most spectacular crash

I was riding south on Milwaukee just between Fullerton and California. Because of the construction they had narrowed the lanes with cones. As a cyclist not wanting to get "buzzed" or doored I rode in the middle of the lane. I can hear the semi behind me, and he isn't braking- he's accelerating- planning to crush me like a bug and run the red light 400 feet ahead???

So I try to duck out of there, and slow down to make a right down Belden. I even signalled that I was slowing down. Right arm down, right? No! He starts blaring his horn and I swear when I glanced behind right before turning I could see my horrified face reflecting back from his fender. Somehow he clips me, and my bike starts wobbling. Oh no! Construction on Belden too! A mini-bulldozer is pulling a u-turn and doesn't see me either. Now I have metal plates, cones and oh ****!

They've just laid down a new strip of cement across the entire street. I slam my brakes (back ones only), but not soon enough. My front wheel lands (crunch) into newly laid cement and I went flying over my handlebars and bam! Stupid bike lands right on top of me. I wish the construction guys had that on tape. I would have paid serious cash for that video. Luckily I had on my helmet and gloves, so just a couple of scrapes and bruises, and I walked away.

So what about you? What have your most spectacular falls been?

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Permalink Reply by Morgan on September 11, 2009 at 4:44am
so, wait--are you saying you flipped over the back of a car, did a somersault, and ended up landing on your feet? THAT'S the crash we have to re-enact with cameras!
(sorry about your bike and your neck,though.)

mattbikes1 said:
It was June 22nd of 2008. A nice peaceful Sunday and I had to go to work. I thought about just wearing my baseball cap on the two mile ride but last second actually exclaimed to my girlfriend, "better wear my crash helmet!" I was coming from Swedish Covenant on California and Foster and usually took Lincoln to my job on Addison and Wolcott. I was biking south on Lincoln approaching the intersection of Wilson when I see a lady in a white sedan begin to drive slowly into the bike lane. The light is green so I proceed with caution while watching this lady to make sure she is not gonna cut me off or turn right without a signal. I am about ten from the crosswalk and all the while watching this lady who is still oblivious to the fact that she has half of her car in the bike lane, no turn signal, but hesitantly encroaching on my right of way! I am maintaining my speed, which is not that great considering my 48 to 16 fixed ratio, when as I enter the intersection look left at the lady in hopes of catching her attention so she does not suddenly veer further right and cut me off completely. With no eye contact made I look up just in time to see that another motorist going northbound has taken advantage of the confusion to turn left in front of me just in time for me to collide into the rear passenger door of her car...I know that I am about to be at the mercy of physics so I relax and go head over handlebars careening off of the back of her trunk as my body rotates forward 360 degrees, clearing the car, and landing squarely on the top of my head on the opposite side of the car. The momentum carried me forward and glancing off of the top of my head I come to rest on my feet, in a crouched position, via my right hip. Stunned, I jump to my feet, grab my bike, and get the hell out of the intersection before I am run over by another oblivious motorist. My helmet cracked, my body bruised and contused, and my cross tube on my beloved gun metal grey Surly Steam Roller kinked at a 20 degree angle about four inches in from the head tube. My front wheel is tacoed and I am shocked, pissed, and brimming with adrenalin. The rest of the story is history, insurance, and legal action. I then, after collecting myself and calling my girlfriend to collect my damaged bike and body, went to work. It sucked. State Farm replaced my bike, will be covering my medical expenses which are still amassing, and will hopefully pay out for some pain and suffering, however, I would trade the whole experience for it never having happened in the first place. My helmet most definitely saved me from a nasty head injury but my neck bore the brunt and still bothers me to this day and always will. The end.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on September 11, 2009 at 6:40am
Let's not turn this into a helmet debate. There's a thread for that here if you want to rip someone a new one for wearing/not wearing bike helmets.

Thank you.
Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 11, 2009 at 6:59pm
I agree about the helmet debate. I like some of those hollywood style crash stories and even some ninja style stealth counter attack stories against other motorists in other threads. hahaha...

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Let's not turn this into a helmet debate. There's a thread for that here if you want to rip someone a new one for wearing/not wearing bike helmets.

Thank you.
Permalink Reply by mattbikes1 on September 11, 2009 at 9:15pm
Your argument is retarded. So instead of getting a neck injury, you propose a fractured skull?

Clark said:
See? Lots of helmeted riders hitting their heads while flying off bikes. And lots with neck injuries...which can escalate all the way to paralysis á la Christopher Reeve.

...He landed headfirst on the other side of the fence. His helmet prevented any brain damage, but the impact of his 215 pound (98 kg) body hitting the ground shattered his first and second vertebrae. Reeve had not been breathing for three minutes before paramedics arrived...

I never wear a helmet, and I've gone over the handlebars many times in the 30+ years that my bike has been my only form of transport. Each time my head has tucked in and any blow is taken on my shoulders. If I'd been wearing a helmet I doubt that my head could have tucked out of the way with that big plastic globe encircling it. Perhaps Reeve's helmet prevented his head from tucking out of the way too.

Think about it... Mankind has been falling for eons, ever since we began to walk upright; during that time we've developed natural reflexes to protect our heads in a fall. A helmet just gums up the efficacy of those protective reflexes, and paralyzing neck injuries result.

mattbikes1 said:
...My helmet most definitely saved me from a nasty head injury but my neck bore the brunt and still bothers me to this day and always will....
Permalink Reply by mattbikes1 on September 11, 2009 at 9:18pm
Yes, and landed virtually on my feet (read the original) after bouncing off of my head (helmet saved my skull), but you have to be the biker in that reenactment cause I already did once and it sucked!

Morgan said:
so, wait--are you saying you flipped over the back of a car, did a somersault, and ended up landing on your feet? THAT'S the crash we have to re-enact with cameras!
(sorry about your bike and your neck,though.) mattbikes1 said:
It was June 22nd of 2008. A nice peaceful Sunday and I had to go to work. I thought about just wearing my baseball cap on the two mile ride but last second actually exclaimed to my girlfriend, "better wear my crash helmet!" I was coming from Swedish Covenant on California and Foster and usually took Lincoln to my job on Addison and Wolcott. I was biking south on Lincoln approaching the intersection of Wilson when I see a lady in a white sedan begin to drive slowly into the bike lane. The light is green so I proceed with caution while watching this lady to make sure she is not gonna cut me off or turn right without a signal. I am about ten from the crosswalk and all the while watching this lady who is still oblivious to the fact that she has half of her car in the bike lane, no turn signal, but hesitantly encroaching on my right of way! I am maintaining my speed, which is not that great considering my 48 to 16 fixed ratio, when as I enter the intersection look left at the lady in hopes of catching her attention so she does not suddenly veer further right and cut me off completely. With no eye contact made I look up just in time to see that another motorist going northbound has taken advantage of the confusion to turn left in front of me just in time for me to collide into the rear passenger door of her car...I know that I am about to be at the mercy of physics so I relax and go head over handlebars careening off of the back of her trunk as my body rotates forward 360 degrees, clearing the car, and landing squarely on the top of my head on the opposite side of the car. The momentum carried me forward and glancing off of the top of my head I come to rest on my feet, in a crouched position, via my right hip. Stunned, I jump to my feet, grab my bike, and get the hell out of the intersection before I am run over by another oblivious motorist. My helmet cracked, my body bruised and contused, and my cross tube on my beloved gun metal grey Surly Steam Roller kinked at a 20 degree angle about four inches in from the head tube. My front wheel is tacoed and I am shocked, pissed, and brimming with adrenalin. The rest of the story is history, insurance, and legal action. I then, after collecting myself and calling my girlfriend to collect my damaged bike and body, went to work. It sucked. State Farm replaced my bike, will be covering my medical expenses which are still amassing, and will hopefully pay out for some pain and suffering, however, I would trade the whole experience for it never having happened in the first place. My helmet most definitely saved me from a nasty head injury but my neck bore the brunt and still bothers me to this day and always will. The end.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on September 12, 2009 at 3:26am
Matt, I know that. Of course helmets can play a part in crash stories.(Doesn't play a part if you aren't wearing one.)

I don't want to see this thread turn into a helmet vs no helmet flame war.

mattbikes1 said:
Chillax man, the helmet is obviously a part of a crash story. It is a helmet, as in crash, the point of the helmet.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Let's not turn this into a helmet debate. There's a thread for that here if you want to rip someone a new one for wearing/not wearing bike helmets.

Thank you.

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