WEAR YOUR HELMETS!!! Mine just saved my skull!

[PrintError]

498th consecutive day biking to work… it wasn’t “if” at this point, it was “when.” Today was it.

I’ll be brief.

Scene: Broad daylight, light rain, 4pm today. I’m wearing hi-vis reflective everything with my W&OD Safety Patrol vest on. All three SuperFlash stobes on full death blossom flashy mode. The only thing more visible than me is the sun on a clear day.

I’m stopped in the left turn lane on Lewinsville waiting to turn. Light is red, cars are stopped, I’m just putting my bottle back in its cagWHAM I’M ON THE GROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I shake my head, get up, wail on the guy’s hood a bit, then calm down and talk myself out of removing him via. the window. Cooler head prevails and I flag down a passerby and ask her to send rescue. FD and PD are on the scene in well under five minutes (go FFX Co!) while I flag traffic around the stopped car (and my poor bike underneath the nose).

Paramedics walk me into the ambulance, check me out. Everything is still attached, blood pressure normal, HR normal. They depart leaving me with the officers. The driver is way apologetic, poor dude was wrecked inside. We did all the police stuff, and the cop asked the condition of the bike. Fender was bent into the tire and immobilized, but I opted for a ride to Performance in Tysons to see what the boys could do. Couldn’t really think of anything else to do honestly but fix it and ride home.

Once at PB, they beat my bike back into shape, loaned me a few parts, and I suited back up for the wet, 13 mile ride back to Herndon. Bike is rideable but it’s definitely replacement time. Hopefully his insurance will play nice. There’s actually a big gouge in the frame where it looks like somehow the crank arm hit it, and the BB is creeking now, and it wiggles. I’ve got a LOT of miles on this bike. It’s never wiggled. I think its days are numbered.

Bike is bent up, I’m beat up, helmet is definitely done for, but I’m home and safe.

WEAR YOUR HELMETS PEOPLE, SERIOUSLY!!!

Topic

[CCrew]

@PrintError 3251 wrote:

calm down and talk myself out of removing him via. the window.

That’s the first temptation isn’t it?

Glad you’re OK. Bike can be replaced.

And yeah.. wear a helmet. My hard accident mine was cracked in three places. Better it than your skull.

[RESTONTODC]

I’m glad that you’re ok. Bike is replaceable.

I always wear my bike helmet. Today, I was looking for a best protected bike helmet.

When I stop at the light, I often look at my back to make sure that I won’t be sandwich between the cars. There are a lot of distracted drivers out there.

[eminva]

Thank goodness you are okay. That is the most important thing, especially with a little one at home (right?).

I have the helmet religion already — my head did hit the ground while bicycling to high school over 30 years ago, before we put kids in helmets, and I was seeing stars and moons for a while. My brothers insisted I lost a few brain cells that day, too. I am not eager to repeat that event. We all need all the brain cells we have.

Liz

[OneEighth]

Glad you are alright, though I’ll bet you feel a bit more beat up today and tomorrow than you did yesterday. Hope you get the bike squared away soon so you can get back in the saddle.
You raise a good point—it really is more a question of “when” than of “if”—which is why I would suggest everyone have a plan in place beforehand. Better to think through what you would need to do in case of an accident and then mentally rehearse that plan/checklist regularly when you are not under stress.
I want to stress one other behavior that can save your life—MOVE. Unless you absolutely can’t do it, get yourself out of traffic immediately. No need to get hit twice.

[PrintError]

Thanks everyone. I’m soooooooore today. Monday’s commute is gonna be rough between being beat up, my bike being bent up, and a four hour kart race tomorrow evening that’s certain to beat me up even more. I called his insurance, and they’re already working on the case. The claims guy said it should be pretty much an easy case. I’ve already priced out replacement costs for everything, holy crud my bike was expensive!

[FFX_Hinterlands]

Glad you’re OK! I think the car-from-the-rear is the most rare type of collision. Wow, scary.

[Greenbelt]

Wow — it’s spring and people seem distracted all over. Very grateful my helmet and frame were the only things I cracked last week. I’m going to have both mounted and hung on the wall as a reminder.

[PrintError]

@Greenbelt 3271 wrote:

Wow — it’s spring and people seem distracted all over. Very grateful my helmet and frame were the only things I cracked last week. I’m going to have both mounted and hung on the wall as a reminder.

No kidding. I yelled “ON YOUR LEFT” this morning to a guy who was all the way on the right… so he immediately turned into the left lane and stopped, stunned like a deer. Luckily I missed!

[baiskeli]

@PrintError 3275 wrote:

No kidding. I yelled “ON YOUR LEFT” this morning to a guy who was all the way on the right… so he immediately turned into the left lane and stopped, stunned like a deer. Luckily I missed!

That’s why I say “bike passing on your left” to anyone who looks like they don’t know what “on your left” means.

Glad you’re okay, PE. About that helmet – was it damaged? Do you need to replace it too?

[CCrew]

@PrintError 3275 wrote:

No kidding. I yelled “ON YOUR LEFT” this morning to a guy who was all the way on the right… so he immediately turned into the left lane and stopped, stunned like a deer. Luckily I missed!

Oh, that was you? I thought you said “Turn left!”

LOL.

[PrintError]

@baiskeli 3279 wrote:

That’s why I say “bike passing on your left” to anyone who looks like they don’t know what “on your left” means.

Glad you’re okay, PE. About that helmet – was it damaged? Do you need to replace it too?

Helmet was hit on the back, you can see very clearly where the foam is dented. I don’t remember hitting my head, but the bruises on my shoulder blades and the damage to the helmet tell another story.

CCrew: No no stupid, dig UP! (Simpsons)

[DaveK]

@baiskeli 3279 wrote:

That’s why I say “bike passing on your left” to anyone who looks like they don’t know what “on your left” means.

Glad you’re okay, PE. About that helmet – was it damaged? Do you need to replace it too?

Good place to remind everyone that if your helmet takes a hit, no matter if it looks fine, it must be replaced. Every hit weakens the helmet and it may not be able to save your skull the next time.

[baiskeli]

@DaveK 3288 wrote:

Good place to remind everyone that if your helmet takes a hit, no matter if it looks fine, it must be replaced. Every hit weakens the helmet and it may not be able to save your skull the next time.

Here’s the scoop on helmet replacement: http://www.bhsi.org/replace.htm

[Dirt]

PrintError: Glad to hear you survived. Hopefully better things come your way. Rock on!!!!

[PrintError]

Update: Had a clavicle x-ray today, possibly fractured. Bruise is fading though.

Settled with the insurance company for a replacement bike and coverage of any medical expenses. Got the new bike picked out, it’s a hottie… just gotta price shop a little and find a 52cm version.

[Author]

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