Surprisingly slippy

Keithp88
Keithp88 Posts: 58
edited December 2007 in Commuting chat
Last year I rode almost every day in all weathers and never fell off. I broke my duck this morning. It all seemed really pleasant and fine, sunshine and no wind, chilly but not too cold. Then I went round a bend into the shade and lost the front end on ice, caught it but now on the wrong side of the (fortunately empty) road then lost it again. I successfully broke my fall with an elbow, hip, shoulder and head. Not necessarily in that order. Very nice ped helped me up and kindly didn't laugh out loud.

Things are starting to hurt now. Especially my head. Need to lie down I think. Maybe not in the road this time though :) . Everyone in work is now a comedian though, apparently Santa will now be bringing me a set of stabilisers and elbow pads and blah blah blah.

Might have to go back to wearing a helmet when its potentially icy, my head is proper sore. (No I haven't seen a doctor and no I'm not planning on going either so don't nag, I've had enough of that from my 'office mum' already).

Comments

  • Belv
    Belv Posts: 866
    Yeah, the pain sets in when the adrenaline wears off.

    If you're sure you're not going to the doctor (double sure?), then pay attention to any dizziness/sickness for the next few days in case you have sustained concussion. Then go to the doctors and get it checked out :wink:

    Don't forget next time that ice likes to hide round that corner - at least then you will have learnt something for your pain.
  • PrettyBoyTim
    PrettyBoyTim Posts: 163
    You have my deeply felt sympathies - I came off last week as well :(

    There was no ice to blame it on in my case - just some slightly damp road and my own incompetence! :?
  • martincroxall
    martincroxall Posts: 102
    Have to symathise as well. I came down last week turning right at a pretty low speed and got a few bruises for my troubles. I think there must have been some oil on the road (I gave the road my best Paddington stare!) as it wasn't all that cold.

    Oh well, at least nothing broken unlike last year when I broke my hand.
    You hear that? He's up there... mewing in the nerve centre of his evil empire. A ground rent increase here, a tax dodge there? he sticks his leg in the air, laughs his cat laugh... and dives back down to grooming his balls!
  • Shadowduck
    Shadowduck Posts: 845
    Belv wrote:
    Don't forget next time that ice likes to hide round that corner - at least then you will have learnt something for your pain.
    If Keithp88 is anything like me, he'll still be tiptoeing round that corner if he's riding fifty years from now! :D

    Dips in the road are another good place for unexpected ice, as I've found out to my cost more than once in my motorcycling days.

    Heal up soon!
    Even if the voices aren't real, they have some very good ideas.
  • snooks
    snooks Posts: 1,521
    I feel your pain...When I came off (slimey cobbles) I could ony sleep on one side for well over a week, and the bruise took over 4 weeks to go. :?

    Have a couple of pain killers (or beers!!) before you go to bed tonight and you'll get some sleep, but sorry to say if you came down with a bump you'll be aching tomorrow.
    .
    FCN:5, 8 & 9
    If I'm not riding I'm shooting http://grahamsnook.com
    THE Game
    Watch out for HGVs
  • william79
    william79 Posts: 42
    I had an accident about 10 days ago and the staff at A&E were sure the helmet saved my head. It cracked through the 'temple' area; I would not ride without a helmet now. It's a bit hot in the summer, but a small price.

    Hope the bruises heal soon.
  • Shadowduck
    Shadowduck Posts: 845
    Hang on, that's two pro-helmet-use comments and Bent Mikey hasn't turned up yet. :shock:

    Should we send a search party?
    Even if the voices aren't real, they have some very good ideas.
  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    Shhhh!! Helmets are probably quite good at protecting you from a minor knock. It's the serious head injuries where there is debate.
  • Gambatte
    Gambatte Posts: 1,453
    BentMikey wrote:
    Shhhh!! Helmets are probably quite good at protecting you from a minor knock.


    Had to be done! :lol::lol::lol:
  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    LOL!!!
  • jedster
    jedster Posts: 1,717
    I'm sure most of us on this board who wear helmets understand that they only really help in "minor" knocks and wear them ... to protect from "minor" knocks.

    The inverted commas are there because I think shredded scalps or even low level concussion are only minor in a distinctly relative sense... deeply unpleasant and well worth avoiding!

    But maybe I'm just soft.

    Cheers,

    J
  • BigBlackShed
    BigBlackShed Posts: 60
    Hello everyone. New to the forum. And I'm going to wade right in with my 2 pennies worth. Feel free to ignore / reply in hate as you wish.

    I had a big off last winter, riding down a long downhill cycle path. A small dog / rat darted out in front of me. I dully hit it, and then catapulted over the bars in to a park bench headfirst at about 25mph.

    Needles to say the helmet was destroyed. I only spent overnight in hospital with mild concussion. The accident report form the police, because I killed the dog, says I would have died without a helmet.

    I don't get on my bike without a helmet now.
    It's not the winning or even taking part. It's the arsing about that counts.
  • cee
    cee Posts: 4,553
    I am a helmet wearing afreak. :D

    I dont care what onyone says. :shock:

    Im still gonna wear it! :)
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • Shadowduck
    Shadowduck Posts: 845
    Stop! You don't know what you're doing! :shock:

    Have a look at this thread to see what you're in danger of starting off here!

    [whisper] I wear a helmet too. [/whisper]
    Even if the voices aren't real, they have some very good ideas.
  • bigfellie
    bigfellie Posts: 7
    just back from the a & e with torn ligaments in my lower back, thought i would be safer if i went on the pavement round a roundabout just off the forth road bridge going to work, as soon as got onto the pavement i knew it was a bad idea, bike just slid to the side, i twisted my body just as my a** hit the ground, heard a crunch, could not move, lay there thinking this is it i have broke my back, the pain in the small of my back was excrusiating,
    What i was gratefull for was the two guys who stopped to help, one guy (also a cyclist) who was on his way to catch a flight, phoned for an ambulance and let my wife know i was ok, both waited until the ambulance came, the other guy put my bike in his car, gave me his business card and is bringing my bike home after work tonight. A big thank you to all the good people out there who without a thought for themself stop and help us mad cyclists.
  • AidanR
    AidanR Posts: 1,142
    Ouch!

    Sorry you had such a nasty fall, but happy to hear people were so helpful. The pavements in Edinburgh this morning were pretty lethal...
    Bike lover and part-time cyclist.
  • Keithp88
    Keithp88 Posts: 58
    Thanks for the sympathy, theres more on here than anywhere else.

    I am stiff and achy today, neck and shoulder pain. Brufen and paracetomol are not the best. Didn't mean to kick off the helmet thing. It's Bentmikeys fault I wasn't wearing one anyway. Curses on you and your well reasoned arguments :D ! My wife has dug the lid out of the cupboard under the stairs and left it very obviously by the back door, I believe its called a hint.
  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    Ouch, hope your back recovers soon. Here's a virtual hot cuppa mate!

    p.s. Next time wear the helmet on your arse? ;) j/k.
  • Keithp88
    Keithp88 Posts: 58
    Next time wear the helmet on your ars*? j/k.
    lol

    My ars* is fine, it was sucking the saddle in as I did what the mx brigade call a 'whip'. It was still clenching as I used my head to cushion the impact :shock: . Cheers for the brew.
  • snooks
    snooks Posts: 1,521
    Keithp88 wrote:
    Thanks for the sympathy, theres more on here than anywhere else.

    I am stiff and achy today, neck and shoulder pain. Brufen and paracetomol are not the best.

    Well you can look on the bright side, you'll just get better from now on :D
    FCN:5, 8 & 9
    If I'm not riding I'm shooting http://grahamsnook.com
    THE Game
    Watch out for HGVs
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I never ride without one.
    I wasn't here,
    you didn't read this.
    'Don't like the way the pavement messes up my hair when I don't wear one.
    I'd toss it for Mikey, though.
  • bossman13
    bossman13 Posts: 106
    bigfellie wrote:
    just back from the a & e with torn ligaments in my lower back, thought i would be safer if i went on the pavement round a roundabout just off the forth road bridge going to work, as soon as got onto the pavement i knew it was a bad idea, bike just slid to the side, i twisted my body just as my a** hit the ground, heard a crunch, could not move, lay there thinking this is it i have broke my back, the pain in the small of my back was excrusiating,
    What i was gratefull for was the two guys who stopped to help, one guy (also a cyclist) who was on his way to catch a flight, phoned for an ambulance and let my wife know i was ok, both waited until the ambulance came, the other guy put my bike in his car, gave me his business card and is bringing my bike home after work tonight. A big thank you to all the good people out there who without a thought for themself stop and help us mad cyclists.

    ouch. hope ur ok. where was the accident exactly?
  • bigfellie
    bigfellie Posts: 7
    just after the slip road to the rosyth dockyard, there is a new second smaller roundabout after the main inverkeithing / north queensferry roundabout, went onto the new pavement as i turned to go round the corner then down i went.
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    bigfellie wrote:
    just back from the a & e with torn ligaments in my lower back, thought i would be safer if i went on the pavement round a roundabout just off the forth road bridge going to work, as soon as got onto the pavement i knew it was a bad idea, bike just slid to the side, i twisted my body just as my a** hit the ground, heard a crunch, could not move, lay there thinking this is it i have broke my back, the pain in the small of my back was excrusiating,
    What i was gratefull for was the two guys who stopped to help, one guy (also a cyclist) who was on his way to catch a flight, phoned for an ambulance and let my wife know i was ok, both waited until the ambulance came, the other guy put my bike in his car, gave me his business card and is bringing my bike home after work tonight. A big thank you to all the good people out there who without a thought for themself stop and help us mad cyclists.

    Roads are gritted, pavements often aren't

    hope you're OK
    <a>road</a>
  • joebe
    joebe Posts: 333
    Ow ow ow, just limped back home after sliding down the road on my chin. Not a good start to the day. The same corner that claimed me at the start of the year, though that was in the opposite direction. You're right ever since that fall I've tip toed round that corner, now I'll be doing it in both directions
    pink is the new black
    Doris hanging out by the river
  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    Unlucky, mate! Have a hot cuppa from me.
  • mailmannz
    mailmannz Posts: 173
    Yep, car park outside home was covered in a good heavy layer of ice. Thought I was in for a very slow ride to work but once I got on to the road everything was fine (all the ice had been "melted" by the cars:)).

    Thing is, when on the cycle path a cyclist in front of me had stopped to allow a car to pass across the cycle lane (even though the cycle lane had right of way!), when I tried to slow down my rear tyre was trying to get ahead of my front tyre because that part of the cycle lane was in the shade!

    Mailman

Categories