Nailed like a newbie

I got doored this evening, it was totally my fault. I made the mistake of filtering right at a
light, a cab door popped open right in my zone and I was down in a heartbeat.

It was not immediately painful, but it later develops that my right knee is skinned fairly well and
I apparently hyperextended my right thumb, that's a unique injury that I am sure is going to be
interesting in the future.

The bike is semi OK, I haven't really checked it out. But it rides, I was on the way to the 7-11 and
I completed the mission.

I wasn't wearing a helmet but I was wearing a heavy wool sweater, winter tights (undamaged), a
Malcom X toque, and a pair of REI winter gloves. Very good equipment for being doored in, I guess.

I didn't hit the door full on. I did manage to maneuver so as to hit it glancingly, I think. But it
was fast, really fast.

The guy that doored me turned out to be named Hans, from Uruguay.

I asked him his name and he was most apologetic. He spoke excellent English. Better than your
average doorer, for sure.

But it was my mistake 100%, he knew it and I knew it. I still can't believe this happened to me, I'm
a pretty experienced rider but I guess I wasn't paying attention today.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

"Eric S. Sande" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I asked him his name and he was most apologetic. He spoke excellent English. Better than your
>average doorer, for sure.
>
>But it was my mistake 100%, he knew it and I knew it. I still can't believe this happened to me,
>I'm a pretty experienced rider but I guess I wasn't paying attention today.

Not 100% your fault... in most states you get a ticket if you open a car door into traffic and it
gets hit (which is just what happened here).

Hope your injuries heal quickly and that knee doesn't turn out to be any worse than it appears.

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame

 

"Eric S. Sande" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I got doored this evening, it was totally my fault. I made the mistake of filtering right at a
> light, a cab door popped open right in my zone and I was down in a heartbeat.
>
> It was not immediately painful, but it later develops that my right knee is skinned fairly
> well and I apparently hyperextended my right thumb, that's a unique injury that I am sure is
> going to be
interesting
> in the future.
>
> The bike is semi OK, I haven't really checked it out. But it rides, I was on the way to the 7-11
> and I completed the mission.
>
> I wasn't wearing a helmet but I was wearing a heavy wool sweater, winter tights (undamaged), a
> Malcom X toque, and a pair of REI winter gloves. Very good equipment for being doored in, I guess.
>
> I didn't hit the door full on. I did manage to maneuver so as to hit it glancingly, I think. But
> it was fast, really fast.
>
> The guy that doored me turned out to be named Hans, from Uruguay.
>
> I asked him his name and he was most apologetic. He spoke excellent English. Better than your
> average doorer, for sure.
>
> But it was my mistake 100%, he knew it and I knew it. I still can't believe this happened to me,
> I'm a pretty experienced rider but I
guess
> I wasn't paying attention today.

Hope you're feeling better tomorrow than today. Aside from not passing stopped traffic on the right
I don't know any way we can 100% avoid dooring from passengers who decide to jump out now instead of
waiting for the corner.

Doug For email, a sense of wonder.

 

>Not 100% your fault... in most states you get a ticket if you open a car door into traffic and it
>gets hit (which is just what happened here).

I was filtering right next to a cab. This was a basic traffic mistake that is on me, totally. I know
traffic, I effed up.

>Hope your injuries heal quickly and that knee doesn't turn out to be any worse than it appears.

Thanks. The knee appears functional. The thumb is going to swell up, in fact it's not exactly
promising at the moment. I can't for the life of me figure out how I screwed up my thumb, maybe I
can reconstruct the accident by looking at the bike. Hopefully I'll find a smoking thumb there.



--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

"Eric S. Sande" <[email protected]> wrote
>
> I can't for the life of me figure out how I screwed up my thumb,

Tensing up on the handlebars in the instant before the crash. The bars twist violently, and your
thumb bends unnaturally.

I did that on a motorcycle once.

Pete

 

>Tensing up on the handlebars in the instant before the crash. The bars twist violently, and your
>thumb bends unnaturally.

>I did that on a motorcycle once.

Seems reasonable. Anyway, I checked out the bike and it doesn't look anymore trashed than it did to
start with, the bars might be a little off center.

Just a tad, though.

The acid test is tomorrow's commute, I'll worry about the details in the morning.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email protected]__________

 

Eric S. Sande <[email protected]> wrote:
> I got doored this evening, it was totally my fault. I made the mistake of filtering right at a
> light, a cab door popped open right in my zone and I was down in a heartbeat.

> It was not immediately painful, but it later develops that my right knee is skinned fairly well
> and I apparently hyperextended my right thumb, that's a unique injury that I am sure is going to
> be interesting in the future.

Suck. Sorry to hear that. I managed to mangle my left index finger in the same fashion mid-november.
It's about 90% better, just feels a little funny when I tightly curl it. I hope your heals with as
little trouble.

> The bike is semi OK, I haven't really checked it out. But it rides, I was on the way to the 7-11
> and I completed the mission.

That remind of something someone posted a while ago about the order of the actions take after an
accident. Something vaguely like this:

Minor Accident:
1) Is the bike okay?
2) Did anyone see me take that embarassing dive?
3) Utter Profane Words
4) Am I okay?

Moderate Accident:
5) Am I okay?
6) What's the license plate #, where are some witnesses?
7) Utter Profane Words
8) Is the bike okay?

--
Dane Jackson - z u v e m b i @ u n i x b i g o t s . o r g This door is baroquen, please wiggle
Handel. (If I wiggle Handel, will it wiggle Bach?) -- Found on a door in the MSU music building

 

Dane Jackson wrote:

> ... That remind of something someone posted a while ago about the order of the actions take after
> an accident. Something vaguely like this:
>
> Minor Accident:
> 1) Is the bike okay?
> 2) Did anyone see me take that embarassing dive?
> 3) Utter Profane Words
> 4) Am I okay?
>
> Moderate Accident:
> 1) Am I okay?
> 2) What's the license plate #, where are some witnesses?
> 3) Utter Profane Words
> 4) Is the bike okay?

The first question should ALWAYS be, "Is the bike okay?". If it is not, a better quality bicycle is
in order.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities

 

Eric S. Sande wrote:

<< I got doored this evening, it was totally my fault. I made the mistake of filtering right at a
light, a cab door popped open right in my zone and I was down in a heartbeat. >>

Your willingness to accept responsibility is refreshing and bodes well for your future safety, but
you knew that already.

<< It was not immediately painful, but it later develops that my right knee is skinned fairly well
and I apparently hyperextended my right thumb, that's a unique injury that I am sure is going to be
interesting in the future. >>

I am currently nursing a similar thumb injury, still very sore 6 weeks after the fact. But while I
am lamenting that, I notice that the pinky finger that I smashed and tore apart two years ago is now
completely pain-free with a full range of movement. Hands take a beating in these little encounters--
we need them to--and goddamn if they don't stitch themselves back together and come back for more.

<snip>

<< But it was my mistake 100%, he knew it and I knew it. I still can't believe this happened to me,
I'm a pretty experienced rider but I guess I wasn't paying attention today. -- >>

Think of this incident as a gift. You didn't get seriously hurt, and you won't let it happen again.

Robert

 

Sun, 01 Feb 2004 22:04:38 -0500, <[email protected]>,
"Eric S. Sande" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>I was filtering right next to a cab. This was a basic traffic mistake that is on me, totally. I
>know traffic, I effed up.

Odds ( once in twenty years?) were against your being nailed by a passenger, and now I'd bet the
rancho it doesn't happen again in at least the next ten.

Get your joints checked. No thumb sucks. Heal well.
--
zk

 

"Eric S. Sande" wrote:

> I got doored this evening, it was totally my fault. I made the mistake of filtering right at a
> light, a cab door popped open right in my zone and I was down in a heartbeat.

Sorry to hear that, and glad that you and bike are both almost OK.

I'm impressed to hear that this can happen even to experienced cyclists. I have to integrate it into
my consciousness as something one gets over.

Thanks for providing a role model.

EFR Ile de France

 

Sorry to hear that you were doored but glad you seem to be pretty much okay. I have to wonder- did
that heavy wool sweater save your life? <g>

Regards, Bob Hunt

 

"Eric S. Sande" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I got doored this evening, it was totally my fault. I made the mistake of filtering right at a
> light, a cab door popped open right in my zone and I was down in a heartbeat.

Yeow!

> It was not immediately painful, but it later develops that my right knee is skinned fairly well
> and I apparently hyperextended my right thumb, that's a unique injury that I am sure is going to
> be interesting in the future.

My experience with these kinds of injuries is that they take a long time to heal. I slipped on a
rock while skinny-dipping on a hike more than 12 years ago, and hyperextended my finger. That finger
is still weak to this day.

Hope you recover soon, and take care of yourself.

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Please replace earthlink for mouse-potato and .net for .com

Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm

Books just wanna be FREE! See what I mean at:
http://bookcrossing.com/friend/Cpetersky
My bookshelf: http://www.bookcrossing.com/mybookshelf/Cpetersky

"To forgive is to set the prisoner free and then discover the prisoner
was you."

 

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Hunrobe) wrote:

> Sorry to hear that you were doored but glad you seem to be pretty much okay. I have to wonder- did
> that heavy wool sweater save your life? <g>
>
> Regards, Bob Hunt

Shame on you, Bob.

You know it only saved his life if he wore it around his head!

Glad he is alright.

HAND

--
³Freedom Is a Light for Which Many Have Died in Darkness³

- Tomb of the unknown - American Revolution

 

[email protected] wrote:

> Sorry to hear that you were doored but glad you seem to be pretty much okay. I have to wonder- did
> that heavy wool sweater save your life? <g>

Are you trying to start another Mandatory Sweater Law debate?

--
Benjamin Lewis

Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent. -- Walt Kelly

 

> > ...
> > That remind of something someone posted a while ago about the order of
> > the actions take after an accident. Something vaguely like this:
> >
> > Minor Accident:
> > 1) Is the bike okay?
> > 2) Did anyone see me take that embarassing dive?
> > 3) Utter Profane Words
> > 4) Am I okay?
> >
> > Moderate Accident:
> > 1) Am I okay?
> > 2) What's the license plate #, where are some witnesses?
> > 3) Utter Profane Words
> > 4) Is the bike okay?
>
> The first question should ALWAYS be, "Is the bike okay?". If it is not, a better quality bicycle
> is in order.
>
> Tom Sherman - Quad Cities
>

I don't know about that. Unconsciousness might (maybe, possibly) be an excuse for not asking
about the bike.

Austin
--
I'm pedaling as fast as I durn well please!

 

"Benjamin Lewis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> > Sorry to hear that you were doored but glad you seem to be pretty much okay. I have to wonder-
> > did that heavy wool sweater save your life? <g>
>
> Are you trying to start another Mandatory Sweater Law debate?
>

My neighbor's friend's second cousin's son's buddy was in a bike crash while wearing a sweater,
and the doctors all said that the sweater saved his life. If even one person is saved, it will
be worth it.

I am sure that every loving parent will agree that children must wear sweaters while biking, no
matter how hot it is. And sweaters can be vented so they're not that hot. Those who don't agree can
be presumed guilty until executed.

Austin
--
I'm pedaling as fast as I durn well please!

 

AustinMN <[email protected]> wrote:
>>Tom Sherman wrote:
>> > ... That remind of something someone posted a while ago about the order of the actions take
>> > after an accident. Something vaguely like this:
>> >
>> > Minor Accident:
>> > 1) Is the bike okay?
>> > 2) Did anyone see me take that embarassing dive?
>> > 3) Utter Profane Words
>> > 4) Am I okay?
>> >
>> > Moderate Accident:
>> > 1) Am I okay?
>> > 2) What's the license plate #, where are some witnesses?
>> > 3) Utter Profane Words
>> > 4) Is the bike okay?
>>
>> The first question should ALWAYS be, "Is the bike okay?". If it is not, a better quality bicycle
>> is in order.

> I don't know about that. Unconsciousness might (maybe, possibly) be an excuse for not asking about
> the bike.

That actually is *exactly* why I stopped the chart at Moderate.



--
Dane Jackson - z u v e m b i @ u n i x b i g o t s . o r g The wind doth taste so bitter sweet, Like
Jaspar wine and sugar, It must have blown through someone's feet, Like those of Caspar Weinberger.
-- P. Opus

 

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 22:01:54 GMT, "AustinMN" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>My neighbor's friend's second cousin's son's buddy was in a bike crash while wearing a sweater,
>and the doctors all said that the sweater saved his life. If even one person is saved, it will be
>worth it.

This is propaganda pushed by the greedy sweater companies. It's been proven over and over again that
wearing a sweater makes your ride MORE risky. Sweaters haven't been conclusively proven to do
anything other than make you itchy. They have only been tested by wrapping them around a cat and
dropping it from a table; this does not simulate real world bike accidents. Further, sweaters do not
make you any warmer, and even if you wear them as your outer layer, they do not make you look any
different. If you want to push sweater-wearing for bicyclists, you should push it for drivers and
people in their homes first, where there's a larger risk of being cold, regardless of heating
available in those settings. Millions of people complain of being cold in their house every day,
while only a few thousand bicyclists complain in a given day. Fight the power!

<G>
--
Rick Onanian

 

> This is propaganda pushed by the greedy sweater companies. If you want to push sweater-wearing for
> bicyclists, you should push it for drivers and people in their homes first, where there's a larger
> risk of being cold, regardless of heating available in those settings. Millions of people complain
> of being cold in their house every day, while only a few thousand bicyclists complain in a given
> day. Fight the power!

Don't try to change the subject. Nobody said anything about being cold. After all, being cold is
just a comfort issue. We're talking about saving the lives of countless children. I find it immoral
for you to oppose mandatory sweater laws.

Austin
--
I'm pedaling as fast as I durn well please!