Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
No. of Recommendations: 11
Do not fall off your bike, break 5 ribs, your clavicle, and collapse a lung. But if you do, wear your helmet. Notice the list does not include a concussion or fractured skull.
Advice offered freely, but gained through experience, aka-the fool’s school.
No. of Recommendations: 0
But if you do, wear your helmet.
For decades, Michigan required motorcycle riders to wear a helmet. When the Shinies took control in Lansing, the helmet law was repealed as "freeedom". But Michigan's car seat belt use law is enforced.
"Freeedom" on a bike, but not in a car?
I have a theory: it's a sinister conspiracy by the insurance industry.
Get in a wreck in a car, and the seat belt will minimize/eliminate serious injuries, reducing insurance claims expense.
Get in a wreck on a bike, without a helmet, and you are more likely to be killed outright, also reducing insurance claims expense.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 5
My brother who spent his career in health care in the OR says that motorcyclists without helmets are known as organ donors
No. of Recommendations: 2
Get in a wreck on a bike, without a helmet, and you are more likely to be killed outright, also reducing insurance claims expense.
Often leaving good organs. Though I wouldn't want the liver from some of the bar-hopping riders around here. Riding without a helmet from bar to bar. What could possibly go wrong?
I tried talking to a Hog rider who never wears a helmet. He was convinced he was safer without one. He was also convinced his Harley handled better and was faster than a "crotch-rocket". Ohkay.
No. of Recommendations: 2
You can’t argue with logic like that.
No. of Recommendations: 3
My biggest problem over the years- riding a bike down city streets past parked cars. Keep your eyes on possible car doors opening in front of you.
Also- intersections. Motorists in cars to your right simply may look straight through you without actually seeing you- pulling into the intersection directly in front of you.
In spite of all the potential deadly encounters, I managed to avoid collisions over the last 50 years.
My biggest “accident” occured 50 years ago in Chicago’s Hyde Park. I pulled up to a red stoplight next to a convertible filled with four beautiful women. But my foot stuck in the pedal toestrap. I came to a stop by the curb and simply fell over into the grass.(think Laugh-in’s guy on a tricycle tipping over).
The light turned green. The beautiful women drove off with barely a glance in my direction- and I had learned a valuable lesson about the potential problem with toe straps/cages.
No. of Recommendations: 1
I came to a stop by the curb and simply fell over into the grass.(think Laugh-in’s guy on a tricycle tipping over).
Older cyclists I know call it doing an Artie for Artie Johnson. We’ve all done it. I ride clip-in pedals, but my crash would have happened the same way even if I had been using platform pedals. The fall was that fast. 32ft/sec^2 won.
No. of Recommendations: 3
I ride clip-in pedals, but my crash would have happened the same way even if I had been using platform pedals. The fall was that fast. 32ft/sec^2 won.
I overcame my fear of cleats in 1990, and have ridden with them ever since. My original fear of them was based on my worry that I couldn’t unclip them from the pedal fast enough to avoid an “Artie”.
That fear proved to be an irrational one.
Wouldn’t ride without them now.
No. of Recommendations: 3
Even mountain biking I ride clipped in and have for decades, now. Can't imagine riding without them.
What I do is loosen the tension screw on the pedals so I can get in and out quickly. Sometimes screw-ups can happen but by and large it's safe. +1 on the parked cars.
No. of Recommendations: 2
I overcame my fear of cleats in 1990, and have ridden with them ever since.
I used to bike everywhere. In grad school, I didn't have a parking pass. But I lived about 4 miles from campus. Rain or shine, I biked. Even did a lot of my grocery shopping on the way home.
I haven't been on my bike in years (still have it). It has toe clips. Same idea: feet can't fall off the pedals easily, and I can actually pull up on the one leg as the other is pushing down. Allowed me to walk in my regular shoes when I did a grocery stop (or, for that matter, going to my various classes).
If we ever move someplace less harsh, with bike paths, I may start riding again. Too hot here, and the drivers are too aggressive with highly inadequate bike lanes.
No. of Recommendations: 2
Advice offered freely, but gained through experience, aka-the fool’s school.
It’s called the school of hard knocks for a reason.
Hope your recovery goes well. I understand that avoiding the belly laugh kind of jokes is a good idea until the ribs heal up. Best wishes as you recover.
— Peter
No. of Recommendations: 3
I hope you have a speedy recovery.
I clipped a tree, with the handlebars, on my mtn-bike a couple of weeks ago.
It was on single-track, wasn't going real hard, but it was downhill and tight.
I was very surprised as my front wheel turned perpendicular to direction of
travel, and I found myself going forward, over the bars. I wear clip in
shoes, so my feet stayed connected to the pedals, and as the physics experiment
played out, I landed hard on my left shoulder, and the rear end of the bike came
up and almost over, before the force unclipped my feet from the pedals.
It hurt pretty good, I still had about 10 miles to get back to my vehicle,
and it wasn't a problem going easy all the way back. But the next 10 days or
so was kind of rough, very sore shoulder. I knew nothing was broken ( been thru
that before ), so just had to back off upper body type workouts for 2 weeks.
Back at it now, for about 5 days, easing into it.
Listen to your body, don't rush your comeback. Foot powered stuff is good
for ya, too. This is a fantastic time to be out in the woods hiking, I'd
stay off the bike till Spring, but you get to make that call. Have a
good recovery !
No. of Recommendations: 2
Yep, that's why I walk, but plan on riding when I find a recumbent trike I like. I'm fixing up my house, but I won't go up on the roof. I know medicine has improved a lot, but it takes longer to heal when you're old, and sometimes you don't really heal and slowly spiral down to... but I do need the exercise, and I enjoy a project when it's done. My sympathies, keep us posted on your progress.
No. of Recommendations: 0
THank you for sharing ---sorry for your getting hurt and here's hoping for a good recovery.
I'm on a 6 month in a row exercise streak now (never made it to 6 months) and all i do is dumbells 3 times a week, and 30 minutes walk 5 times a week on the Delaware River. At times a college girl track team practices there so there's that perk.
No. of Recommendations: 3
The docs. have banned me from the bike for a minimum of 6 weeks, and I've been told that the pain may keep me off even longer. You sound like you were lucky that you weren't more seriously hurt. I will be out walking in the woods soon, maybe in a couple of days, just to stretch my legs and my lungs.
No. of Recommendations: 9
I was released from the hospital today, almost 96 hours after the crash. 4 days of hospital food motivated me to be a super patient and do all the things I was told to do to get out as quickly as possible. 😉
No. of Recommendations: 4
Wishing you a speedy recovery, PucksFool. Cycling is the best, IMHO.
I crashed a year ago. I believe I clipped the wheel of the guy in front in a pace line when he slowed for bumps with no warning. Slammed me down hard. Slight concussion, abrasions. Helmet was trashed. My glasses cut my nose so there was quite a bit of blood. The blood all over my face plus a bit of confusion scared my buddies into calling 911. I got checked out but was fine. Back riding a few days later. Lesson learned.
No. of Recommendations: 0
I crashed a year ago. I believe I clipped the wheel of the guy in front in a pace line
Club rider?
No. of Recommendations: 1
Club rider?
Not an official club. A group I ride with regularly. Guy in front was new. I should've known better. My fault.
