Why am I on the ground?

[Leonard Miglior]

So, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I go up
a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops me on my
left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my feet still
clipped in.

Now, I have gone up this driveway before and nothing of the sort has ever occurred to me. It was as
if I drove into the full curb (and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss the driveway by 10 feet). Anyone
have this happen to them (broken hip not required)?

--

 

[Garrison Hillia]

Leonard Migliore <[email protected]> wrote:

<snip>

You're on the ground due to gravity (ref. I. Newton).

 

[Steve McDonald]

Who knows? You might have hit a slick substance or a solid object you didn't see. The important
question is, will you ever enter a driveway in that way again?

Steve McDonald

 

[Bernie]

Leonard Migliore wrote:

> So, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I go
> up a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops me on my
> left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my feet still
> clipped in.
>
> Now, I have gone up this driveway before and nothing of the sort has ever occurred to me. It was
> as if I drove into the full curb (and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss the driveway by 10 feet).
> Anyone have this happen to them (broken hip not required)?
>
> --

Something similar happened to me, but first - were you turning to the left? In my case, the roadway
was wet, I was turning right on a new bike with 700c wheels with about 90 psi in the tires, and was
used to making this same manouver on a 26 inch wheel mtn bike. Driveway and street are both
blacktop, seperated by a narrow concrete divider, with what must be an expansion slot. Driveway side
of the slot is raised maybe one inch higher than the street side concrete. I casually turned right
onto the driveway, my front tire slid along the lip instead of going over it, and I went down like a
brick. Cracked my helmet and broke my safety glasses. Is any of the above relevant to your
situation? Did this happen recently? Wishing you a speedy recovery! Bernie

 

[Leonard Miglior]

In article <[email protected]>, Bernie <[email protected]> wrote:

> Leonard Migliore wrote:
>
> > So, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I go
> > up a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops me on
> > my left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my feet
> > still clipped in.
> >
> > Now, I have gone up this driveway before and nothing of the sort has ever occurred to me. It was
> > as if I drove into the full curb (and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss the driveway by 10 feet).
> > Anyone have this happen to them (broken hip not required)?
> >
> > --
>
> Something similar happened to me, but first - were you turning to the left? In my case, the
> roadway was wet, I was turning right on a new bike with 700c wheels with about 90 psi in the
> tires, and was used to making this same manouver on a 26 inch wheel mtn bike. Driveway and street
> are both blacktop, seperated by a narrow concrete divider, with what must be an expansion slot.
> Driveway side of the slot is raised maybe one inch higher than the street side concrete. I
> casually turned right onto the driveway, my front tire slid along the lip instead of going over
> it, and I went down like a brick. Cracked my helmet and broke my safety glasses. Is any of the
> above relevant to your situation? Did this happen recently? Wishing you a speedy recovery! Bernie

Yes, I was turning left with 700c wheels and 90 psi but the road was dry. It sounds plausible that I
slid along the lip, although as I recall, there wasn't much of a lip there for the wheel to grab.

This happened quite recently; I'm still on crutches but it is claimed that I will recover
completely. I guess I'll take a closer look at the driveway when I'm mobile.

Thanks.

 

[Mark Hickey]

Leonard Migliore <[email protected]> wrote:

>So, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I go up
>a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops me on my
>left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my feet still
>clipped in.
>
>Now, I have gone up this driveway before and nothing of the sort has ever occurred to me. It was as
>if I drove into the full curb (and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss the driveway by 10 feet). Anyone
>have this happen to them (broken hip not required)?

Is it possible that the transition from the driveway to the bike path caused the front wheel to
leave the ground for a split second? If so, and if you were compensating for the angle (effectively
turning harder "up" the hill), you could have just turned the front wheel enough to do an endo.

The "hit the lip theory" works too - assuming there is one. Of course, it doesn't take much of a lip
to catch a road tire.

Was the front wheel still true and did the front tire have any fresh scrapes on the sidewall?

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

 

[Bernie]

Leonard Migliore wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>, Bernie <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Leonard Migliore wrote:
> >
> > > So, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I
> > > go up a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops
> > > me on my left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my
> > > feet still clipped in.
> > >
> > > Now, I have gone up this driveway before and nothing of the sort has ever occurred to me. It
> > > was as if I drove into the full curb (and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss the driveway by 10
> > > feet). Anyone have this happen to them (broken hip not required)?
> > >
> > > --
> >
> > Something similar happened to me, but first - were you turning to the left? In my case, the
> > roadway was wet, I was turning right on a new bike with 700c wheels with about 90 psi in the
> > tires, and was used to making this same manouver on a 26 inch wheel mtn bike. Driveway and
> > street are both blacktop, seperated by a narrow concrete divider, with what must be an expansion
> > slot. Driveway side of the slot is raised maybe one inch higher than the street side concrete. I
> > casually turned right onto the driveway, my front tire slid along the lip instead of going over
> > it, and I went down like a brick. Cracked my helmet and broke my safety glasses. Is any of the
> > above relevant to your situation? Did this happen recently? Wishing you a speedy recovery!
> > Bernie
>
> Yes, I was turning left with 700c wheels and 90 psi but the road was dry. It sounds plausible
> that I slid along the lip, although as I recall, there wasn't much of a lip there for the wheel
> to grab.
>
> This happened quite recently; I'm still on crutches but it is claimed that I will recover
> completely. I guess I'll take a closer look at the driveway when I'm mobile.
>
> Thanks.

There wasn't much of a lip when I went down too, only "enough". ;-} Did you notice I didn't comment
that the helmet saved my life, or the glasses spared me from blindness???? :-} Take care! Bernie

 

[M. Barbee]

I did something similar. I'd been riding a 700x38C tire bike for a while. I'd just gotten a new bike
with 700 X 28C tires. Came down the street somewhere between 15 and 20 mph, entered a driveway as I
always did on my other bike.and the tire didn't make it up the driveway as I had always done on my
previous bike. I went over the handle bars and came in for nice skidding landing on the sidewalk.
And the bike lands on top of me. Fortunately, for me no serious injuries. Just skinned up sidewalk
rash on both elbows and knees and some on my hands. I bent my rear wheel. I always conciously enter
driveways at sharp angles now even on my bike with 700X40C tires.

"Leonard Migliore" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:280620031945192864%[email protected]...
> So, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I go
> up a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops me on my
> left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my feet still
> clipped in.
>
> Now, I have gone up this driveway before and nothing of the sort has ever occurred to me. It was
> as if I drove into the full curb (and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss the driveway by 10 feet).
> Anyone have this happen to them (broken hip not required)?
>
> --

 

[Steve McDonald]

In all newer street construction in Oregon and probably elsewhere, cuts across sidewalks for
driveway approaches begin at street level and are evenly tapered upward. There are no gaps or ridges
at any point and no sharp increases in angle. The sidewalks taper down in their outer halves at each
side of driveways and the curbs are also tapered. But, there's enough existing older driveways with
ridges and sharp angles to make slow and cautious riding mandatory for those who approach and go up
them at shallow angles. I don't expect to see all the old, hazardous ones replaced in my lifetime.
We still have sidewalks date-stamped in 1895 around town.

Steve McDonald

 

[Jeremy Parker]

> o, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I go up
> a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops me on my
> left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my feet still
> clipped in.
>
> Now, I have gone up this driveway before and nothing of the sort has ever occurred to me. It was
> as if I drove into the full curb (and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss the driveway by 10 feet).
> Anyone have this happen to them (broken hip not required)?

Well, I suppose there are two possible causes: either you skidded, or something turned your front
wheel, steering it out from under you. The "longitudinal slot" accident is a classic type; railroad
or trolley tracks are a frequent cause.

If it was a driveway with which you were familiar, I guess the cause was proabably something new on
the ground, which you didn't notice

Jeremy Parker

 

[James Messick]

"Leonard Migliore" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:280620031945192864%[email protected]...
> So, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I go
> up a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops me on my
> left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my feet still
> clipped in.
>
> Now, I have gone up this driveway before and nothing of the sort has ever occurred to me. It was
> as if I drove into the full curb (and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss the driveway by 10 feet).
> Anyone have this happen to them (broken hip not required)?
>

First off, you really should get off the ground and seek medical attention.

Second, it was probably an angry whip-snake that snatched your wheel, bringing the bike to a sudden
stop, and sending your over.

I hope you heal.

 

[Leonard Miglior]

In article <[email protected]>, Mark Hickey <[email protected]> wrote:

> Leonard Migliore <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >So, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I go
> >up a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops me on
> >my left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my feet
> >still clipped in.
> >
> >Now, I have gone up this driveway before and nothing of the sort has ever occurred to me. It was
> >as if I drove into the full curb (and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss the driveway by 10 feet).
> >Anyone have this happen to them (broken hip not required)?
>
> Is it possible that the transition from the driveway to the bike path caused the front wheel to
> leave the ground for a split second? If so, and if you were compensating for the angle
> (effectively turning harder "up" the hill), you could have just turned the front wheel enough to
> do an endo.
>
> The "hit the lip theory" works too - assuming there is one. Of course, it doesn't take much of a
> lip to catch a road tire.
>
> Was the front wheel still true and did the front tire have any fresh scrapes on the sidewall?

The front wheel is still true and I can't see anything scraped up on the sidewalls.

 

[Mark Hickey]

"James Messick" <[email protected]> wrote:

>First off, you really should get off the ground and seek medical attention.

Yeah, I hope the OP wasn't still laying there waiting for that advice until now!

>Second, it was probably an angry whip-snake that snatched your wheel, bringing the bike to a sudden
>stop, and sending your over.

A good friend of mine in New Jersey was riding along (at a pretty good pace, sadly) last week and
suddenly found himself flying over the bars. He went back and retrieved what was left of his front
wheel, which still had bits of the fork attached. The dead squirrel fell out when he picked it up.

I haven't gotten the details yet, but it seems that the furry little rodent was tough enough to
shear both legs of the fork off when he came around.

Ouch (for both my buddy and said squirel).

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

 

[Mike Kruger]

"Jeremy Parker" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > o, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I go
> > up a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops me on
> > my left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my feet
> > still clipped in.
> >
>
> If it was a driveway with which you were familiar, I guess the cause was proabably something new
> on the ground, which you didn't notice
>
Yes, it doesn't take much. I've had this type of situation occur in the fall, when wet
leaves abound.

 

[Leonard Miglior]

In article <[email protected]>, Mike Kruger
<[email protected]> wrote:

> "Jeremy Parker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > > o, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I
> > > go up a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops
> > > me on my left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and my
> > > feet still clipped in.
> > >
> >
> > If it was a driveway with which you were familiar, I guess the cause was proabably something new
> > on the ground, which you didn't notice
> >
> Yes, it doesn't take much. I've had this type of situation occur in the fall, when wet
> leaves abound.

Wet leaves are the nastiest; try them with a motorcycle if you want real terror. I think they give
you less traction than ice.

 

[David Kerber]

In article <040720031518450709%[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> In article <[email protected]>, Mike Kruger
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > "Jeremy Parker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > > o, I'm riding home from work and going from a local street onto a stretch of bike path. As I
> > > > go up a driveway at about a 30 degree angle to the curb, the bike rolls 90 degrees and drops
> > > > me on my left side, breaking my hip. It rolled so fast I hit with my hands on the bars and
> > > > my feet still clipped in.
> > > >
> > >
> > > If it was a driveway with which you were familiar, I guess the cause was proabably something
> > > new on the ground, which you didn't notice
> > >
> > Yes, it doesn't take much. I've had this type of situation occur in the fall, when wet leaves
> > abound.
>
> Wet leaves are the nastiest; try them with a motorcycle if you want real terror. I think they give
> you less traction than ice.

I wouldn't say less traction, but certainly less *predictable* traction. (I spent half a day in the
hospital in 8th grade after hitting a patch of ice while riding my bike to school: I KNOW how much
traction there isn't on ice).

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.