalks, and other kids that happened before I turned about 15 don't count. Sledding, too: I remember going face-first into a tree trunk. To this day I can see that bark approaching. And being 20' up in the air, swinging on a vine hanging from a tree and having the vine break.

Amazingly, the only bones I ever broke when I was a kid was in my right hand when I was in elementary school and my friend poured paint on my art project, in sixth-grade art class. I went to punch him, he ducked down, and my fist hit the top of his skull. Broke my hand and gave him a concussion. And the art teacher missed all of it.

slowandsteady

I own and ride horses and yes they can be quite dangerous. Fear of bike riding? What a joke.

In 30 years of horseback riding I have broken my ribs twice, broken my tibia in 8 places, sprained my wrists three times, was kicked in the head, and had numerous falls resulting in bruises and a chipped tooth.

In 27 years of bike riding. I have fallen/crashed a few times and got minor scratches and bruises.

No comparison. If you are afraid of a bicycle you are a total and complete wuss. You probably wet the bed and cry for your mommy. The writer of that article needs to HTFU.