My first bike accident in 33 years!

[Deleted member 33385]

A couple of hours ago, in a town far, far away... I was proceeding in a southerly direction at a perfectly legal 15mph, when a tree root sprang into existence under the tarmac, shrouded in inky darkness. I went over the handlebars (scratched my Bafabg c18 display on the way) and landed on my head. My helmet took the impact. Good job I was wearing one because it would have certainly been a nasty bump, and possibly a gash. Here's a pic of my now damaged helmet rain cover:









I only started cycling again shortly before Brexit, it's my first accident in 33 years. At my age, I had assumed that my bones would shatter to dust! My wrists hurt (especially my left) for some reason lol. And I can't straighten out my right arm - tendon issue or bruise (drat! I've run out of ibuprofen, maybe my elbow is turning to dust after all). The bike was fine - 20 inch wheels are hard to warp, mudguard had to be adjusted... but after I got back on the bike, I noticed that the right pedal felt funny - it didn't feel like it had folded closed (happens often - folding pedal). I was puzzled, until it suddenly fell off. Looked like about 9mm had threaded, obviously loose preceding the journey. I didn't have the right size hex with me to put it back on, had to walk home. Luckily it only happened 4 miles away from home - I'm going to carry a throttle in my pocket for emergency use, it very easily could have have happened 43 miles away. I'd rather not breathe Covid-19 inside a shared metal box on wheels.

For me at least, it was worth wearing a helmet.

 

[soundwave]

that broke my ass

 

[Deleted member 33385]

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that broke my ass

Whoa, I got off lightly! How did that happen? Were you run over by bulls?

 

[soundwave]

Whoa, I got off lightly! How did that happen? Were you run over by bulls?

i just lost the front end and splat!

 

[Deleted member 33385]

i just lost the front end and splat!

How fast were you going? I was doing 15mph but I had two layers on my legs and five up top. Would have been worse if I had just been wearing a T-shirt or base layer.

 

[soundwave]

25mph imo the faster you go the more it hurts

 

[Deleted member 33385]

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that broke my ass

By the way, thank you Soundwave! Telling me to use a helmet with a jawguard was good advice! I landed on my head and rolled to my left - it would have been bloody, if I had been using a daft looking top hat style bike helmet! No lump on the head and no blood drawn at all... It's well worth using a BMX style helmet!

 

[soundwave]

 

[Deleted member 33385]

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Looks like you've lost almost as many teeth as I have, if those are indeed your fangs! Did you lose those in the same accident? Sheez...

 

[Deleted member 33385]

25mph imo the faster you go the more it hurts

Yep, 25mph can be death territory. Mind you, low speed can kill you if you're circumstances are right; wrong for you.

The worst is a split tooth - they endlessly try to repair it, charge you a fortune trying and crack! It often as not splits completely, even after hollowing it out and filling it with mercury compound. You can get implants if you're not a smoker (nicotine leeches calcium from bones, so implants won't stay implanted, and they usually won't try if you are of recently have been a smoker), but the upside of implants, is that your jaw bone doesn't thin out or bone density reduce as much, under where your teeth used to be. Expensive though... I've been a smoker far too long, implants won't take. I vape these days - hopeless nicotine addict. I tried nicotine patches but couldn't get them to light.

 

[Andy-Mat]

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OW!!!!

 

[Andy-Mat]

A couple of hours ago, in a town far, far away... I was proceeding in a southerly direction at a perfectly legal 15mph, when a tree root sprang into existence under the tarmac, shrouded in inky darkness. I went over the handlebars (scratched my Bafabg c18 display on the way) and landed on my head. My helmet took the impact. Good job I was wearing one because it would have certainly been a nasty bump, and possibly a gash. Here's a pic of my now damaged helmet rain cover:




View attachment 41357




I only started cycling again shortly before Brexit, it's my first accident in 33 years. At my age, I had assumed that my bones would shatter to dust! My wrists hurt (especially my left) for some reason lol. And I can't straighten out my right arm - tendon issue or bruise (drat! I've run out of ibuprofen, maybe my elbow is turning to dust after all). The bike was fine - 20 inch wheels are hard to warp, mudguard had to be adjusted... but after I got back on the bike, I noticed that the right pedal felt funny - it didn't feel like it had folded closed (happens often - folding pedal). I was puzzled, until it suddenly fell off. Looked like about 9mm had threaded, obviously loose before preceding the journey. I didn't have the right size hex with me to put it back on, had to walk home. Luckily it only happened 4 miles away from home - I'm going to carry a throttle in my pocket for emergency use, it very easily could have have happened 43 miles away. I'd rather not breathe Covid-19 inside a shared metal box on wheels.

For me at least, it was worth wearing a helmet.

It is a good thing to always wear the right clothing and a helmet as you mention, it saves not only blood loss, but also a lot of swearing as well!!
I must buy a better one than I have at this time, many thanks for the reminder!
I myself, will not buy any bike with smaller than 26" wheels, and in the past, have usually gone for 28", before starting on e-bikes, of which I have had two, both with 26".
I am of the opinion that the larger wheels handle rough roads and potholes better, after my Mother bought a Moulton push bike with 20" wheels about 50 years or so ago, and I found it simply too dangerous on rough roads. Very unstable. OK for flat tarmac or concrete though...
I have (luckily for me) only had one accident in all the years of push biking, (a lot more on motor bikes!!), riding back from the pub with friends, when slightly drunk, turned hard left and gloriously skidded while riding too fast, on very loose gravel with thin racing tyres with barely any tread, and laid my length, to the left. Got a few bruises. Nothing serious. Since then I do not ride with alcohol in my blood! But I occasionally still "go to the alcohol on two wheels", but push home!! Its far safer......

 

[Deleted member 33385]

It is a good thing to always wear the right clothing and a helmet as you mention, it saves not only blood loss, but also a lot of swearing as well!!
I must buy a better one than I have at this time, many thanks for the reminder!
I myself, will not buy any bike with smaller than 26" wheels, and in the past, have usually gone for 28", before starting on e-bikes, of which I have had two, both with 26".
I am of the opinion that the larger wheels handle rough roads and potholes better, after my Mother bought a Moulton push bike with 20" wheels about 50 years or so ago, and I found it simply too dangerous on rough roads. Very unstable. OK for flat tarmac or concrete though...
I have (luckily for me) only had one accident in all the years of push biking, (a lot more on motor bikes!!), riding back from the pub with friends, when slightly drunk, turned hard left and gloriously skidded while riding too fast, on very loose gravel with thin racing tyres with barely any tread, and laid my length, to the left. Got a few bruises. Nothing serious. Since then I do not ride with alcohol in my blood! But I occasionally still "go to the alcohol on two wheels", but push home!! Its far safer......

My head hit the tarmac at quite a shallow angle - I felt the impact on the right side of my forehead, then rolled left. If I had not been wearing a BMX style helmet, the leverage would have rotated force to my jaw and I could have lost teeth, broke my nose (again) or fractured some part of my face or broken my jaw. As it was, it all simply glanced off, and I avoided exposing myself to Covid at Accident and Emergency. The (increasingly painful) wrist and elbow issues are from the shock of the impact transferred through the handlebars, I think, because I can't recall hitting them against he ground... that could have happened. Yep, teeth and/or jaw would have been damaged or broken without that BMX helmet last night.

After I recovered a little, I had a good look at the tree root - I was cycling close to the edge of the road, it wouldn't have troubled cars, and it was about 6 inches high. My 80s racer would have buckled a wheel at 15mph and headed upward. A challenge for any bike, I think, not just 20" wheel folders - mine handles potholes well, now that I have a thicker tyre at the front. This tree root just came out of the blue, I mean black. Would have spotted it during the day, it simply flashed by too fast at night for me to see.

 

[vfr400]

I'm glad you OK. Accidents are what happen to other people until it happens to you. Life has all sorts of surprises. The closer you live to the edge, the more you get see of the.

 

[Deleted member 33385]

I'm glad you OK. Accidents are what happen to other people until it happens to you. Life has all sorts of surprises. The closer you live to the edge, the more you get see of the.

Thank you, and that's very true vfr.

"Everyone's got a plan, till they get punched in the mouth."
Mike Tyson​

 

[budsy]

Ive fell off before also when for a split second or two i just looked behind me looking for traffic
coming or not behind me ..and ended up no time to steer straight as was up a grass verge onto pavement and went down with a thud ..fortunately this one wasnt too bad as head bounced hitting sideways onto a grassy part closebye the paving ...and dazed a touch rubbed my head for 30 secs and then carried on my way ..bike at time was ok , head sore for a time but ok ..yes have to watch what we are all doing when on a bike ...thing was no traffic was behind me at the time and thankfully no one seen it lol

Dont wear a helmet but it is sensible to wear one ..and good you had one on as would have been much worse damage caused .

 

[Phil Dryden]

A couple of hours ago, in a town far, far away... I was proceeding in a southerly direction at a perfectly legal 15mph, when a tree root sprang into existence under the tarmac, shrouded in inky darkness. I went over the handlebars (scratched my Bafabg c18 display on the way) and landed on my head. My helmet took the impact. Good job I was wearing one because it would have certainly been a nasty bump, and possibly a gash. Here's a pic of my now damaged helmet rain cover:




View attachment 41357




I only started cycling again shortly before Brexit, it's my first accident in 33 years. At my age, I had assumed that my bones would shatter to dust! My wrists hurt (especially my left) for some reason lol. And I can't straighten out my right arm - tendon issue or bruise (drat! I've run out of ibuprofen, maybe my elbow is turning to dust after all). The bike was fine - 20 inch wheels are hard to warp, mudguard had to be adjusted... but after I got back on the bike, I noticed that the right pedal felt funny - it didn't feel like it had folded closed (happens often - folding pedal). I was puzzled, until it suddenly fell off. Looked like about 9mm had threaded, obviously loose preceding the journey. I didn't have the right size hex with me to put it back on, had to walk home. Luckily it only happened 4 miles away from home - I'm going to carry a throttle in my pocket for emergency use, it very easily could have have happened 43 miles away. I'd rather not breathe Covid-19 inside a shared metal box on wheels.

For me at least, it was worth wearing a helmet.

Reinforces for me the common sense of wearing a helmet. It can so easily reduce the seriousness of a minor/medium impact. I had an accident some years ago when a car I thought was drawing to a halt at a stop line on my left, suddenly accelerated out and collided into me. I had right of way, as she was joining from a minor road. I had always previously imagined that there would be enough time in an accident situation to take some avoiding action to mitigate the effects of any impact. This event taught me that this is often not the case and events occur so suddenly and unexpectedly that we have no control over how or where we fall, or which part of our body impacts the ground or another vehicle. Helmet every time for me, but each to his own.

 

[Deleted member 33385]

Ive fell off before also when for a split second or two i just looked behind me looking for traffic
coming or not behind me ..and ended up no time to steer straight as was up a grass verge onto pavement and went down with a thud ..fortunately this one wasnt too bad as head bounced hitting sideways onto a grassy part closebye the paving ...and dazed a touch rubbed my head for 30 secs and then carried on my way ..bike at time was ok , head sore for a time but ok ..yes have to watch what we are all doing when on a bike ...thing was no traffic was behind me at the time and thankfully no one seen it lol

Dont wear a helmet but it is sensible to wear one ..and good you had one on as would have been much worse damage caused .

Accidents are like Jaws... just when you least expect it!

Yes, and a normal helmet would not have protected my teeth or jaw in that situation - it might have protected my nose, because there is clearance on my daft top-hat style helmet for noses, (normal size noses)(which mine is, but flatter because of previous breakages). My head is completely fine, or as fine as it normally is, which may or not be fine depending on who you ask. I didn't feel much at all, which is very impressive considering my speed. BMX style helmets with jawguards provide enough clearance for even very large noses, when face flat against the ground, or rolling your face on it.

 

[Amoto65]

Always a helmet for me, Glad you are not too injured.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Ive fell off before also when for a split second or two i just looked behind me looking for traffic
coming or not behind me ..and ended up no time to steer straight as was up a grass verge onto pavement and went down with a thud ..fortunately this one wasnt too bad as head bounced hitting sideways onto a grassy part closebye the paving ...and dazed a touch rubbed my head for 30 secs and then carried on my way ..bike at time was ok , head sore for a time but ok ..yes have to watch what we are all doing when on a bike ...thing was no traffic was behind me at the time and thankfully no one seen it lol

Dont wear a helmet but it is sensible to wear one ..and good you had one on as would have been much worse damage caused .

For the reasons you have mentioned, I have had rear mirrors added to all my bikes over the last 20 years or so, plus a helmet mirror, as I am worried about doing the same. I would not be without all three mirrors. I never need to turn around!
Andy