Crash report

[ChickWithBrains]

I crashed my bike yesterday.

Ow.

I was on the 3rd lap around Prospect Park, roughly the 11 mile mark, coming out of the flat in my aerobars and going along at a decent speed, high cadence. I start the hill -- a pretty fiendish little mofo -- and since there's people walking and running and pushing strollers, I put my hands back on the top of the headset to be more steady and brake more easily. The park had just been opened to traffic for the day, so to my right were two lanes that cars often come whizzing by on, and to my left (if you read lane markings) is the walking lane.

I see up ahead, all of a sudden, a guy who is going WAY too fast on his bike, weaving precariously in and out of people, GOING THE WRONG WAY. He's coming towards everyone, and it's too late. He hits me head on.

I remember screaming, I remember that I closed my eyes right before he hit. I also remember not swerving, because to veer right would mean possible car traffic, and to go left would mean hitting a stroller with a small infant. And even though I braked, I couldn't stop HIM.

I remember opening my eyes and being on the pavement. My right shoulder really hurt, and someone was saying over and over again, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it was totally my fault." I picked myself up, finding my left knee stiff and sore, my right thigh pounding in pain, and my left middle fingertip screaming at me. But nothing screaming of brokenness, or dislocation; just beatenness. I demanded to know why the dude was going the wrong way down a path clearly marked. He said he had to be someplace soon. I think I used profanities. He wasn't wearing a helmet. That @(*&!@^ didn't have a scratch on him. Some pro cyclists slowed and asked if I was ok; I waved them off.

I picked up my bike, entangled in his. The headsets were stuck together because one of my aerobars had been twisted about 90 degrees up. My front brake cable was lax to the point of nonfunctionality. Something was wrong with my derailleur and chain, so the bike was walkable but the pedals wouldn't turn. The end of one aerobar was missing. There was a hole in my headset tape. After getting out of the path, I walked up to a grassy area and turned my bike upside down; somehow the chain had skipped several back cogs and was caught against the derailleur. A few maneuvers later had the chain in the right place, and miraculously the mechanisms all worked pretty well. I decided to see if I could ride home. I got on and gently figured out that although painful, heading up the hill was doable. All the gears worked, and so did my rear brake, though badly. I went slow and coasted to the park entrance, walking 5 blocks down a hill knowing I wouldn't be able to stop at intersections, then remounting for the flat several blocks home. My rear wheel is out of true. But the powertap and little computer are fine, and really, so am I.

The shoulder is still pretty sore from the road rash of scraping along with most of my body weight. My thigh has a gash in it from my own clipless pedal; it got me through my bike shorts and had I been wearing tri gear instead of these I would have been in the ER because I wouldn't have been able to repair that deep a muscular tear at home on my own with the equipment I have. My left knee is bruised but the ligaments are fine. I have purple welts up and down both legs and my left arm, and the fingertip has a pretty little blood blister. My helmet doesn't have a scratch, my neck is fine, and I'm sitting on my couch after yet more ice and ibuprofen thanking my lucky stars. The training schedule is on hold for a little while but I'm definitely still on for the Tri in July. It could have been so much worse. He could've hit the baby. Someone could have been hit by a car. One of us could have been badly hurt or killed (cyclists die with alarming frequency, and not just when mangled by motor vehicles). I was too shaken to think that this guy needed to be responsible for my bike repair or whatever might end up being wrong with me later; I don't have his name. All I know is that I'm ok and he used up all his karma yesterday. But if I see him again, I'll know him. And I'll probably have more choice words for him.

Ow.

[Jo-n-NY]

I am so happy to hear you did not brake anything on you and you are fairly ok. Wow...this sounded like some crash.

Take care and I hope you feel better.

~ JoAnn

[Nokomis]

oh Ow! Hope you have a speedy recovery!

This does bring up a question - had this been a car accident insurance info would be swapped. Is there anything to do when it's bikes only?

[DDH]

I'm glad your okay, your right it could have been so much worse. I'm glad you had the disipline not to turn either way to keep from hitting a baby or worse you getting hit by a car. What an idiot!!!! He had to be somewhere in a hurry??? WTH!!!
I know you are glad you are okay and so am I but he should be paying for your repairs on your bike at the least, and he should have offered that to you not make you ask or demand.

[JLZimrmn]

His homeowners insurance should cover the damage and the medical bills. Not really useful now since you do not have his name but will be good to know going forward.

[HillSlugger]

Too bad you didn't get his name and number so that he could be made responsible for your repair and medical costs.

[Python]

What a nasty thing to happen. Poor you. Hope your injuries heal quickly.

I think I would have been tempted to wrap his bike round his neck!!! What an idiot

[Mr. Bloom]

I see up ahead, all of a sudden, a guy who is going WAY too fast on his bike, weaving precariously in and out of people, GOING THE WRONG WAY. He's coming towards everyone, and it's too late. He hits me head on.

What some guys will do for a date!

Seriously, I'm glad your injuries weren't worse. It seems like the split second decisions you made indicate a lot of composure and control...congrats on that; hope you feel 100% soon.

[Zen]

Are you sure you don't have a concussion?
After I finished kicking his ask and handed it to him on a platter I would have gotten his name.

Maybe you should report it to the police, just tell them you weren't thinking straight at the time.
Put an ad in the paper asking for information about this incident?
He must have told someone about it.
Contact the LBS owners, have them contact you if anyone comes in relating that story (as if he would). A real man (or woman) would have stayed to look at your bike.

[Hammer]

i'm sorry about your crash. yours sounded really bad. It's amazing that you were able to ride home. congrats. i crashed yesterday on some railroad tracks. It happened in the blink of an eye. I ended up with a cracked collarbone.

I hope that everything heals alright. But, have you been checked over by a medical professional just to make sure?

Good luck!

[ChickWithBrains]

Thanks for all the well wishing.

$167 for front bike calipers, recabling everything, truing the rear wheel, and futzing with the rear derailleur. Not so bad.

The nice part about being an ER doc is that I can give myself a seal of approval shortly after Bad Things Happen. Bumped and bruised, but not concussed (no head trauma) -- confirmed by a sanity check from DH! And man, these bruises are spectacular in their evolution of colors...

[Hammer]

Thanks for all the well wishing.

$167 for front bike calipers, recabling everything, truing the rear wheel, and futzing with the rear derailleur. Not so bad.

The nice part about being an ER doc is that I can give myself a seal of approval shortly after Bad Things Happen. Bumped and bruised, but not concussed (no head trauma) -- confirmed by a sanity check from DH! And man, these bruises are spectacular in their evolution of colors...

Ah, I guess that I didn't realize that you are an ER doc. That's quite convienent. My friends didn't realize that cycling could be so dangerous. They've recommended that I find a 'safer' hobby. You know, like skateboarding, or even the roller derby.

That's great that your bike seemed to have survived okay too!

[rij73]

Hi Chick! Is that Prospect Park, Brooklyn??? That's where I train every day. Bet we've seen each other. Oh boy does it ever get treacherous there with the kids and grownups operating under extreme anarchy. They dart across the road, nobody goes in a straight line, and yes, you get the occasional wrong-way rider. I never go at peak hours because it's simply too treacherous. I really recommend riding off-peak!

Good luck recovering from the accident! Glad it wasn't worse!

[ChickWithBrains]

Yes, Brooklyn's prospect park -- the best place to ride, run, or rollerblade in the NYC area! Assuming you're in control and willing to risk others who are NOT...

The cops were out today stopping people riding the wrong way. Made me happy. Almost wanted to stop and show them my road rash, but decided to hit it hard for another loop instead.

PM me if you'd like to ride together sometime! I'm definitely looking for (a) partner(s)!!!