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

[Dirt]

Take it easy on that collarbone. I’ve re-injured before healed before and that is the opposite of fun. Hang in there. Enjoy the new bike process.

[OneEighth]

A thought on broken collarbones—if appropriate (and, thankfully, it probably isn’t in your case, PE), I HIGHLY recommend having it fixed surgically. Dramatically shortens your recovery time and has the added bonus of not requiring you to have your suits retailored.

[PrintError]

@OneEighth 3314 wrote:

A thought on broken collarbones—if appropriate (and, thankfully, it probably isn’t in your case, PE), I HIGHLY recommend having it fixed surgically. Dramatically shortens your recovery time and has the added bonus of not requiring you to have your suits retailored.

Suits? What are those?

Thanks, but I don’t think it’s broken. I would’ve noticed by now. Might be a slight fracture, but most likely just a big ole bruise. I really, REALLY lucked out.

Ordered the new bike. Can’t wait to ride it!!!

[OneEighth]

@PrintError 3322 wrote:

Suits? What are those?

Well, if that doesn’t grab you, then there’s always the thought that the 5 3/4 inch screw they used to hold things together on me makes for a wicked swizzle stick now that it’s no longer embedded…

[CCrew]

@OneEighth 3323 wrote:

Well, if that doesn’t grab you, then there’s always the thought that the 5 3/4 inch screw they used to hold things together on me makes for a wicked swizzle stick now that it’s no longer embedded…

Or you could be like me with my deer collision and have enough titanium in my shoulder to light the TSA scanners. Doesn’t rank high on the fun scale trust me.

So what did you get for a bike?

[PrintError]

Ordered a 2011 Specialized Secteur Elite Apex. Can’t wait to ride it!

[RESTONTODC]

Nice, don’t forget to ask the insurance company to pay for your new helmet too!

I know this accident wasn’t your fault but would do anything different to be safer rider in the future?

I believe the bike lane would prevent this accident but Tysons Corner is not a bike friendly town.

I had a couple close calls with cars. After each incident, I would reevaluate it and learn to watch for it.

[PrintError]

Nice, don’t forget to ask the insurance company to pay for your new helmet too!
Helmet cost was included in the settlement.

I know this accident wasn’t your fault but would do anything different to be safer rider in the future?
Nope, wouldn’t change a thing. I was in reflective hi-vis everything, had on my safety patrol vest, and had three flashers strobing away. Broad daylight, middle of the lane, stopped 2 car lengths back at a red light. It was really a best case scenario NOT to be hit.

I believe the bike lane would prevent this accident but Tysons Corner is not a bike friendly town.
Wouldn’t have changed a thing, I was in the left turn lane.

I had a couple close calls with cars. After each incident, I would reevaluate it and learn to watch for it.
I’ve learned a lot from my close calls, and grown as a rider from each one. This one wasn’t really avoidable for me, I was already doing everything in my power to be as obvious as possible. This one was a straight up accident. Driver simply spaced out and drove into the back of me. Had I not been there, he probably would’ve just driven into the back of a car instead. He wasn’t drunk, wasn’t on the phone, didn’t even have the radio on… I feel worse for him than I do for me. All I got was a few bruises and a bent bike. Bruises heal and his insurance bought me a new bike. The driver has that memory every afternoon now when he approaches that intersection, and honestly that would haunt the crap out of me! Plus, I’m willing to bet the damage to his car actually was more $$$ than the damage to me and my bike.

[Dirt]

Good discussion. I’ve learned a lot from close calls and hits that I’ve taken over the years. I’ve always been one to follow the rules and not Evel Knievel stuff, but dialing things back a notch or two more has made life quite a bit more safe.

[RESTONTODC]

Thank you for sharing the details. Even I follow the rules; sometimes I feel it’s not enough. When I’m riding in DC, I have to always aware of the surrounding.

e.g. Recently, a lady was waving for a taxi. One taxi would fly all the way from the left in my lane and slam on his brake. I hit his bumper and almost end up on his trunk. He was apologized about it. The taxi drivers always fight for the customers in DC. Now, anyone is waving a taxi. I need to watch out for a flying taxi.

[KLizotte]

So glad to see you are still in one piece after such a horrible accident and handled it with so much grace to boot. Am amazed you are ready to get back in the saddle. Now that takes chutzpah!

[thucydides]

Rather than start a new thread I’ll just add to this one. While running this afternoon I saw a cyclist about a block away from me. Just like that he was down. Bam! His head whacked the pavement hard. The conditions were just about perfect for safe biking. It was on a quiet neighborhood street. He was going maybe 10 miles an hour, just coming back from a short errand. His bike was completely trashed, but he’s fine because he was wearing a helmet. I’ve no doubt in the least that otherwise he would now be in the hospital with a concussion or worse. He had no idea why he went down, perhaps he hit a some of the slick pollen goop that’s everywhere right now. But it really can happen when you least expect it.

[hozn]

Interesting article this month in Bicycling mag on helmets. Apparently they do little for concussions (concussion rates increase despite helmet usage increasing), since regulations are focused on big impacts. Anyway, I fell asleep last night before I could finish it (no reflection on the quality of the article) but it was interesting — if a little depressing.

[vvill]

Ah, ye old helmet debate (sort of). My take on helmets is they are better than nothing (I wouldn’t want road rash on my face/ear/head), but I get the impression they are quite limited in what they can protect you from. I have that issue of Bicycling too and have avoided reading the article so far… the blurb seemed to indicate something about consumers not asking for more from manufacturers.

[thucydides]

Yeah I always hesitate to talk about helmets because it can be divisive. My attitude is I’m against mandatory requirements but I do think that overall it’s wise to wear one if you can. However, they won’t make you invulnerable to a head injury, especially if the helmet is worn incorrectly, I repeat, ESPECIALLY IF THE HELMET IS WORN INCORRECTLY. The guy who I saw crash yesterday was wearing his correctly. Picture-perfect, in fact, but even if it’s worn correctly it’s not magic, e.g., Wouter Weylandt.

[Author]

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