A funny thing happened at the velodrome, or ... why helmets are a good thing!



B

Bleve

Guest
I've been riding bicycles for a long time, and ridden, in the last 5
years, over 90,000km on the road. I've seen a lot of weird things, and
experienced a lot of funny, dangerous and irresponsible things - I've
been egged, had beer bottles thrown at me, been slapped on the **** by
a carload of teenage girls, had cold water sprayed on me on a hot day
(thanks lads!), chased by dogs, swooped by magpies, dragged off by
people on ratty old MTB's when on recovery tootles etc etc .... I'm
sure anyone here who rides a lot has similar experiences.

But here's one I think is pretty unique :

The Blackburn velodrome is situated in a sporting field complex. A
photo of it is here :

http://www.aboc.com.au/Members/carl/BBN-HQ/

In itself this is nothing too remarkable.

Yesterday, I'm sitting on my track bike, waiting to start a race, while
teams are organised for a team sprint event. Everyone's lined up on
the fence around the track, sitting on our bikes, and holding the fence
for balance.

*smack*

I get a belt across the head!

WTF was THAT?!

Looking around, there's no-one within a meter or so of me. It can't
have been a friend stirring me up or anything, there's no-one near
enough to have done it.

I look down, there's a cricket ball rolling down beside me into the
middle of the track. I look up, the cricket field next to us, everyone
there is looking at me, the umpire calls out, rather loudly "Six!".

I suggest to the fielding side that they should stop giving England
bowlers a run in their team.

No damage done, helmet isn't damaged in any way that I can see, but I'm
mighty glad I was wearing it. It hit just above the temple. If I
wasn't wearing it, I reckon at least I'd have a pretty decent headache.

Sometimes, no amount of defensive riding can protect you from
randomness!
 
Bleve wrote -

> *smack* .... I get a belt across the head! WTF was THAT?!<

Its this irresponsible bloody Gilchrist attitude that is doing so much to
harm serious cricket.... bring back the Corpse with Pads [G. Boycott Esq] I
say ...

On the old Sunday ride, before they opened the olympic archery centre at
Homebush, my normally loud and laughing bunch used to go a bit quiet as we
rode past the target end [the butts?] - Er, we don't want the lads and
lasses to lose their concentration do we ...

Whilst the odd 6 and out in suburban cricket might be dangerous, televised
cricket makes spine bashing on the couch after a hard morning on the saddle
seem entirely justified - you still go to sleep but now you are vicariously
participating in sport ...

And if you were in LA, there would be lawyers at 20 paces by now - thank
heavens we just laugh here - best, Andrew
 
Bleve wrote:

>
> I've been riding bicycles for a long time, and ridden, in the last 5
> years, over 90,000km on the road. I've seen a lot of weird things, and
> experienced a lot of funny, dangerous and irresponsible things - I've
> been egged, had beer bottles thrown at me, been slapped on the **** by
> a carload of teenage girls, had cold water sprayed on me on a hot day
> (thanks lads!), chased by dogs, swooped by magpies, dragged off by
> people on ratty old MTB's when on recovery tootles etc etc .... I'm
> sure anyone here who rides a lot has similar experiences.
>
> But here's one I think is pretty unique :
>
> The Blackburn velodrome is situated in a sporting field complex. A
> photo of it is here :
>
> http://www.aboc.com.au/Members/carl/BBN-HQ/
>
> In itself this is nothing too remarkable.
>
> Yesterday, I'm sitting on my track bike, waiting to start a race, while
> teams are organised for a team sprint event. Everyone's lined up on
> the fence around the track, sitting on our bikes, and holding the fence
> for balance.
>
> *smack*
>
> I get a belt across the head!
>
> WTF was THAT?!
>
> Looking around, there's no-one within a meter or so of me. It can't
> have been a friend stirring me up or anything, there's no-one near
> enough to have done it.
>
> I look down, there's a cricket ball rolling down beside me into the
> middle of the track. I look up, the cricket field next to us, everyone
> there is looking at me, the umpire calls out, rather loudly "Six!".
>
> I suggest to the fielding side that they should stop giving England
> bowlers a run in their team.
>
> No damage done, helmet isn't damaged in any way that I can see, but I'm
> mighty glad I was wearing it. It hit just above the temple. If I
> wasn't wearing it, I reckon at least I'd have a pretty decent headache.
>
> Sometimes, no amount of defensive riding can protect you from
> randomness!


Nice story. Plenty of shock and awe about the 90,000 km, too. Many of us
wouldn't do that distance in a car in 5 years.

Cheers,

Vince
 
Andrew Price wrote:
> Its this irresponsible bloody Gilchrist attitude that is doing so much to
> harm serious cricket.... bring back the Corpse with Pads [G. Boycott Esq] I
> say ...

Come on, surely Chris Tavare deserves a mention here. I remember
watching him on TV in one summer of the 80's and we were running a
competition on how many balls it would take for him to score his next run.

Just did a quick search and Tavare was rated second slowest specialist
Test batsman in history.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Cricket/...ng-than-Boycott/2005/01/31/1107020331408.html
 
years of growin up playing baseball taught us the one and early thing you learnt was to yell out 'HEADS!!!' if a ball was going anywhere in the same hemisphere as another fleshy thing, or collingwood supporter :D

too many ball sport idjyots watch to see what happens and then react to the repercussions before going "Oh. sorry mate..."
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Bleve" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I look down, there's a cricket ball rolling down beside me into the
> middle of the track. I look up, the cricket field next to us, everyone
> there is looking at me, the umpire calls out, rather loudly "Six!".

> No damage done, helmet isn't damaged in any way that I can see, but I'm
> mighty glad I was wearing it. It hit just above the temple. If I
> wasn't wearing it, I reckon at least I'd have a pretty decent headache.

If it's a square on hit, I'd think there would be enough force to be the
equivalent of a full speed crash. If so, wouldn't the safe thing to do
is to throw the helmet away?
--
 
Artoi wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Bleve" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I look down, there's a cricket ball rolling down beside me into the
> > middle of the track. I look up, the cricket field next to us, everyone
> > there is looking at me, the umpire calls out, rather loudly "Six!".
>
> > No damage done, helmet isn't damaged in any way that I can see, but I'm
> > mighty glad I was wearing it. It hit just above the temple. If I
> > wasn't wearing it, I reckon at least I'd have a pretty decent headache.
>
> If it's a square on hit, I'd think there would be enough force to be the
> equivalent of a full speed crash. If so, wouldn't the safe thing to do
> is to throw the helmet away?

I'll certainly have a good look at it tonight and make sure there's no
sign of any deformation or cracking. It's only my track racing helmet,
not my good road one, so if I have to turf it, it's not a lot of cash
to drop.
 
Bleve said:
Artoi wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Bleve" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I look down, there's a cricket ball rolling down beside me into the
> > middle of the track. I look up, the cricket field next to us, everyone
> > there is looking at me, the umpire calls out, rather loudly "Six!".
>
> > No damage done, helmet isn't damaged in any way that I can see, but I'm
> > mighty glad I was wearing it. It hit just above the temple. If I
> > wasn't wearing it, I reckon at least I'd have a pretty decent headache.
>
> If it's a square on hit, I'd think there would be enough force to be the
> equivalent of a full speed crash. If so, wouldn't the safe thing to do
> is to throw the helmet away?

I'll certainly have a good look at it tonight and make sure there's no
sign of any deformation or cracking. It's only my track racing helmet,
not my good road one, so if I have to turf it, it's not a lot of cash
to drop.
Click to expand...

head + speed + concrete = bad news dude Get thee to a helmetry asap!!! Don't risk it. It's already had a massive shock absorption, which is its job - your helmet's mission is complete and it's time to replace it with some excellent insurance in the form of a quality helmet.

end of lecture. :p
 
Bleve wrote:

> No damage done, helmet isn't damaged in any way that I can see, but
> I'm mighty glad I was wearing it. It hit just above the temple. If I
> wasn't wearing it, I reckon at least I'd have a pretty decent
> headache.

I don't quite get the point you were making. Are you saying it is wise to
put a helmet on your head before you get out of bed in the morning, or
should you wear it while sleeping in case the ceiling falls in?

Glad you were not harmed BTW.

Theo
 
Theo Bekkers wrote:
> Bleve wrote:
>
> > No damage done, helmet isn't damaged in any way that I can see, but
> > I'm mighty glad I was wearing it. It hit just above the temple. If I
> > wasn't wearing it, I reckon at least I'd have a pretty decent
> > headache.
>
> I don't quite get the point you were making. Are you saying it is wise to
> put a helmet on your head before you get out of bed in the morning, or
> should you wear it while sleeping in case the ceiling falls in?

I was telling an interesting story. You can take from it whatever you
want to.

>
> Glad you were not harmed BTW.

So am I :)
 
warrwych wrote:

> head + speed + concrete = bad news dude Get thee to a helmetry asap!!!
> Don't risk it. It's already had a massive shock absorption, which is
> its job - your helmet's mission is complete and it's time to replace it
> with some excellent insurance in the form of a quality helmet.

I don't think it was that hard a hit, but again, I'll have a very good
look at it tonight before deciding what to do with it.


>
> end of lecture. :p

Thanks mum!
 
Bleve wrote:
> warrwych wrote:
>
>> head + speed + concrete = bad news dude Get thee to a helmetry asap!!!
>> Don't risk it. It's already had a massive shock absorption, which is
>> its job - your helmet's mission is complete and it's time to replace it
>> with some excellent insurance in the form of a quality helmet.
>
> I don't think it was that hard a hit, but again, I'll have a very good
> look at it tonight before deciding what to do with it.
>
>
>> end of lecture. :p
>
> Thanks mum!
>

May I add my voice to those espousing caution. I had an off
a couple of years ago where I hit my head gently (I thought)
on the tarmac. After staunching the bleeding knee, elbow and
ankle, I took a moment to check the helmet. A slight scratch
and dent on the exterior plastic shell. However, the structure of the
helmet had cracked all the way through in three places. It
was still held together by internal framing. If your lid absorbed
most of the energy of a flying cricket ball, it may well have
invisible internal damage and its ability to absorb the energy
of an impact may be significantly compromised.

DeF.

--
e-mail: d.farrow@your finger.murdoch.edu.au
To reply, you'll have to remove your finger.
 
Bleve said:
warrwych wrote:

> head + speed + concrete = bad news dude Get thee to a helmetry asap!!!
> Don't risk it. It's already had a massive shock absorption, which is
> its job - your helmet's mission is complete and it's time to replace it
> with some excellent insurance in the form of a quality helmet.

I don't think it was that hard a hit, but again, I'll have a very good
look at it tonight before deciding what to do with it.


>
> end of lecture. :p

Thanks mum!
Click to expand...

heh you're welcome youngster! :D

and I did forget to add, well done on not being bowled out :p Bloody lucky it wasn't lower on your noggin.
 
warrwych wrote:

> > Thanks mum!
>
> heh you're welcome youngster! :D
>
> and I did forget to add, well done on not being bowled out :p Bloody
> lucky it wasn't lower on your noggin.

Bloody unlucky to have it happen in the first place! But yes, good
that it hit the lid, not the scone. Not that I haven't had the odd
cricketball hit in the past, but that was in the face, not the temple,
and cheekbones are remarkably strong.
 
Bleve wrote:

> I was telling an interesting story. You can take from it whatever you
> want to.

When I was seconded to the Sydney office I was riding my motorcycle next to
a golf course when a golf ball fell from a great height and bounced about
ten feet in front of me. My thought was, where was it, and I, going to be on
the second bounce. :)

Fortunately not at the same place.

Theo
 
Theo Bekkers said:
Bleve wrote:

> I was telling an interesting story. You can take from it whatever you
> want to.

When I was seconded to the Sydney office I was riding my motorcycle next to
a golf course when a golf ball fell from a great height and bounced about
ten feet in front of me. My thought was, where was it, and I, going to be on
the second bounce. :)

Fortunately not at the same place.

Theo
Click to expand...

my experience with bouncing objects was a loose tyre off the back of a ute tray on a windy bit of country road, going up a hill. The tyre bounced once or twice (cant remember to be honest) before bouncing onto the passenger side corner of bonnet of the car I was in and heading off down the side of the hill. Left a nice dent in the panel. Needless to say, the 2 guys in the ute were missing some major areas of brain cells.
 
warrwych wrote:

> my experience with bouncing objects was a loose tyre off the back of a
> ute tray on a windy bit of country road, going up a hill.

Tyres are scary, they can pretty much head off in any direction at each
bounce.

Theo
 
Theo Bekkers wrote:
> warrwych wrote:
>
>> my experience with bouncing objects was a loose tyre off the back of a
>> ute tray on a windy bit of country road, going up a hill.
>
> Tyres are scary, they can pretty much head off in any direction at each
> bounce.
>
> Theo
>
>

Yes, I discovered that one day when the wheel of the ute I was driving
came off. As the ute slid to a halt all I could do was sit there with my
uncle and watch as the tyre overtook us, then bounced over a fence into
a paddock and off into the distance. Took quite a walk to retrieve it.

DaveB
 
Theo Bekkers said:
warrwych wrote:

> my experience with bouncing objects was a loose tyre off the back of a
> ute tray on a windy bit of country road, going up a hill.

Tyres are scary, they can pretty much head off in any direction at each
bounce.

Theo
Click to expand...

Yup, we couldnt preempt this one, and basically had no where to go with traffic behind and coming down the hill at us and a drop off on the passenger side. It was interesting to watch it but at the same time not fun at all.
 
warrwych said:
my experience with bouncing objects was a loose tyre off the back of a ute tray on a windy bit of country road, going up a hill. The tyre bounced once or twice (cant remember to be honest) before bouncing onto the passenger side corner of bonnet of the car I was in and heading off down the side of the hill. Left a nice dent in the panel. Needless to say, the 2 guys in the ute were missing some major areas of brain cells.
Click to expand...
My worst experience of something falling out of the sky near me was not very pleasant at all - the object was a person.

As a young auditor, one of my clients was the Tax Office in Brisbane. Their office was on the same city block as my office. I smoked in those days and could get a cigarette in if I walked the long way around on the way to their office from mine.

One morning, as I was just outside the ATO front door a body came hurtling out of the sky missing me by about a metre. A young woman. Suicide. An ex-ATO staff member who had problems. Very very sad.

(On the lighter side, if there is one, I could probably say that smoking saved my life.)

SteveA
 
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