Got hit by a car today (Page 5)

My head has just been reeling the last couple of days.  I just can't reconcile the complete and total distrution to my bike and my lack of serious injury.  My left leg is a little stiff today but I've been more sore following hard workouts than I am right now.  This may sound strange but I almost feel guilty that I was not more seriously injurred. 

I always thought that if I got hit, it would be from behind....by some DUI and not like this.  I'm hoping I've not lost my nerve.  I'm axious to 'get back on my horse' but right now I need to buy a new horse!

~Mike

Again, your comments are freakishly like what I remember my wife dealing with.  Based off our experience, I'd say don't be surprised or bothered if you are a little skittish at first.  When my wife finally was able to ride again, I went out for her first post-accident ride with her.  Her natural reaction was to be so concerned that every car was going to run their stop sign that she was over-reacting.  She'd brake as she approached intersections, swerved in odd ways in reaction to where a car was, etc.  I finally had to stop her and tell her that her riding was so unpredictable and squirelly that she was confusing the drivers.  Someone was going to pull out again, because they thought she had committed to turning or stopping.  She HTFU (that's the phrase here, right?) and got over the fear.  She was fine after that.

Though I will say, while she doesn't ride much anymore (kid's got in the way), she goes out and rides every anniversary of her accident.  Gives her back a feeling of control over that day on the calendar.

And don't feel guilty about not being hurt worse.  Feel blessed.

Richard

I am sending my speedy healing powers your way....I am so glad to hear that for the most part, you are ok...sorry about the Felt!

Here's to mending up so you will kick butt in 'ville in August.

chirunner134 - 2008-06-23 5:41 PM Hope you get better soon. Remember as long as you get to finish IMKY you will not be last since I will be last. .

We will both exceed our own expectations Todd!

Just in update...

Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since the accident.  Today the insurance gave me a check for my bike, helmet, computer etc.  Today I bought a new bike.  I spent 2 hrs in my LBS getting the bit outfit with computer, pedals, bottle cages, 12/27 cassette and getting it fit, everthing adjusted and checked over to make sure everything was torqued properly.

This morning I went to the doctor to have the big lump on my shin looked at.  He said it was a hemorage from where the muscle is torn from the bone or something fo the sort.  My hospitol bill is over 5 grand and then there is the ambulance, radiology and the ER physician.  My insurance is covering the medical bills and will be reimburses by the insurance compnay of the lady who hit me.  Evidently this is how the "uninsured motorists" coverage works.

I've done a modicum of running and swimming over the last 3 weeks but I've not been on a bike since the accident.

I'm doing an Oly distance tri Sunday in Chattanooga.  I had hope this would be a PR for me but now I'm just gonna use it as a training day and have some fun.  I will try to bike a few miles tomorrow to work out any bugs with the new bike.  I don't know how much biking strength I've lost in the last 3 weeks but I figure it was just and long taper.  :-)

Mentally I'm still kinda amazed that I was not killed or more seriously injurred.  I passed a cemetary the other day and was overwhelmed with a sense that, once again, I was spared death with unmerited favor.

Oh yeah, a week after the accident I noticed one of the abrasions on my knee was getting infected.  It had a very hard scab.  As I picked at it I realized the hard scab was actually a rock that was embedded under the skin.  I dug out a pea-sized peice of sharp gravel.  What amazes me is the ER docs didn't see this on the x-rays.  I showed the x-rays to the doctor today and he immediatly saw the rock on a couple of the prints.

~Mike

Glad to hear things are working out (USAA rocks)!  Make sure to post pictures of the new bike.  Have fun in your tri this weekend. 

Glad to hear that your insurance company is taking care of you.  What did you get as a replacement?

As far as your leg, is this something that will heal on it's own?   A torn muscle is a little scary.

Hope the ride tomorrow goes well and you have fun during the tri. 

You should never ride against traffic.  If you are going 20 mph and the aproaching car is going 40 mph, that would be a 60 mph impact.  If you are going with the traffic at the same speeds, it would be a 20 mph impact.  And the force is proportional to the square of the velocity so it's way more than just 3x the impact.

It was her insurance that covered my bike.  My insurance (USAA, and yes, they rock) is covering the medical bill until her insurance settles up.

I got the exact bike that I had gotten 4 weeks prior to the accident - a Felt B12.  I posted pictures of then so I don't see much sense in posting more pix of the same bike.

~Mike

Mate you are really lucky you didn't get killed!!!

Wishing you a speedy recovery and that you make the Ironman start line

Same here, I grew up in Alabama, I'm curious of where this happened.  I lost my brand new bike in a head-on with another cyclist a month back, so I feel your bike pain. 

Been there, done that, have the t-shirt. The pickup truck that hit me took off, but turned himself in two days later as a manhunt continued. You're doing the right thing documenting everything. Keep a record.

Your insurance "should" pick up where hers leaves off, if she is underinsured. It's all a giant racket, but you should get paid for the bike, the helmet, the gear, the hospital and the damage to your person. I've been through the long and the short of it, but came out on top.

Feel free to drop me a PM if there is anything I can do.

Heal fast, rest lots, listen to your body and don't feel guilty--God was looking out for you even when the driver wasn't...