I crashed on my bike ride today, on my way home.
I saw this guy (spandex guy) make a big round u-turn at a junction where two bike paths meet (T-junction).
I go straight (instead of turning left).
He looped around and ended up in the same direction as me.
I was coming up quickly so I called out to let him know that I’m going to pass him on the left (of him).
He was totally not paying attention and also wasn’t listening.
Just as I went to pass him on his left, he slowly crossed the bike path to stop on the other side of the bike path.
His slow left turn in front of me was made just as I was moving left.
Perfect collision course with no time or place to avoid the guy.
I yelled out and braked as hard as I dared but it was just too little space.
I probably got down to about 5 MPH when I collided to him (he was perpendicular to the bike path with his bike.
When my front wheel hit his bike (in the rear wheel mounting area), I came to a sudden stop and flipped over his bike and landed on my outstretched hands & rolled over.
The blacktop is particularly coarse in that section of the bike path.
Luckily, I landed and rolled well. My palms are sore (but the biking gloves protected me from getting road rash on my palms).
I have one small spot of road rash on my right elbow (very small).
Nothing else in terms of blood.
I’m a bit sore all over but not bad.
Of all my crashes, probably one of the less body damage ones.
The bike also fared not too bad.
Abrasion on the side of the seat. Road-rashed but not torn through.
Abrasion on the bar tape and more scratches on the brake lever but not too terrible.
There may be other scratches/damage but probably won’t run into it until I go to wash the bike.
He said he had dropped a water bottle and was making a U-turn to go back and get it.
He said he was so focused on the water bottle that he wasn’t paying attention.
I have a bright flashing headlight. He said he wasn’t paying attention so he didn’t see it.
He said it was his fault.
It really doesn’t make a difference since you can’t go back & undo the accident.
He really should have known better since he looked like a rider (full on spandex outfit and a fancy carbon bike).
Shit happens. Overall, it wasn’t too bad. I’ve had much worse crashes.
This is one of the lesser ones…
