TO ALL BICYCLE-RIDERS (Story w/ pics)

saltorian

***[Length Warning -- but please read this anyway if you have time!]***

My helmet may well have saved my life yesterday.

Sorry for the annoying all-caps subject line and the frickin long post, but this is really important. I'm sure for most people (especially serious cyclists) that this is preaching to the choir, and I'm equally sure that there are some of you out there who know better but won't listen anyway, but if this post gets even one person to think twice, then it was worth writing.

Here's the story:

Yesterday, I put together an awesomely delicious chicken curry from scratch, then ran upstairs to poke MFP until it told me the damage (735 calories a serving, not counting the rice I was going to serve it over. Gahhhhh... yikes!). Knowing I didn't have enough budgeted to absorb such a scrumptious calorie bomb, I decided to hustle out and go for a quick bike ride before my guests arrived. Innocent enough.

Now, I'm a confident rider, and a fairly safety-conscious one. I don't do anything too crazy. I stay where I'm supposed to on the road, use the sidewalk or bike trail if they're available, obey the traffic signals/signs, and stay aware of my surroundings. (Hell, I even have one of those little mirrors mounted on my handlebars!) I've ridden around this area for years.

It was a beautiful afternoon for a ride and I spent half an hour or so chugging up hills, coasting down them, making sharp turns, stopping for traffic, dodging idiot drivers, veering for pedestrians, going over grates, dropping down from curbs, and even going off the shoulder once or twice. I was almost home. I was in my own neighborhood. All that, and what nearly killed me was THIS:



Yep. That skinny little not-a-curb in the middle there.

I was going along the road and starting to ease sideways to get up to the sidewalk ahead when... well, I don't remember exactly what happened. I think my tires must have hit that little concrete edge at exactly the same time, causing my bike to tip to the right. After that, all I have is some choppy, dreamlike memories of strangers standing over me, being sickeningly dizzy, seeing blood dripping onto my hand, and hearing someone say they were calling an ambulance.

(If you can believe it, in the midst of all that, while I was sitting on the curb bleeding, I had the thought to pause my HRM since I was just sitting there.)

I don't remember the ambulance arriving. I don't remember getting into it. The next thing I can remember clearly, I was coming to my senses inside the ambulance with three EMTs standing over me. I had no idea where I was, what I had been doing, that I was expecting guests over, or even whether it was morning or afternoon. I wasn't wearing any ID, so I'm glad I was able to put myself together enough to tell them who I was and who to call.

At the hospital, they checked me out, did an x-ray of my swollen right hand and some CT scans of my head. Turns out I'm a very lucky girl. I didn't break my hand or wrist, (re)dislocate my shoulder, shatter a kneecap, break my jaw or cheekbone, or have any brain damage. All the same, I think I shouldn't have caught myself with my face. :-P

Here's me after getting cleaned up (looks worse today as the bruises are starting to surface):



...and here's my helmet:


That could have been my skull. So here's the moral of the story:

Please please please ALWAYS wear your helmet! (And if you don't have one, get one!)

Even if you don't feel like it.
Even if you think it makes you look dumb.
Even if it messes up your hair.
Even if it's hot outside.
Even if your helmet is wet, dusty, or full of spiders (but clean it out first!).
Even if you're only taking a short trip.
Even if it's uncomfortable (and if it is, make sure it's adjusted properly).
And especially if you don't think you need it just because you've never crashed before.

I admit it: I didn't always wear mine before. Sometimes, especially for a quick trip to the convenience store, I wouldn't throw it on. I was wearing it yesterday, though, and I can't stop thanking God that I was.

Thanks for listening (reading), everyone. Take care!

biddysaurus

Holy crap! Glad you are ok!! Thanks for the helmet remember...I'm getting too relaxed about putting mine on.

EZGruv

Is riding on the sidewalk legal where you live? It isn't here.

I agree on your helmet warning. Every ride, every time.

Were you wearing your RoadID?

denverdeb1

WOW girl you are lucky! Thanks for the helmet warning, I admit I rarely wear mine but will start. Take care of yourself and hope the bruises heal fast.

Reisse62

Thank you for sharing!!! I am going to share with my kids.

I ALWAYS wear my helmet.

knittnponder

Wow! I'm glad you're okay and thankful you were wearing a helmet! Our family rule is that if it has wheels you should either be buckled in or have a helmet on (depending on the mode of transportation). I admit I've been tempted to skip the helmet but I want my kids to wear one so I can't be a hypocrite. We've been doing a lot of trail riding lately and I am amazed at just how many people *don't* wear a helmet! Thank you for sharing and for the PSA.

micklepickle61

Wow! I'm glad that you are OK. Sounds like a good idea to carry some sort of ID with you when you bike. Good you were wearing your helmet.

songbyrdsweet

Good on you for wearing your helmet! I ALWAYS wear mine, even on my (literally) 3-minute ride to the gym. I also carry my old school ID because it has my name on it and if I lose it, no big deal. My dad has a bracelet with his information on it.

LORELLI

Wow, it's good to read this because I ride my bike to work and back and there are times when I'm tempted to take it off because it makes my head sweat and messes up my hair! lol I haven't gone without it yet, but now I never will even think about it again! Glad you're ok!

Heather75

Thanks for the reminder. I'm so glad you were wearing your helmet.

lunglady

Glad you're OK. :flowerforyou:

saltorian

Riding on the sidewalk is not technically legal here, no, but I've never seen the police bother anyone about it. As long as there are no pedestrians and you stay out of traffic's way, it's a reasonable choice on a busy road like that one (the main route that runs through our small city).

I wish I had been wearing an ID bracelet, and I'm very grateful that I was able to get my senses together enough to tell them who I was and who to call. I'm definitely getting an ID bracelet now.

Thriceshy

My 13 year old and I had a heated argument just a couple of weeks ago about helmets. He rides a caster board, you see. He kept insisting that he didn't need a helmet because he's never fallen in such a way that he's hit his head. I said, "Yeah, and you've never been in a car accident that launched you out the windshield, either--does that mean you don't need a seat belt?" Once again had the "risk reduction" talk, but he was adamant.

So I caved, in my own special way. I said, "Okay, you're right--you don't need to wear a helmet because you don't have a caster board anymore. You don't have a bike or a scooter, either. There--you get your way, no more helmet."

Ooooh, I am the meanest Mommy ever!

Kris

anewattitude

Thank God you are ok!! Also... thanks for posting this! I get so annoyed when I see people biking without a helmet.. especially children. I hate wearing one but I always do. It's common sense and hopefully your story will encourage other people to be cycle smart!

sassylilmama

I will be making my daughter read this as she was just today complaining about being the only kid around that has to wear a helmet. Very glad you are ok.

AnnaPixie

So glad you were wearing one. I dont ride, but I'm going to tell my good buddies to read your post.

Thanks and good luck :flowerforyou:

saltorian

So I caved, in my own special way. I said, "Okay, you're right--you don't need to wear a helmet because you don't have a caster board anymore. You don't have a bike or a scooter, either. There--you get your way, no more helmet."

Ooooh, I am the meanest Mommy ever!

Aw, Kris! :laugh:

Good for you! You must really love your son to be so firm on this issue, and you're damn right about it. I can tell you - I had no reason to believe I'd ever need that helmet. I'd never fallen, either.

*It only takes once.*

beckyinma

WOW! I always wear my helmet! I have a friend who went off the road on his road bike during a race, wearing a helmet and broke like 17 bones, including his skull and jaw in 3 places, was wired shut for 6 weeks, and after 8 years, still has sever side effects.

I'm so glad you are ok!

My kids know that they have to wear their helmet, even to just ride in the driveway. They see a teenager w/o a helmet, and they always comment that the person is just not being smart, or is not making smart choices. I hope it instills in them the confidence to wear a helmet proudly, knowing they are safer. It's a conversation we have often... What really gets me is when parents make their kids wear helmets, but don't wear one themselves.. Sends a great message...

peanut613

Thanks for sharing your story! It's a much needed reminder of how important helmets are.

hanaibo

Glad I wore my helmet today too! There are so many risks when it comes to cycling (doesn't matter if it's on the street or sidewalk...although sometimes I think the sidewalk is more dangerous). I'm glad you're Okay! I had been neglecting to wear my helmet every once in a while - for short trips...but that won't be happening anymore! Thanks for sharing. For those who think helmets look dumb - buy a nice looking one! It's a good investment

cassondraragan

Such a good post! My son last weekend went to my dad's and was riding his bike. He was getting really hot and my dad told him to take off his helmet (grrrrrrr) because it would cool him down. My 4 year old yelled "NO! I need it for safety!!!!" I couldn't have been prouder!