went down (and not in a good way)

[bell]

sorry to hear of the accident todd, maybe switch to off-roading bikes.........dirt is always more forgiving.

i had a long time friend clip a guy who decided to park in the fast lane (stopped dead in rush hour traffic), after he clipped the parked car he spun into another car, which then pushed him under the trailer of a big rig......which then proceeded to run strait over his dodge dakota.....when he popped out of the back he got punted by the car behind the truck and he ended up in the ditch.
it took them 30 minutes to cut him out of the dakota, it shook him up really bad, but no major injuries....no broken bones.

he said he does feel like he was run over by a truck, i could only imagine the horror of that ride, and am glad my friend is still around.

[VaSteve]

Jeez, and I just my license...looking for a bike.

Here's to a speedy recovery! And if you're a little slow at modding the board taking down the scantily clad girls, we'll understand.

[dhoward]

Glad to hear you're ok.

If you look on the side of the Vicodin bottle, it will have a label that says "Alcohol may intensify the effect"
That means it works better with an adult beverage.

[RPKESQ]

Best of luck with your recovery (both of you). I've been there, done that several times in a long bike career. I've got all the scars to prove it too!
Let me know if I can help in any way (rides, drinks, doc visits, etc.). Just PM me for contact info.

[Ronbo]

That's just too close for comfort. Wishing you and the G/F a speedy recovery.

[arcsine]

I am glad that you and g/f are OK and hope that you both get back on your feet soon. I completely understand your thoughts of retirement as I have come to the same conclusion now that I have a young daughter. I love riding but too much stuff can happen that is far out of your control and serious consequences can happen far too easily.

[vash]

man o man todd! glad you two are OK!. vicoden sucks! will stop you from crapping for days. this is a blesssing and a curse with a messed up leg. sitting on a toilet will be your biggest challenge, and once you make it, you want it to be a quick trip. vicoden will play with you in this department.

sucky how the other people didnt stop to help. i stop for bikes and porsches. get well soon, buddy.

[Shuie]

Glad you're still here. Get well.

[nostatic]

thanks for all the well wishes, from both of us. The tough part is shutting off your mind. I've been doing pretty well at stopping the, "oh, if we'd only left earlier/later" and beating myself up for riding a bike at all. But the vision of the coyote out of my peripheral vision, the sound of the impact, and the sliding seem to stick. But it'll wane with time.

Everybody be careful out there. And wear all gear all the time. If I'd had better pants on the only injury would be my foot from the boot shredding...and if I'd had my Sidis on that wouldn't have happened. I'll post pictures of the jackets at some point, but no wound pics.

[DavidI]

Todd, glad you are still with us! Motorcyles scare the hell out of me. My oldest brother, a professional boxer and former Army Ranger, is paralyzed as the result of a motorcyle accident. They are too dangerous.

You and your girlfriend have been given another shot at life. See you at the next run, David

[cstreit]

Wow... Don't question the "left earlier thing" as you're already really lucky! Glad you're alright and got good help.

May your vicodin be strong and your insurance adjuster weak.

Get well fast Todd and g/f.

[techweenie]

Todd, you are one lucky guy. Imagine if that loon in the truck was right behind you when you first went down. Maybe save the riding for canyons in the early mornings.

[DonDavis]

Holy SMOKES!!! Todd, you dork! I'm very glad you and G/F are ok. Well, almost ok. As as mentioned before, try not to ding yourself too much. It wasn't your fault at all. Just one of those damned random things. While I was reading your post, I had forgotten it was night. Not till I got to the timeline did I remember it was after the show. Sounds like the fall was quick and not much time to be scared but the waiting at the center must have felt like an eternity.

Not to sound flip, but I can almost visualize the 2 of you waiting for help. I bet you had a grin for a moment at some point.

Fair winds, my friend!!

[WolfeMacleod]

Glad you're OK!

Years ago, I had a friend who rode. Still a a friend, but this happened years ago...

He was riding down I-5 in Seattle when he was merged into by at 18-wheeler. Run him over.
He was taken to the hospital where he died - six times - on the operating table. His ribs were crushed, his lungs were shredded, and his vertebre #'s 7 thru 11 were shattered.

One month later, he was up and walkign around, albeit with an upper torso cast of some sort.
Less than six months later, he was back on a bike.

[dtw]

Originally posted by nostatic
But the vision of the coyote out of my peripheral vision, the sound of the impact, and the sliding seem to stick. But it'll wane with time.

After I broke my leg, every time I closed my eyes I would feel the fall and hear the wet snapping sound of the bone breaking. It really wore on my morale. But after several days, it started going away.

Have you put the boy to work taking care of you and the g/f? Hope he's doing alright seeing his Dad injured.

[cantdrv55]

****, that would make me swear off riding forever! Glad you and yours are OK.

[dd74]

Damn Todd!!! And I was about to post something to all L.A. Pelican Cyclists about coyotes in Griffith Park - I almost hit one yesterday descending downhill. I'd expect my results to be nearly as bad as yours, sans the g/f of course.

Man, I'm glad you and the g/f are okay. I've been hinting to the wifey-poo about my getting an H-D or something of the like, but jeez, reading this is making me rethink a lot of *****.

I guess bike riding is dangerous enough.

Glad you're still with us, buddy.

[Evans, Marv]

Glad to hear you made it with only the damage you described & hope the recovery goes well. You were lucky. I had an accident on a bike a long time ago and came out of it OK. Scary. I can understand your decision to give up the biking. There are other things to enjoy in the world. Good luck.

[Nader]

Glad you're okay, you dodged a bullet. It's all about the gear. Head to toe leathers, gloves and boots. I'll share something with you, since laying it down seems to be in the air:

I was on a practice lap at the local track last week, getting ready for the actual race later in the afternoon. I blew a clutch rod seal (damned vintage racebikes) which oiled up the rear tire, and I laid it down doing about 50 mph. No warning, just leaned in for a turn and it flopped over all the way. I slid on my back for a about 50 ft, separately from the bike as it gracefully pirouetted to the opposite side of the track. I patted the ground to make sure I stopped moving, and got up and dusted myself off. Leathers scuffed but intact. Right boot covered in oil. Bike wasn't too badly damaged, and my racing buddies patched it up in time for the race later that day. I was a little shaken, but you have to get back on the horse.

Anyway, stories like yours and mine are why I'll sooner race a bike on the track than ride on the streets. Minimal surprises, minimal solid objects to impact. Hope you get better soon.

[Bill Douglas]

I'm pleased to hear you are, well, reasonably OK. Ummm, I think us guys are getting too old for skating down the freeway on our asses.

Take care, Bill.