SSP

Despite the predictions of rain, we had beautiful blue skies yesterday morning when I set off with a dozen friends for an easy 35 mile ride that featured a stop for pancakes at a local volunteer fire station.

But, on the way home from our breakfast I found out how fast things can turn to sh*t.

We were coming down Cle*r Cr**k Canyon, west of Redding - it's a fun, swooping downhill with the canyon walls on the left and the river down below on the right. The traffic volume is typically low, and bike speeds tend to be 40+ mph. The pavement is reasonably smooth, but the right shoulder is narrow and collects plenty of debris.

I was the lead rider in our group, taking the lane, and riding at 40-45 mph when a pickup tried to pass me (he'd already passed the other members of our group). Unfortunately, the driver wasn't used to towing a long trailer (it was a rental that he was returning) and he tried to swing back in before he'd cleared me (he had to cross over the double yellow line to pass me, and there was a blind left hand curve just ahead too).

I saw the trailer coming at me, but too late...the rear wheels were wider than the rest of the trailer and they hit me, putting me down in an instant. Thankfully, I didn't crash into the trailer, or in front of the rear wheels (we think my pedals hit the sidewall of the trailer tire, due to some damage on it).

My friends were awesome - they helped me out of the road (after determining that I wasn't dead...several witnesses thought I would be). Made sure the driver didn't leave the scene, controlled traffic, and called 911.

The damage (after 5 hours in the ER):

Right hand - tops of 4 knuckles peeled away, resulting in 8 or 9 stitches.
Left elbow - about 1/4' diameter of bone exposed where the road ground into it (through arm warmer). It took about 6 sutures to close the elbow.
Left shoulder blade - another big divot, and road rash, but no exposed bone.
Left hip - a large section of road rash and bruising.

Clothing - shredded and/or cut off in the ambulance: undershirt, bib shorts, one of my favorite jerseys, tights, gloves, arm warmers. My helmet (Gyro Pneumo) took a major impact on the left rear - it's still in one piece, but the styrofoam is busted up. So, besides my cycling cap, socks and shoes, everything else I was wearing was toast.

Bike - too soon to tell. Bars are probably trashed, and probably the front shifters too. Rear der hanger bent. At least one tire shredded (it blew out while I was laying on the ground). Carbon fiber frame (it's a 2000 model Trek 5200) - will need to get it inspected.

In the Too Weird Department
After I left in the ambulance, the driver of the pickup was talking to the police and started to become woozy, sweating, and grabbed his chest. Fortunately, there were two retired doctors in my riding group and they helped stabilize the guy and administer oxygen and called for another ambulance. Apparently, the driver was a very overweight diabetic who'd had a previous bypass or stent and was due for another one within a week or so. He also had not taken his insulin that day and his blood sugar was around 450! Thankfully, I think he's doing OK (he wasn't a patient when I phoned the hospital this morning).

In the Kicking Myself Department
99% of the time, I ride with a Take-a-Look mirror attached to my glasses, but yesterday I accidentally left it on the counter as I was leaving for the ride. I think if I'd been wearing it, I would have seen the wide trailer before the guy tried to make his pass and would have either held him back, or been able to dodge the trailer tires in time. Lesson learned - don't ride without the %$#@! mirror!

And to those who say bike helmets are superfluous - here's hoping your unhelmeted head never impacts pavement at 40 mph.


Sorry for the long post, but I needed to vent. Here's hoping everyone reading this rides safe...be careful out there people!

dangerman

You are one lucky rider. That's a very scary crash.

formula4

Helmets and mirrors? Psh.

I'd rather be dead than be a Fred.

recneps

well you didnt brake any bones, so you can ride today.

Surferbruce

oh man, that sucks. i'm glad you're gonna be o.k., it could have been a lot worse. i have a great lawyer here in santa monica that settled wifes bike accident, and a scooter accident i had. if you want his info p.m. me and i'd be happy to refer you.
here's to hoping you're back on your bike soon...

993guy

Good god, man.
I'm glad to hear you're doing ok.


Now... where to buy one of those sunglasses mirrors.

NoRacer

Man! Glad you're ok, relatively speaking. At least you're still alive!

kchrist

Glad you are ok. That sounds like it was pretty bad. Hope the bike is alright too.

cuda2k

Wowzer dude. Great to hear you survived without more damage to yourself. Going down at that speed due to an impact with a car, truck or trailer has to be up there on the % chance of getting seriously screwed one way or another. Not that having bone exposed to the air anywhere outside of an operating room isn't pretty bad. I don't leave the house without the helmet, ever, and your posts is making me seriously think about adding that mirror too.

Get well soon, hope your bike isn't completely toast, and hope the driver lives long enough to pay up your medical and bike repair bills.

SSP

You'd better edit that post and put a smiley on it...otherwise, the next time I get out to Texas I'm calling you out.

blonduathlongrl

wow, what a story, My heart goes out to you. you really were one lucky guy.

SSP

The Take a Look mirror can be found at REI, and lots of local bike shops. I've tried a bunch of different mirrors, and it's the best of all that I've tried.

redfooj

Good one. Really good one. And if they all hope that you keep crashing at 40mph to reaffirm your reliance on helmets?

crtreedude 

Glad you are okay - as a non-helmet wearing person, it is my policy never to GO as fast as you did. After all, the helmet only protects my noggin. You do know helmets aren't rated for the speed you were going - right?

I am still wincing from your injury list.

formula4

I can't post a smiley here. It would have to be OCP, with the smiley riding a carbon Cervelo SLC-SL with downtube shifters to reduce weight even more. I just don't have time for it. But I did enjoy your post. ()

GuitarWizard

Wow....eating pavement at 40+ mph ranks near the top of my list of things I hope to never accomplish in my lifetime. Glad to see you're relatively ok!

How's the concussion? I crashed last May at around 22-23 mph after hitting a granite rock that was on the white line of the road (didn't see it), and didn't get really any road rash to speak of, except a very small patch on my elbow.....no shredded clothing or anything, but I did hit my head on the ground, but with little damage to my helmet. However, I must've hit it just right, as I got a slight concussion and was off the bike for over a week.

I would definitely say new handlebars are in order, and definitely get the frame/fork checked out. I crashed on my 5200 as well, and while I bent the front wheel pretty good from hitting the rock (couldn't spin the wheel, even after releasing the quick release on the brake), my frame and fork were fine. Those OCLV's are pretty strong, but your impact was probably significantly harder than mine. I still remember, as I'm sliding down the road watching and hearing my bike flip around, end over end and sliding down the road....was "ah ****, my bike!". Then as I'm laying in the middle of a main road on the center line, I'm thinking I better get up quick so I don't get run over.

Namenda

Why? You got a thing for dead people?

SSP

Thanks...I'm feeling better this morning (thanks be to vicodine), but I don't know if the emotional impact has fully hit me. I feel bad for the driver, but mostly I feel bad that I scared all my riding friends so badly.

My girlfriend was riding about 20 yards behind me and witnessed the whole thing. She said when she saw me go down and then not move right away, that she thought I'd been killed. It really upsets me that she and the rest of my friends had to witness that, but I'm very thankful they were there to take care of me.

And, at 54 years of age, the healing process seems to take longer each year. But, I guess it does beat the alternative!

SSP

Whoops...I mean to say "never impacts"...edited above. Sorry.

SSP

My apologies - I meant to say "never impacts". Edited above.

slim_77

Like you, I am glad you are alive...

damn.

crtreedude 

Apology accepted - and I hope your hope comes true! (that my head doesn't hit at high speed)

I actually decided to stop wearing a helmet because I found myself trusting in the helmet to do things it was never intended to do. So, I ride slower now than I did. Now a days, I try never to ride much faster than I could run. I figure the body was meant to crash while running - anything above that gets a little more iffy.

Cypress

No pictures?


Come now.

GuitarWizard

You ride around at like 5-10 mph?

Large Font

You have now confirmed your stupidity.