oujeep1

Crashed one week ago today, went down hard on my right side, dog coming at me hard not sure if he hit me or i just swerved. As so many to whom this has happened have reported it happened so fast I was on the ground thinking wow that hurts, i don't remember ever thinking uhoh, this could be bad I'm going down. Broken ribs, collar bone and pelvis on R side. Surgery on clavicle was friday, other injuries hopefully nonoperative. Got home from hospital yesterday. Thought I would start a thread posting my experiences so anyone who has little nuggets of wisdom can comment also, and hopefully it will be a waste of your time reading information you'll never need.
My first is simple and obvious- if you ever even think of riding w/o a helmet, don't, don't don't. My Giro prolight was cracked, both the plastic and styrofoam, and I had no head injury. No helmet=skull fracture. Thank you Mr. Giro. Second, if you are injured and having to take narcotic pain meds, start immediately taking a laxative. Nuf said. And this is one as a doc I knew but didn't follow, no oral pain meds on empty stomach. Don't call anyone to come get you until you know the extent of your injuries- really added to my wife's stress level when she gets to where I said I'd be expecting to take me home only to be told I had already left in the ambulance.
On the plus side you dont realize until something like this happens what awesome people your cycling buddies(and actually all your friends, family and colleagues) are. Amazing outpouring of support.
Probl looking at 4-6 weeks off work, 3 mos off the bike at least outdoors. I will post more thoughts as they occur.

qcpmsame 

Glad the injures were not any worse, they sound bad enough for this time anyhow. Agree with all you nuggets in the OP, especially those about the oral and IV pain meds. I am a long term chronic pain management patient from many, many surgeries and your thoughts are spot on. Hope you heal up fast and can get back to riding. Now get ready for the 41 fusillade of crap for crashing and getting injured.

Busta Quad

How are your quads???

oujeep1

Quads are intact just a little swollen on the right.L side looks like me right side looks like someone painted fabian cancellara's thigh purple

work4bike

Best thing to do when a dog is coming at you and you can't out run him is to simply stop, don't swerve, just stop and the majority of the time he'll stop, if he doesn't then you just kick the sh*t out of him, which is much easier to do when stopped than riding the bike.

Of all the times/accidents I've been in I only had one in which it happend so fast that I didn't have time to think; one second I was on my bike the next I was in the middle of the road with a car coming directly at me at 55 mph, luckily, some how instincts took over and I, without thinking, jumped up, grabbed my bike and got out of the road. It was one of those times in your life when you ask yourself, "What just happened?"

How it happened: I was cruising along at ~20mph when I inadvertently drifted off the road, I immediately swerved to get back on the road, but at that speed and the narrow angle I hit it (the road's lip) that was enough to catapult my from the side of the road, directly into the center of the two-lane country road.

The "lip" on the edge of the road that caused this, dropped down at about a 70 degree angle and was probably only a couple inches high, but at that speed that was all it took to stop my bike, but I kept going.

This was over 20 years ago when I first started cycling, but even to this day when I look at the edge of the road I think of that experience. My first real lesson in how to ride a bike

Busta Quad

Do you know who owns the dog?

sbxx1985 

Your nuggets of wisdom are right on.

Good luck with your recovery.

Timothy

Surprised nobody has asked, but how's the bike?
Also, have a quick and complete recovery!

ctpres

Does not always work, but I carry a riding bat/crop. About three ft long fiberglass stick with handle and leather loop on one end and a leather flap on the other. Makes very loud noise when hitting snout of dog and believe me they remember me. Dogs that scare me the most are the ones that cross in front of bike. Hope your future rides are better/safer. Get well and ride again.

Nachoman

Aeolis

Are dogs really that much of a problem for you guys? Obviously it was for the OP but is it a common occurrence?

BoomMcNasty

My dad taught me this trick when I was a kid, he's been a "roadie" as long as I've known him. Carry and older water bottle filled with 1/3 ammonia and 2/3 water. If he's faster than you, wait till he's close and blast em'!

Busta Quad

This:

BentLink

You know this, but eat well...lots of fiber and fluids help with aforementioned side effects. On the bright side, no mention of road rash, so that could be worse. 'Could be a great opportunity to do some reading or get really good at some sedentary hobby.

Get well!

sbxx1985 

If this was required to ride, I'd find another sport.

sam83

Neosporin and gause = Bad.
Tegaderm or Hydrocolloid Bandages = Good.

Heal fast.

Closed Office

I had a similar helmet experience. The first point of impact was my head but that was just about the only part of me that wasn't sore. (details here.)

oujeep1

Don't know who owned the dog, owners of the closest house quick to point out to police their dogs were in the yard. Really dogs historically for me have been a minor nuisance. I shall resist the temptation to tote a riding crop, I fear the urge to use it on other riders would be to great. Bad timing to see that thread about carbon wheels, specifically cheap chinese carbon wheels, having just recently ordered but not yet received a set of carbon 38mm 2quik wheels. Currently own a pair of Easton EC90Aero carbons which I love. I am only 5'7" and weigh 145, not a brake rider. I tend to side with those who think its an operator failure rather than equipment failure

J45oN

Hope you get better soon! That's terrible to hear about. And I don't mean to be 'that guy' but find the owner of the dog and make sure this never happens again lol

I have had more than my fair share of wipe outs with ATV's, skateboarding , snowboarding, and biking. Atvs' and bikes are the only things I ever used helmets with; my atv helmet has some road rash to tell my story with. I went over the handle bars at age 12 while riding my trek MTB down the Katy Trail here in MO and landed right on my helmet when I went through some of the wash out from the damage done by the flood of 93. I trust helmets, they have saved me from at least a half dozen concussions.

oujeep1

I hope to do some searching for the mutt when a little more ambulatory. another subject that has come up- it appears from the condition of my right hand, i.e bruised and abraided but not broken, and the lack of bar tape damage, that my hand was still on the bar when I achieved touchdown. Bars are Easton Carbon K Wing about 8 yrs old. I am thinking replace them,even though no visible damage. Thoughts?