Bike Crashes

In 12 years of racing in events that involve a bike (triathlons, duathlons, TTs, adventure races, and MTB races), I've had very few crashes. I never really pondered that fact until I wiped out last year in a training ride. Leaning into a turn, I hit a section of slick, wet pavement and went down hard and fast. As I laid on the pavement, moaning, I remember thinking, "I'm really, really glad this doesn't happen often."

In fact, as I look back on all the races and training, and time in general, spent on a bike, I have only a handful of war stories and very few scars to show.

There was the time I hit a tree in a MTB race. Coming into a tight switch-back I clipped a small pine tree on the edge of the trail with my shoulder. Well, I should say my handlebar clipped the tree, turning my body directly into it. My shoulder took the full force and knocked me off the back of the bike. I jumped up and was on my way without really having to survey the damage, which ended up being only a bruise. Got lucky.

There was the time in my garage when I forgot to lock my bike into the trainer properly. After a minute or so of pedaling I felt myself leaning to the right, and before I knew it, I was on the floor in my garage, still clipped into the pedals. Nice bruise on my hip, but again, nothing serious.

My biggest scare came two summers ago when I hit a car while riding in my neighborhood. I was going about 19MPH when a car pulled directly into the bike lane from a side street. I hit the car's front tire and went over the hood. I should mention that the driver was the neighborhood paper-delivery person. She was flying around without any regard to stop signs or speed limit as she always does. It was early in the morning (plenty of light, in case you're wondering) so I can see how she didn't expect anyone to around. But she was on the wrong side of the road and ignored her stop sign (had I not hit her, she would not have stopped). I went over the handlebars and my hip hit the hood pretty hard as I bounced onto the other side of the car landing on my feet.

My bike did get a little dinged up in that one, but I've never felt so lucky in my life. Just a another nice bruise on my hip - although this one hung around for several weeks.

And really, that's it as far as crashes. I won't count the number of near misses and sketchy run-ins with drivers I've had in the years. Each time I go out for a ride I take extra precaution. I know things could go wrong at any moment and I pay attention. I just hope the guy behind the wheel is paying attention as well.