[road]

Hi… I used to post several years ago about riding in London, under a long forgotten user name. I’m back now with a tale about my recent crash. I’m hoping that some of you will find this useful, and if I help one of you avoid a crash, it will have been worth it. I’m hoping the responses won’t turn into a referendum on the state of the NHS, from whom I received good care. 

I crashed on 9th December 2021, at lunchtime, on a left hand downhill bend less than a mile from home. I was already thinking about my my hot tea and a sandwich. Mistake number one. When riding, think about riding, not what you’re going to do next. The weather was dry and bright, though there were some damp patches on the roads. I was riding my “e” gravel bike on new 38mm gravel tyres. I was clipped in to MTB pedals, which I’ve been using for years. I approached the bend, and braked on the straight, releasing the brakes to enter the bend, with the inside pedal up, and ready to drive my weight through the outside leg. Now… I was either still “hot” speed wise, and/or there was leaf litter and/or a damp patch right on the bend. In any event, the result was that as soon as I drove my weight through my outside leg, things went badly wrong. Both wheels began sliding towards the outside of the bend, assisted by the down hill slope. I instantly knew I was in massive unfixable trouble. The bike crashed down onto it’s left side with me underneath it. I smashed into the roadway with a heavy impact along my whole left side. My helmet hit the ground, either in the first impact, or when I bounced and slid along the road. Either way, there’s a nasty dent in it, and it clearly saved me from a serious head wound, or something far worse. So, NEVER ride without a helmet. 

Anyway… The force of the impact had unclipped me, and I was aware I was lying in the middle of the road. I tried to move, but realised several things weren’t working properly. Fortunately a couple of cars had stopped, though we were all in a dangerous spot. Some kind person called an ambulance, which I initally tried to say I didn’t need. Another mistake. If you are lying on the ground post crash, and your arms or legs aren’t working properly, you need an ambulance. The police arrrived, and various other people with blankets and hot water bottles, very welcome. The police did their best to hurry the ambulance up, and also warn and slow the passing traffic. There was still a long wait for the ambulance, which I would say is unavoidable in these currrent times. Another reason to avoid crashing in the first place of course. When the crew arrived, they were excellent. I was moved into the ambulance with every care and consideration, by which time I realised I’d done a fairly comprehenisive job of damaging myself.

Cut to A&E some time and a CT scan later, plus a fairly hefty dose of morphine. I was told I had cracked 5 ribs and my pelvis, and a small bone called the sacrum at the base of my spine. Plus some major bruising and gravel rash, despite wearing 2 layers of winter clothing. I was hospitalised for a week, before being sent home with strong painkillers and a walking frame, with instructions not to bear weight on the bad side of the pelvis until I’d been seen again in outpatients. 

I am very fortunate in that I took early retirement in 2017 and receive an occupational pension, so my income won’t be affected. I’m also very fortunate that a vehicle wasn’t coming the other way when I crashed, as I could easily have slid into it’s path and been killed. I’m hobbling about at home now, counting my blessings, as well as my bruises. PLEASE concentrate on your ride, be aware of all road conditions and potential hazards, WEAR A HELMET ALWAYS, tell someone where you’re riding, and roughtly when you expect to be back. If the worst happens, accept help if it is offered, and get a proper medical checkup. If I had tried to get up, I could have done worse damage to my pelvis or spine. Don’t play the macho man (or lady!) And most of all, don’t crash!  Regards and safe riding…   

Topic

[Hirsute]

There must be some twisted
There must be some twisted logic there somewhere.

The fact that you can’t give a simple answer is telling.
When you go off for one of your trips do you just say ‘see you when I see you’?

[AlsoSomniloquism]

So superstition? If I check

So superstition? If I check for cancer, I will find cancer! 

Or not wanting to cause unnecessary worry with the other person? ‘I’m going for a cancer screening of x” “oh my god, I’m going to be really worried you have got it if you feel the need to check. Why haven’t they told you the result yet, it must be positive”

Tbh, I will tell the wife my ride will take 1 hour or 2 hours. Mainly so she doesn’t get worried and also to plan around stuff. 

[Anonymous]

I feel almost lucky now! Good

I feel almost lucky now! Good luck with your recovery. My Kindle is taking a hammering. Co-incidentally, I used to live not far from the PRU some years ago. I also spent a week there doing not much (in 2008) due to having the “wrong kind of injury,” before being moved to Guy’s for surgery.  

[wtjs]

what is the negative impact
what is the negative impact of telling people where you’re going?
This is rather like conversing with people who say ‘what can be wrong with screening for cancer of the (X)?’ If they ask the question, they’re not likely to understand the answer.

[Oldfatgit]

Sounds terrible … I hope
Sounds terrible … I hope you have a speedy and relatively pain-free recovery.

[Oldfatgit]

I’m glad to read that you’re
I’m glad to read that you’re mainly ok.

I had a few broken ribs (11, tbh) when I got knocked off (loads of other injuries too) … and they *hurt*.

What ever you do, try not to sneeze …

Hopefully, your recovery time will be less than mine was, and that you’ll be able to get back on your bike.

[TheBillder]

wtjs wrote:

wtjs wrote:

You remind me of the “helmets make you less safe” argument
This hardly makes sense, as I am one of the outspoken proponents of helmets on here, and never ride without one!

Perhaps I wasn’t very clear… I was reminded of that as a contrast: as I say, I disagree with it but understand why people make it. But on your point: what is the negative impact of telling people where you’re going?

[wtjs]

This is a very good

This is a very good description of a complex acetabular fracture, caused as you said by the roughly spherical femoral head being pushed straight through the hip joint socket. At my age I would have expected this to happen to me as I went straight down onto right hip, shoulder and right side of helmet- after your description I feel even luckier, especially as I know a fit woman my age who broke her femoral neck falling onto the carpet at home. I didn’t want to push my luck so I returned early from a ride up onto the moors the other day when I saw those early signs of ice on roadside puddles! Good luck with your recovery, and keep using your helmet. Mine suffered the fracture in my place.

[Rakkor]

I had my crash on Friday 10th

I had my crash on Friday 10th December, when I hit a water filled pothole on my morning’s commute and was thrown from the bike onto my right hand side breaking my clavicle and punching my femur through my pelvis breaking it in 5 places. I was originally quoted 5 hours for an ambulance from 999, or get someone to drive me to A&E! I’d managed to drag myself half off the road in to a freezing puddle of water where I lay for two hours until a ambulance arrived. Unfortunately for me the took me to the PRU at Orpington where the hip specialists are femur rather then Kings College at Denmark Hill which are the pelvis specialists. I languished there untreated for 10 days waiting for a transfer in various levels of pain, ranging from fairly uncomfortable to screaming agony when moved.

I was operated on on the 21st and arrived home on Jan 5th to 6-8 weeks of no weight bearing, meaning stuck in bed looked after by my missus, who definitely didn’t miss her vocation by not being a nurse.

Being stuck in hospital as Omicron started to ramp up you really noticed the levels of service dropping off as the pressures on the staff increased and it got to the stage of feeling a bit “self service” just after New Year. That aside you cannot fault the dedication of the nursing staff, they were fantastic without exception, doing things for me I wouldn’t have asked my mother to.

I was wearing my helmet, but it didn’t save me from any injury at all, as my head didn’t come into contact with any surface in the crash.

 

Before you ask SE20 Cycles have quoted £1800 for insurance purposes

 

[Anonymous]

It now features some diagonal

It now features some diagonal striping in a “natural alloy finish” 🙂

[kil0ran]

Never mind all that, is the
Never mind all that, is the bike ok? 🙂

[wtjs]

cracked my greater trochanter
cracked my greater trochanter 2/3 of the way through
Avulsion of the GT is not the same as what people usually understand as ‘a broken hip’ so the experience may not be broadly applicable. I was lucky to avoid a proper hip fracture on ice just over a year ago, on the same day when a much younger man got the real thing, also on ice. Definitely to be avoided.

[mdavidford]

Or even just random innocuous

Or even just random innocuous looking stretches of road after a light mizzle following a dry period.

I’ve twice gone down taking corners in a leisurely fashion because I’ve unexpectedly found myself trying to cross an oil slick.

[IanMSpencer]

I can assure you that a
I can assure you that a broken hip is not necessarily excruciating, but the pain of hitting the deck is.

I did the comedy cycling in mid-air routine due to a worn, damp surface, then did the trying to walk on a broken leg comedy routine. I then fought off an off duty fireman who wanted to move me. I cracked my greater trochanter 2/3 of the way through. First doctor wanted to send me home, registrar was ready with his saw, consultant decided it was best to wait to see if it fell off of its own accord – so I was probably right to have argued with the fireman.

[wtjs]

You remind me of the “helmets
You remind me of the “helmets make you less safe” argument
This hardly makes sense, as I am one of the outspoken proponents of helmets on here, and never ride without one!

[Author]

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