Anyone fallen off recently?

[Bearbait]

Riding to work in the dark and cold on a winter Alberta morning.  can't really see where I'm going, but I know the path so I am going pretty fast.  Someone decided to put up a construction fence.  Hitting the fence wasn't particularly bad.  the rebound was worse as my bicycle seat is rather pointed.  I was somewhat chuffed I would say. (I have no idea what that means coming from canada and all but it seems to fit ).  when i got to work, i had a nice fence pattern on my face.  And I walked funny. In a somewhat chuffy way.  Bike fine.

[julk]

Chuffed to me means pleased with yourself, maybe not what you had in mind?

[Blacksail]

Perhaps you were miffed.

definitions from the Urban Dictionary:
Miffed = To be slightly annoyed, specifically with someone or something.
Chuffed = To be very pleased, proud or happy with yourself 

[Bearbait]

So.. I was chuffed as I bore myself in a manly fashion after my somewhat humiliating misfortune. Then I was miffed when a lady opened her car door in front of me causing me to sail through the air,over the door landing after a rather nice shoulder roll in the middle of main street, Canmore (not Scotland). 

[JimK]

The guy behind the counter at the local post office said they were out of holiday stamps but I could get some in Bearsville. What a nice excuse for a ride! Might as well take the long way home!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=bearsville,+ny&daddr=42.07678,-74.13091+to:woodstock,+ny&geocode=FUd9gQIdeXuU-ynbgOXeaADdiTER7Ewxl5rtwg%3BFWwKggIdItqU-ykp4HISG6rdiTF8vmKC1OxB4g%3BFV1-gQIdywuV-ykrTM_AMwfdiTH8cQeI775cuA&hl=en&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=12&via=1&sll=42.059489,-74.140205&sspn=0.125156,0.212173&ie=UTF8&ll=42.059362,-74.139862&spn=0.062578,0.106087&t=p&z=13

That's a 1200 foot gain in elevation to the pass! My first ride of that classic loop.

The steep part at the bottom of McDaniel Road climbs 120 feet in about 700 feet, so about a 17% grade. I had to stop a couple times to catch my breath and prevent cardiac arrest. The Rohloff is great! I find it easier to start up a steep slope in a higher gear, like 4th. I put in maybe three pedal strokes to get some momentum, then quick flip back to first. Then if I want to switch to standing up on the pedals, again a quick switch back up to fourth. That quick shifting across multiple gears is just fabulous!

Somehow, I think I was just starting up, and a car was coming by, I ended up going very slowly into the frozen deep ruts just off the asphalt. Over I went! I can't remember the last time I fell on a bike. I was lucky when I first switched to clipless pedals a dozen years ago or so, I tipped over at a light but there was some big box right alongside me so I just leaned over into that. This time I went all the way over, rolling around in the gravel trying to get my feet unclipped. And I haven't had my Nomad even a month yet!

[L]

My husband and I were cycling the Sheerness Gloucester canal path last August, in heavy rain. The front wheel skidded on a flat stone hidden by wet vegetation and we fell off. The Thorn tandem was OK, as was my husband. I, however, had separated my acromio clavicular joint. We walked the remaining three miles to our superb B&B The Tudor Arms at Shepards Patch, where the landlord took us to Stroud MI unit where I was diagnosed and strapped up within 30 mins.
For two weeks any movement was agony and to be avoided if at all possible. As it was my right shoulder (and I am right handed) I had to learn to do everything with the wrong arm/hand, which was incredibly difficult.
After that it started improving and at three weeks I started physio. Now, five months later it only reminds me occasionally, especially when getting out of bed in the morning.
I was back on the tandem at four and a half weeks and on my solo at five weeks, so  it could have been a lot worse.
At the time I was not aware of this forum or I would have have asked if anyone else had had a similar injury and how long it took to recover.

[Neil Jones]

Sorry to hear of your fall but it sounds like you've made a decent recovery. I got knocked of my bike in late October and broke by collarbone, it had separated quite badly like yours, I had to wear a sling for 6 weeks which as you know is very inconvenient but necessary especially as I live alone. It has healed reasonably well although I still can't sleep on the side of the break. I had the option of having it pinned and plated but decided to let it heal naturally (perhaps it was the wrong choice).

[Blacksail]

I went for the nuts and bolts solution for my broken collar bone which meant I was able to ride again after a fortnight, I believe the consultant recommended a longer period of rest which I ignored. When you are relying on nature to heal you, clearly you need to give it more time.

My question is how long does it take you mentally to get over these injuries, in my case I took a couple of years to get back to my pre accident levels of confidence on a bike, I would brake on quite small hills and steer rather than lean round corners.

L, were you the captain or the stoker when you had the accident, if you where the stoker have you asked to swap seats yet?

[L]

I was the stoker, and no, I have no desire to be the pilot! I do the mapreading, as my husband would get last crossing a road! Also his position is too stretched out.
I took longer to get over a previous injury, almost 6 years!
We were cycling in the dark. all lit up like a Christmas tree including hi-vis jackets but as we were being cut up all the time by cars, we went onto a footpath next to the road. Husband swerved to avoid a pothole but did not have time to warn me, so I went sailing on, landing on my knees and hands. Feeling rather foolish, I got up straight away to reassure husband that I was OK, but then fainted and sat down HARD. This happened THREE times! Very badly bruised coccyx, manipulation needed six months later and no long distance cycling holiday the next year. I have now got a Spiderflex saddle which is superb.
I still trust my pilot completely, so have not had any problems.
(Fortunately both times I had finished my (knitting) row)

[Han]

I fell off my Raven Tour yesterday. On ice, I dont think anyone saw me.

[chriszanf]

I fell over on my Nomad before Christmas. Neither of us were hurt except my pride took a bit of a hiding.

I had partaken of some the Christmas spirit that was in abundance, went back to the office to collect my belongings and cycle home. I wasn't unfit to ride but I was aware that I should take the journey slower and with more care than usual.

I came out of the subterranean car park, turned right to head down to the bottom of the the road, where I would again have to turn right. Some vehicles blocked my path so I slowed to wait but couldn't unclip from the pedals, slowed completely and fell over on my left side.

After looking around and realising no-one had seen me (the view from the pub across the road was obscured by the traffic), I laughed whilst I righted myself and the bike and then carried on!

I rode home with a very red face.

[Bearbait]

I was riding down main street the other day when a lady opened her car door.  i nearly avoided it but caught my right foot. I must have gone up and over the door and then rolled on my shoulder, for the next thing I knew i was standing in the middle of town swearing a blue streak.  I was lucky because I wasn't wearing a helmet.  Also happened not to be clipped in or the bike would have come with me.  Very sore shoulder.  Bike ok.

[da_perama]

Yesterday morning on my way to school ( as a teacher  )I didn't see the ice on a downhill small road and I fell. The bike is ok, and I enjoyed the way I touched the ground, with my forearms and my feet. Only my Knees where a little beaten. I was lucky of course because no cars where on the road.