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OPINION

School of hard knocks

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Sketchy recollections of an icy tumble

The last thing I’m sure I remember is watching my mate Simon’s front wheel snap out from under him on the black ice. There’s the teasing suggestion of a memory of my own wheel following suit but that might just be me projecting. I certainly can’t recall any detail.

The next memory is of standing around swapping blokey banter with Simon and two other cyclists, one of whom was a friend – another Simon, confusingly enough – who had miraculously appeared out of nowhere, the other a stranger who had clearly gone over a moment before us.

It didn’t strike me as odd at the time that there was a hole in my memory…that I’d jumped from one moment of clarity to the next without noticing anything amiss. I was distracted by the look of confusion and pain on the stranger’s face and the trembles in his body as he hobbled around in a daze.

I wasn’t sure what to make of the fact that I’d completely forgotten about the driver who had offered to help me untangle myself from my bike, or that my helmet now had a massive crack where it covered my left temple.

Between Rule 5 quips and curiously formal introductions, we decided it might be wise to call the stricken rider’s wife. As soon as she was on her way we decided it might be best to call an ambulance too, as the level of the rider’s discomfort became clear.

A farmer appeared with a cup of sweet tea, which our injured friend (whose name was Jonnie, we had by now discovered) started gulping gratefully – until the emergency services operator on the other end of the phone sternly ordered him to stop, at which point the rest of us shared it.

By the time the ambulance arrived, ten minutes or so later, Jonnie had seized up completely and couldn’t really move at all without considerable pain. He was given numerous blasts of entonox but still whimpered and cried out when he was lifted from chair to stretcher.

The Rule 5 jokes continued, but very quietly now as we watched a pale, shaking Jonnie being lifted into the ambulance, where he was then injected with morphine for the ride back to Brighton with his suspected fractured hip.

The remaining three of us decided to cut short our rides and head back via the coast road – a loop of about ten miles. We rode it quickly and quietly, still individually processing what had just happened.

The aches and pains grew and multiplied in the hours that followed. Now, 36 hours on, I’m hard pushed to find any part of my body that doesn’t hurt at least a bit. The most obvious is a vivid bruise and graze on my left hip; the most worrying is an odd pain right in the heart of my left shoulder.

We’d set out in good weather: sunny and clear with hardly any wind and temperatures around 4 or 5 degrees. Once we’d come over the Downs the temperature dropped a degree or two, as it does, but it didn’t feel cold enough for ice. But those back lanes barely get any sun and the same hedgerows that block the heat make it hard to read the surface sometimes. I’m not sure what we could have done about it even if we’d had a clear view of the road surface, though.

In fact I’m not sure about a lot of what happened. There’s a surreal edge to the whole experience that I can only attribute to shock and that bash on the head.

One thing I am sure about though: I will most definitely be replacing that helmet before I go out again.

Lifelong lover of most things cycling-related, from Moulton Mini adventures in the 70s to London bike messengering in the 80s, commuting in the 90s, mountain biking in the noughties and road cycling throughout. Editor of Simpson Magazine (www.simpsonmagazine.cc). 

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59 comments

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Dapper Giles | 10 years ago
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I might be wrong (please correct me if I am) but I thought if the helmet cracked it had absorbed the full impact of the fall and thus prevented the transfer of the blow to the skull.

Still I'd rather have a cracked helmet than a cracked skull.

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Leviathan | 10 years ago
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Joe, you will live longer but it sure won't be interesting. Sounds like 36 years of unedifying trundling. I hope you enjoy your next ride whenever the conditions are right: 28th May.

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Shaun Audane | 10 years ago
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Gently sweeping around the helmet issue, I’ve found spiked tyres an absolute boon through mid winter. Admittedly, broader 35/42mm 700c (or mtb) sections won’t suit everyone (nor will their weight penalty and slightly gravelly patter over clear tarmac) but they've enabled me to safely navigate otherwise impassable rural backwaters at 17mph  1

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Shaun Audane | 10 years ago
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Thrifty types could fashion their own using budget cross/mtb rubber, a rivet gun and steel 1/8" pop rivets. I experimented with the concept on my Yak pattern trailer's 16x1.75 wheel last year-worked surprisingly well!  1

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Leviathan | 10 years ago
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@shaun, what country is that? Here is the Republic of Greater Manchester it hasn't been below freezing.

http://uk.weather.com/weather/almanac-Manchester-UKXX0092:1:UK

Note Jan 12 Low 0C is the minimum temperature here all winter and that was at 2am. It hasn't stopped raining for three months though.

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fukawitribe replied to Dapper Giles | 10 years ago
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Dapper Giles wrote:

I might be wrong (please correct me if I am) but I thought if the helmet cracked it had absorbed the full impact of the fall and thus prevented the transfer of the blow to the skull.

It's not as simple as that, alas. It may be due to the design of the helmet (deliberate failure mode) or just over-stressing some or all of the helmet structure. It may mean it's absorbed all the impact, but that would be pretty unlikely. What is does generally mean is that some of the energy that would otherwise have been transmitted into you has been used to deform and cleave a solid structure apart.

Dapper Giles wrote:

Still I'd rather have a cracked helmet than a cracked skull.

Me too - although frequency wise, i've been thankful more for the lack of abrasive injuries from wearing one.

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BillyElNino | 10 years ago
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Prehistoric agendas aside seeing someone physically injured on a ride is distressing for the onlooker. (obviously not as much as the injured party!).

I've ridden past people injured on Sportives (They were already getting enough help) and it puts risk /reward into perspective.

As for avoiding it, being out on the road for hours covering 50-100 miles means conditions drastically change but this is all part of the fun.

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allez neg | 10 years ago
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I'm buggered, in fact most of us are.

There'll be such a narrow range of climatic and road conditions and environmental factors that are suitable I may as well sell my bike now*.

If it rains it hurts grip and visibility, and rain means you'll get wet and therefore colder.

Snow and ice? Doh, a no brainer.

Fog? Visibility

Warmth? Risk of heatstroke, dehydration or sunburn.

Darkness? Can't see where you're going

Fog? Ditto

Bright sunlight? Ditto.

Busy roads? Cars

Country lanes? Wild deer and angry squirrels, mud, poo and posh girls in jodhpurs.

Heaven knows we can't just make use of commercially available equipment that will mitigate the risks, like lights, coats, sunglasses etc (and helmets!)

I'm instigating a new rule, which is 'soften the fuck down' and I look forward to the couple of days a year where I can safely ride my bike.

*I have yet to risk assess the task of bicycle selling but I'm sure there'll be some hazards.

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BillyElNino replied to allez neg | 10 years ago
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allez neg wrote:

Country lanes? Wild deer and angry squirrels, mud, poo and posh girls in jodhpurs.

This sounds ace.. Sign me up.

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WolfieSmith | 10 years ago
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My sympathies to those hurt. At least the lesson is learnt: Don't go out on icy roads on a bicycle if you don't have to.  40

I was once, well twice, a bit daft. I've had two crashes on roads I thought ice free until I came down. I won't bore you with the injuries...suffice to say I learnt the lesson. As for sliding on ice? There is often no gradual loss of grip and a long impact absorbing slide on ice. It is often straight over and over very, very quickly.

Having cracked two ribs in warm dry conditions last year and losing a month of training - which I paid for in the summer - I check the weather and stick to the rollers if it's going to be icy. It makes more sense to make up for lost training time in spring rather than being laid up for weeks after thrashing yourself on icy roads.

If you have to commute by bike all year around - fair enough. If you don't it makes no sense to risk injury when it's not necessary. Personal freedom is fine in principle but I'd rather give the NHS more time to treat those involved in less avoidable accidents.

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surfingjoyner | 10 years ago
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Perhaps these accidents were avoidable but going out for a bike ride in fairly good conditions whilst taking care when riding is not stupid. If we all avoided risky situations then there would be very few of us who would be able to lead a fulfilling and active life. Thankfully we live in a society which allows people to take calculated risks in their leisure time in return for putting in a decent days work. Or at least we should.

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abovetheclouds | 10 years ago
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Why is it all of my concussions -- several in football (American), two in ice hockey and one, that I can remember, while cycling -- came while wearing a helmet? The logical question to ask would be this: Do helmets cause concussions, or TBI as they call it now?

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CarbonBreaker | 10 years ago
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Longs don't always help. Cycling here in Sweden last winter, I soon learned 2 valuable lessons: 1- There is a reason that the Swedes use Dubbdäck, (studded tyres) and 2 - That 3hrs of 25km/h on icy roads at -5C and blood freezes into Strawberry Sorbet...

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davidmcw | 10 years ago
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No problem, glad to be of help.

Sorry if my post came across like a bit of a lecture- I was quite alarmed by your story, and I've been caught out in the past by seemingly minor head trauma. And it's always the young blokes who would rather soldier on than admit when they're hurt and get checked out!

Glad to hear you're on the mend though.

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Martin Thomas | 10 years ago
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Thanks very much David. I was just talking to my wife yesterday about how silly it was that I didn't get myself checked out. We decided it was due to a slightly ridiculous combination of me not wanting to alarm her and her wanting to believe my scrubbed up version of events...or something.

Anyway, I'm back to my perky pre-crash best now after a couple of wobbly days so I think I did get away with it. Most of the aches and pains were muscular and are fading nicely, as are the bruises. No headaches (apart from on the day itself), numbness or any of the other symptoms you describe.

thanks again - I really appreciate your contribution, for me and everyone else reading this.

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davidmcw | 10 years ago
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Hi Martin, I'm a radiology registrar, and I've just read your blog during a quiet moment at work. A large part of my job is scanning people who've bumped their heads, and I'm concerned that you've suffered a significant head injury. You probably should have had a CT scan of your head at the time, but if you're still OK, then you've probably got away with it. However I'd strongly urge you to have a very low threshold for going to your doctor and getting checked out. That is if you have a persistent headache, any funny numbness or weakness, disturbances of your sight or smell, clear fluid coming out of your nose or ear, etc etc.

For future reference if you bump your head, and are knocked out, suffer retrograde amnesia of more than 1/2 hour, aren't quite yourself for over 2hrs post injury, or suffer persistent vomiting, then you should go to A&E, and probably get a CT scan, (ref: NICE guidelines for head injury 2007).

Having said all that I hope you've made a full recovery.

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Leviathan replied to davidmcw | 10 years ago
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davidmcw wrote:

For future reference if you bump your head, and are knocked out, suffer retrograde amnesia of more than 1/2 hour, aren't quite yourself for over 2hrs post injury, or suffer persistent vomiting, then you should go to A&E, and probably get a CT scan, (ref: NICE guidelines for head injury 2007).

I have some amnesia from 11:30pm 31/12/99 - 12:30am 01/01/2000. I remember some flashing lights in the sky during that time but nothing else. I don't think I hit my head but was keeping myself hydrated anyway. Its funny because I normal remember everything I do very clearly. It was a long time so I think I will be okay now, the symptoms have not reoccurred.

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farrell replied to Leviathan | 10 years ago
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bikeboy76 wrote:

I have some amnesia from 11:30pm 31/12/99 - 12:30am 01/01/2000. I remember some flashing lights in the sky during that time but nothing else. I don't think I hit my head but was keeping myself hydrated anyway. Its funny because I normal remember everything I do very clearly. It was a long time so I think I will be okay now, the symptoms have not reoccurred.

I think that is actually just a bug that appears to be knocking around in Manchester, I myself seemed to pick it up last Friday night/Saturday morning.

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Leviathan replied to farrell | 10 years ago
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farrell wrote:

I think that is actually just a bug that appears to be knocking around in Manchester, I myself seemed to pick it up last Friday night/Saturday morning.

I am not sure it is the same bug. It does tend to strike at the weekend just when you are off work, sods law. But the symptoms for me include involuntary rhythmic spasms in public places, occasionally followed by vomiting in the corner of a dark room and an intense desire to find a bus with '42' written on it; perhaps this is my own existential search for the meaning of life? No amnesia normally, though this bout did occur in Edinburgh; perhaps the local tribal beverages overcame me.

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matthewn5 | 10 years ago
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I went down last year on the road to Moreton after going through Epping Forest and Wooton Bassett. It was one of those cold mornings in London but there had been no frost in the city or in the Forest. Once I got into open countryside it was a different matter. Ice everywhere.

I'd passed quite a few places where there was black ice from water splashed out of potholes and coasted through without incident. But on a very cambered section of road just after a monster puddle that had icebergs floating in it, I was suddenly on my right side clipped in and sliding along. I had no memory of the loss of traction, no memory of falling, nothing. Id taken the fall on my right hip and right shoulder, neither my Craft elite bibs nor my Castelli rain jacket were torn, so from the accounts I'm reading, I was lucky! I think the road was so slick that I was sliding on pure smooth ice.

Got a nasty but small bruise at shoulder and hip, learnt my lesson! At the time I was more worried about the winter bike, but the only casualty was the right Ultegra 6600 shifter, which had been rotated around the bar, and which now bears a scratch on the tip. I always leave them a little loose so they can rotate around the bar rather than break in the event of a fall. The rest of the bike - nothing! I think I lifted it off the ground as I fell. So I finished the 100km and went home.

Thinking about it later I feel much more worried. What if it had happened where there was traffic? My head would have been paté.

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massspike | 10 years ago
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I was once riding along an icy trail on one of my winter bikes with studded tires...after 1 hour of this I was feeling pretty chuff and then the next thing I knew I was picking myself off the ground. I looked around and couldn't see my bike...there was nothing on the trail.

I got up and started a search...it turned out the trail was frozen solid (think ice rink) and my bike had slid 30 feet down the trail and into a ditch.

P.S. It turned out I also broke my helmet in the fall

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arowland replied to massspike | 10 years ago
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massspike wrote:

P.S. It turned out I also broke my helmet in the fall

Worrying that these helmets keep breaking in a fall. We all know that if they break, they didn't work (the expanded polystyrene fails to compress, which would decelerate the head a little more slowly than if it hit the road, but becomes effectively rigid, transmitting the entire force to the head and cracking in the process).
If one is going to wear the damn things and pay the sometimes ridiculous prices the manufactures demand for what is basically a bit of foam plastic with straps on, they should at least provide protection when called upon. Perhaps you should take the broken ones back and demand a refund.

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fukawitribe replied to arowland | 10 years ago
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arowland wrote:
massspike wrote:

P.S. It turned out I also broke my helmet in the fall

Worrying that these helmets keep breaking in a fall. We all know that if they break, they didn't work (the expanded polystyrene fails to compress, which would decelerate the head a little more slowly than if it hit the road, but becomes effectively rigid, transmitting the entire force to the head and cracking in the process).

No we don't 'all know ... they didn't work' because it's wrong - it is not an all-or-nothing event. The compression is also not the only way the helmet absorbs energy and absorption is not the only factor. One of the main purposes of the helmet is to distribute the force over a larger area, something that can be accomplished even in the event of localised material failure in some part and / or direction. Material failure, although not ideal in general, also typically absorbs energy that may otherwise be transmitted more directly into the skull -some engineering and biological structures rely on material failure of one form or another to provide protection against damage to other structures or to spur on regrowth.

arowland wrote:

If one is going to wear the damn things and pay the sometimes ridiculous prices the manufactures demand for what is basically a bit of foam plastic with straps on, they should at least provide protection when called upon. Perhaps you should take the broken ones back and demand a refund.

A number of helmet manufacturers offer sizeable discounts on helmet crash replacement.

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Zebra | 10 years ago
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It is 9.21am and already 29 degrees C and 60% humidity. Oh well, guess I had better stay in the aircon and watch the cricket. Tomorrow I will get up earlier and head out for a roll.

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PhilRuss | 10 years ago
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[[[[[[ Better to slow down than go down....I let some air out of the tyres. Fundamental, innit.
P.R.

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oceandweller | 10 years ago
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Wow! I'm sure it's just me being weird, but all these stories have cheered me up no end. In fact, sitting here thinking maybe I deserve another drink.  1 Road bike's been in the back of the garage for months. Been getting my kicks on the hardtail up in the woods - it has 2 features I find useful @ this time of year, that're missing from the rb... (a) tyres & (b) brakes.

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Initialised | 10 years ago
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Me too, I'm sporting a nice big bruise below my knee from using it to steady the bike after hitting some black ice a few days ago heading up the north west side of a 200m hill. I managed to stay upright and had the sense to get off and walk through the village at the top where shade from the houses etc... had allowed the ice to cling on, took it very easy down the other side just in case.

We've all been a bit silly. Better to get the CX or MTB out and go play in the mud once things start to freeze up. Worry less about mileage and get some skidding practice in for when you need it on the road.

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mike the bike | 10 years ago
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I can only sympathise as we've all done it and sometimes it seems we never learn ......

One dark and bitterly cold January morning last year I set off for work and on the first bend my front wheel slipped on the ice and down I went. A broken shifter, torn waterproof, bruised shoulder and even more bruised hip convinced me to take the car. I hurt for a couple of weeks.

One dark and bitterly cold February morning last year I set off for work and on the first bend ......

I needn't finish this, need I?

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Sugnea | 10 years ago
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Just a word of caution - thats a hematoma and depending on the size and amount of swelling it could require some additional treatment.

My GF did almost exactly the same thing about 4 years ago on black ice and the top of her leg is now a completely different shape as a result of the tissue being deformed by the blood for quite a long time - it never regained its previous shape.

We both thought, hey its a bruise, it will go away, but it didnt.....

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carlwhallinon | 10 years ago
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Mile 1 of 70 in an Evans ride it sportive late last year, 1st roundabout , touched rear brake to slow a little, back of bike went from under me and skidded across the roundabout still clipped in! Decided to withdraw as my arse could now be seen clearly through my torn bibshorts! 70 miles is a long way to ride with a cold and grazed bum!

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