Attacked by shadecloth!

db69

I dodge cars, pedestrians, wild and domestic animals, glass and junk on my commute each day. Never did I think this would happen!
Passing constuction site with cyclone fence next to cycle path doing roughly 20km No worries so far until the shadecloth covering the fence billows out at the bottom and wraps around the left side of my bike. Bike goes left I fly right.
End result. Busted knee, shoulder and elbow. Yes still very sore and unable to ride. poo bugger bum!
We (other cyclist witnessed stack) rolled the shadecloth over fence and made sure it wouldn't come loose. Pity the workers hadn't done the same.
Keep your eyes open for this sort of menace, it happened very, very, quickly.

Note: Do not let your wife/girlfriend sit on your right and slap you on the knee when there is something funny on TV! She said sorry.

Cheers.

daviddd

Really bad luck! Just how accidents (rarely, thankfully) happen. One has to be so aware. Where abouts did this happen db69?

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quickbuck

Wholly cow man,
That really sucks.
Can the workers be held accountable? Or, aren't we in the States yet?

Hope the body mends itself quickly (I guess it will if the other half stops beating you).

db69

Accident happened in Perth Western Australia. We have cycle/pedestrian shared paths.

I'm not one to go and drag the lawyers in unless there is gross neglect. This was just a freak accident and the knee etc is starting to feel better. Might just contact the company involved to make them aware of the problem.

Hope other cyclists are now aware and steer clear.

Cheers.

quickbuck

I know what you mean.

Yep, just one of those things. No point the lawyers winning out of it, and everybody else going home broke.

I had a little off during my lunch break the other day.
We were out for a ride (a bunch of work mates from various areas), and a rider fell off in front of me.
I also hit the ground (after riding into them) and got a few cuts and a bruse out of it.

My boss then wanted me to fill out a "Ground Safety Report" form.
I thought he was joking, but apparently not!

My Team Leader (one below boss, to save confusion) laughed!
I was thinking if my job description required me to cycle, then fair enough.
But as I am a data analyst, then what for??
If i stapled my finger while on the phone, or got a paper cut, then fair enough (yeah right!), but please!

See I work in an area where aircraft safety is paramount, but an off on the bike?
Only if it caused time off work.
I went to the medical centre, and they gave me some iodine, and a cool pack. Didn't even put it on file.

So, notes:
Watch for shade cloth
Watch for wet roads, and riders falling in front of you
Watch for giant over hanging weeds (one grabbed my arm a few weeks back, i was a little tired and should have been paying more attention. Didn't fall though).
Watch for asleep motorists (this means eyes in the back of your head!).

Just a few things I've picked up in my first 8 weeks of road biking.

j.r.hawkins

It's not just limited to cycling. I nearly got cleaned up on a pedestrian crossing this morning, walking, on the corner Harrington and Bridge Streets Sydney. I waved the first driver through, and there was a couple of seconds gap to the following car.

Because I'd waved the first guy through, I suspect I didn't even register with the woman driver following (why does it always seem to be drivers of the female persuasion?). I bellowed HEY!!! - and then she saw me.

I think she just about had nervous breakdown on the spot, mouthing "Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!..." in tears and sitting stationary in shock for about 20 seconds... before moving off very slowly.

The heart was beating kinda fast after that, but despite having an "oh, shit!" moment, I found myself feeling sorry for her.

Wrightstuff

A similar type of accident happend to my wife while riding with my kids along a footpath to school past a building site in Richmond. The orange plastic material that was used as a screen was blowing loose and wrapped around my wifes bike also causing her to fall.

This incident was taken very seriously at the building site, where assistance was given to my wife, (who was more shocked than hurt ) and then also by the local council who came out and inspected the fenceline and issued instructions to rectify.

It is a pity that the incident occured at all, as I'm sure that the time taken to keep the fence in good order was probably less than that required for all the incident forms, etc.

There was no letter of apology from the builders about the incident, which would have been an appropriate thing to do.

Skull

Exactly where did this happen?

db69

PSP through Bardon Park, Maylands near the club house. Large sandstone retaining walls and of course the fencing around it. The path has been diverted for some time and the company involved has kindly maintained the loose path, of sorts.
Why the specifics?

Skull

You stated " Hope other cyclists are now aware and steer clear."

Be nice to know where so I make sure I do not get clothed as well.