It was some type of vent grate in the road maybe 2' x 4' with a half inch lip around it. It was raining and I spent the whole ride avoiding anything metal in the road. I encountered this grate downtown in one of the heaviest traffic areas. I saw the grate and moved to avoid it. I think as I moved left towards the center of the lane I took another look for traffic behind me. When I looked forward I hadn't moved out quite far enough and just caught the lip of the grate. With the tire on wet metal it had no chance of riding over the lip even with 37mm tires. For me this is not a new lesson, avoid anything metal on rainy day. My attention slipped for a second and down we went.
Larry Powers "just when you think that you've been gyped the bearded lady comes and does a double back flip" - John Hiatt > Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:37:16 -0700 > Subject: [RBW] Re: Tradgedy Averted > From: sring...@hotmail.com > To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com > > > Any lessons to be shared? You mentioned a "metal edge" in the road: > was that a sewer grate, bridge joint or something? I find that I have > to watch things like a hawk: while on a recent rando ride in NE Iowa, > I was riding down a country road with only a narrow strip of unbroken > pavement right at the edge. I looked down at the cue sheet and the > front tire wandered about four inches to the right into the soft sand > shoulder. Front tire burrowed in and over I went. No damage other > than road rash, but it was a wakeup call for me as a rider. > > On Jul 22, 6:38 am, Larry Powers <lapower...@hotmail.com> wrote: > > I have checked the bike and accept for the tape on the captain's bars and > > the mirror on the stoker's bars there is no real damage to the bike. That > > is what happens when you throw two large middle aged bodies between the > > bike and the pavement. > > > > While watching the tour last night Jens Voight's accident hit a little > > closer to home. Good to hear he is doing well. > > > > Larry Powers > > > > "just when you think that you've been gyped > > the bearded lady comes and does a double back flip" - John Hiatt > > > > From: lapower...@hotmail.com > > To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com > > Subject: [RBW] Tradgedy Averted > > Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:28:07 -0400 > > > > I dumped the tandem on the commute this morning. I caught a metal edge in > > the road in the rain. We went down hard. I lead with my shoulder and then > > thigh and knee. My wife hit with her elbow and thigh. Neither of us > > remember hitting our heads but our helmets tell a different story. I > > managed to hop up make sure my wife was OK and haul the bike to the > > sidewalk before I passed out and went down for the count. Long story short > > we are banged and beat up and probably won't be able to ride for 2 to 4 > > weeks but we should be OK. > > > > I Haven't checked the bike yet but based on reports from my kids who picked > > up the bike and brought it home there may be some damage. I will check > > that tomorrow. > > > > That sounds like a tragedy not a tragedy averted? Well, when I went down > > for the count my wife was smart enough to call 911 despite my protests. > > The ambulance shows up and they check me over, backboard me and load me up. > > I have to lay their for about 10 minutes before we get to the hospital. > > My thoughts start to wander. Thank God we are OK. Hope the bike is OK. > > Glad I didn't rip my Ibex shorts or my blue wool Rivendell jersey. My > > jersey, those scissors happy yahoo's at the hospital are going to try and > > cut it off. Over my dead body I think. > > > > I am in the exam room and they have checked me over including neck and > > spine. Temperature was down to 94. The decision is made to get me out of > > my wet clothes and into warm blankets. They manage to peel off my ibex > > shorts and then I hear "How would you feel if we have to cut that shirt off > > of you?" I make it quite clear that there is no reason to cut it off and > > that while I have been a quiet and cooperative patient that will all end if > > the scissors make an appearance. The doctor seems to have a good eye for > > clothes and says it appears to be a classic shirt and there is no need to > > cut it off. With some wincing on my part as I sit up and manage to get my > > injured arm pointed towards the ceiling, they are able to pull the jersey > > off in one piece. Tragedy averted. > > > > Larry Powers > > > > "just when you think that you've been gyped > > the bearded lady comes and does a double back flip" - John Hiatt > > > > Windows Live™ Hotmail®: Celebrate the moment with your favorite sports > > pics. Check it out. > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Bing™ brings you maps, menus, and reviews organized in one place. Try it > > now.http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MLOGEN&publ=WLHMTAG&cre... > > _________________________________________________________________ Bing™ brings you maps, menus, and reviews organized in one place. Try it now. http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MLOGEN&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TXT_MLOGEN_Local_Local_Restaurants_1x1 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
