Yep. It finally happened. After 7 years of heavy road riding I was finally struck by a car Tuesday night. I figured the best place to tell my story and get awesome legal advice is none other than TW.
Cliffs afterwards.
I usually commute to work about 3 days week. It's 18 miles each way, so I hit close to 120 miles a week commuting. I raced Road / Mountain / DH all through college 4 years so I'm going to pat myself on the back and say I am "fairly experienced" I qualified for collegiate national Downhill and XC but my love was always crits and RR.
So I'm riding through Philadelphia on my bike home from work. Another co-worker rides so we split off at the Art Museum (if any of you are familiar with philly, we do have a lot of bike lanes + the Schuylkill river trail is AWESOME for riding). I'm in my bike lane coming up to a red light. It turns green so I go through. Now I've passed all the cars that were stopped at the red light. I continue down the bike lane and a black BMW two lanes to my left doing about 30 (I'm doing 22 or so) comes across both lanes to make a parking spot. BANG. Hits my shit like a red headed step child.
Now, I do not remember much which I guess indicates I was slightly unconscious. From what the witnesses said, I hit the passenger side and bounced off the hood immediately rolling off and bouncing on the asphalt into the curb, which ended up hurting me the most. Laid there for a bit. I "woke up" and Fire / EMT / Police were already there. I declined medical - which was dumb - and basically walked home...in spandex...and road shoes. Got everybody's info, police asked if I wanted to press charges and I said not now. Got his info, witnesses and driver plus his girlfriend. Turns out the driver is a Doctor, so that helped...
So, last night I finally go to the hospital because my right hand is essentially not functioning. See picture below. Doctor says same old shit "can't believe you are alive...ice...rest." Turns out no broken bones, but xrays were taken of neck/elbow/wrist/hand. I'm going to call him today for his insurance information because his car insurance will pay for my medical bills. My hand is freakin' killing me, my back and neck are totally stiff - worse than any DH crash - and my right side of my body has very little skin on it.
SO: what should I do?
pics:
my hand
my bike...09' cannondale c supersix w/ hollowtech cranks, dura-ace 7800 group, reynolds stratus DV clinchers, and 3t team ergo bars. I'd say worth over 8 large. Seems fine, but I'm worried about the integrity of the carbon.
Cliffs:
hit by car
ouch
bike ok, I'm "generally ok".
No broken bones
Really sore
Neck / Back beat as hell
What should I do?
Cliffs afterwards.
I usually commute to work about 3 days week. It's 18 miles each way, so I hit close to 120 miles a week commuting. I raced Road / Mountain / DH all through college 4 years so I'm going to pat myself on the back and say I am "fairly experienced" I qualified for collegiate national Downhill and XC but my love was always crits and RR.
So I'm riding through Philadelphia on my bike home from work. Another co-worker rides so we split off at the Art Museum (if any of you are familiar with philly, we do have a lot of bike lanes + the Schuylkill river trail is AWESOME for riding). I'm in my bike lane coming up to a red light. It turns green so I go through. Now I've passed all the cars that were stopped at the red light. I continue down the bike lane and a black BMW two lanes to my left doing about 30 (I'm doing 22 or so) comes across both lanes to make a parking spot. BANG. Hits my shit like a red headed step child.
Now, I do not remember much which I guess indicates I was slightly unconscious. From what the witnesses said, I hit the passenger side and bounced off the hood immediately rolling off and bouncing on the asphalt into the curb, which ended up hurting me the most. Laid there for a bit. I "woke up" and Fire / EMT / Police were already there. I declined medical - which was dumb - and basically walked home...in spandex...and road shoes. Got everybody's info, police asked if I wanted to press charges and I said not now. Got his info, witnesses and driver plus his girlfriend. Turns out the driver is a Doctor, so that helped...
So, last night I finally go to the hospital because my right hand is essentially not functioning. See picture below. Doctor says same old shit "can't believe you are alive...ice...rest." Turns out no broken bones, but xrays were taken of neck/elbow/wrist/hand. I'm going to call him today for his insurance information because his car insurance will pay for my medical bills. My hand is freakin' killing me, my back and neck are totally stiff - worse than any DH crash - and my right side of my body has very little skin on it.
SO: what should I do?
pics:
my hand
my bike...09' cannondale c supersix w/ hollowtech cranks, dura-ace 7800 group, reynolds stratus DV clinchers, and 3t team ergo bars. I'd say worth over 8 large. Seems fine, but I'm worried about the integrity of the carbon.
Cliffs:
hit by car
ouch
bike ok, I'm "generally ok".
No broken bones
Really sore
Neck / Back beat as hell
What should I do?
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