I had Friday off work and took the opportunity to get out on the bike in beautiful sunny conditions, 21oC but a little windy in certain sections.
I was riding hard trying to complete my 28KM 3 X Cadel loops in around the hour (28km per hour) which considering the ups and downs and stops and starts is a top effort for me.
About 1 and 3/4 laps into the ride, I'm at one of the fastest sections of the lap having down a hill and into Memorial Drive where the road surface is superb and the contour great for some hard pushing at bottom gear.
I approach a mini (medium) roundabout where I'm going straight ahead, I see a white ute/van approaching the roundabout from the left, moving pretty quickly
- surely he is going to break?
I have right of way !
This is my view as I approach the roundabout.
But he does not stop or break at all and comes straight out as I'm almost upon him.
I'd guess he was doing about 50kph.
He came from my left (same position as the silver SUV) and must have been intending to go straight ahead.
I have no time to break but probably must have managed to turn the handlebars to the right to avoid a head on smash and instead collide into the side of him. I was doing 40kph.Click on the graph below for a better view. I had the auto pause on so about 4 secs after I came to a halt the Garmin would have stopped and you can see where I highlighted my last speed 40.4kph - of course the 100kph that follows is me in the ambulance heading down the Bruce until I managed to retrieve it and switch it off.
I came to a heap in the road (Memorial Drive!!) and concious of being in the middle of the road crabbed my way to the grassy area in the central reservation.
I through off my helmet and felt blood in my back, but was relieved to feel full sensation in my limbs.
I got lots of assistance from bystanders to which I'm eternally grateful and thankful for human kindness. Ambulance was called I was tended by a 'Angela' a trained First Aid medic who rightly stopped me from trying to move.
The driver was 'shaking like a leaf' in total shock and apologising and saying he just didn't see me. It seemed at one point that he might require an ambulance himself!
I had my Garmin in the back pocket of my cycling jersey - it got smashed but I was still able to down load the session! I could hear it beeping in the ambulance presumable as the satellite reception was lost and found. It could well have protected my backbone from damage but I now have a Garmin indent pattern in my back!! I got the paramedic to pass me the watch and I manage to stop it and 'save' the session!
It reminded me of those tee shirts.
Another bystander collected my bike which I have yet to see but am not expecting to be able to ride as I was told both wheels got mangled.
Both local hospitals were full and turning people away so fortunate to have private cover I got dropped into St. Andrews in the city and was seen immediately.
A CT scan proved no broken bones, the doctor said the haematoma (bruise) was a type that could calcify and remain with me as a lump for the rest of my life.
Nurses Doctors Porters Ambos were all fantastic and looked after me with such care and attention I felt like a charlatan - not quite worthy of such attention.
The nurse (Heather) dressed my wound and took a photo which I posted on facebook!! I was feeling fine but just as Natalie arrived to pick me up I went downhill! I thought I was going to puke I got a very hot sweat and I'm told the colour drained from my head. I slumped onto the reception desk dislodging a telephone as my wife was waving at me through the doors to come get into the car (so she wouldn't have to park up). Instead the nurse wheeled me back into triage rooms onto a bed and raised my legs - my blood pressure had fallen through my boots probably as a result of all the meds!
Got home and again thought I was OK but went through another sick spell and so had to give 'Friday night Footy and beers' a miss and head to bed! I had an uncomfortable nights sleep, and am pretty sore still today. It will be a while before I can assess the damage potential running damage as I'm not too mobile. I can say I have hurt my left quad probably bruising yet to come out.
Of course this weekend is the Gold Coast Marathon Running festival with the 10KM this morning (havent check out the results yet), good luck to all doing the Mara and the Half tomorrow - wish I could be with you ; - )
Here is Heather's photo from the triage table - Mind the crack!
I was riding hard trying to complete my 28KM 3 X Cadel loops in around the hour (28km per hour) which considering the ups and downs and stops and starts is a top effort for me.
About 1 and 3/4 laps into the ride, I'm at one of the fastest sections of the lap having down a hill and into Memorial Drive where the road surface is superb and the contour great for some hard pushing at bottom gear.
I approach a mini (medium) roundabout where I'm going straight ahead, I see a white ute/van approaching the roundabout from the left, moving pretty quickly
- surely he is going to break?
I have right of way !
This is my view as I approach the roundabout.
But he does not stop or break at all and comes straight out as I'm almost upon him.
I'd guess he was doing about 50kph.
He came from my left (same position as the silver SUV) and must have been intending to go straight ahead.
I have no time to break but probably must have managed to turn the handlebars to the right to avoid a head on smash and instead collide into the side of him. I was doing 40kph.Click on the graph below for a better view. I had the auto pause on so about 4 secs after I came to a halt the Garmin would have stopped and you can see where I highlighted my last speed 40.4kph - of course the 100kph that follows is me in the ambulance heading down the Bruce until I managed to retrieve it and switch it off.
I remember thinking is this really happening to me? as I'm flying sideways towards the central reservation. I landed pretty much on my ar$e but collected scape wounds to my left knee, right knee, left elbow but mainly to my lower back/bum.
I hit the tarmac aprox the light shaded circle and crabbed to the grass to the right.
I through off my helmet and felt blood in my back, but was relieved to feel full sensation in my limbs.
I got lots of assistance from bystanders to which I'm eternally grateful and thankful for human kindness. Ambulance was called I was tended by a 'Angela' a trained First Aid medic who rightly stopped me from trying to move.
The driver was 'shaking like a leaf' in total shock and apologising and saying he just didn't see me. It seemed at one point that he might require an ambulance himself!
I had my Garmin in the back pocket of my cycling jersey - it got smashed but I was still able to down load the session! I could hear it beeping in the ambulance presumable as the satellite reception was lost and found. It could well have protected my backbone from damage but I now have a Garmin indent pattern in my back!! I got the paramedic to pass me the watch and I manage to stop it and 'save' the session!
It reminded me of those tee shirts.
Both local hospitals were full and turning people away so fortunate to have private cover I got dropped into St. Andrews in the city and was seen immediately.
A CT scan proved no broken bones, the doctor said the haematoma (bruise) was a type that could calcify and remain with me as a lump for the rest of my life.
Nurses Doctors Porters Ambos were all fantastic and looked after me with such care and attention I felt like a charlatan - not quite worthy of such attention.
The nurse (Heather) dressed my wound and took a photo which I posted on facebook!! I was feeling fine but just as Natalie arrived to pick me up I went downhill! I thought I was going to puke I got a very hot sweat and I'm told the colour drained from my head. I slumped onto the reception desk dislodging a telephone as my wife was waving at me through the doors to come get into the car (so she wouldn't have to park up). Instead the nurse wheeled me back into triage rooms onto a bed and raised my legs - my blood pressure had fallen through my boots probably as a result of all the meds!
Got home and again thought I was OK but went through another sick spell and so had to give 'Friday night Footy and beers' a miss and head to bed! I had an uncomfortable nights sleep, and am pretty sore still today. It will be a while before I can assess the damage potential running damage as I'm not too mobile. I can say I have hurt my left quad probably bruising yet to come out.
Of course this weekend is the Gold Coast Marathon Running festival with the 10KM this morning (havent check out the results yet), good luck to all doing the Mara and the Half tomorrow - wish I could be with you ; - )
Here is Heather's photo from the triage table - Mind the crack!
