![]() 04/26/2018 at 12:32 • Filed to: None | ![]() | ![]() |
Last Friday I was commuting from class on my old beater mountain bike down a bike path that I did not know had a steep curb right in the middle of it, I somehow crashed as a result and ended up with a compound fracture of both bones in my left arm. Ambulance ride to the ER, an emergency surgery, a night in the hospital, then another night in the ER due to complications later and here we are now.
It wasn’t any one of the numerous jumps I crashed bikes off of working at Trek last summer that broke me, it wasn’t taking my carbon road ride down an active construction site pretending I was doing cyclocross that broke me, it wasn’t even me crashing trying to land a jump well above my skill level on the ski slopes this spring that broke me. No, it was a stupid 6" tall curb in the bike lane in the middle of my university campus. Be careful out there, because you never know when things can go so wrong so quickly. I’m just thankful I didn’t hit my head as since I was commuting to class I wasn’t wearing a helmet.
Missed one week of classes already, finals are next week, and graduation is after that. Then I have to find a place to live in the Detroit region because I have to join the working world. So you could say this is not the optimal time for this to occur!
![]() 04/26/2018 at 12:51 |
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Holy shit! Heal quickly!
![]() 04/26/2018 at 12:53 |
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OMFG....
![]() 04/26/2018 at 12:53 |
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I’m shivering just looking at those X-rays. Hope it heals quickly !
![]() 04/26/2018 at 12:55 |
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Ouch. Feel better bud!
![]() 04/26/2018 at 12:56 |
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So you are like Wolverine now?
![]() 04/26/2018 at 12:56 |
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Thanks! I’m hoping it heals quickly too.
04/26/2018 at 12:58 |
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OWOWOWOWOWFUCKOWOWOW!
I take it that scaffolding is permanent?
![]() 04/26/2018 at 12:59 |
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Yeah the stainless steel plates and screws are permanent but the staples holding my skin together should hopefully be removed a week from now.
![]() 04/26/2018 at 13:03 |
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Ouch. You turned your arm into a weather vane.
![]() 04/26/2018 at 13:10 |
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Oh, crap! Those x-rays are something else! So sorry!
04/26/2018 at 13:12 |
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Christ...
Well, you’re a human barometer now, and will know before the rest of us when the weather’s going to turn.
![]() 04/26/2018 at 13:16 |
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ouch.... heal well mate :)
and you’re right... its the routine what gets you.... i missed 8 weeks of work coz i wanted to take the bin out
fell off the step down from me garden to the street whilst pulling the bin... tore a muscle in my shoulder....
calling in the next day sucked.... sorry bossman... cant work today... i fell off my garden
![]() 04/26/2018 at 13:17 |
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AAAAA that hurts just to look at!
![]() 04/26/2018 at 13:26 |
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You are saying that someone placed a 6" curb in the middle of a bike lane? Can you provide a location so we can take a look at the situation?
Oh yeah, sorry about your injuries. I’ve broken an arm, a collar bone , and a few ribs, but none of them were compound fractures like yours. I remember how much it hurts to break bone, but I can only imagine what you’re going through. Good luck in recovery!
![]() 04/26/2018 at 13:31 |
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At least it was your left arm? I dunno, trying to find a silver lining.
Seriously though, always wear a helmet. Always. I was hit by a car on a nice even road. Helmet saved my life.
![]() 04/26/2018 at 13:40 |
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Oh man, take it easy. Heal good.
![]() 04/26/2018 at 13:49 |
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Ouch, sorry about that man.
They look like very clean breaks though they should heal faster and sufficiently far enough away from the wrist to be less of a circulatory issue.
I hope it’s all mended soon.
I hope the treatment cost didn’t hurt as much either.
![]() 04/26/2018 at 14:07 |
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Wow, I hope you have a full and speedy recovery. That’s scary stuff. It’s actually lucky it wasn’t 5 miles off in the woods somewhere!
![]() 04/26/2018 at 14:08 |
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You can see the bike lane marked out on the bricks. Had a small white sign warning “stop - traffic does not stop.” Ironically I was looking out for traffic when the crash occurred.
![]() 04/26/2018 at 14:10 |
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I’m guessing it’ll cost more than my student loans haha!
![]() 04/26/2018 at 14:12 |
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I feel dumb in hindsight. I have a really nice helmet I wear religiously any time I am doing non-commuting to class, which I guess is the most likely time for something to go wrong since my guard is down.
![]() 04/26/2018 at 14:31 |
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Damn. Hope you’re back to 100% soon.
![]() 04/26/2018 at 15:31 |
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Before that car ran into me, the worst accident I ever had was a sprain from riding to class. I ran into a parked car. Doh.
![]() 04/26/2018 at 16:25 |
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That doesn’t look like a clearly marked bike lane, especially since there aren’t any markings on the pavement to indicate the continuation of a bike lane onto the street. I suppose the markings are clearer in real life. But if they aren’t, there’s not much there to distinguish between the bike lane and the sidewalk. I’d look at the local regulations for pavement markings and make sure the university is in compliance. You might have an argument for them taking care of any medical expenses not covered by insurance.
I had a pretty bad wipeout once when a jaywalker stepped off the sidewalk into the bike lane. I had just upgraded from cantilever to V-brakes. I had time to marvel at how well the new brakes stopped the front wheel as I flew over the bars. I landed in a heap right at the jaywalker’s feet. All she could say was, “O h my God! Did you see that?”
![]() 04/26/2018 at 19:11 |
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You did that properly. Please don’t do it again...
![]() 04/27/2018 at 08:48 |
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ouch!
good to hear you’re not too badly hurt.
![]() 07/01/2018 at 21:30 |
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Damn man, that must be painful as all get out! Glad it wasn’t something worse....it will heal in ti
me, but definitely no t
he
best time for it to happen!