Cruzbike mis-adventures

[ElyDave]

Not been on here much in the last month or two for various reasons, not least being my recent Cruzbike mis-adventure.

About 18 days ago (I'm still counting days rather than weeks) I was taking a day off after spending 14 days in Saudi Arabia for work. Crossing a roundabout, across a major-ish road from one minor road to another. Normal set up, dyno lights ON, winter jacket - HI VIS; as I cycle round the roundabout a silver car coming from my left (UK remember) comes to a halt, and I relax, not noticing the black car that just sails straight onto the roundabout without stopping.

Too late I see it "she's going to stop" keeps running through my mind right until "fuck! she didn't stop" as the middle of the bumper hits the front triangle and the right hand corner connects with my hip. Briefly airborne, sideways, before an impact with the tarmac on my left hand side.

No loss of consciousness, just a mental check, what hurts, what doesn't; face leering over me "I'm really sorry, I just didn't see you" - I've just been SMIDSY'd (Sorry Mate, I didn't See You). Despite the pain, that got logged - tick box number 1, roundabout, impact, didn't see me, prosecution, damages.

I can tell you now, lying on the tarmac, in the wet, on All Hallows Eve, cold, and wondering if you have a broken hip is no fun. As usual, the british National Health Service (free at the point of delivery) worked its wonders. And yes, I'm happy to pay the taxes for it - political, I know.

Damage to me, elbow, massively swollen, but cleared of fracture, now various lurid shades of bruise. Various soft tissue damage to LHS from torso to knee, whiplash to neck and lower back.

Fractured pelvis - this one fucking hurts. It's a weight bearing fracture, I have a stick and am getting past hobbling, now 18 days later to just limping. Prognosis 6-8 weeks recovery, so Christmas. At the moment, opiates are my friend, and I'm at about 50% capacity with work.

Damage to the bike/kit
- seat pan - both halves
- fork, chainstay
- handlebar, handlebar clamp
- LHS bar end shifter, RHS brake lever, bar tape
- Front dyno light
- rear skewer (oddly)
- jacket, undershirt and helmet

Wheels and mainframe OK luckily.

As the ultimate machine once said
"I'll be back"

 

[paco1961]

That sucks! Sorry, man. Hope she at least buys you a plum pudding for Christmas in addition to buying you a new bike!

 

[ChaleJake]

Oh wow. Glad you weren’t hurt worse but you were hurt pretty bad. Hope your recovery goes smoothly.

 

[Lief]

Oh man - not the kind of story we like to hear!
Glad to hear that you’ve made it past the most impactful part (pun intended).

Heal up and inspect the crap out of that frame Since it sounds like you think you are going to ride it some more?
Not sure I would advise that frankly.

I rear ended a car once at about 15mph and many months later cracks in the frame finally showed up - it probably was never truly safe after that wreck but I did ride it quite a bit more - until I found the cracks. Then logic prevailed.

Take care and heal up.

 

[cranky cyclist]

Take care! I hope you heal fast.

 

[benphyr]

Best wishes on a speedy recovery. Hope the "driver" is sentenced to riding a bike to work in traffic until you are able to ride your new bike that she purchases. But mostly wishing you healing and patience.

 

[ReklinedRider]

Adding my sympathy to the rest and wishing you a speedy recovery also. What a stroke of bad fortune! Wondering if her mobile phone was involved in the SMIDSY? Hard to see you if she's texting....

 

[Bill K]

As the ultimate machine once said
"I'll be back"

Thats the right attitude!
Get well soon.

Also, you might want to add a new helmet to your list.
I've broken two helmets over time and it is hard to tell if they are damaged or not.

 

[Suz]

Wow! That’s a bad way to relax from a 14 day work trip.
Really sorry to hear this, I hope your recovery goes smoothly from here. Glad you’re still with us!!!

 

[DavidCH]

That's plain terrible. I hope you recover soon. If your wheel rims were carbon then they might have taken some undue stress with the impact. Is there any way you can get them checked?

 

[ElyDave]

Thanks all, much appreciated.

Yes, helmet is on the list for replacement as well, and I'm talking to Robert Holler about parts.

Wheels seem OK - I ride high spoke count robust metal rims as a tourer/audaxer. As far as I can remember/work out, the wheels were taken out from under me, I then went airborne sideways before landing heavily on my left hand side. The only damage to the wheel area seems to be a skewer scraped along the floor.

 

[super slim]

I am glad you came out with only minor, but painful injuries!!!
I would get the frame straightness, checked out by a Aluminium bike builder, and cracks, using a ultrasonic meter!

 

[bladderhead]

I cannot decide whether you were unlucky to get hit or lucky it was not worse. Fractured pelvis does not sound very minor to me. I am surprised that you flew in the air. I had the same kind of accident - someone entering a roundabout - and the wheels were bent like fruit bowls.

NHS picked you up and patched you up - they are more efficient than the private sector. These days they have to be.

Get the frame checked. If bone can crack so can aluminium.

Get well soon.

 

[Pollock]

Damn. Best of luck on your recovery. It will pass.

 

[telephd]

Heal quickly!!

 

[ak-tux]

How sad! Get well soon sir!

Hope you get back to riding again and continue your blog!

 

[jond]

Sickening mate. Sorry this happened to you. Totally gutted.

Don’t underestimate the damage to you psych too.

It can last a long time and come calling when you least expect it.

Clearly your attitude is great and your sense of humour is intact.

Positives and negatives swings and roundabouts......sorry lol. You’re still with us . Ride on . I’d want a whole replacement bike. At least she apologised and may have had an epiphany.

Keep smiling you’ll be back Ely.

 

[bladderhead]

I would rather be the one having the epiphany than the one delivering it.

 

[Mixerman]

Don’t underestimate the damage to you psych too.

It can last a long time and come calling when you least expect it.

This is the part I wasn't prepared for after I got runover 2 years ago, tried to comment on this post several times but anxiety and depression kept preventing me.
Hang in there man, I know how much it sucks, my pelvis got mangled too. On Thanksgiving today, let's be thankful we're still alive, it can all go away so fast. I wish you a smooth recovery back on the bike. Life will get a lot better when you can start turning those pedals again, cycling is the best therapy, you'll be back

 

[ElyDave]

I'm not underestimating the psychological at all.

This is one of three big "stop and think moments for me", the others were
- being on a helicopter to an oil rig that crashed the following day, the inquiry showed that it could have happened anytime, with indication of impending gearbox issues in the weeks leading up to it
- planning a visit to another onshore gas facility in Algeria, which got hit by a terrorist attack two weeks ahead of our planned visit - not me, but two guys i've worked with for ten years.
- and now this.

Teh other two made me think long and hard about the job, this is affecting me already. I've noticed that I'm overreacting to cars coming in from left or right when I'm driving, and there's a psychological impact of the effect of lack of exercise on my blood sugar (type 1 diabetic) as there is a significant correlation between consistent exercise and insulin sensitivity. The limited walking and swimming just don't cut it vs 60-100 miles on the bike per week

Physically I think the lower back and neck whiplash injuries will be slowest to heal, they are still very tender. The pelvis is feeling better in just three weeks and although I'm still using a stick, I'm putting less weight on it.