Article: Fell off my bike and vowed never to get back on

[JennK13]

I totally think it depends on how the accident happens. Chronic injuries aren't "scary"; your life isn't flashing before your eyes with a fear of death. I think this is why runners still run - those who can, go to PT, get inserts or special shoes, correct the physicality causing the injury and go on - well, maybe not....there are lots of people who keep running despite an injury and never fix it, then complain 30 years later that running ruined their knees.

I don't believe a chronic cycling injury would cause someone to give it up.

I think people come back from minor accidents, too. I'm a klutz, and fall all the time trail running, twist my ankles, literally run into trees (my flailing hands will smack them). I still forget to, or fail to, unclip and fall over on my bike; I have a gnarly looking bruise/knot on my shin right now from taking a pedal blow in a cross race (and it's sore to walk on). Most of this goes back to personal responsibility for the injury - obviously, trees arent jumping in front of me when I run, and me forgetting to unclip is my fault. Now, people stopping abruptly in front of me where I have to suddenly brake and fall over - also in my control; unless in a race, I leave more room ahead of me when riding with people I don't know, and I scan the path for anything that may run in front of me or the rider ahead of me. It taught me to be more alert.

But major traumatic injuries are different, and less likely to be as damaging to a runner. I step on a rock while running, I twist my ankle; I hit it while on my bike at 30mph, I'm flying over the handle bars and breaking something. The only similar injury (with major damage) that can occur to both the runner and the cyclist is getting hit by a car, and while pedestrians are hit more often than cyclists, I've never known anyone who gave up walking or running because of that kind of accident, yet cyclists do. Cycling is far more risky, and there are more dangers than being on two feet - that's why we wear helmets!
2 years ago I was out for a ride a couple days after a rain storm. The creeks here overflow up onto the trails as they are part of the drainage system. I went down a slight hill as the trail went under a bridge for a road. It's dark under bridges and I didn't see the thick, black mud that covered the entire trail the whole distance of the underpass. I hit it at about 25mph, and instantly went down and slid a good 30 feet. It was like a slip and slide, I even slipped trying to stand up. To this day, I am cautious when going through tunnels or underpasses because they almost all are drainage here. Last Saturday, my group went through two that had water/sheets of ice in them; we happened upon a guy who didn't notice it until it was too late and hit the ground hard. He was in a lot of pain leaning on his bike, called his wife to come pick him up. Again, my "fear" was reaffirmed. But I'm not giving up cycling, I'm just more cautious.

On a somewhat related note...I also had a wreck on my motorcycle, too. I walked away unhurt, but very bruised and sore for weeks. I was back riding my Harley again, in less than a month.

In both cases, I think crashing has actually made me a "better" rider...because now I am more aware of the consequences of my actions. I ride more defensively and more acutely aware of my surroundings.

On this note, about 2 years ago I started have difficulties from a medical condition where I couldn't concentrate well, couldn't focus, and the vibration of my m/c made things worse. DH and I took a 200 mile ride up through Rocky Mountain National Park in July. It was cold, which made things worse, as I couldn't really feel my hands and feet; there were hairpin turns, and when we reached the snow fields, the wind was blowing so hard it blew me across the road (and chilled me to the bone). Coming down the other side through Boulder, I missed a gear and jumped at an intersection smacking my ankle with my floor board almost causing me to drop my bike. I'm not sure why, but it scared the crap out of me, I rode it maybe twice to work after that, and sold it in February of this year. I think it was because the medical condition is out of my control, I can't swerve around it, I can't predict it....I don't know. While I still have issues medically, I still cycle and ride dirt bikes/quads (and I've rolled quads and smacked my head several times - my fault, not medically related), but I think I'd rather go down on a 20lb bike at 30-40mph than I would on a 600lb m/c at 60mph. The risk of "death" got into my head - and it is totally all in my mind, but it doesn't matter.

[Sylvia]

I'd have to say I agree with much of what has already been said. It depends on the person. I took up cycling again after having not ridden in about 25-30 years. Took a while trying to find a road bike that would work for me. I'm short 5' with a 25" inseam, and I'm disabled (can't lift my leg up over the top tube). I discovered Bike Friday and had them make me a bike with road components.

Well within 6 months I got into a cycling accident. I fractured my tibia and the doc said I would be wheelchair bound for six weeks. After six weeks, it took another 4-6 weeks before I could even get back on the bike. 1 and a half months later I took my bike out to Maryland to ride at Blackwater refuge where Terry's Wild Goose Chase was held. It is amazingly beautiful there. My leg is still healing, the bones are healed, but the tendons/ligaments are still not 100%. But I am still riding.

So it true, cycling can be dangerous, but it also has its rewards. In the end each person needs to weigh the pros and cons and decide for themselves if it is worth continuing.

[maillotpois]

Did you read through the comments? The people that blamed themselves for the accident kept riding and those that blamed something out of their control quit riding...

That's fascinating. Every crash I have had, including the one that broke my scpaula, was my fault. And I'm still riding.

I mediated a car v. bike case last week and the cyclist, who had been hit from behind, was very nervous about resuming riding. I can understand that - when you do something stupid, you hope you learn from it and can avoid repeating it. When something is beyond your control (a car), then you would be understandably nervous because it is something largely beyond your control.

Obviously a traumatic injury is psychologically different from a chronic injury, but I know WAY more people who have given up running because of injury, than cycling.

I'm one of those. Chronic ITB problems during my stint as a marathoner really took away my enthusiasm for a sport I didn't really have a lot of enthusiasm for to begin with.