First Martin C gets taken out by a fellow bicyclist on the American River recreation trail. And now I get taken out on the streets of Sacramento by a felonious hit and run driver. It hasn’t been a good week for Sacramento area ST’rs.
To make a long story short, at about 6 this morning I was cruising along at 19.5 mph on a well lit, four lane road that has very little traffic at that time of morning (helmet light on, lights on each aero bar, tail light blazing - I look like a Christmas tree), when a minivan made the most inconceivable, reckless u-turn maneuver possible. As a result, I hit the side of the minivan at 19.5 mph. My helmet and head hit and shattered the window on the passenger side sliding door. My shoulder also hit the minivan. My bike and I rebounded and flew through the air and a shower of flying glass. As I lay there on the ground trying to get my wits about me, the driver speeds off into the darkness. NICE! After a trip to the ER, I learn that nothing is broken, but I may have a mild shoulder separation and I my neck muscles are pretty sore (unfortunately, so too is my groin).
My helmet is a goner - some pretty significant cracks in the foam. My bike fared fairly well, I think. A superficial inspection reveals a front wheel severely out of true, a 3 week old PT SL out of true, a broken front brake lever, and a dropped chain. I put the chain back on once I got home and the drive train works fine. I don’t see any cracks, bends, or other visible damage to the frame or fork. I’ll take the fork off and inspect the steering tube later. Anything else I should look for to make sure the bike is still sound?
The only reason I am not left totally bummed out by this whole experience is that a good samaritan who was driving about a block behind me saw the whole thing happen and stopped, called 911, gave me a shirt out of his truck so that I could stop the blood that was dripping everywhere from the cuts I sustained when my right hand landed in all of the shattered glass, and stayed with me until the police arrived.
Wow, good job surviving the crash as well as you did.
However, looking at your saddle position in the second photo, I would suggest you take a real good look inside your shorts and do a very careful inventory.
Everything is still present and accounted for, albeit sore. I did wind up with a nasty cut on my scrotum which I got to show to the ER nurse, Dr., and assistant who cleaned and bandaged my wounds (including that one). What a great Friday the 13th! We all decided that a bandage down there just wasn’t going to work.
Count your blessings, I guess. I went down in a turn full of dirt and gravel last year, courtesy of an oncoming big silver pick up truck that, rather than yield the right away, sped up and pulled a left turn in front of me. Nice afternoon trip to the ER where the Doc got to pick out the embedded particles. Once he got started, even he was surprised by how much digging and cutting he had to do on my forearm. Now, if he had to do that down south, yeesh. I might not be riding at all anymore.
That’s the first place I looked due to your calamity. Geez, I’m sorry to hear about the adverse reaction to the meds - that sounds horrible. It’s not like you didn’t already have enough on your plate. I really hope you feel better soon and that you make a full and speedy recovery. Have you talked to your doctor? I am just gonna stick with the nstaids.
I was headed westbound on Folsom Blvd. and had just passed 65th St. and was rapidly approaching 64th St. The minivan turned right (eastbound) onto Folsom Blvd from the parking lot of the new retail center/lofts at 65th and Folsom; drove through an opening in the center median that it designed for vehicles travelling on westbound Folsom Blvd. to use to turn into the driveway that the minivan had just exited; drove the wrong way down the turn lane (i.e., it was driving eastbound in the westbound lane) until it cleared a concrete curb that delineates the left hand turn lane, and then flipped the u-turn.
I’m pretty stiff right now, but I can’t wait to see how crappy I feel tomorrow. I now have a fairly legitimate excuse not to dance at my sister-in-law’s wedding tomorrow night!
It’s not me you’ve seen commuting along Folsom Blvd. I live near Stockton Blvd. and T St., and only ride that far out on Folsom Blvd. on Saturday mornings on my way up to Auburn. I don’t think I’ll be making the journey tomorrow. During the week, I ride over to Sac. State and ride the loop around campus (well lit, very little traffic, good road conditions - you just have to be able to endure the monotony of riding an unscenic 2+m mile loop); I ride home by coming down 65th and turning onto Folsom Blvd.
Mike, well glad you got your killer half mary in before this. I forget what next race you were going to do? I sure dont want to crash at the golden state on Sunday with Drafting on the bike. Got to keep my masters swim team up.
Hi Dave. I doubt the person has been apprehended. I entertained thoughts of calling a lot of auto glass shops and telling them to be on the look out for a minivan with a broken window, but I just don’t have the energy for that right now. I’d rather go straighten my bike up. My left shoulder and my neck are very sore, so I think it will be some time before I’m back in the pool. Luckily my legs came out basically unscathed, well a couple of bumps, scratches, and cuts, but nothing that’ll stop me from running - so I say now. I hadn’t planned on doing Golden State anyway, so this isn’t that big of a blow in terms of race schedule. My next race is CIM, so I’m optimistic that this won’t affect my training at all (other than I couldn’t go for my 6 mile rn this morning!)
I feel your pain - you walked away - if it had to happen - and it did - all things considered, it was a good day. The bike can be fixed and you are okay. Get well, be safe.
My wife hates it when I climb - she hasn’t figured out that the most dangerous thing I do is ride the bike.
They were certainly pissed off that it happened, but CSI didn’t show up, and I don’t expect that the homicide and vice detectives will be pulled off of their regular duties to try to track down leads on this case. I may just have to become a vigilante and conduct my own investigation.
