Confirmed: Mark B is an idiot

[Mark B]

After careful deliberation, I can safely say and accept the fact that I am an idiot. Many have suspected as much. I have been holding out hope that the "Hooked on Phonics" and "Common Sense and You" correspondence courses would eventually kick in. Alas, it's time to admit the fact that I am a total idiot. At least I'm not alone.

Yesterday, our beginners group went out to Yorba Regional park for a 40 mile round trip down to the beach and back. Yes, I realize that 40 miles does not constitute a beginners ride. These were some of the fitter of our group, probably ready to move up to one of the more advanced groups. We decided to carpool to the ride start since gas prices are so high. My car has a roof rack and I also have a hitch mount rack giving me a capacity to carry seven bikes. After the ride, I delivered most of the riders home and was on the way to drop the last guy off when he asked me to stop off at a quicky mart so he could pick up a couple things before going home. I obliged as he suggested I roll through the drive through so he could run in real quick. You can see where this is going. I knew immediately, as soon as I heard the crunching and the falling of plaster on the top of my car that I had screwed up. I jumped out of the car to confirm that indeed, I was an idiot and had screwed up. My wifes Cannondale and my Silvio had been on top. The other rider's bike was on the rear.

My bike took the hit right on the TFT at the TFT/steer tube clamp. The front wheel of my bike was secured to the tray on the forward rack and my wife's front fork was secured to the fork fixture, also on the front rack. The impact ripped the front rack out of the rails and my wife's bike came clear off the rack, falling to the ground. My bike forced the rear rack into a weird, contorted "V" shape and dented the top of the car pretty severely. The fork fixture, which secured the rear of my bike to the rear rack, snapped completely in two. The axle of the fixture is still clamped securely to the rear dropouts even as I type this. Otherwise, it appears that my bike just more or less folded up on itself and laid right down on the roof of the car.

I haven't gone over the bikes with a fine toothed comb yet, but it appears as though most of the damage is superficial. The fork is sprung on my bike. Probably both bikes, to tell the truth. I haven't found any tell-tale signs of dents or wrinkles that would pop paint loose. I'm reluctant to even touch them too much until my insurance adjuster looks them over. The car has a huge dent in the top of it, the roof rack is pretty much garbage and a fair amount of plaster was knocked out of the overhang I bashed our bikes into. I'm just guestimating that this will be pretty much a $5000 "oops". I'm such an idiot.

I have no excuses, nobody to blame it on but myself. I've always laughed when I heard about other people doing this sort of thing and now it's my turn. I didn't want a turn. I know a guy that recently did the same thing with a brand new $5000 Madone on top of a Lexus. So, I figure if I have to be an idiot, at least I'm in good company.

:cry: :cry:

I have good insurance, so it will all get taken care of. It's just the idea and the fact we'll be without our bikes for awhile. I have another road bike my wife can ride until we get things settled and I can ride my conversion. I'm hoping for a speedy settlement.

Mark

 

[Doug Burton]

Well, be kind to yourself - because the low-probabilities that combine to create accidents really don't care how smart you are.

You were trying to help somebody out and that's what you were thinking about.

Also, a higher power may have decided that He didn't care for your component selections on your bikes and decided you needed a reason to upgrade.

So relax, put yourself in the hands of the powers that be, and make sure you come out of this with nicer bikes than you went in with!

And boy, do I feel your pain...

Be well, Mark,

 

[Mark B]

Well, I went out and surveyed the damage a little closer. Both of the fork fixtures broke, that's the reason my wife's bike fell completely off the car. But, get this.... For the life of me, I cannot find a single dent in any tube. I found one scratch in the top tube and some scuffs on the handlebar tape and on the saddle. The CF fork does not seem to be damaged, nor is the steer tube bent. The handlebar is slightly askew, just barely... I don't understand this, but I'm happy. Her bike has a weird color changing paint job; look at it from one angle or light and it looks green. Change angles and it looks purple. I've never seen another one like it.

My bike is relatively good, too. I can't see any visible damage to the main frame or the rear triangle. The handlebars are bent and skewed pretty badly, so I think there may have been some bending going on there. I don't want to loosen the collar to straighten it and see if it's actually bent until the adjuster looks at it. The TFT parts are badly scuffed. Probably functional enough, just ugly. The fork, I don't know about. It may be bent, I can't really tell. It squeaks when you turn the fork, like the rubber boot squeaking. Probably repairable, if there are parts.

Even the rack is pretty good, considering. I thought two of the towers were trashed, but as it turns out, they are fine. Only one of the crossbars and the two fork fixtures are destroyed. It appears to me that the fork fixtures failing saved a lot of damage to the bikes.

The top of the car is damaged and will require repair. It goes to the adjuster tomorrow to get that part going.

So, it could have been worse. I still feel stupid.

Mark

 

[MrSteve]

Of course you feel stupid, Mark: you're human.

Seriously, well... more seriouser anyway, I second what 'Hardtailcruiser' said.
By the way, check out the T-shirt he's wearing in his icon: coincidence?!

-Steve

 

[John Tolhurst]

Crikey - look at that beauty!

Well, lets see whats what when the dust settles. For the moment we might cross our fingers.

If I understand you correctly, the impact on the TFT caused it to swing around and lay the bike over, bending the carry rack in the process? I was unclear on what you were saying about the fork being sprung, you mean it must have taken a decent impact? ... Maybe the frame transferred a lot of this to the rear triangle? Best keep a close eye on it eh.

There are some on this forum who insist on photos all the time, but hey ... when you are ready!!!!! :shock:

 

[Mark B]

johntolhurst wrote: There are some on this forum who insist on photos all the time, but hey ... when you are ready!!!!! :shock:

I know, I know and I'm usually the worst one demanding photos. I took pictures of the car and the rack. I went out last night to take pics of the bikes and that's when I really got to looking at them closer. I don't really want to mess with them too much until the adjuster has a look, so bear with me. Following are some pics of the building I rammed the bikes into and the damage on top of the car. The rear rack is pictured, the front rack came completely loose with my bike still tied to it.

Mark

 

[defjack]

Thats bad Mark hope you get back on the rode quick. Jack

 

[Mark B]

You truly are in good hands with Allstate.

The car went into the shop last night for repairs, check in hand.

The adjuster for the bikes and rack is going to replace my Silvio, no questions asked. She cruised the website and knows how much it is. She asked us basically for the replacement costs for the other stuff. It seems things are going to be OK.

Mark

 

[Doug Burton]

Mark B wrote: You truly are in good hands with Allstate.

The car went into the shop last night for repairs, check in hand.

The adjuster for the bikes and rack is going to replace my Silvio, no questions asked. She cruised the website and knows how much it is. She asked us basically for the replacement costs for the other stuff. It seems things are going to be OK.

Mark

Heh heh, told ya...

Seriously, glad this appears to be working out...

now, if you can get her to let you keep the old Silvio or buy them out of it for salvage... how cool could some of those parts be when mixed with your kit bike parts...?????

 

[Mark B]

Hardtailcruzer wrote:

Mark B wrote: You truly are in good hands with Allstate.

The car went into the shop last night for repairs, check in hand.

The adjuster for the bikes and rack is going to replace my Silvio, no questions asked. She cruised the website and knows how much it is. She asked us basically for the replacement costs for the other stuff. It seems things are going to be OK.

Mark

Heh heh, told ya...

Seriously, glad this appears to be working out...

now, if you can get her to let you keep the old Silvio or buy them out of it for salvage... how cool could some of those parts be when mixed with your kit bike parts...?????

I'm aleady on that page. I wonder what they would have to have for it? A different insurance company, but a friend of mine got hit by a car years ago. The insurance paid off and replaced his old bike (high end carbon fiber Trek). They never asked for the carcass. He ended up selling off the components and has the mangled frame hanging in his garage as a reminder why it's a good thing to look before flipping a u-turn on a busy road. I was a day late and a dollar short getting in on that sweet deal on the components. Anyway, if my wrecked Silvio ended up being usable in some fashion, it sure could make a nice commuter! If not, I will be happy to have my weekend warrior back. I miss it already. :cry:

Mark

 

[Rick Harker]

Mark,

Sorry to read about the "baby".
Same thing happened to the guy I went on a training ride with except into a shopping center underground car park. He had a full carbon upright but no insurance. All he saved was the cranks and rear wheel.

Hope your new one is up and running soon.

(big sigh)

Rick.

 

[Mark B]

Update:

As it stands right at this minute, it seems I have two claims. First, the automobile claim, which was settled and the car should be completely repaired in the next couple days. That's just about the extent of the good news.

The bikes and rack are handled as personal property claims and charged against the homeowners insurance :?: I kind of sort of understood that was happening. What I did NOT understand was that they would double-dip the deductible! :shock: WTF??!!? It was one accident, take one deductible, or the other, but not both! On top of that, even though they said they were going to reimburse me completely for the Silvio because it was virtually brand new, they ended up depreciating it fifty bucks. What I'm kicking myself for; they basically gave me carte blanche for damages on this stuff and I was honest. I did not price an entire new rack, only the bits that needed replaced. I did not ask for replacement of my wife's bike, just a new fork. Big mistake. It does not pay to be honest; I should have shot the moon because in the end, I'm going to end up with JUST enough to replace my bike. I know, I know, I should count my lucky stars because it WAS my fault. Yes, I get that. I just don't think it's right to double dip for deductibles from one incident. If there is a next time, I will not be so honest. :evil:

Mark

 

[MailSeanBell]

This might be worth the $8...


http://www.hitchcorner.com/gear_reminder.htm

 

[Mark B]

SeanBell wrote: This might be worth the $8...


http://www.hitchcorner.com/gear_reminder.htm

Yeah, maybe. I never imagined needing that, though. I never park in the garage, I never.... well, I guess....

Mark

 

[MailSeanBell]

Actually, with the insurance, it's almost more fun to get to re-build the bike in the end anyway...

 

[Mark B]

Here's an update on the situation;

First of all, the insurance company is taking their sweet time getting a check out. Maybe that's a good thing. I had taken both back wheels (well, her back, my front) in to be trued. I will do most of my own wrenching, but leave the wheelwork to the pros. Someday, I aspire to be a wheelbuilder, but for now, I leave it to those that know what they are doing. Anyway, the guy in the shop, who I trust immensely, said he thought there was more than truing involved. My wheel has a hop in it, which is understandable since it was tied to the rack. My wife's has a flat spot. I can't explain that one, but the fact I misjudged the wheels gave me cause for concern. I went home and tore her bike down to bare frame and took it back to the shop. He put the frame guage on it and it appears the frame is slightly out of alignment. Not enough to buckle any paint or wrinkle any welds. Not enough to spot with the naked eye, but it is tweaked. It's enough it might cause some high speed wobbles under the right conditions and will probably make it impossible to ride "hands off". Not that my wife rides at high speeds and/or hands off, but it appears she will be getting a new bicycle. I would never have believed that frame was out of alignment, just looking at it, but the guage does not lie and I stood right there and watched him check it. That's too bad, it was a nice frame.

Mark

 

[Mark B]

I wanted to apologize for my comments about not being honest if there were a "next time". I'm always honest about things like this and would never expect more than I have coming. While it is no excuse, I was (and am) frustrated and anxious to put this ordeal behind me and get back to some riding! My comment further illustrates the title of this thread being totally appropriate.

Mark

 

[Robert Stewart]

Hi Mark,

I've been away for a bit and only just read this. I just wanted to say I am sorry to hear about your accident, and I hope it all gets sorted out soon.

Best,
Rob

 

[Mark B]

Thanks, Rob. It's getting sorted out, slowly but surely. I got my wife's bike built last night, so that frees me up to jump right on mine once the frameset lands. I've been enjoying my conversion immensely in my Silvio's absence.

Mark

 

[Mark B]

Here's an update. A rather unbelievable update, if you ask me.

My wife called the adjuster handling our case last week to see how much longer before we can expect payment. It's been three weeks since the accident. She got a message back that indicated we should have already received a check. It turns out that they sent the check right after the 4th of July holiday..... to the address we lived at SIX FREAKING YEARS AGO! :x We receive correspondence from this company all the time at the correct address. Why, or better yet how on Earth can this happen!??! The nice lady informed my wife that they would have to cancel the old check and reissue, so it will be the end of the week before we see it. I'm thinking, no.... It will be on my doorstep next day air! Now if I can just make her see it that way.

Mark

 

[JonB]

why is it that you (americans) still use something as old fashioned as checks? why not just a electronic transfer of money into your account?