3rd crash - now I'm "real" cyclist

[nomummytummy]

Hi guys - I just have to share this stack I had yesterday. Had gone out at lunch time - on my birthday - as a treat. Planned ride - 3 hills - went well, but took much less time than I thought it would. Went back past work with an hour to spare. What to do? Keep riding of course!

So went down to do a bit of this flat course around the harbour. It was really windy, and at one point I realised I was going really fast - for me at least! 36.7k/hr (or 22.8m/hr) & thought - Gee can I get over 40k/hr. So started really pushing it - as you do!

I don't really know what happened - I went around the point & the wind hit me & my front wheel got in this groove between the gutter & the tarmac - but what order I'm not sure. I had enough time to try to recover & then realise I wasn't going to & so decide to fall to the left as the cars are on the right.

My chin has this huge lump and cut, my left wrist & forearm are swollen and really really sore. Have had so many x-rays that I'm surprised I don't glow. No fractures - YAY! - so only my pride broken. I am now a devotee of lycra! The only part of me that lost skin was my left shoulder, where I had a polyprop under my cycling top. All other parts of my arms & legs have huge bruises - all my left side is a bruise basically - but very little gravel rash. And gloves - I am most sore where that little bit of padding is on the base of the thumb. But imagine if there was no padding & I'd not worn gloves. Also - I know helmets aren't mandatory in the US, but they are here. My helmet has scratches all over it, as do the left lenses of my styley new glasses. Cannot say how happy I am that I had a helmet on.

So what are my lessons here?

Experience - I very well may have had more idea how to recover with more experience.

Speed - well how do you go past an adrenaline rush? This has been a perpetual issue for me. Bike, skiing, body surfing, sailing out on trapeze.... With 2 small children - maybe my mum is right & I need to take more care. But you cannot live your life in fear of what may be.

[Zen]

So what are my lessons here?

Experience - I very well may have had more idea how to recover with more experience.

Speed - well how do you go past an adrenaline rush? This has been a perpetual issue for me. Bike, skiing, body surfing, sailing out on trapeze..
.. With 2 small children - maybe my mum is right & I need to take more care.

Doing OK so far...

But you cannot live your life in fear of what may be.

Until you get to that part. That's what's known as rationalization. If it weren't for the kiddos I'd say knock yourself out, but you do have some responsibilities now.

You got off this time but next time, who knows?
Do get a new helmet.

[KnottedYet]

You are very lucky! Be sure to buy a new helmet, and kiss and hug your kiddos!

[SouthernBelle]

I don't think you are rationalizing at all! It isn't like you were throwing caution to the winds (not intended as a pun).

Must ask, polyprop?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Sounds like you were pretty lucky and thought fast to fall to the non-car side!

Watch out for those sneaky cracks & grooves that run parallel to the road- they can grab your wheel and stop you or flip you out of control.

[crazycanuck]

Hey NMT..

Good to hear you're alright!

You didn't happen to be biking round the bays in Auckland when your crash happened???
If so, I know those roads & yep they'll catch ya!

Oh yea...this is one thread i understood the traffic "picture"in my head...

C

[maryellen]

<<maybe my mum is right & I need to take more care. But you cannot live your life in fear of what may be.>>

indeed. i struggled with this after my crash last August in which a simple tumble resulted in 4 fractures. not to be flippant, but i may as well have fun.

[northstar]

Sounds like you were pretty lucky and thought fast to fall to the non-car side!

Watch out for those sneaky cracks & grooves that run parallel to the road- they can grab your wheel and stop you or flip you out of control.

Yep...this is how I crashed in June.

I'm really glad you're ok! The scrapes/rash hurt, but they heal relatively quickly. Hope all goes well!

[nomummytummy]

I

Must ask, polyprop?

Polypropylene (think that's the right spelling) is a type of thermal underwear.

[nomummytummy]

Doing OK so far...Until you get to that part. That's what's known as rationalization. If it weren't for the kiddos I'd say knock yourself out, but you do have some responsibilities now.

You got off this time but next time, who knows?
Do get a new helmet.

Hadn't thought about a new helmet. Thanks for the reminder about that. The responsibilities do weigh on my mind. I'm constantly trying to find the balance between needing to be there for the kids - today & in the future - and role-modelling that life's a journey & when we act from fear, we often don't go far. It's the scary &/or hard stufff - physically & emotionally - that leads to the greatest rewards and fulfillment. My greatest hope is that I raise my children to be bold. My parents gave me that gift, funny how it's Mum who is now suggesting I become more cautious.

Zen Century - I hugged my boys & hubby - Don't need an excuse to hug them, they won't always want me to in a few years!
Crazycanuk - was around the bays in Wellington - roads probably similar quality to AUK

Now - how do I justify riding tomorrow??? I think that I might not get away with that & stay married!!!

L

[Torrilin]

Well, my mom has always given me space to be brave and do scary things. But she's also made a lot of choices for herself that mean she's around for me.

Sounds like your mom wants you to find a healthy balance between being brave and doing stuff, and between doing what's right for your kids. So giving up bikes is a no. But it is ok to back off a bit on speed. Fast feels great; fast and out of control, not so much. And diversion falls (which are probably what you had) are easy to avoid if you're not caught up in the heat of the moment

I'm glad you're ok . Just remember cyclists are people on bikes, not people *crashing* bikes

[Mr. Bloom]

Glad you were not more injured. I hit the same kind of groove once and fell at a slow speed. They're wicked!

[RoadRaven]

NMT... I know what you mean about the rush as you get that speed up - in yesterdays race I was honking it with a tail wind getting up to 48kph - why oh why can't I always ride that strong!!??!!

I always try and ride about 1/2 a metre from the curb - so much rubbish in there - though I guess those roads around the Bays down there are a bit narrower at times and don't really allow for that.

I have kids too, and it is a very fine line between personal rush, and family responsibility.

The thing that gets me about our roads is why oh why do councils insist on having grates parallel with the road and footpath? They are such wheel traps!

And do check your helmet out... and think of it in personal terms if you have trouble getting a new one - if you throw caution to the wind in favour of the rushes, you may find yourself months off the bike as you heal...

Be safe out there

Road ~ trying-to-find-the-middle-ground-between-rushes&safety ~ Raven

[nomummytummy]

Thanks all. As a plug for my LBS - Pennyfarthings in Wellington give 10% off helmets bought to replace on after a crash. That's definitely putting their principles out there.

Bring on next Thursday as I do a hill ride & go slower!