A friend went down hard today

[Keith A]

Wow, what a day this has been!!! I meet a friend this morning to do our weekly interval training over the causeway in Melbourne. He is a bit of a novice cyclist and has been doing triathlons over the last couple of years.

Everything was going great and we were 5 laps into the ride, I was a little ahead of him and was going up back over on the foot/bike path that is next to the road (but separated by a concrete barrier) and he was coming down at about 30 mph and somehow just lost control of the bike. I happened to be at the exact point going up as he was coming down it was horrible watching this happen and not being able to do anything to prevent it. I can't figure out what caused the crash as there was no flat tire and or anything apparently wrong with his bike. There was also no debris in the road that would have caused this.

He ended up with a broken collarbone, a couple of stitches in his hand and road rash from his shoulder down to his shin. They took him to ER and I followed on my bike. After he was settled, I rode home, showered and returned to the hospital to help him home. Fortunately, he knew one of the EMTs and they took his bike to the firehouse -- which on the same street that my friend works.

Overall, I am so thankful that his injuries were not any worse than they were. He initially had some memory loss, but this was temporary and the CT scan and x-ray did not show any injuries to his head. I am so glad that he was wearing a helmet, because if he would not have been, I am quite sure that I would not have driven him home from the hospital today.

I know this is a almost a religious issue for some, but please wear a helmet. You never know when something is going to happen to you -- I don't even want to think what my friend's head would have looked like today without one.

This event again brought home how precious life is and in an instant we or someone we love could be gone.

Be safe out there!

[cydewaze]

Glad your friend is ok.

[Bill Bove]

Pineada or Melbourne Causeway?

I hate helmets but they do work so I wear one, I'm glad your buddy does too.

[alancw3]

scary story. glad your friend was wearing helmet and he will recover.

[Keith A]

Thanks for the kind words.

Bill -- it was the Melbourne Causeway (192) that leads over to Indialantic. One of the things that made this worse is that the pavement is coarse and it was very good at removing skin :(

[shinomaster]

Glad your friend is ok. I wish him a speedy and a full recovery. :banana:

[sellsworth]

Pineada or Melbourne Causeway?

I hate helmets but they do work so I wear one, I'm glad your buddy does too.

I've loved helmets ever since I my body hit the ground in perpendicular fashion (head first) on a mountain bike ride. The helmet was in much worse shape than me.

[Keith A]

sellsworth -- You should see my friend's helmet. The pavement basically pealed it apart where he made contact with the road -- which covers about half one side of the helmet. It even ground it down to the point that it was close to breaking through. I'll have to try and snap a picture of this.

[Bill Bove]

I've loved helmets ever since I my body hit the ground in perpendicular fashion (head first) on a mountain bike ride. The helmet was in much worse shape than me.

I don't like too but I wear one all the time, just like wearing a seat belt, wouldn't drive with out one. Some things do save lives.

Kieth, I used to do laps on the Cocoa Beach bridge, the Humphrey? Pineada was a toll road back then. They repaved the Melbourne bridge with glassphault once and didn't grind it down enough. Flat after flat after flat :crap:
Letting Dragon Point fall apart was a sin. There used to be a nice dumpy/dive of a bar at Mathers bridge, drank many a lunch there :beer:

[Keith A]

You certainly know the area well. When did you live here?

[Bill Bove]

You certainly know the area well. When did you live here?
'88-90. I worked for Ten Speed Drive Imports in Indian Harbour Beach on Tomahawk Rd. We used to ride Tropical Trail every morning. We had some good times.

[bironi]

Keith,
Good advice to wear a helmet. If you ride often, and for years, you will go down. It only makes sense to protect that which separates man from vegetable. I am glad your buddy escaped with fairly light injuries, especially considering the speed. Stay safe and healthy.

Byron

[cydewaze]

I hate helmets but they do work so I wear one, I'm glad your buddy does too.
I hate having insects sucked into mine, and I hate when the pads get all stiff and crunchy and sand away my forehead skin, but like you, I'm convinced that the alternative is worse.

[Ginger]

You could wear one of those orange nets over your helmet to keep the bugs out. (just say'n)


Keith, Keep an eye on your friend. I'm glad that he's alright and that the hospital couldn't find anything to make much money on...but the lingering effects may still be an issue. Glad he was wearing a helmet!

[Keith A]

Well yesterday wasn't a good day for cycling in Brevard County. In addition to my friend's crash, a man was killed riding a bike here in town. Here's an article in our local paper (http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060427/NEWS01/604270352/1006).

Unfortunately, he was riding on the wrong side of the road which may have been a contributing factor to the accident.

While I was at the hospital yesterday morning with my friend, I'm pretty sure I saw this guy brought into the ER. As they wheeled him past my friend's room, the nurse indicated that he had been hit by a car, but didn't say if he was walking or riding, and was in critical condition.

Be safe out there!