April Critical Mass Hit-and-Run Crash

My friend remains hospitalized after suffering a hit-and-run crash while biking home from April's Critical Mass. I'm hoping to speak with anyone who witnessed the crash or may know who hit her.

She and her boyfriend were riding north on the Lakefront Path near 39th Street after the ride. A large group of cyclists quickly passed the two of them. One of the cyclists sped between her and her boyfriend and clipped her, knocking her to the ground head-first. The assailant looked back and saw her fall, and continued on without stopping.

She suffered from a fractured skull, bleeding in her brain, and a severe concussion. An ambulance took her from the lake path to Northwestern Memorial, where she is still being held and will remain for rehabilitation for another two weeks while she recovers her speech, walking and cognitive abilities. Thankfully, she was wearing a helmet - the injuries could have been much worse without it.

My friend and I value the community that surrounds critical mass in Chicago. She wishes to send many thanks to those who stopped and helped after the crash. People stopped traffic on the bike path, helped lock up the bikes, helped flag down and direct the ambulance, and reminded us of why this community exists - to spread goodwill, foster connections, and remind the city to have a little more fun. We want people to know what happened. This act of recklessness can never supersede the basic values we share when participating in the ride.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Nedza on May 24, 2013 at 7:55am

Natural reflexes are fine, but in my case a guy ran between two evergreens and I had absolutely no time, not even a second, to make any move -- I don't know exactly what happened, but I ended up landing on my back and sliding 25 feet.  The back of my helmet was crushed and cracked -- had I not had that helmet on I almost assuredly would not be writing this -- natural reflexes and "tucking" your head may work when a crash is "slow", but I'll never ride without a helmet.

clp said:

She suffered from a fractured skull, bleeding in her brain, and a severe concussion....

How was this possible, if she was wearing a helmet?  It just goes to show, wearing a helmet is not a guarantee that no serious injury can happen.   And the helmet possibly, can intensify and worsen the injury by increasing the head-mass, diameter, and inertia as you fall.  IOW natural reflexes to protect and "tuck in" the head cannot work because of that big, bulky helmet.

Something to think about anyway....

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on May 24, 2013 at 9:03am

+1. I always thought, "Oh if I ever fall off my bike I'll just cover my head with my arms." Easier said than done, as I later found out. (Fortunately I was wearing a helmet.)

Bill Nedza said:

Natural reflexes are fine, but in my case a guy ran between two evergreens and I had absolutely no time, not even a second, to make any move -- I don't know exactly what happened, but I ended up landing on my back and sliding 25 feet.  The back of my helmet was crushed and cracked -- had I not had that helmet on I almost assuredly would not be writing this -- natural reflexes and "tucking" your head may work when a crash is "slow", but I'll never ride without a helmet.

clp said:

She suffered from a fractured skull, bleeding in her brain, and a severe concussion....

How was this possible, if she was wearing a helmet?  It just goes to show, wearing a helmet is not a guarantee that no serious injury can happen.   And the helmet possibly, can intensify and worsen the injury by increasing the head-mass, diameter, and inertia as you fall.  IOW natural reflexes to protect and "tuck in" the head cannot work because of that big, bulky helmet.

Something to think about anyway....

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 24, 2013 at 8:20pm

How can I be setting the low bar of telling you that you're an asshole for dirtying up this thread by trying to make it a helmet argument when you then turn around and continue arguing and drawing it out more.

Your argument is pitiful at best, if they sustained bad head trauma in a helmet but are not dead what do you think would have happened if they had not?

You don't want to wear a helmet that's fine and dandy but stop preaching against them using very poor reasoning and please stop doing it where it is not appropriate.

clp said:notoriousDUG said:       Great place to argue about helmets asshole....

As usual, the low-water mark is set by Dug.  

I'm just as compassionate as anyone else.  I bike everywhere (no car).  But I seldom wear a helmet, specifically because of this kind of problem.  I've gone over the handlebars many, many times without a helmet...never had a head injury.  Lots of other serious scrapes (was in the hospital for a week with infected road rash once).  But the head always seemed to stay out of trouble.  Why is that, if not "natural reflexes" developed by my cave-man ancestors many millenia ago.

In addition to expressing our sympathies to this unfortunate victim, I hope we can learn something from her experience so that we're ALL safer out there as Marcusn said.

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