Thank God for helmets - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

bluegoose · 05-12-2008, 03:46 PM

A brand new Giro Atmos likely saved my friends life this weekend.

Short ride report this week from the Tour of the unknown Coast.

We started out with the main peleton on a beautiful Saturday morning with temps in the mid-40's and partly sunny skies. It was a huge main pack, the largest I've ever seen at this ride, probably 300 guys (and gals).

We made it to the the base of the first climb at mile 9 in good shape about 30-40 riders back from the front. The lead group took off with one of my buddies in it. The other 4 of us settled into the second group for a series of rolling hills. My legs were feeling great at this point. We settled into a little pace line with about 8 or 9 guys rotating out, moving along at about 23-25 mph. All of a sudden one guy comes sprinting around us from the back of the line to take the lead of the pace line. I was thinking thats kind of weird to do an effort like that with 85 miles and 9,000 feet of climbing to go.

We settle back into a rhythm with new guy at the lead. About 60 yards before we were to make a left hand turn onto Hwy 101 he hits his brakes hard. No hand signals, no hazard in the road or anything. I'm in 3rd position at this time. The guy in front of me brakes and swerves hard to the left to miss the lead guy. I brake and swerve right to miss him, missing his rear tire by probably half an inch. The guy behind me, a buddy of mine, taps my rear wheel and veers right into the guard rail. The guy behind him, also my buddy, hits his rear wheel hard, loses control and flips over his handlebars, landing on his left hip and smashing the back of his head into the pavement. I looked back just in time to see his back toward me flying through the air and hitting the pavement.

By the time I circled around and got back to him, he was just moaning and rolling back and forth on the ground. He was pale and his eyes were on a different planet. We worked hard to keep him awake while someone else called the ride support line. He started to come to about 5 minutes later, wondering what had just happened and where he was. Interestingly enough, he knew his name, address, and phone number the whole time, he just didn't know where he was.

Long story short. He was in varying degrees of never-never land for about an hour. The ride support medical personnel never came. My friends wife eventually came to get us, about an hour after the wreck, and took us back to the starting line. There was not a single medical person there. They said there were a couple of ambulances on the course about 40 miles away. So we decided to take him up to Eureka, about 20 miles away, to get a head CT due to the loss of consciousness. Everything checked out okay, and they called it concussive syndrome and told to stay off the bike for 2-6 weeks. He was not happy, as he is headed to Maui this weekend with some good riding planned.

His helmet was cracked in about 8 places, his sunglasses were toast and his $600 Polar computer flew off about 10 yards away into the grass and had the face plate cracked pretty good. One of his saddle stays was also broken clean through. But orthopedically, he came out amazingly well, with only a bruise on his hip.

So I got a brisk 15.92 miles in this weekend, and I paid $50 to do so. But my buddy was okay, so I guess I am too. My other buddy in the fourth position right behind me was pretty shaken up by the whole thing and is not too sure about continuing the whole ride-biking thing. My buddy in the lead group did very well, finishing in the top 20 overall.

But we had a great day yesterday, spending several hours at the beach after church before both of my girls projectile vomitted on the car trip home.

MikeWaters · 05-12-2008, 03:50 PM

a dangerous moron can ruin it for everyone.

we actually had a cycling death. there are some streets where they hold crits. It's basically a square track. An old guy decides to practice going the opposite direction as is normal. Well, one of the guys going the right way....he collides with the old guy going the "wrong" way. Old guy dies. Freaky.

Clark Addison · 05-12-2008, 04:07 PM

Every time I think about getting into Biking, I read a story like this, and it scares me away.

MikeWaters · 05-12-2008, 04:09 PM

if you ride on bike paths, without cars, and without other people, that is the safest.

Archaea · 05-12-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

if you ride on bike paths, without cars, and without other people, that is the safest.

You can be killed, but if you know what you are doing, you can reduce the probability of a fatality. Momentary lapses can be fatal unfortunately.

On my early morning ride Sunday, I passed a man who appeared to be praying over another man, then I looked back as I was riding and noticed an overturned vehicle, passenger compartments completely collapsed. Two trucks had pulled over to assist any survivors. Moments later, three ambulances, two paramedics, six police cars and an engine were at the scene.

This was along a road which is flat, good weather, good visibility and no reason for the car to have flipped. I did not see the accident.

Accidents happen.

SteelBlue · 05-12-2008, 04:57 PM

Holy crap. How am I only hearing about this on cg? Where's my text message man?

bigpiney · 05-12-2008, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam

Road biking is not a good hobby. It is far too dangerous and far too expensive. Run, swim, hike, heck, even jump out of airplanes.

Road biking is just not smart. I have a 3000 bike and about 1000 in accessories that I'm not using if anyone wants to take them off my hands for cheap.

I would be interested in cheap.

MikeWaters · 05-12-2008, 05:01 PM

I'm interested in cheap too.

Archaea · 05-12-2008, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I'm interested in cheap too.

I have no pride, so I'm in.

RC Vikings · 05-12-2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam

1000 in accessories that I'm not using if anyone wants to take them off my hands for cheap.

Any used shorts?

05-12-2008, 03:46 PM	#1
bluegoose Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,919	Thank God for helmets A brand new Giro Atmos likely saved my friends life this weekend. Short ride report this week from the Tour of the unknown Coast. We started out with the main peleton on a beautiful Saturday morning with temps in the mid-40's and partly sunny skies. It was a huge main pack, the largest I've ever seen at this ride, probably 300 guys (and gals). We made it to the the base of the first climb at mile 9 in good shape about 30-40 riders back from the front. The lead group took off with one of my buddies in it. The other 4 of us settled into the second group for a series of rolling hills. My legs were feeling great at this point. We settled into a little pace line with about 8 or 9 guys rotating out, moving along at about 23-25 mph. All of a sudden one guy comes sprinting around us from the back of the line to take the lead of the pace line. I was thinking thats kind of weird to do an effort like that with 85 miles and 9,000 feet of climbing to go. We settle back into a rhythm with new guy at the lead. About 60 yards before we were to make a left hand turn onto Hwy 101 he hits his brakes hard. No hand signals, no hazard in the road or anything. I'm in 3rd position at this time. The guy in front of me brakes and swerves hard to the left to miss the lead guy. I brake and swerve right to miss him, missing his rear tire by probably half an inch. The guy behind me, a buddy of mine, taps my rear wheel and veers right into the guard rail. The guy behind him, also my buddy, hits his rear wheel hard, loses control and flips over his handlebars, landing on his left hip and smashing the back of his head into the pavement. I looked back just in time to see his back toward me flying through the air and hitting the pavement. By the time I circled around and got back to him, he was just moaning and rolling back and forth on the ground. He was pale and his eyes were on a different planet. We worked hard to keep him awake while someone else called the ride support line. He started to come to about 5 minutes later, wondering what had just happened and where he was. Interestingly enough, he knew his name, address, and phone number the whole time, he just didn't know where he was. Long story short. He was in varying degrees of never-never land for about an hour. The ride support medical personnel never came. My friends wife eventually came to get us, about an hour after the wreck, and took us back to the starting line. There was not a single medical person there. They said there were a couple of ambulances on the course about 40 miles away. So we decided to take him up to Eureka, about 20 miles away, to get a head CT due to the loss of consciousness. Everything checked out okay, and they called it concussive syndrome and told to stay off the bike for 2-6 weeks. He was not happy, as he is headed to Maui this weekend with some good riding planned. His helmet was cracked in about 8 places, his sunglasses were toast and his $600 Polar computer flew off about 10 yards away into the grass and had the face plate cracked pretty good. One of his saddle stays was also broken clean through. But orthopedically, he came out amazingly well, with only a bruise on his hip. So I got a brisk 15.92 miles in this weekend, and I paid $50 to do so. But my buddy was okay, so I guess I am too. My other buddy in the fourth position right behind me was pretty shaken up by the whole thing and is not too sure about continuing the whole ride-biking thing. My buddy in the lead group did very well, finishing in the top 20 overall. But we had a great day yesterday, spending several hours at the beach after church before both of my girls projectile vomitted on the car trip home.

05-12-2008, 03:50 PM	#2
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	a dangerous moron can ruin it for everyone. we actually had a cycling death. there are some streets where they hold crits. It's basically a square track. An old guy decides to practice going the opposite direction as is normal. Well, one of the guys going the right way....he collides with the old guy going the "wrong" way. Old guy dies. Freaky.

05-12-2008, 04:07 PM	#3
Clark Addison Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 638	Every time I think about getting into Biking, I read a story like this, and it scares me away.

05-12-2008, 04:09 PM	#4
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	if you ride on bike paths, without cars, and without other people, that is the safest.

05-12-2008, 04:57 PM	#6
SteelBlue Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Norcal Posts: 5,821	Holy crap. How am I only hearing about this on cg? Where's my text message man?

05-12-2008, 05:01 PM	#8
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I'm interested in cheap too.