Oh, grey. I'm so sorry. Take it easy and give yourself plenty of time to heal. Hugs!
To disable ads, please log-in.
We got hubby a bike for Christmas, and with the sunny day yesterday we aired up, suited up, and decided to go on our first ride together. We picked the Chickamauga battlefield since there isn't much traffic, and what traffic is there is much used to seeing cyclists.
Hubby's never had a road bike before, so we spent some time in the parking lot making adjustments to the saddle ... and I decided to let him go in front, since I had the safety light. First mistake. I also should have gone over signals with him - that's the second mistake. But I felt I have been riding for years and thought it better this way.
Anyway - we wanted to turn left, and I was signaling and there wasn't traffic behind us - so was going to wait in the median. To his perspective, there was traffic so he turned right on a little side street. I thought "ok, we'll go right instead, that's cool" and started to ride up alongside him to his left so we could talk. And then he turned left suddenly (so we could wait and cross the street) - right into me.
I know why it happened, I know it's both our faults. I should have realized he was thinking it would be safer to cross the street by waiting on one with less traffic, or should have remained single-file for a little longer. But anyway. I crashed into him, and that's the last I remember until there were sirens. Apparently I was out for 20-25 seconds, he couldn't wake me and it was HARD for me to come to. I'm also a martial artist, I've been knocked out before and seen plenty, but usually someone is down for 2-5 seconds, so it must have been quite the hit.
Without the helmet I think I might not be alive. Or maybe a vegetable. It took a beating, it's crushed on the rear left and heavily dented in the back.
I took a beating. I am bruised all over, other than the concussion and two sizable lumps on my head, I am ok. Just still dizzy and headache today. They took CT scans and X-rays - so I can say I have had my head examined and it's fine.
The bikes - I think the frames are ok. DH's left brake is crooked and my front wheel is not true. Those are pretty minor. I'll take the bikes into the shop and get them checked out.
Upside: I need a new helmet. Suggestions?
2009 Fuji Team
My blog - which rarely mentions cycling. It's really about decorating & food. http://www.crisangsteninteriors.com/blog
Oh, grey. I'm so sorry. Take it easy and give yourself plenty of time to heal. Hugs!
Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn. Appreciate your friends. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.
--Mary Anne Radmacher
It's probably a good sign that you remember so much about what happened before you fell. I hope you feel better soon.
RE: the new helmet, if you liked the way the old one fit I would start by looking into others by that company.
- Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
- Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
- Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle
Gone but not forgotten:
- Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
- Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles
Yikes! So sorry you had an accident. Take care of yourself and heal up fast.
Get well soon! Rest a lot.
Yikes! Hope you heal quickly!
Oh my, glad you noggin is ok! I concur that you should stick with that brand of helmet for sure! Rest well...
Oh man. Heal quick. Remember that recovering from a head injury takes a LOT of energy, and you will be much more fatigued than you expect. Give yourself the time to rest. ((((grey)))))
Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler
Thanks all. I hope this doesn't kill DH's desire to take up riding.
It was a Giro - but anymore I don't know WHICH version it was. Anybody have a favorite?
2009 Fuji Team
My blog - which rarely mentions cycling. It's really about decorating & food. http://www.crisangsteninteriors.com/blog
Very scary! I'm glad you're okay enough to heal from the bruises. Helmets are good. I know too many people (mostly the patients I work with that commute daily) that absolutely refuse to wear them. Heal fast!
2013 Kirk Frameworks JK Special/Selle Anatomica
2012 Gunnar Sport/Brooks B17
2001 Calfee Tetra Pro/Selle Anatomica
1984 Raleigh Sport/Brooks B66
Grey,
Glad to hear you are OK. Bikes can be fixed and helmets replaced. I cannot imagine your husband's panic while you were unconscious. Allow your brain time to recover (don't risk another hit right now).
Team Estrogen has a couple of Giro helmets in high visibility yellow (see here). They look nice!
That's scary. Take good care of yourself.
"Why walk when you can bike?"
Luna Eclipse
Fuji RC Supreme
Fuji Touring
Centurion Le Mans
All have Selle SMP TRK saddles.
My blog: www.thepolkadotjournal.blogspot.com
I have the Aeon in the high viz yellow. It is a very comfortable helmet, light weight and bright.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodGO_2030473.html
Take care of yourself!
Trek Madone 4.7 WSD
Cannondale Quick4
1969 Schwinn Collegiate, original owner
Terry Classic
Richard Feynman: “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.”
Ouch - hope you feel better.
I can personally vouch for the Specialized Prevail helmet.... earlier this week I did some damage that sound a lot like yours to my helmet, but not to my head... I hit something on my commute - I'm not sure what, it was dark and my light didn't pick it up. It was on a street I'm quite familiar with - only about a block from my house, and I think it was either a small pothole or a small icy spot, but the affect was a rather long slide mostly on the top of my head... I crunched the back of the helmet pretty good. The whole left hand back side was shattered and the retention system was torn out on that side too, but I only had a bit of a headache for about 2 hours and certainly suffered no loss of consciousness. I've never cracked a helmet so dramatically.... I feel quite lucky to be undamaged - other than the headache I only got a tiny raspberry on my left elbow and a few scattered minor bruises. I'm sticking with that helmet. Until now I had some 2nd thoughts about the retention system - it's not as adjustable as all of my previous helmets and I wondered a bit about it, but I'm convinced it works now.
"Sharing the road means getting along, not getting ahead" - 1994 Washington State Driver's Guide
visit my flickr stream http://flic.kr/ps/MMu5N
Sorry about your accident - hope you heal quickly