Be careful out there!!

[PBWrench]

A riding buddy of mine went down yesterday afternoon. Here's what he writes::

Team, Well, now I can say that I've been hit by a car. This afternoon, while cycling around 25MPH south on Plymouth, a car turned right, right in front of me. I had no chance. I hit the side of the car and hit the pavement, my face bearing the brunt of it. After spending the rest of the day at Hennepin County ER, the damage turns out to be a broken jaw, two broken teeth, as broken finger, a broken bike (my diagnosis), a lip laceration, and mucho road rash. The good news is that I'm going to be just fine. It could have been considerably worse. Tomorrow I retrun the Hennepin to have my mouth wired or possibly rubber banded, hopefully I want need to go to the OR. The fracture is not as bad as it coud be and only involves one ramus (near the TMJ). Looks lke food through a straw for me for awhile. At least I can still enjoy a granita.

***

I've become a more cautious rider since my own crash and pelvic fracture last year -- slower and safer is better than another crash!

[bulliedawg]

Sounds painful, but thank God it wasn't worse. I hope you get well soon, and that you have powerful drugs.

I'm curious about the driver's reaction to the accident.

[Kevan]

heck, it's only 12:45pm here.

Well, he certainly sounds pretty chipper. Heal fast and do try to sound miserable around the insurance adjuster.

[Erik.Lazdins]

The right cross is a major problem.

The perception by drivers who don't ride is that bikes are slow. The driver passes what they perceive is a non moving object and turn right in front.

I'm happy to hear that the accident (bad as it sounds) will hopefully lead to a full recovery.

Be vigilant and be safe and have a good ride.

[gasman]

i'm glad to hear it wasn't worse.

[Too Tall]

You certainly have a good attitude...heal fast and feel free to PM me for supplement suggestions for fast bone healing. Sheesh..don't DO THAT!

[Keith A]

Wow, that was some damage your friend did there! I'm glad it wasn't worse, but then again he didn't get off too easy. I hope he has a speedy recovery and keep up the good spirit!
Well, he certainly sounds pretty chipper.Maybe it's the oxycontin :D

[Ray]

I had a 'life passing before my eyes' moment a few days ago and was initially upset with the driver, but upon further reflection, realized he didn't do anything wrong - I just wasn't careful enough for the situation.

I was on a slight downhill doing about 27 or 28 in the wet, approaching a set of diagonal RR tracks. A big pickup was behind me waiting to pass so I thought he was going to wait until I got past the tracks. But I was so focussed on him, I didn't realize that the reason he wasn't passing was a couple of oncoming cars in the opposite lane. They went by and he started to pass me exactly when I was about to hit the tracks, which meant I couldn't get perpendicular to them and had to cross at a terrible angle, still at speed. It was too late to slow down and let him pass first, so I had to jump the tracks. I got my front wheel over but my rear washed out on the second track and I got real sideways real fast with this driver just a few feet to my left. Fortunately, I recovered and stayed upright but it scared the cr@p out of me I could have gone down and ended up like that poor woman in Eugene.

My initial reaction was outrage that he would pass me on these tracks but it didn't take long for me to realize that just because I was keenly aware of the danger they presented, there was no real reason for him to be aware of this - I've never had problems crossing tracks in a car either. If I'd been more cautious, I'd have slowed much earlier approaching the tracks and let him get by before going over them myself. That way I could have taken a much safer angle and not had traffic right there in case I did go down.

I think this is frequently the case with right-turning drivers cutting us off. They just don't have any frame of reference for how fast we're going and until they've either hit someone or been made aware of how close they came to hitting someone, they just don't know.

Keep the rubber side down,

-Ray

[fmbp]

Cars turning right immediately in front of me has caused me to lose a bit of skin in the past too.

My training partner and I were out for a ride, and heading out of a little cross-roads town that we frequenly rode through. We were very close to being back on the country roads again when the lady passed us and immediately turned right. I was riding behind my buddy and had looked down for just a split second. When I looked back up, I see my friend slowing down very rapidly right in front of me. I grabbed the brakes a little too hard and went ***-over-teakettle over the bars. Fortunately, she hit neither of us, but it was still a rotten reason to have to cut a ride short. The crazy thing was that she didn't think that she needed to even get out of the car because she hadn't hit us! Argh!

Anyway, as stated by the original poster, be careful out there.

[rpm]

Ouch. Where exactly did your friend go down? I like to keep a mental inventory of places where I need to be careful Years ago, I had a right-turn cutoff on University Avenue, on the downhill from KSTP. Fortunately, I was just scratched up but I tend to avoid long downhills on busy streets with lots of intersections. Hope your friend heals up fast!

[Avispa]

....This afternoon, while cycling around 25MPH....
I've become a more cautious rider since my own crash and pelvic fracture last year -- slower and safer is better than another crash!

I think, going 25 is not that slow (for us rec riders), but anyway....

If I see something (a driveway, a sitting dog, etc.) or someone (old folks driving, children, etc.) that can become a potential hazzard ahead, I won't go for it!

I have seen way too many people here get hit by cars or hit things on the road because they just don't pay attention.

Carefull boys!

[PBWrench]

RPM -- On Plymouth road, in Minnetonka. You see -- living in St. Paul really is a better idea than MPLS! Vespa-Dude -- down your way alligators are the serious slow-moving hazard. Especially if they are elderly and driving cars.

[Joel]

...riding north on the same road years ago. Same deal right hand turn smack in front of me...yeesh.

Be careful is right.

Joel

[Larry]

This right turn thing is an "epidemic" for us two-wheeled enthusiasts.
In approximately 1980, I was on a wet state highway road near Oxford, Ohio. Same story.......car passes.....car makes unexpected right turn.....
I am forced to hit the car broadside. My helmet saved me....only minor scuffs.

Four years ago on an MS 150 ride the same thing almost happened.
I reacted quickly and turned a sharp right into the gravel and dirt mix.
I figured the bike would slide down like a dirty bike, but the stability of my trusty CSi and good tires kept the bike upright. It was actually a good move and correct decision.

And......I hate vans and Suburbans big time!!
Take care everyone.

Larry

[Fixed]

bro the only reason I'm still here after 17 years is expect the unexpected .cars,walkers ,animals. you name it they can all turn your day upside down. I'm not ashamed to ride the sidewalk if the roads are to dangerous .
cheers

[Peter P.]

In some states, Connecticut is one of them, turning right in front of a cyclist resulting in the cyclist crashing, is SPECIFICALLY against the law. Check your state's motor vehicle laws.

[rpm]

PB--
Over here in Pigs Eye we have some mean streets too. I do venture out that direction on Plymouth Road from time to time. In fact I was thinking about heading out that way tomorrow to ogle the wretched excess of the chateaus and Ferraris (yes, I saw one the last time I was there) by the lake.

[Fixed]

bro you cats ever see mr. lemond out there ,doesn't he live around there ?
cheers

[ClutchCargo]

I had a 'life passing before my eyes' moment a few days ago and was initially upset with the driver, but upon further reflection, realized he didn't do anything wrong - I just wasn't careful enough for the situation.
. . . They just don't have any frame of reference . . . they just don't know.

Keep the rubber side down,

-Ray

R-man, I agree completely. While we cyclists become acutely aware of these dangers and issues, 99% of the driving public simply isn't aware of the consequences of the way they drive when interacting with cyclists. For example (and I bet the Florida riders would back me up on this), it seems that motorists of a certain age have a tremendous aversion to ever moving into the lane of oncoming traffic when passing cyclists, even if there is no oncoming car in sight. They seem to believe that it simply is "against the rules" for them to be on the other side of that double yellow line and will pass within inches when there's no other vehicle in sight. I could go on, but the bottom line I think is that some of this we just have to expect, and we need to ride defensively in order to survive (see fixed's post above), since the majority of this country does not have much if any experience riding bikes on the road. They're not mean or evil, just clueless.

On the other side of the coin, that's why I always make it a point to give a wave or a 'thumbs up' to any motorist who gives me lots of room when passing or who demonstrably waits for me before pulling into traffic or turning or who slows behind and waits for me when I'm signalling a left turn. There's lots of folks out there who do that too, and I like to think that any kind of appreciation I can show will be positive reinforcement for such behavior.


Ride on (safely), boys!

[Kevan]

ever try for catching onto the roofrack or diving thru an backseat open window?

Just trying to improve my odds is all.

[cydewaze]

I have had this same thing happen a few times on Beach drive here in MD (Smiley will know where I mean). One of the times it happened, I was forced off the road, and the driver stopped after making the turn and jumped out to scream at me. Yes, HE broke the law and endangered MY life, yet he was the one upset with me. Go figure.

[Kevan]

On the other side of the coin, that's why I always make it a point to give a wave or a 'thumbs up' to any motorist who gives me lots of room when passing or who demonstrably waits for me before pulling into traffic or turning or who slows behind and waits for me when I'm signalling a left turn. There's lots of folks out there who do that too, and I like to think that any kind of appreciation I can show will be positive reinforcement for such behavior.

ditto