Well, now that I'm somewhat recovered from yesterday morning's run in with an SUV, I thought I'd post a thread on it. Why not
?
I've just recently started cycling in a new city, having previously only ridden in a rural/suburban area where I live. So for my 3rd or 4th time riding in the new environs, I meet my riding partner at 7:15am monday morning outside our dorm for a relatively chill steady-state 30-40miles. Great ride, great weather, felt good, and cool new scenery too. Anyways, when we're nearly back, we come to the "intersection of doom."
Picture this: downhill, green light, and a T-intersection that neither of us knew well (I'd been through going the other direction). So to make a long story short, a lady in an SUV tries to make a right turn, and does not see us. She must have noticed us at the last possible second, slamming on her brakes in the middle of the lane, giving us nowhere to go. The timing could not have been any worse. I seized on the brakes, locking up my rear wheel, and slammed into the drivers side door. From what I was told afterward, I dented the door, broke or cracked the window, and cracked the windshield. My new ride partner either bailed, or lost control, and ended up skidding on his side with his bike, stoping just before he would have hit her front tire. We must have been doing 30mph, maybe pushing 35 at the most before hitting the brakes. There was no time to do anything else. I probably hit the car going at least 20mph.
After I hit the car my memories get very hazy. I vaguely remember lying on my back with the wind knocked out of me, sitting on the curb while a firefighter put me in a neckbrace, someone showing me my helmet, and bits and pieces of the ambulance ride. Somehow I escaped with a really messed up shoulder (no broken bones), a very mild concussion, and thats it, besides my entire body feeling very sore. My freind recieved some really bad road rash, and some sort of knee injury. It just amazes me that we weren't hurt worse.
The emergency room didnt really diagnose our injuries, although they did make sure nothing was broken and that we had no life threatening injuries. I'll be seeing a doctor tommorrow for my shoulder, which is really really messed up, in a very bad way.
Overall we were incredibly lucky, and I'm sincerely greatful all the people that helped us out. I dont remember any of you, whoever you all were, but thank you very very much. It was a really horrific crash, and we were very lucky to have such kind people on scene.
The upside to all this is that our bikes didnt recieve any visible frame damage. I might post some pics later, but I need to take my vicodin...
PS - sorry for long post
? I've just recently started cycling in a new city, having previously only ridden in a rural/suburban area where I live. So for my 3rd or 4th time riding in the new environs, I meet my riding partner at 7:15am monday morning outside our dorm for a relatively chill steady-state 30-40miles. Great ride, great weather, felt good, and cool new scenery too. Anyways, when we're nearly back, we come to the "intersection of doom."
Picture this: downhill, green light, and a T-intersection that neither of us knew well (I'd been through going the other direction). So to make a long story short, a lady in an SUV tries to make a right turn, and does not see us. She must have noticed us at the last possible second, slamming on her brakes in the middle of the lane, giving us nowhere to go. The timing could not have been any worse. I seized on the brakes, locking up my rear wheel, and slammed into the drivers side door. From what I was told afterward, I dented the door, broke or cracked the window, and cracked the windshield. My new ride partner either bailed, or lost control, and ended up skidding on his side with his bike, stoping just before he would have hit her front tire. We must have been doing 30mph, maybe pushing 35 at the most before hitting the brakes. There was no time to do anything else. I probably hit the car going at least 20mph.
After I hit the car my memories get very hazy. I vaguely remember lying on my back with the wind knocked out of me, sitting on the curb while a firefighter put me in a neckbrace, someone showing me my helmet, and bits and pieces of the ambulance ride. Somehow I escaped with a really messed up shoulder (no broken bones), a very mild concussion, and thats it, besides my entire body feeling very sore. My freind recieved some really bad road rash, and some sort of knee injury. It just amazes me that we weren't hurt worse.
The emergency room didnt really diagnose our injuries, although they did make sure nothing was broken and that we had no life threatening injuries. I'll be seeing a doctor tommorrow for my shoulder, which is really really messed up, in a very bad way.
Overall we were incredibly lucky, and I'm sincerely greatful all the people that helped us out. I dont remember any of you, whoever you all were, but thank you very very much. It was a really horrific crash, and we were very lucky to have such kind people on scene.
The upside to all this is that our bikes didnt recieve any visible frame damage. I might post some pics later, but I need to take my vicodin...
PS - sorry for long post
