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Question for those of you have been hit by a car...
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How did you process it and did you get back out on the roads or switch entirely to MTB/gravel?
Twelve days ago, I was T-boned going through a green light intersection. A woman just blew through the red light as I was half way through. She was doing 30mph or so, and to this day I am blown away that I am still walking and talking. My S-works Tarmac frame was destroyed. Injuries are non-surgical acromioclaviclar joint injury, deep thigh bruise and tons of road rash. I ended up on her hood and splintering her windshield before rolling on to the pavement after she stopped. It could have been way way way worse, and I feel very fortunate. HOWEVER, I am struggling with the idea of riding road again. I love climbing the canyons and long climbs here in CO, but I have no clue how I will feel next time I am on a road with cars again. Part of me doesn't want to go there. I have both gravel and MTB, so I could just do those. So.... would appreciate any input from people who went through the same.

Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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I'm so sorry that happened to you.

It happened to me a handful of years ago when I still lived in Orlando. It took me about 3 days before I got back on, but it left me with a healthy awareness every time I ride.

I don't blame you in the least for not wanting to ride on the road again. But if you end up wanting to again, I would just try to stay away from the super congested climbs at peak hours, i.e., Lookout at noon on a Saturday.

Good luck, man! If you need a good lawyer, Megan Hottman is seriously the authority on this and an asset to our community.

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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That's horrible! I've been hit twice. First was intentional...driver side swiped me off the road. Minor bike damage, and I got back on and rode to Saturday morning practice (high school). The other time a driver pulled out from a cross street and hit me head on. I can still remember the terrifying feeling in the instance that I realized the driver did not see me. That one was 30 some years ago, and I haven't ridden busy streets since...only closed courses, paths, or way out in the country.
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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I appreciate that, I already have a lawyer involved who is an established PI attorney and a cyclist and friend of a friend. Unfortunately the woman who hit me has NO insurance and has a lengthy history of legal issues. Guessing I will never see a replacement bike paid for, but fingers crossed. Denver District Attorney also involved. I am unable to ride yet, due to my thigh issue, but am chomping at the bit to even get on the trainer!

Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [Big John] [ In reply to ]
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Big John wrote:
That's horrible! I've been hit twice. First was intentional...driver side swiped me off the road. Minor bike damage, and I got back on and rode to Saturday morning practice (high school). The other time a driver pulled out from a cross street and hit me head on. I can still remember the terrifying feeling in the instance that I realized the driver did not see me. That one was 30 some years ago, and I haven't ridden busy streets since...only closed courses, paths, or way out in the country.

Yep, terrifying and so instantaneous and surreal. It mentally plays over again on a regular basis. Glad you survived to ride again :)

Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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Iā€™ve been hit once, 20+ years ago a car coming from the opposite direction took a sudden left turn (I donā€™t remember if they signaled) into the gas station that I was riding past and I had no where to go but across their hood. Had I been a split second sooner, they would have hit me flush and I would have been fā€™d up pretty bad but thankfully I just came away with bumps and bruises while my bike got the worst of it.

I got back out the next weekend, taking my MTB on the roads while my other bike was in the shop. I felt I had to in order to get over the mental hump where I was nervous about riding again. I ride much more defensively to this day, always being aware of surroundings and looking ahead for potential hazards/car issues.

Ironically, my worst crash did not involve a car where my rear wheel got a slick stretch of wet road at a railroad crossing and went into the groove of the track, putting me on the ground before I knew what happened. Broke a few bones on that one but got back on the roads a few months later for the same reason to get past that mental hurdle. It is tough at first but it was something I had to do for myself.



"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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I got hit like 7 years ago midday by a drunk driver. Took me a year or so to get on the road and not get semi freaked out anytime a driver passed me. But I basically only ride 1 day a week outside for a longer ride and do the rest on the trainer. But I donā€™t ride too much anymore because my area doesnā€™t have the best cycling and part of the fun was taken when I was hit. I know many will say the chances are so low but for me it isnā€™t worth the chance. When I do ride itā€™s super early in the morning to beat cars on the road.

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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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boilerup wrote:
How did you process it and did you get back out on the roads or switch entirely to MTB/gravel?
Twelve days ago, I was T-boned going through a green light intersection. A woman just blew through the red light as I was half way through. She was doing 30mph or so, and to this day I am blown away that I am still walking and talking. My S-works Tarmac frame was destroyed. Injuries are non-surgical acromioclaviclar joint injury, deep thigh bruise and tons of road rash. I ended up on her hood and splintering her windshield before rolling on to the pavement after she stopped. It could have been way way way worse, and I feel very fortunate. HOWEVER, I am struggling with the idea of riding road again. I love climbing the canyons and long climbs here in CO, but I have no clue how I will feel next time I am on a road with cars again. Part of me doesn't want to go there. I have both gravel and MTB, so I could just do those. So.... would appreciate any input from people who went through the same.


As mentioned:
Back on the horse ASAP.

You may want to minimize your risk (where and when to ride), ride more cautious and defensive, but don't let the accident make you live in fear.
It will take a while until you lose the paranoia, but in the end you'll be better off mentally, if you push through.

Also, every accident or close call had been a learning experience for me.
And more than once after anticipating a dicey situation, I since have said to myself:
"I knew that you (driver) would make that stupid/asshat/dangerous move".
It is helpful for me when around cars to keep in mind theyā€™re operated by humans. Itā€™s not us versus cars, itā€™s us against us.
Last edited by: nevertoolate: Jul 15, 21 9:49
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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boilerup wrote:
I appreciate that, I already have a lawyer involved who is an established PI attorney and a cyclist and friend of a friend. Unfortunately the woman who hit me has NO insurance and has a lengthy history of legal issues. Guessing I will never see a replacement bike paid for, but fingers crossed. Denver District Attorney also involved. I am unable to ride yet, due to my thigh issue, but am chomping at the bit to even get on the trainer!

If you have an uninsured/underinsured policy on your car insurance (or your legal partner does), there's generally recourse there (dependent on your state, policy, riders, etc.).

As for my personal experience, I was hit in broad daylight, while in a marked bike lane, by a driver making a turn into a parking lot in 2014. I broke my clavicle badly, got surgery, and then went into PT. After my physical recovery, my first ride was definitely like I was at the top of a double-black ski run. I leaped and it only got better from there.

I don't know if it's that incident or just aging and reduced risk tolerance, but I do absolutely avoid roads with no shoulder now and have a stronger preference for roads with active cycling infrastructure (e.g., bike lanes, or wide shoulders). At the end of the day, I understand the risks of outdoor vs. indoor cycling, but I think the benefits are there to accept the risk, for me. YMMV.
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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In 2013 coming from cycling but training for my first triathlon then Ironman a few months later in the season I had a similar incident but the car that came across in front of me I struck around the front wheel arch I imagine and did superman style across the hood of the car. I put my elbow into the windshield shattering it and the force rotated me so hard it ripped two transverse process off my vertebrae. I then smashed against the windscreen causing a brain bleed and breaking my left scapula. As I was travelling across the car as I crossed the pillar of the other side windshield a piece of glass was sticking up slashing my neck open and severing a nerve. Ironically I lay on the road and thought wow that is going to hurt tomorrow before getting up, walking to the grass by the curb and laying down when I realised I was in trouble and began sobbing ā€˜there goes my Ironmanā€¦ā€™

I was only in hospital until they had reattached the nerve and sent home. Fast forward two and a half weeks of feeling sorry for myself and depressed as I had put in so much work I tried to think how I could get out the hole I was in and the only answer was donā€™t give up on my goal. So I got on road my bike and headed off thinking about my IM. I was living in the city of Melbourne Australia on busy roads and I canā€™t tell you how frightening it was just hearing a car that remotely came near me initially and how on edge I was but I rode two hours my standard easy ride reassuring myself the whole way to relax Iā€™d done this course thousands of times but it was freaky. I couldnā€™t run or swim so the next day I got on my bike again and the day after riding further each day. With each day and the further I rode I was less on edge and it was probably wasnā€™t until I wasnā€™t feeling injured as the body was still in protection mode that I would just get on my bike as normal without fear and ride again.

Same thing could happen walking across a crosswalk or even a car slamming into your car door while driving and come off worse. Yes you are more exposed cycling but I love riding my road bike. I now wear fluro yellow not that it probably would have helped for my crash but Iā€™m giving myself the best chance of being seen. Get back on the horse and enjoy the roadā€¦
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [Shambolic] [ In reply to ]
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Sent a PM
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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I would be a vote to get back out there. I am at 5 years from a driver running a red and me blowing up a knee. I am double extra cautious at intersections and do more mtb now that my knee can handle it. This is my first year back to racing and finally did my first century since the crash a couple weeks ago, on a fat bike!

Don't let some POS low life take this piece of you. If riding is that important for you, you have stay after it and keep slogging.

I've raced bikes since childhood and it really is the one thing that keeps me focused on anything. I have plenty of hobbies, but riding bikes defines me.

Pactimo brand ambassador, ask me about promo codes
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [nevertoolate] [ In reply to ]
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This is not the same situation at all but I think my experience translates slightly. I hope it is helpful and causes some optimism.

Summary is: I think "get back on horse ASAP" is sound advice. Time appears important.

Both are examples of something being unpredictable and completely out of my control, causing fear when it happened, and the fear dissipating

The first: bobsled crashes.

It's well known in bobsled that if you crash in your first run of the day (usually 2 per day), it's a much better feeling psychologically than to crash on your second, especially if you're not going to be coming back to the track for a few days. Crashing in a bobsled and then sleeping on it is a jarring experience, psychologically. When you crash in a bobsled you and your teammates heads become an 80mph kickstand for the weight of your bodies and the 600-pound sled. Ice burn, concussions, and pulled/strained forearm muscles from death-gripping the inside rails of the sled to prevent ejection while upside down at 60-80mph in spandex. Suffice it to say: it's scary and causes anxiety.

Getting back to the top of the hill and getting in the sled is nerve-wracking and the exhilaration/relief of crossing the finish line on all four runners again after having crashed is a feeling that would be hard to replicate.

Usually results in hooting and hollering in celebration and high-fiving all your buddies and your pilot in the sled before you've even stopped. For some reason in this particular scenario, it only takes one run to regain confidence that you'll make it down alive.

The second: pole vault poles snapping.

It happens right when you get upside down usually and feels like a shotgun going off in your hands, usually resulting in wrist soreness, and a complete lack of faith that the next pole you get on is going to support your full effort without breaking. The pole breaks in 3 pieces with one of the pieces usually flying 50 feet away with the force of the explosion. The athlete usually lands on their head or back and not in the softest part of the mat. In pole vaulting circles it's commonplace to make the vaulter get back on the runway immediately after snapping a pole and get on a new pole to re-learn to trust that they can come sprinting down the runway and expect the next pole to support them.

When I did that, my next vault was very tentative, but it got better each time until it was totally normal again. It takes a few vaults. But full return to normalcy is possible.

Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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I was on a round the world solo bike tour and hit from behind by a pickup truck near Bend, OR. I had a concussion, 12 broken ribs, 2 collapsed lungs, 2 broken bones in my back and severe bruising over most of my upper body. I was on life support but survived and it's now been 7 years.

I have biked on the road once (on a touring bike) but only briefly and haven't really been on a bike since. Physically I can hike and bike (no running) but just have no interest in sharing the road with cars. I don't believe it will ever be safe and the cars will win so any biking I will do again will be strictly on trails.

On my one short trip on the road (it was in Vancouver and I was biking around Stanley Park but left the park on a busy road) it never really bothered me. City driving is relatively safe since the cars aren't going fast (I was hit on a country road with the truck doing 50/mph. I don't think it's fear stopping me but I lost interest in biking up and down roads, which is why I changed to bike touring in the first place. I would go on another bike tour given the chance but would definitely aim for more remote roads, but that's not always easy.

If you don't fell comfortable, don't go on the roads. It's not worth it.
Last edited by: Sanuk: Jul 7, 21 19:56
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [Sulliesbrew] [ In reply to ]
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Sulliesbrew wrote:
I would be a vote to get back out there. I am at 5 years from a driver running a red and me blowing up a knee. I am double extra cautious at intersections and do more mtb now that my knee can handle it. This is my first year back to racing and finally did my first century since the crash a couple weeks ago, on a fat bike!

Don't let some POS low life take this piece of you. If riding is that important for you, you have stay after it and keep slogging.

I've raced bikes since childhood and it really is the one thing that keeps me focused on anything. I have plenty of hobbies, but riding bikes defines me.

Very similar feeling here, being on the bike (almost any bike) is my happy place. Congrats on healing and finally getting back to racing!

Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [nevertoolate] [ In reply to ]
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nevertoolate wrote:
boilerup wrote:
How did you process it and did you get back out on the roads or switch entirely to MTB/gravel?
Twelve days ago, I was T-boned going through a green light intersection. A woman just blew through the red light as I was half way through. She was doing 30mph or so, and to this day I am blown away that I am still walking and talking. My S-works Tarmac frame was destroyed. Injuries are non-surgical acromioclaviclar joint injury, deep thigh bruise and tons of road rash. I ended up on her hood and splintering her windshield before rolling on to the pavement after she stopped. It could have been way way way worse, and I feel very fortunate. HOWEVER, I am struggling with the idea of riding road again. I love climbing the canyons and long climbs here in CO, but I have no clue how I will feel next time I am on a road with cars again. Part of me doesn't want to go there. I have both gravel and MTB, so I could just do those. So.... would appreciate any input from people who went through the same.

As mentioned:
Back on the horse ASAP.

You may want to minimize your risk (where and when to ride), ride more cautious and defensive, but don't let the accident make you live in fear.
It will take a while until you lose the paranoia, but in the end you'll be better off mentally, if you push through.

Also, every accident or close call had been a learning experience for me.
And more than once after anticipating a dicey situation, I since have said to myself:
"I knew that you (driver) would make that stupid/asshat/dangerous move"

I second this

I was run over by a bus in June 2018. Once body parts were working I was riding on the road later in the year. Every car or bus or truck that went by was nerve wracking but I got used to it again.

At this point I barely remember being run over while on the bike. I not worried about being hit by traffic. But I am worried about hitting pavement at high speed and dealing with ANOTHER ROUND OF REHAB. So I cut the risk on things that are higher risk of crashing be it solo riding or around vehicles
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [Sanuk] [ In reply to ]
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Damn brother, good for you for recovering from all of that! I work in the ER so I picture your injuries in one of our trauma bays. The human body can be so resilient.

I feel myself leaning towards that "ride the trails and gravel roads" feeling as people on the road seem more and more distracted, but love riding the mountain roads here so not sure where this experience will take me.

Colorado Triathlon Company, CO2UT 2021, Crooked Gravel 2022, Steamboat Gravel 2022
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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First, Iā€™m really accident prone, so I may ā€œget back on the horseā€ faster than others because I expect to have an accident.

Iā€™ve been hit twice, once on a bike, Iā€™ve had pole vaulting poles break at least three times. Iā€™ve almost recovered from my bad crash in March. Ive had more than 250 stitches (first time I was six months old and climbed a ladder) and broken at least seven or eight ā€œmajorā€ bones (canā€™t really remember).

As I said, since I kind of expect accidents, I donā€™t really wait to get back out. But thereā€™s no shame in being tentative. You have to do what youā€™re comfortable doing. Take whatever time you need.

Not a coach. Not a FOP Tri/swimmer/biker/runner. Barely a MOP AGer.
But I'm learning and making progress.
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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Glad you're mostly alright. I wanted to keep going. Get back in the saddle. Honestly I've struggled with my weight ever since. I raced my first half-ironman a year and change later.

I felt that I had some PTSD or at least anxiety related from the crash. My clavicle was shattered. Just get back on is all I got!

Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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I was 50% weight bearing for 7 months ( shattered my femoral neck, emergency hip surgery, 2 rods inserted )

The day I was cleared to fully weight bear I rode outside.

Granted I am now a VERY defensive rider, I'm also a fairly confident in my abilities and limitations.
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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Sorry to hear about the accident, and glad to hear that you're as ok as you can be. Hopefully my backstory and perspective helps a little.


I was hit by a van that hit the side of my bars, then my knee, knocking me to the ground hard in 2014 when I was 11. Single track road, they didn't give any space at all or slow down at all, I brake slightly focused on the van, think I hit a pothole/bump in the road and go slightly towards the middle of the road (we're talking circa 5cm) and that's enough for me to be hit. Managed to break my femur clean in two just above my growth plate, as well as getting a cut just above my eye I still have a faint scar from and getting road rash up the whole of my side. I was in and out of hospital with having an operation to put a plate put in, casts on and off and check ups culminating in another operation about a year post accident to get the plate taken out as it was too close to the growth plate in my knee to be left in. All in all I ended up being unable to do any meaningful sport for about 2 years, and for the next 2 years after that although I got a bit back into sport it was much more hesitant and nervy, even in team games like football or hockey. Then about 3 years ago I started to do triathlons again, taking it very easy and just enjoying it, and I realized how much I missed the feeling of swimming, cycling and running. I got stuck back in and about 2 years ago started training seriously, and now am doing all that I can to see if I can get to a level to go somewhere in the sport with being off to uni at the end of summer.

Long story short, get back on the bike as soon as you can. It'll be hard to start with, but if you don't do it you risk losing something you enjoy, and the initial hardships of getting going again pale in comparison to the joy you can take from those climbs and descents once you've got your confidence back a bit. For me, it's a case of there's always a risk, but the reward of being on my bike, man and machine working as one to scythe through the countryside, is far better than the alternative of less risk but losing a part of my life I enjoy so much.
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car...erup] [ In reply to ]
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Head on collision with a semi truck making a left turn here. Happenned end of April. I still have some scabs, but otherwise all is good.

I stuck to gravel first. Then got back on the road with lights, a bright orange jersey and a Varia. I ride a if I'm invisible now. I sit up and hug the white line as soon as something shows up on the varia. I now also plan my rides with expected traffic volume and direction in mind depending on time of day.
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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On August 24, 2017, 8 months after beating throat cancer, I was on a training ride and on a main road. I've been told this woman coming off a side road which did have a stop sign did not see me. The paramedics that showed up after she call 911 found me unconscious on the pavement and hemorrhaging in three places in my brain. I don't remember the ambulance ride, staying in the hospital for two days and everything is real foggy from that time. It caused some serious memory issues that now has evolved into what I call brain lag, eventual I'll remember what I was looking for in my head but sometimes it takes a few seconds to minutes. She also rang my bell, inner ear damage from the impact, that I now have tinnitus so bad that I have to wear hearing aids to drown out the ringing. The up side is I don't remember anything about the accident so getting back on the bike was easy. I could not drive or ride my bike for 40 days after the accident because of equilibrium issues. I do ride with a Garmin RL 515 radar unit even though I was not hit from behind. It just gives me a better feeling of being safe.

While riding is a vey comfortable thing for me I know it wouldn't be if I remember the accident.
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [Juanmoretime] [ In reply to ]
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I was run off the road by a sod spreader truck that crossed over 2 lanes to get to me. I remember just before it happened the horror of the woman in the left hand turn lane...her look was that she was about to witness someone being killed. I managed to evade and ended up in a ditch with cuts bruises a broken helmet and a thankful woman from the left hand turn lane that stopped, glad that I wasn't dead.

Sold my road bike and tri bike after that and went years without thinking about them.

Then got the bug again, but the only time I am ever on a road is at an event (race or large charity ride). I am fortunate to have miles of greenways and a state park for gravel riding and mtb riding around the corner.

Have not been on a solo ride on a road since that day well over a decade ago. It may be the wrong thing to have done, to never go back the way I was, but I feel like the driver of that truck was out to murder someone that day and that someone happened to be me and I still think about it.
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Re: Question for those of you have been hit by a car... [boilerup] [ In reply to ]
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Biggest thing is to do what's in your power to reduce risks. Ride aware, radar, good routes, good times of day, etc.... My roadie buddies can't stand riding hills and will ride some busy high speed limit roads sometimes.

Next thing is to recognize incidents that would maim or kill a person whether they were in a car or on a bike or on a motorcycle. Running a red light or stop sign kills people often no matter the vehicle involved.

There's a bad stop sign near our house that tees a main 45mph road. People gamble all the time running that stop sign and lose their lives or kill another.......in cars.

Once recently around here a driver crossed center and nearly killed a dude's wife he was riding with. Thing is, I'd bet money if it was a car it would have been a square hit instead of a hard glancing blow and killed the car's occupants.

Do what you can, always.
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