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Whig: May 21, 2009:Saved by my bicycle helmet
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rt-@queensu.ca
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May 30, 2009 07:35 PDT
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Saved by my bicycle helmet
Posted By
Posted 1 day ago
Next week is Cycling Week. I celebrated the coming of Cycling Week in a most memorable fashion when I crashed my bike on westbound Highway 2, just a few metres east of Shore Road, on Thursday, May 21, at 4:20 p. m.
I am a conservative, cautious cyclist. I signal turns, observe traffic laws, and will wait rather than take a chance with a yellow light or a turning car. I wear high-visibility clothing and a helmet, do not use headphones, avoid taking corners too fast or sharp, and adjust my speed to the conditions (although I do occasionally tuck in and let it rip on a nice, open downhill).
It is often said of cyclists, especially road riders, that it is not a question of if you will crash, but when. After almost 40 years of cycling, I had experienced a few minor spills, but I suppose it was my turn for a biggie.
My accident occurred when I hit a sharp, deep depression in the asphalt on the paved shoulder. I didn't see the pothole because of the dappled sunlight and shadow caused by windy, sunny afternoon conditions. You know how it goes: front wheel stops suddenly, rear wheel keeps going. It happened so fast that I had only enough time to think, "Oh, shit," or something like that. There was no time to unclip or even brace myself.
The next thing I remember is a man at my side helping me get up and picking up my bike. He had seen me crash, stopped his car and rushed to my aid. I remember he had a small red car.
I was somewhat disoriented and unsteady on my feet. He asked me if I was OK and I remember saying, "Oh sure, I'm fine." I think I may even have indicated that I was planning to get back on my bike and ride the rest of the way home (another 45 minutes or so).
In fact, I was anything but fine, but I hadn't figured that out yet. I think I might have been in shock. I realize now that I must have seemed ungrateful at the time, and quite possibly insane. I hope that my kind motorist reads this letter and accepts my heartfelt thanks for stopping, helping me and making sure I was safe.
I called my husband on my cellphone. My poor husband is used to getting recovery calls -- a flat I can't fix, a broken pedal, that kind of thing -- and I think he was just about to tell me to suck it up and wait when he detected something in my voice telling him this was different. "Honey, I crashed my bike," I said. "I don't know if I can ride it. I think I'm hurt."
Once I gave him my co-ordinates, I finally took stock of my situation. Amazingly, my bike looked OK. When I reconstructed the accident (because I don't actually remember anything between the "Oh, shit" and the motorist picking me up), I reckoned that I managed a pretty good "airborne roll" while still attached to my bike. Fortunately, I had rolled to the right, away from the roadway, landing partially on asphalt and partially on the soft gravel shoulder. The right side of my body took the impact, protecting the bike. Way to go, Helga! Save the bike!
My shoulder was stinging and aching; my treasured cycling jersey -- a Christmas gift from my children -- had a large, jagged hole in the shoulder. I looked down at my right leg -- nasty road-rash, stinging and bleeding on my knee and calf, and the beginnings of massive bruising on the outside thigh. To my surprise, no bones appeared to be broken, due in part, I think, to my not having had time to brace myself.
The greatest shock came when I took off my helmet and looked at it. The plastic casing on the right side was deeply scratched and dented, and the protective Styrofoam had cracked all the way through.
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Until that moment, it had not even occurred to me that I had struck my head when I crashed. I re-examined my helmet through tear-filled eyes. My helmet had done its job perfectly. It had absorbed and redistributed at least 90% of the energy of that impact. I don't even want to think where I would be right now if I had not been properly wearing a properly fitted, Canadian Standards Associationapproved cycling helmet.
The next day, I went out and bought a new helmet, then went for a short, gentle ride (Gotta get back on the horse that threw ya, they say). The helmet that saved me will never be worn again, but I will keep it forever as a reminder.
That is the whole point of my story. If conservative, cautious Helga Grodzinski can experience a major bike crash, it can happen to absolutely anybody, anytime. If you ride a bike, wear a helmet.
Helga Grodzinski Kingston
Article ID# 1588935
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Comments on this Article. You are currently not logged in.
And also obey traffic laws like Helga. btw. i am surprised they printed ****
Reply | Report | Page Top Post #1 By harhem, 1 day ago | 0 Votes | Vote:
The whig prints **** in the paper every day Although not often the word itself.
Reply | Report | Page Top Post #2 By Hrrrph, 1 day ago | 0 Votes | Vote:
A happy ending. And well written! Thanks for the life lessons, Helga, and the laughs. P.S. Come join other cyclists at Cycling Week roll-in breakfasts on Monday at Queen's (University & Union) and Friday at Market Square! Everyone welcome and it's free! Check out www.cyclekingston.ca for lots of cycling stuff happening!
Reply | Report | Page Top Post #3 By casualcyclist, 21 hours ago | 0 Votes | Vote:
Pot holes around Kingston, what a surprise!
Reply | Report | Page Top Post #4 By WoodMan, 21 hours ago | 0 Votes | Vote:
This lady is truly a careful bike driver. She has again proven why BIKES AND CARS DO NOT MIX. She was lucky that when she fell that the car driver wasn't right next to her when she fell.
I think Council is finally on the right path to start making Bike Paths throught the city that will take bikers away from cars.
Reply | Report | Page Top Post #5 By LydiaM, 20 hours ago | 0 Votes | Vote:
LydiaM;
How has she proven that "CARS AND BIKES DO NOT MIX"? By hitting a pot hole? By wearing a helmet?
Cars and bicycles do, and will, continue to use the same roads, full stop. Even if bike lanes (as opposed to bike paths, which are something completely different) were installed on every single road in this town, THEY ARE BOTH STILL ON THE SAME ROAD. Auto drivers and cyclists will still need to interact.
What is truly needed is education and training for both road users. They do not need to be segregated.
Reply | Report | Page Top Post #6 By mr roboto, 10 hours ago | 0 Votes | Vote:
Kingston's Transportation Department has issued this notice: "All potholes directly affecting the right curb lane to approximately one metre from the curb, have been filled and/or patched to accommodate the expected influx of cyclists during 'Cycling Week'.
This notice, and it's warranties, expires May 31, 2009
Ride with care!
Reply | Report | Page Top Post #7 By mr roboto, 10 hours ago | 0 Votes | Vote:
mr roboto, YES THEY DO NEED TO BE SEGREGATED. I am sorry if you are one of the people who JUST DOESN'T GET IT. How many people do you need to be KILLED OR INJURYED, People to be placed in JAIL, People to lose their life's work FOR YOU TO GET IT?
BIKES ARE NOT CARS. They never will be and it will ALWAYS be the Biker is gets the worst of it.
Kingston Transport has issued this notice for the biker. Just shows us taxpayers that this department is the most useless of all departments belonging to the city.
Why are they doing that now when they have for YEARS not bothered to fix Mowat in the city. These same people running Transport were not able to even schedule bus routes properly, Hell they could not even NUMBER their buses properly.
Yea tell me about it.
Post #8 By LydiaM, 9 hours ago | 0 Votes | Vote: Reply | Report | Page Top
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Ross Trethewey
NEW: e-mail: rt8 at queensu.ca (Preferred)
Contact Numbers
(613)542-7104 (in Kingston)
(905)885-6818 (In Port Hope)
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