Cyclists, make sure ya' wear a helmet.........

[JimB.]

Here is my latest chapter of my book titled "Thinning the Gene Pool: A Personal Story"

After dropping off my DS to football practice yesterday, I decided to take a ride on my BRAND NEW Cannondale bike.

The first 10 miles went by just great. Nice ride, nice weather, not too much traffic.

Whizzing along at about 24 mph (ok, not fast by Tour standards, but pretty stout for me................), I put my head down for a few seconds (BIG mistake) to see how fast I could get up to in a sprint.

Well...................there is this instantaneous flash of orange, and I am doing a really bad impression of Clark Kent, flying through the air, head over heels.

After hitting the ground, doing about 3 somersaults and coming to a stop, supine on the ground, laid out like a slab of beef, do I realize that I have hit a portable Flashing light road sign thingie that weighs about 300 pounds (that, BTW was resting right smack dab in the middle of the bike path).

My BRAND NEW Cannondale bike came to a stop about 30' past me, with the BRAND NEW front fork destroyed (a nice $200+ repair bill coming my way).

Did I mention I was 5 miles outside of town? That at least 20 cars passed by without stopping? That a FLAGLER COUNTY SHERIFF drove right past me without stopping?? That I was not moving for at least 5 minutes while doing an inventory of my bodily parts?

Finally, a very nice gentleman that saw me spill in his rear view mirror that had turned around a couple miles up the road backtracked and gave me a ride back into town.

So here I am, severely stiff, with some really SPECTACULAR bruises. Those guys in the "X" Games have nothing on me. If it was on video, it would definitely make the Top 10 Really Cool Wrecks show.

But, after a long winded intro, the point of this?

My Gyro brand bike helmet was cracked and broken clean through in FOUR PLACES!! And the only head injury I had (Other than the total lack of common sense) was a slight abrasion on my forehead. The helmet definitely prevented a severe head injury.

And to think I almost left it home on this ride.

Helmets. Wear 'em. They will protect you from the other guy (Or in my case, yourself).

No excuses. Don't look cool? Neither does your corpse in a box.

 

[ElizK]

Wow! I'll remember that next time I ride. So glad you're ok! Take some Advil. You're going to be mucho sore tomorrow.

 

[escape]

DH (an avid cyclist) and I always ride our helmets. You never know when you might need it. It sounds like your helmet saved you from some possible head injuries. Glad your're okay.

By the way, DH rides a Cannondale too!

 

[luvdzne]

Great reminder! I'm glad to hear you are O.k.

 

[Buckalew11]

DH has a new Cannondale also! Always wears a helmet. He used to mountain bike (before elbow surgery in Jan.) and wrecked a few times and the helmet saved him also!

Glad you had a helmet on, Jim. Hope you aren't too sore tomorrow. And I hope your bike gets fixed quickly.

I ahve a friend who doesn't own a car. Rides everywhere. I live in a part of the country that isn't really bike friendly. But he rides with no helmet and also no gears or brakes. Can you imagine? No brakes and no helmet?! I know, it is just stupid. We have begged and asked him to wear a helmet and he just won't. I just don't understand. He can afford one (you should see the bike this guy has) but I have offered to even buy him one.

Very nice PSA type of post, thanks!

 

[da-winnie-pooh]

Goodness, glad that it's your helmet that's broken and not your head!

Thanks for the reminder!

 

[ohiominnie]

WOW!! Yes, I'd say the helmet saved your life (or at least the life you now have as you know it)


Amazing story!

 

[shortbun]

Although it is a bit mean spirited, my family calls riders without helmets "donors." We ALL wear our helmets ALL the time. Glad you're ok!!

 

[sharbear]

Jim, so glad to hear that you are okay. Hit a BIG orange sign, huh! After the bruises heal, this story will be so funny. Can you imagine trading war stories with other bikers?

I always wear a helmet. My DS went out on his bike yesterday, I reminded him to wear his helmet, he wore it. He's 18. One of his teachers died this year. He was a big biker and rode his bike back and forth to school. A car ran a red light and hit him. He was wearing a helmet but it brings back the perils of road biking and that they must wear a helmet.

We have had good friends hit on their bikes. One good friend was hit by a drunk driver. Because he was wearing his helmet, he's here today. My BIL had a pothole jump out and get him. He broke his collarbone but saved his skull with his helmet.

Sorry to hear about your new bike. That stinks.

 

[kdudley3]

I had to bump this one.
My son was 14 and riding his bike in front of the house. He was "racing" a little neighbor boy. He turned to look back at him and he ended up turning the handlebars and the nobby tires gripped the road and over he flew. He really wasn't going fast.

Long story short...landed on head, seizure, hospital, life flight, blood clot on brain, emergency brain surgery, etc.

He ended up ok in the end, but it was a lifr altering experience for our whole family. Needless to say all kids at my house wear helmets for everything. Even all the neighborhood kids wear them too.

I just hope that this might help someone from going through this.

 

[ohiominnie]

Although it is a bit mean spirited, my family calls riders without helmets "donors." We ALL wear our helmets ALL the time. Glad you're ok!!

When we see a motorcyclists riding without a helmet we say "look, there's a donor cycle."



True though.....they make great organ donor canidates cuz it's usually a head injury that does them in.

 

[stego]

My wife was riding in America's greatest ride this past June in Lake Tahoe. Coming down a hill another cyclist hit a pothole; she went down and her bike went right into my wife's path. Nothing she could do at 30 mph...went down hard. She got quite a shiner, scrapes, cuts and bruised ribs. And a cracked helmet. We retired it; complete with Texas flag on it. All that training; she was about 20 miles or so into the ride. At the emergency room she tried to get back on her bike to finish; the doc wouldn't let her. We got her a new helmet and she is riding again, and is will have to work hard to build up her level. Our son wears his whenever he is on his bike. We also wear our glasses; you never know what will go flying up into your face on the road or on the trail. All throughout the neighborhood I see many children riding bikes without helmets; it is true-we as parents are examples! I figure my son rides 2500 miles a year. He is 11 yo.