Man down...actually two...

xc62701

Well-Known Member
This morning I had a nice 2 hour easy spin planned for my training. It's now day 6 of training and I'm trying to get accustomed to the different routines and working with the heartrate monitor. I wanted some company on this ride so I invited my roommate Andy along and he was happy to get out so it was all looking good. I took a tour through Morristown, Mendham, Jockey Hollow, Morristown again and back to Parsippany and I never made it back on the bike...

As we were coming down a slight decline, Andy and I were single file and cruising along at about 20-25mph when we approached the intersection of a local shopping center. It's usually busy so I'm always cautious around this area. So we are just cruising along and I see a car up ahead looking to pull out. I notice him and come closer looking for eye contact to make sure he sees us. No problem. I make eye contact and am positive he is staying where he is. I keep on coming and as I'm about 10 feet from his nose he pulls out into the intersection. This is where my day gets bad...

I proceed to grab my brakes which was only about 1 second before the impending impact. So I instead focus my effort on getting my body higher to make the impact easier. I guess it worked. I remember unclipping - flipping over with my head on the hood - closing my eyes preparing for impact - and then the impact occurred when I landed on the pavement on the other side of the car. As soon as I landed I look back to see my roommate screaming ....SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!! as he also hits the car(he was 10 feet behind me and couldn't avoid it either). I remember seeing him hit - his body tumbling forward over the hood - ATTACHED TO HIS BIKE. He didn't unclip but he then did in mid air as he was flying over the hood and launched his bike another 20 feet further than his body as his Cervelo whizzed through the air over my crumpled body lying on the ground. So there we were lying on the ground writhing in pain with carnage every where.

The first thing I assessed was my knees. They were both numb and they felt like both knees or legs were shattered. I started moving them around and still numb I could feel that they weren't broken but not in good shape. All I saw was two large tears on each knee through my PI Amfib tights and my knickers. Blood was close by underneath... I seemed to be doing ok so I turned to my buddy to see if he was ok. He was in a lot of pain and complaining that his ankle was hurt. I kept asking him over and over and we both agreed we were kinda ok just banged up.

Since the intersection was pretty busy there were PLENTY of witnesses. One lady ran over in tears since she - in her own words - "thought we were dead." They were amazing giving us support and warm blankets and jackets as we were freezing sitting on the nearby guardrail waiting for police and ambulances to come. The help was a little sluggish and unorganized but we got our ride to the hospital and the care we needed.

The results were overall very good. Andy was released with only cuts and bruises after examination and x-rays. I was also released with only cuts and bruises but a few more than Andy. My left knee is completely swollen with a large abrasion and a few below on my shin. My right knee has a few abrasions on it as well as my right shin is beat up and my right ankle is a little sore. Not too bad for two schmoes hitting a car at 25 and both flying over the hood. I REALLY want to see video of that...not that it exists.

The aftermath...

We went to the local PD that covered our accident and had to go pickup our bikes and answer a few more questions for the officer in charge. He wanted to know what the aftermath of the injuries were and we informed him that we were very lucky - he agreed. He gave us the update on the driver as well. The guy was an 84 year old man that said he saw us and then proceeded to pull out anyway. He said that he thought he had the right of way and couldn't believe that we hit him...WTF??? Are you kidding me? The driver was issued a summons for careless driving and will have to retake his driving test to get his license back. The officer also took notice of the driver's car and he said the front end looked like it got hit by a car. There was so much damage he couldn't believe that it was hit by 2 bikes.

The casualties of the day were my Lemond Versailles and Andy's Cervelo Soloist. Mine definitely took the brunt of the force. My front fork was sheared off, my front wheel taco'd, and my back wheel demolished as a few spokes were torn from the spoke bed. The spine of my frame is carbon fiber so I won't trust that as it was probably compromised in the accident as well. My pants and knickers are also gone as the knees were totally ripped open and the medics sliced them any way to treat my wounds. Andy's front fork was ripped from the steerer tube and his front wheel was demolished as well. He also had a carbon seatpost that was torn off the bike with his seat getting mangled as well. This is only upon initial inspection as I'm sure we'll find more as we're starring at the carnage.

All in all what a day. Day 6 of my 2009 training. Both ok, safe, battered, and bruised. I'm hoping I'm getting the bad luck over with early...
 

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BiknBen

Well-Known Member
Really glad to hear that you are relatively alright. You took too long to write that the other guy didn't drive off. I was trying to read fast cause I wanted to know what happened with him. Hit and runs are way too frequent.

Once again, glad you are recovering. You will likely have to appear in court because the driver's offense resulted in injury.

You know, some of us are trying to get the Pay-dirt out of the way early. You didn't have to go flipping over a car to get it out of the way.
 

xc62701

Well-Known Member
Really glad to hear that you are relatively alright. You took too long to write that the other guy didn't drive off. I was trying to read fast cause I wanted to know what happened with him. Hit and runs are way too frequent.

Once again, glad you are recovering. You will likely have to appear in court because the driver's offense resulted in injury.

You know, some of us are trying to get the Pay-dirt out of the way early. You didn't have to go flipping over a car to get it out of the way.

Lol...I could come up with better excuses for sure. It was definitely a shock and the guy didn't get away for sure. There were too many parts scattered everywhere and witnesses galore so it would have been a little hard.
 

Cyclopath

Shop Owner / Employee
Shop Keep
Holy crap, Ryan!
Thank God, you guys are okay.

I'm shaking just reading about it. I totally understand how the witnesses must have felt. Crazy thing with drivers, some are just great and others just don't get it. A woman nearly ran us down last Monday in a jug handle interchange that sets us up to cross a highway. Just oblivious. We were going @ 24 MPH and she kept trying to push past us on a curve to get to a stop light. It was like she didn't see us. At the light, Gary calmly spoke with the woman on her side of the car and explained that we had the same rights as a vehicle. She said she didn't realize that. !!!!

What is more remarkable. Gary was calm although his daughter who races on the U Conn team was cut off a few weeks ago. She, like you all, sailed over the car, trashed a $6000 Carbon Cervello, busted the frame in half, and walked away with bruises, scrapes and a mild whiplash. I might have grabbed the fool driver by the throat and... UGH!!! Drivers, is it worth a cyclist's life to save two seconds?

Trust nobody.
Feel better soon.
 

elzoller

El Guac-Oh
holy shit! glad to hear you guys are ok...the moral of the story...if you see an old guy/lady behind the wheel better assume he is not stopping!!
 

antgold

Member
gled evrithing is relativly well....

Every time I feel that in order to be a better mountain biker I have to go to the road I get excuses not to go for it ....

still keeping my steady pace workout in the gym

feel well !
 
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ArmyOfNone

Well-Known Member
Shit son! Glad your alright! Well not seriously injured. That is insane and I can imagine such a thing.

My guess is that man's driving days are over. Heal up quick! And get your rake!:rofl:
 

Panhead

Well-Known Member
Dood - all I got is F**K you guys just used up alot of luck!. He thought he had the right of way. Kick his teeth down his throat man. While your at it break his legs so he can't drive again. On my Pan I used to have a stack of 3/4" washers right on my bars, when someone did something stupid I'd bounce one off their windshield. Better yet was rolling up next to 'em kicking their mirror off and blasting down the shoulder. Those were the days:getsome:
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
I think I was sweating a little reading that write up. That was intense.
Glad for the most part you are okay and live another day.
I wish you a speedy recovery and continue your training!

It's always the older drivers that don't give a flying hoot and always honk horns on the road... be safe everyone!

...The spine of my frame is carbon fiber so I won't trust that as it was probably compromised in the accident as well...

Well at least you can add another tick under your belt for replacing another frame under warranty :) jk
 

gtluke

The Moped
DAMN!
Dude go get an MRI on your knees! You had the exact same crash that I did on my motorcycle. Same knees! X-rays can't see crap in your knees.
 

ellenserruto

New Member
Jeeeez this is enough to make me back out of buying my first road bike
I'm glad you're alive and i wish you a speedy recovery!
 

rocknrollgirl

Well-Known Member
Holy Crap. I just started road riding and this scares me to death. I have been taking the advice given in the thread on this site by Ben and some of the others....Take the lane, make eye contact, confirm your direction, assume that they do not see you.....

Very Frightening, I am glad that you are going to be ok. Sorry about your bike.:(
 
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ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Holy shit, Ryan. I, like everyone else, was losing it just reading about what happened to you. That is seriously scary, a nightmare scene for sure.

Thankfully, bikes are much easier to replace and repair than people. Hope you and your friend are back to 100% as soon as possible!
 
G

Greenman

Guest
Eeouch. Damn man that’s some crazy accident. Good to see that both of you didn’t get hurt worse then you did. Just sucks when you are just starting to get into training mode though.

On the bright side it is good to see how strangers came to your aid, and not just let you roll around on the ground.

With this incident, I will be keeping my road bike on the trainer, and just ride my mountain bike LoL.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Ouch indeed! I was in Morristown and Mendham (I avoid Jockey Holllow) yesterday and ride those areas often. Glad you're relatively ok man. Feel better soon.
 

mike_243

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
Dude,
luckily it is just the bikes that are done for,I normally look at things like this and say it could always have been worse and in this case that is so true.
heal quick and get back to it.
living down here in old people land I always give the car the right of way cause you just don't know....
 

J-Dro

Well-Known Member
Wow, you just lived through the worst nightmare of every rider here. Heal up fast!
 
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