Came off on black ice this morning

graeme_s-2
graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
edited October 2008 in Commuting chat
I came off on black ice this morning. I turned off a road into a driveway which leads to a primary school. As it's half term nobody has been up it yet and it was ungritted. It was very frosty still, so I very carefully made my way across it. I then had to make a 90 degree right hand turn onto a tarmac cycle path which looked completely clear.

I came onto the tarmac while turning slightly and my bike shot out from underneath me so fast I didn't have chance to react to it at all. Hit the ground pretty hard, and hit my head which I don't think I've ever done when coming off before. My helmet took the brunt of the impact to my head, and left me with a bit of a headache and a grazed cheek. I've got a big bruise/graze on my right thigh, a bruise on my right knee, a bruise on my left knee and a bruise on my left hip (where I think my handlebars may have swung round and clattered me). I've given my left hand and wrist a pretty good jarring, but I was really glad I was wearing gloves or I think I'd have shredded my hands.

My bike's fine other than slightly torn bar tape. I suspect I won't be riding home today, as I can't use the brake very well with my left hand. I should probably replace my helmet now as well. It just has some light scratching to the plastic shell, but it must have taken a bit of a whack.

Don't want to restart the whole h-word argument, but I was glad I was wearing mine, this morning, as it definitely stopped my head taking a harder impact (which would have probably left me with a worse headache, maybe concussion), and also protected my face from hitting the floor harder/more fully.
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Comments

  • OUCH!!

    I feel your pain!

    You didn't mention the H word did you ?
    phew! thank goodness for that :?
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • knight2k
    knight2k Posts: 119
    Glad to hear you're generally ok.

    There was a lot of it about this morning. The first 2km of my commute are down a 12% country lane hill which doesn't get gritted. Fortunately I'm riding directly into the sun which reflects of the balck ice, so I was able to pick my way through the minefield.

    Hope you recover quickly.
  • Bagman
    Bagman Posts: 311
    Sorry to hear of your spill - glad you're OK. I decided not to bike in this am. Lots of ice on roads and none of them are gritted.
  • Sorry to hear about that, make sure to take lots of vit e to help the skin heal up. Grazes can be surprisingly painful!

    It sounds like the ice is a real issue - might cancel my planned country lanes ride this weekend unless it warms up.
  • jedster
    jedster Posts: 1,717
    Graeme,

    sounds very much like the fall I took on a diesel spill in the summer in terms of the injuries, although I was going > 20mph at the time... My helmet crushed and split. I too had never hit my helmet hard in other falls.

    Seems to me that these sudden falls when the bike disappears from under you are ones where helmets earn their keep.

    J
  • don_don
    don_don Posts: 1,007
    Seems to me that these sudden falls when the bike disappears from under you are ones where helmets earn their keep.
    +1
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    Graeme_S wrote:
    I came off on black ice this morning. I turned off a road into a driveway which leads to a primary school. As it's half term nobody has been up it yet and it was ungritted. It was very frosty still, so I very carefully made my way across it. I then had to make a 90 degree right hand turn onto a tarmac cycle path which looked completely clear.

    I came onto the tarmac while turning slightly and my bike shot out from underneath me so fast I didn't have chance to react to it at all. Hit the ground pretty hard, and hit my head which I don't think I've ever done when coming off before. My helmet took the brunt of the impact to my head, and left me with a bit of a headache and a grazed cheek. I've got a big bruise/graze on my right thigh, a bruise on my right knee, a bruise on my left knee and a bruise on my left hip (where I think my handlebars may have swung round and clattered me). I've given my left hand and wrist a pretty good jarring, but I was really glad I was wearing gloves or I think I'd have shredded my hands.

    My bike's fine other than slightly torn bar tape. I suspect I won't be riding home today, as I can't use the brake very well with my left hand. I should probably replace my helmet now as well. It just has some light scratching to the plastic shell, but it must have taken a bit of a whack.

    Don't want to restart the whole h-word argument, but I was glad I was wearing mine, this morning, as it definitely stopped my head taking a harder impact (which would have probably left me with a worse headache, maybe concussion), and also protected my face from hitting the floor harder/more fully.

    Did your head rotate at all? (Look in the mirror and make sure that your eyes are still pointing forward - also check that the halves of your brain are still joined in the middle). If you hadn't been wearing your helmet, you would have felt less safe and therefore you would have been safer.

    Seriously though - the most important thing is that your bike is okay. Why? Because you can get back on it as soon as. This will help your confidence (think of it a bit like a $700 billion cash injection) and blood flow through the muscles (gently) will help things heal.
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    I hope you recover fast and really glad to hear the bikes OK!

    I know how you feel having come off on black ice on Wednesday. I was going in a straight line doing about 20mph when my front wheel went from under me in a nano second, I guess there must have been a little bit of camber on the road which set it off. My head hit the ground too but instead of my helmet taking the brunt it was my chin. I did manage to get off my chin and onto my thigh which took the brunt of the gravel rash.

    The thing that really scared me was that I had no time to react and hence any car that might have been passing would have had no warning either. Luckily the car behind was a good hundred yards behind (rare on the A4) and I managed to jump up, grab the bike and jump onto the verge. I cycled very nervously the 3.5 miles home and got in the car.

    The chin has scabbed nicely now and the hip is drying up; did think about cycling this morning and then the weather mentioned ice again and I thought maybe not.

    Apart from all that still looking forward to getting back on the bike.

    Heal well!
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    Forgot to say my helmet got a load of road muck over it but was unscratched however if I had been just a bit closer to the curb it could have been a life saver. I imagine a sudden front blow out at speed could have a similar result which is why I bought it in the first place. There is no way you can protect yourself it happens so fast.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • pst88
    pst88 Posts: 621
    Sorry to hear what happened to you. Surprised you had that much in Coventry... it was pretty clear this morning in Birmingham. Was it early in the morning so hadn't had a chance to thaw? I always set off about 8:30-9:00 so maybe that's why I didn't see any ice this morning.
    Bianchi Via Nirone Veloce/Centaur 2010
  • symo
    symo Posts: 1,743
    Did that myself on tuesday on an over bridge. Bloody hurt.
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    we are the proud, the few, Descendents.

    Panama - finally putting a nail in the economic theory of the trickle down effect.
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    symo wrote:
    Did that myself on tuesday on an over bridge. Bloody hurt.

    Yeah but how is your bike? Priorities!!!!!!!

    Bones heal and chicks dig scars.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • symo
    symo Posts: 1,743
    Scratched my lovely FSA cranks black paint, but I just MTFU and carried on riding.
    +++++++++++++++++++++
    we are the proud, the few, Descendents.

    Panama - finally putting a nail in the economic theory of the trickle down effect.
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    ouch... hope there's no serious injuries... you got the weekend to recover and get as much sympathy as possible out of it
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    This was about 7.30ish this morning. The patch I was on is in the shade, so it's often a bit icy, but it looked so clear this morning.

    My boss and I decided I was a bit concussed, so she gave me a lift home, a lift back to work, and a lift home again with my house keys (ooops). She dropped me at the doctors this time. My GP said I was basically fine, but to stay off the booze for a few days and to take it easy. He also said the headaches and wrist/hand pain would probably get worse before they get better, so to take lots of painkillers. I'm now suitably dosed up on Paramol.
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    Did your head rotate at all? (Look in the mirror and make sure that your eyes are still pointing forward - also check that the halves of your brain are still joined in the middle). If you hadn't been wearing your helmet, you would have felt less safe and therefore you would have been safer.

    Seriously though - the most important thing is that your bike is okay. Why? Because you can get back on it as soon as. This will help your confidence (think of it a bit like a $700 billion cash injection) and blood flow through the muscles (gently) will help things heal.

    Listen pal, without that helmet, I know for an absolute fact that I would definitely have been horribly killed! :lol:
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    Yesterday evening i.e. end of day two was the most painful for the hip graze and shoulder pain but today it does feel like it is improving. Hang in there!

    Sorry to hear about the FSA cranks, I dented one of the tops on my Dura Ace levers so that it now reminds me everytime I go out.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • kuwa
    kuwa Posts: 22
    Had a spill this morning as well. sharp left hander in town, really tight, white van up my butt, as I was going pretty slow anyway. It's a tight road, and cars often feel they have the right to go fast no matter what. Should have slowed down more (in hindsight) but didn't want to get van man any closer. Front wheel slipped and when straight down, sliding into oncoming (it's a tight corner alright)

    grazed the knee (and around, torn the cycling pants) and twisted my left wrist. Really stiff and hurting now, swollen a bit as well. No idea how I'll get home tonight, it's a 8mile ride.

    Had another crash three months ago, when overtaking stationary traffic. A bus I was overtaking stopped to wave a car out of a side road, and the driver when hell for leather. Next thing I knew was on of those NHS motorbike medics asking me if I know my name.

    Don't want to go into biggies about highway code, and who's allowed what, but two accidents in a short space of time do get me worried. I've been riding bikes since I was four, and with a fair few miles in my legs I'm beginning to wonder what's going on. Am I just unlucky, or a lot worse rider than I thought?
    The inside of A&E and following doc visits have done enough to dampen my self esteem, I've only been back on the bike following the previous accident for two weeks and now another one!

    Didn't help that the pushy van driver wound down the window and shouted through a cloud of emerging smoke: 'r you alright mate?

    No I'm not.

    good weekend everyone,
    share your pain graeme_s, tough sound like you've had it worse...
    brakes are your lifeline
  • Graeme_S I feel your pain...but at least you have black ice as an excuse.

    I came off last night in the dark and wet after misjudging the transition from the road to the dual-use path :cry:

    I've now got road rash down my left leg, knee and buttock, a scraped nose and chin and something called a 'radial head fracture'. Embarrassing to say the least. Thanks to all the drivers and one cyclist who passed the guy with blood p*ssing out of his face for your* concern.

    Looks like some time off the bike and the some stabilisers when I return... :(

    Completed the ride home, showered and changed before going to hospital though :twisted:

    *complete lack of
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    I keep getting offers of stabilisers at work - funny barstewards :roll:
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • Mista Kreg wrote:
    Graeme_S I feel your pain...but at least you have black ice as an excuse.

    I came off last night in the dark and wet after misjudging the transition from the road to the dual-use path :cry:

    I've now got road rash down my left leg, knee and buttock, a scraped nose and chin and something called a 'radial head fracture'. Embarrassing to say the least. Thanks to all the drivers and one cyclist who passed the guy with blood p*ssing out of his face for your* concern.

    Looks like some time off the bike and the some stabilisers when I return... :(

    Completed the ride home, showered and changed before going to hospital though :twisted:

    *complete lack of

    Holy cr@p, what's a radial head fracture?

    Hope you heal up... blimey.
  • Holy cr@p, what's a radial head fracture?

    A fracture at the top (head) of the radius in my left arm as it enters the elbow joint=arm in a sling and no cycling for a while :shock:

    Frankly, it's a bit bum.
  • Mista Kreg wrote:
    Holy cr@p, what's a radial head fracture?

    A fracture at the top (head) of the radius in my left arm as it enters the elbow joint=arm in a sling and no cycling for a while :shock:

    Frankly, it's a bit bum.

    Ahhhhhh, sounds very painful... but not as painful as a skull fracture which is radial in nature, which is what I thought you meant... :oops:
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    Gentle group hug for all injured cyclists plus well wishers?

    Hope everyone heals up soon.

    I'm currently pondering my bruises. I have a large bruise/graze on the outside of my right thigh, which is where I landed, but I also have a spectacular (but quite small) bright purple bruise on my left hip. I can only assume that the handlebars whipped round and hit me there.
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    edited October 2008
    oops - double post
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    adult_stabs_ex.jpg

    Just the job :wink:
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • I was wearing my H-word so no danger of that...

    Honestly, the fracture is so pitifully tiny that I would've preferred to have at least left a limb at the scene to justify the amount of time spent in A&E.

    Still, large and regular doses of co-codamol ftw.

    Isn't this the point where someone jumps in and says 'Cycling? Using only one arm? Pah, what you need to do sonny is MTFU...'?
  • I think when you've actually hurt yourself everyone's more sympathetic...

    Man-flu or Ebola on the other hand..... :D
  • downfader
    downfader Posts: 3,686
    Have often wondered if trikes would be better suited to winter riding. Theres a guy who sometimes rides through the city center on an upright trike.

    Saw a worrying report on the news last week that said we're destined for a LOT more ice this winter.
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    I'll take the grazes and bruises over man flu any day. You have no idea the depths it can take you to.
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali