How not to be a cyclist, chapter XVII.
I really hope this isn't going to be my trend for the year. My Dad averages one major disaster every twelve months (removing a finger with a router, stabbing himself with a power drill, getting flayed by barbed wire, shredding his feet with lawnmower blades etc) and I thought I was looking at a similar sort of track record on the bike; last year I had one major stack (car door opening a meter ahead of me); this year I'm already on my second. It's only february! I do not want to end up lying on the road bleeding once a month. If nothing else, bike repairs are expensive. (Note to self - sign up for a bike repair course next time the local shop offers 'em.)
Anyways, the latest disaster. I'm doing the Melbourne Summer Cycle this year - http://www.melbournesummercycle.org.au/ for details - and decided that it was a good idea to make a token effort at training, outside of my usual 10km/day to and from work. So I did the 20km ride out to visit Silverblue and Brandtotter this sunday, just to see how I'd hold up - I've done it before with minimal issues, so thought it was a good warm-up.
Got into the CBD pretty easily - 5 clicks or so - and got caught in traffic on Flinders St: normally a non issue. This time though, a ute towing a boat trailer pulled up beside at the lights; and gave me all of about six inches space between his trailer and the parked car beside. Tight, but deal-withable; except for the fact that his trailer got wider towards the end. So when he took off, the six inches rapidly became no inches, and my handlebars got snagged; and therefore, Dilph went boom. I got caught far enough back that getting sucked under his tyres wasn't a concern, but I did hit fairly hard, and drag the back of my right hand against the bitumen; should tell you something that I ground off about two millimeters from the end of my (metal) brake lever. Picked myself up off the ground, gathered my bike - by this time trailer-dude is long gone; I doubt he even noticed - and took stock; my headlight is smashed beyond repair, I'm bleeding from the knuckles and elbow, but otherwise seem OK. So I jump back on the bike and ride the rest of the way (all fifteen clicks of it), albeit somewhat more slowly than usual.
On the way I realise that I've twisted my bad knee (again); I had a slip-and-fall about two years ago and the knee has never been quite right since, so I'm not surprised I've aggravated it; still walking ok, just no power when I'm riding, and a little gimpier than usual. The big issue though is the fact I have nil grip strength in my right hand; I have full mobility, but no oomph. Riding one handed has never been my favorite thing, especially given my right brake is my instinct brake, and I don't have enough strength in my fingers to pull it. So yeah, fun and games.
I got to the destination alright, and then pretty well collapsed; doing my proper post-accident inspection I noticed a massive bruise on my right thigh, where my mobile phone has been smashed against me on impact; fortunately, I've got one of those rugged drop-proof, water-proof, everything-proof types, so no damage to that; I've also got a graze on the back of my right shoulder - which has actually torn through my VNV tshirt. Talk about a piss-off! Brandtotter applied liberal amounts of antiseptic and bandages, and from that point on the day went more or less according to plan - geekin' out with cool folks. Almost worth the price of admission :)
Anyways, I trained it home - well, to the city, and rode the rest of the way. Given how shaky I was for that (about 8-9 hours after the accident) I'm damn glad I didn't try to ride the whole thing. I've got about half-function back in my hand, so that's looking good; and maybe this time I'll actually get a scar. Mind you, my last big bike trophy scar has faded to nothing, so I think it's just not meant to be... but hey. The 40km ride is this sunday, so who knows what trouble I'll be able to get myself into?
Anyways, the latest disaster. I'm doing the Melbourne Summer Cycle this year - http://www.melbournesummercycle.org.au/ for details - and decided that it was a good idea to make a token effort at training, outside of my usual 10km/day to and from work. So I did the 20km ride out to visit Silverblue and Brandtotter this sunday, just to see how I'd hold up - I've done it before with minimal issues, so thought it was a good warm-up.
Got into the CBD pretty easily - 5 clicks or so - and got caught in traffic on Flinders St: normally a non issue. This time though, a ute towing a boat trailer pulled up beside at the lights; and gave me all of about six inches space between his trailer and the parked car beside. Tight, but deal-withable; except for the fact that his trailer got wider towards the end. So when he took off, the six inches rapidly became no inches, and my handlebars got snagged; and therefore, Dilph went boom. I got caught far enough back that getting sucked under his tyres wasn't a concern, but I did hit fairly hard, and drag the back of my right hand against the bitumen; should tell you something that I ground off about two millimeters from the end of my (metal) brake lever. Picked myself up off the ground, gathered my bike - by this time trailer-dude is long gone; I doubt he even noticed - and took stock; my headlight is smashed beyond repair, I'm bleeding from the knuckles and elbow, but otherwise seem OK. So I jump back on the bike and ride the rest of the way (all fifteen clicks of it), albeit somewhat more slowly than usual.
On the way I realise that I've twisted my bad knee (again); I had a slip-and-fall about two years ago and the knee has never been quite right since, so I'm not surprised I've aggravated it; still walking ok, just no power when I'm riding, and a little gimpier than usual. The big issue though is the fact I have nil grip strength in my right hand; I have full mobility, but no oomph. Riding one handed has never been my favorite thing, especially given my right brake is my instinct brake, and I don't have enough strength in my fingers to pull it. So yeah, fun and games.
I got to the destination alright, and then pretty well collapsed; doing my proper post-accident inspection I noticed a massive bruise on my right thigh, where my mobile phone has been smashed against me on impact; fortunately, I've got one of those rugged drop-proof, water-proof, everything-proof types, so no damage to that; I've also got a graze on the back of my right shoulder - which has actually torn through my VNV tshirt. Talk about a piss-off! Brandtotter applied liberal amounts of antiseptic and bandages, and from that point on the day went more or less according to plan - geekin' out with cool folks. Almost worth the price of admission :)
Anyways, I trained it home - well, to the city, and rode the rest of the way. Given how shaky I was for that (about 8-9 hours after the accident) I'm damn glad I didn't try to ride the whole thing. I've got about half-function back in my hand, so that's looking good; and maybe this time I'll actually get a scar. Mind you, my last big bike trophy scar has faded to nothing, so I think it's just not meant to be... but hey. The 40km ride is this sunday, so who knows what trouble I'll be able to get myself into?