So, was the person you fell heels over head in front of a really hot girl? If not, keep in mind that it could’ve been worse. 
I don’t want to be mean, but isn’t throwing fabric onto your handlebars stupidity?
I sent myself over my bike once when I was about 11. I came to a sudden stop, but I didn’t flip per se. I basically just kind of belly-flopped onto the sidewalk. (Someone said I did a frog-splash motion on the way down, but that’s neither here nor there.)
Anyways, I managed to land mostly on my stomach, and the front edge of my helmet cushioned my haad and actually led to some bouncing. w00t. I continued riding for just about the rest of the day, probably due to the fact that it was actually a pretty soft bump thanks to the helmet.
But yeah, I can’t stand it when you do something dumb. It’s so horrible to not be able to blame anyone else. 
My biggest BICYCLE screwup:
- 1998, an early morning in May. I was out on fairly damp roads doing some before-work riding for exercise. There were trash trucks out collecting trash. I came around a corner, around a trash truck, going VERY fast, and suddenly, I see a trash collector guy standing there next to his trash collection truck - gee, right were he belonged. He was walking a big trash can to the truck - gee, just what he was supposed to be doing. I, on the other hand, was coming around the truck about 6 inches from the side of it into the blind spot next to it on the street side.
I missed the trash collector guy, but in doing so, I lost it and flew hedlong into a fire hydrant on the other side of the street. Cracked my helmet, skinned myslef up pretty good. The bike went into a tree and bent the front wheel. After a quick conversation with the trash guys and an offer to call an ambulance (I wasn’t hurt THAT bad) I limped the 1 mile home sort of pushing the bike along.
My biggest MOTORCYCLE screwup:
- 2002, an early morning in May. On my way to work on slightly damp roads and still adjusting to a new bike. I take a turn much too fast (sound familiar) and dump the bike right in the middle of a very busy street.
I would have been fine, other than injured pride, had the bike not landed with my ankle trapped under it. 600 pounds of motorcycle can do a lot more damage than 20 pounds of bicycle…
Anyway, I got off crutches in early September and I’ve been back on the bike since, but I did NOT have a fun summer.
So, those are my two biggest bone-headed moves on two wheels - feel better now??
I don’t think anyone has to hurl any insults, natural consequences seem to have applied themselves here.
So you will wear your helmet and get those brakes tuned up won’t you?
I’ve logged 1000’s of km and tuned up and repaired lot of bikes… if you’re replacing the brake pads, get really good ones that will function under all weather conditions. With winter approaching (we had snow yesterday) you will want brakes that are going to work if you intend to ride in cold wet weather.
I’ve also had some pretty spectacular crashes… I feel your pain.
I almost went over the handlebars once. I was at a lighted intersection, pointing downhill. The light turned green, I started off – and the jeep across the intersection, which I could swear hadn’t had its turn signal on, turned left right in front of me.
So I grabbed the brakes, but the front one grabbed first. Didn’t go over the handlebars. Did hit the crossbar. Hard. :eek: :eek: :eek:
Then the guy in the jeep just waves me on, like he’s doing me a favor. So I limped to the sidewalk, cried for a little while, then started the long limp home. Between the pulled thigh muscles and the crossbar impact, that hurt for weeks.
I flipped the handlebars on my bike once, but it wasn’t the fall that hurt me.
I was so panicked, that I didn’t let go of the handles after I landed on my butt, and I flipped the bike over my head and onto my legs, goring one knee with a pedal and the other shin with the chain.
I bled, I limped.
Still not as bad, in my mind, as chipping teeth. Feel better.
I don’t think it really matters how good your rear brakes are. Even if they were brand new they wouldn’t do any good once the rear wheel was off the ground.
My best displays of bicycle stupidity were when I was still getting used to clipless pedals. There’s a certain feeling of slow-motion panic when you’re coming to a stop, unlatch you left foot, and then start falling over to the right. I think my knee was scraped up that entire summer.
Wow I guess stupid bike accidents occur more often than I thought – thanks for all the anecdotes.
The dental work is going fine so far. I got a temporary filling the day after my accident and it fell out an hour later, before I even ate anything, so I went back the next day (since it wasn’t urgent – the filling still stayed in, but it wasn’t too secure) and had it cemented on. I’ll be back to the dentist in two weeks, at which time the dentist will put a pole in the remainder of my tooth to support another temporary filling, which will make due until I get a cap in a couple of months.
Yes, I’m not going to forget my helmet ever again, despite how dorky I look :p. After an experience like this and hearing anecdotes such as the one from TVGuy, it would be even more stupid not to wear a helmet.
BTW, braking-wise, is it a problem if my rear wheel is rusty? (I got the brake line tightened already and forgot to ask about this.)
On a different note, you’re from Edmonton? That’s nice to see :). I lived in Edmonton just before I came here… I’m already getting homesick :(.
I didn’t check to see if the person I fell in front of was a hot chick, but being that there were twenty-odd people there, I’m sure there were a few :D.