Freak bike accident

[ttaylor508]

Just saw this on the Today Show (YIKES): http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/31203660#31203660

[arielmoon]

whoa! owie!

[SadieKate]

Gee, thanks for sharing that. I got to re-live our local "celebrate stupidity" moment. Ah well, you think he'll grow up to pay for my social security?

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/31203660#31165830

[cmac77354]

Something very similar to that just happened to me. Very long story short - I was hit head on by another cyclist, the impact propelled me forward and head first into a 6 rail metal guardrail, as I hit the railing the handlebars went through my stomach and came out my inner thigh. This was with a road bike! Along with that injury, my eyebrows were cut open from my glasses requiring 6 stitches each, I had road rash like crazy, bruised from head to toe, tore the muscle in my left upper thigh, and $500 worth of damage to my bike.

Bad part about all this - it was the last training ride before I was to participate in the MS150 from Houston to Austin.....I just got back on my bike 2 weeks ago.

[Crankin]

That sounds awful, Cmac. Glad you are better.
I saw the kid and his mom on the Today show this morning (gee, this is what I missed working all those years). The mother said, "I will be following him on his bike from now on."
Boy, that sounds realistic. Was he wearing a helmet? Not that that would have had any impact on the outcome of his crash, but something about this just rubbed me the wrong way. If my kid had done that, I wouldn't have gone on national TV!

[Biciclista]

wow, what a horrible accident! i hope you are now on the mend big time!

[cmac77354]

Thanks, I'm much better. Still suffer from dizzy spells. When I collided with the other rider I had just looked at my speedometer and was right at 25 mph (going downhill), so when I hit the guardrail I was still crusing pretty good. My helmet was totally caved in in the front (the perfect shape of one of the pipes) and split all the way through down the center. Without it I would be dead - no doubt.

Funny part of the story was when I got to the Trauma Center the nurses wanted to cut off my cycling clothes....wasn't gonna happen, I made them untape me from the backboard and I took them off myself. They just don't understand!!!!!

[Biciclista]

I'm glad to hear you were conscious, I think!

You earned yourself a new helmet, that's for sure.

[MartianDestiny]

I saw the kid and his mom on the Today show this morning...

Great, just great. I can't wait until they outlaw brake levers or "redesign" them to be "safer" and make them ridiculous to use because of this.

Impalements are not THAT uncommon among mountain bikers at least (be it the brakes, bars, or something on the ground that gets you). Apparently road bikers aren't immune either (Ouch, that handlebar out the leg story sounds painful!) It's just an accepted risk and not near as big as some of the others we choose to take while on a bike IMO.

Following the kid around while he's on his bike. Dear Lord! What does she hope to accomplish? From my understanding he had help within minutes (seconds?) as it was.

The Today show? What in the world is newsworthy about a minor injury from a kid's bike accident? Pretty sure I crashed a lot as a kid and didn't end up on national TV. (I grant he was very lucky that it turned out to be minor, but still!)

[Tuckervill]

She was kidding! about following the kid around.

Did you see his bike? The brake levers seemed to be sticking out way too far anyway. They already have rounded ends, I suppose to stop impalements. Didn't work!

Today show is on for like 5 hours now... they have a lot of time to fill.

Karen

[ilima]

OMG cmac, that's sounds horrible. I'm glad you are getting better. And you are brave to get back on the bike.

[deeaimond]

Hey Cmac, glad you're better now and riding again. :D

[cmac77354]

Thanks for all the well wishes.....

[Andrea]

His mom said, "it was a mother's worst nightmare." I wonder if he was wearing a helmet.

Glad to see he's OK, though. That'd be pretty scary.