Not exactly as planned

[melaniesuzanne]

Got home from work last night and talked Hubbyfink into cycling with me over to Eastern Mountain Sports where I could pick up a carabiner for attaching my lunch bag to my new trunk bag. We suited up, headed out and enjoyed the gorgeous weather on the trail. I coasted down the steep hill from the Rte 28 overpass and prepared to turn left to exit the trail on the Pacific Blvd on ramp when I heard two female cyclists yell "on your left!" I waited for them to pass, looked over my shoulder, turned 90 degrees and =WHAM!= was on my back on the ground from being T-boned by a male cyclist who came out of nowhere behind me.

Hubbyfink and another male cyclist ran over to me and I tried to get the world to stop swimming and spiraling around me. I also tried sitting up but was too dizzy. Plus they fussed at me to lie down and stay still. The guy who hit me walked over to see if I was okay. I could answer questions and Hubbyfink said my pupils weren't dilated but mostly I just lay on the ground and whimpered and cried from adrenaline and shock. The female cyclists came back and called 911. I didn't want an ambulance; I wanted to get back on my bike and continue my planned errands. But Hubbyfink fussed at me any time I tried to move so I stayed on the ground, looking at the tall grass waving on either side of my face and feeling the breeze on my bare foot (the collision had literally knocked me out of one of my shoes and sock) as we waited for the EMTs to arrive.

The EMTs asked me what I assume are the usual questions: what's your name, where are you, what day is it, who is the president and I was able to answer correctly. After removing my helmet, they put me in a neck brace and strapped me to a back board. Ugh. Not pleasant. I was lifted to a gurney and rolled up to the ambulance. A lot of firsts for that day. The EMTs marveled at the remains of my helmet and thanked me over and over for wearing it. They said that I would have left the scene via medivac instead of ambulance had I not been wearing it.

In the emergency room I was given morphine for pain -- my head was killing me and my backside wasn't feeling much better -- and was eventually wheeled back for x-rays. According to the doctor, I had no neck, back, or spinal injuries but I was slightly concussed. He removed the brace and back board and helped me sit up. The world immediately swam and I felt like I was falling off the bed. I also thought I was going to be violently sick. The doctor and nurse took turns slightly elevating the bed until I could sit up without feeling like I was falling. Eventually, I was able to leave the bed and was grateful for the wheelchair ride to my car. At two and a half hours this was my second shortest ER stay.

I drank lots of water when we got home because the morphine left me with dry mouth. I was very tired from the adventure and Hubbyfink followed me to bed a little before 10pm. I slept fairly well, although the world swam every time I changed position in bed.

Today, my neck and collar bones are a little sore, probably from the neck brace, and my backside is tender. I'm dizzy if I move too quickly. But I'm not in pain, per se, and Hubbyfink is doing an excellent job of taking care of me. I need a new front rim for my bike and a new helmet. Hubbyfink wants to get us both properly fitted for helmets. I keep telling him that my helmet was obviously properly fitted since I'm not in traction of worse. :)

Comments

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

They really are. Scott was behind me and said that even if I hadn't been turning, the guy most likely would have clipped me because he was cutting the pass so closely. He nearly clipped Scott as well. And didn't signal or announce while doing so.

Maybe the broken collar bone and banged-up bike will teach him to announce.

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

no kidding. NO ONE has any right to go that fast on a public trail. thats what velodromes are for!

very grumpy on your behalf, tho relieved it wasnt worse :(

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hon. I felt so bad about the other guy while I was lying there. Today, I'm more annoyed than anything, especially since Scott was able to tell me how the guy came flying around the both of us.

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

you have nothing to be feeling bad about (tho of course, being tender hearted, you do :))

seriously, he broke a jillion rules of trail etiquette. its no different from being hit by a guy in a speeding car when you're sitting parked at the curb and you open your door.

thank goodness for helmets!

[make-your-move.livejournal.com]

Oh Mellie - I'm so glad you weren't more seriously hurt! Stay on the couch and heal. I'm sending healing thoughts your way.

~gentle hugs~

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hon. I'm so glad the weather's beautiful and I can have the windows open and enjoy the breeze.

[belfebe.livejournal.com]

Good gravy! That was scary! Thank God you are all right! And did the guy who clipped you have at least the decency of staying to see what happened? Jeez, some people really are crazy *and* stupid!

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, he was carted off in an ambulance, too. His friends, the two lady cyclists, were trying to get him to stay still and he kept walking over to see if I was okay. He was all patched up and waiting for his ride from the ER when Scott got to the hospital.

(Missy Anne and Tirloch picked retrieved Scott & bikes and took him home. Otherwise, he was going to chain them together and run home. I'm so glad they were around!)

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh, me too. I always carry my ID, insurance card, and phone with me, and could have gotten a good samaritan to retrieve those from my trunk bag, but it was so much better with him there.

[belfebe.livejournal.com]

I feel sorry for him too. Thank God you both will be all right.

[danabren.livejournal.com]

"And you should see the other guy!"

Glad you're ok. See, this merely validates what I always say - EXERCISE IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH!!

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Hah!

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

OMG how very scary, and I think we’re all glad about the helmet. Eek. From the comments I see the guy was racing? Buh?

Hope you feel better quickly!

(I’ve been thinking about the importance of helmets what with Capital Bikeshare – I have a membership but how often would I have a helmet with me for a short jaunt in the city. I never see helmets on the folk using them)

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

I don't know that he was racing, but he was going very, very fast. A lot of experienced (and foolhardy) cyclists go way too fast for the posted rules, especially with as crowded as the W&OD can get even out here in the sticks. The EMTs and ER doctor told me they see a LOT of folks who are injured in bike-bike or bike-pedestrian collisions. I had no idea.

I've never liked wearing a helmet because my head gets all sweaty even with the vent holes, but I'm never, ever going to be without one when I'm on a bike.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

Eep. I had no idea either. I usually see CBS folk on the actual street in and among the cars, which I was finding a bit disturbing.

I've yet to cash in my LivingSocial for the annual membership. I have a helmet and there's a station right by me; I"m a little more worried about the temptation to be out and about and think, "hey, I could just take that one home."

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

I always wear a helmet when I ride too.... and agree that helmet sweat is NASTY

I found this really helps!

http://www.sahalie.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=12119

wicks sweat away, keeps my hair tidy and out of my eyes/mouth, and when I take off my helmet, it still looks cute (ie no "helmet hair", since the top is all under the headband and looks cute!). I also have some bandanas that I wear under the helmet that help, but the buff is way cuter, IMO :)

hooray for brain buckets!

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that's cute! I'll be picking up one of those when I get my new helmet and rim at REI.

[greta-k.livejournal.com]

I can't tell you the number of times I have had idiots nearly hit me with thier bicycles while I was walking on the W&OD - and I stay on my side of the trail, too. It's not like a walker is moving THAT fast!

[sskipstress.livejournal.com]

A guy clipped my elbow passing me on the right as I was moving right for him to pass me on the left. If I had move a little faster to the right and he had still tried this maneuver, he would have either really hit me or ridden into the ditch next to the Custis Trail.

[alienor.livejournal.com]

Wow! I'm so glad you're okay! Be gentle with yourself for a few days while you heal, okay?

[baronalejandro.livejournal.com]

Yow! I'm glad you're alright. Glad you wore your helmet.

[greta-k.livejournal.com]

Oh dear GOD, Mel! I'm so glad that you weren't more seriously injured, and I am also glad that the female cyclists called 911, and that Scott and the other cyclist made you lie down. While you may not have felt you needed an ambulance, it was a very good thing that you DID go.

Bicycle helmets save skulls, brains and lives. I am SO glad you were wearing yours (and the other cyclist was going to fast if he could not dodge around you in time to prevent an accident - and if he hit you hard enough for you to sustain a concussion).

Take it easy this weekend and I hope you feel better soon.

[mmcnealy.livejournal.com]

Good heavens! I'm so glad that you're OK with only minor injuries. Good thing you were wearing a helmet, I shudder to think at the news if you hadn't been.

Take it easy and be gentle on yourself for a week or two.

[wombatgirl.livejournal.com]

AAAIIGGHH!!! Thank goodness you got out of this with the minor stuff.

HUGS!!!

[stitchwhich.livejournal.com]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for wearing your helmet. OMG, I boggle at even trying to imagine what shape you would have been in without it.

I don't want you looking like one of the skeletons from Sherwood castle. You take care of you, now, you hear?

[reasdream.livejournal.com]

I am so so so glad you're okay! Hooray for helmets!

[dr-zrfq.livejournal.com]

OMG!!!

I am glad you didn't turn out any worse than you did.

I have to ask, though, as this may be an interstate differences question: was there an incident report? In Pennsylvania, a bicycle collision that results in a hospital trip needs a police report.

[ballistabob.livejournal.com]

I think the difference may be that in PA, bikes need to be licensed. I don't think that is the case in VA.

[sskipstress.livejournal.com]

When I lived in PA, I had to register my bike, but I didn't have license it. But that was 20 years ago. I do know that any jaywalking or cycling incidents would go on my driver's record if the police ticketed me.

[dr-zrfq.livejournal.com]

I didn't even have to register my bike at the time, though some localities did require that. Jaywalking and cycling incidents could result in points on one's driving record... and if you didn't have a driver's license you would have difficulty getting one for a couple of years afterwards.

I'm told that the requirement for a police report is to aid in handling insurance matters at the hospital, as well as helping out the court system if the incident results in a lawsuit.

[melaniesuzanne.livejournal.com]

The police were not contacted. I don't know if that's the usual or not as this was my first crash.

[sskipstress.livejournal.com]

Glad you're not really hurting. Take it easy with your poor head.

[salviati.livejournal.com]

I hope you're feeling better. I'm very glad you didn't try to run today! We'll have to find another 5k to do once you're fully healed. :)