Hi,
Hit ground and smashed my head and helmet cracked is now useless, that's my first concern my head.
Remember cursing and drawing breath trying to work out how bad I was hurt which always happens in the first ten seconds or so.
Landed on hip and elbow, glove ripped.
Hip hurts and leg sore, hands hurt and lay on ground for some time hoping no broken bones.
Managed to get up and leg weak and sore.
Limped all the time and within a few minutes could not walk.
Warned oncoming cyclist but they fell on other bridge yards away, they might of panicked.........sorry, he looked bad about 65 years I guess.
After I warned other users and phoned 999, I struggled to get on bike, having to lift my leg over with hand.
Started cycling the 9 miles home, was slow and sore and a bit apprehensive at falling again, not on ice as there was none on the road I came along, just the bridge over water and marshland.
Increasingly slow and could not bear weight standing, leg collapsing.
Now using the granny on every hill and into 24 x 30 on 26.5 wheel, struggled in first gear up hills.
Leg now pretty useless and good leg was starting to complain, feel weak and think I need to keep legs turning, If I was to stop not sure I could start off again.
Traffic through lanes so leant on wall and nearly could not get going again, last hill was hard but managed to get to gate with slowest approach ever.
Had to lift left off bike whilst leaning against wall.
Could not walk at all so leant my chest on saddle and hopped to rear gate.
Struggle to get gate open leg will not take any weight.
Got to ramp at back door but could not make the 3 " step (a ramp for my old dogs to save steps) sat on ramp and shuffled to conservatory door.
Dragged myself through door on floor to rear house door.
I then realised I hade left a slick of blood on carpet.
Could not manage the door handle so phoned er in doors to wake her and ask for help.
Gash in left elbow 1- 1.5", this is where blood is coming from, I though because of leg it might be hip.
She patched up cut through skin so not to poor more blood on carpet.
Then I could drag myself onto seat but not walk so crawled slowly to lounge.
Falling off I was a bit surprised my head hit the ground with a whack (slight, very slight sensation that I have had a hit at home but fine) I would normally say learn how to fall
Not so..........fallen off trails bike many times and never felt head ache, probably motorcycle helmet is very heavy duty compared with cycle helmet.
Pulled a muscle on inside of thigh, much pain to bear weigh and then instantaneously leg collapses.
Red lump on palm of hand, gash and now bruising to elbow, sure hip will be black and blue, apart from that OK
Not moved from sofa for past hour or so, taken some parracetemol and some naproxen.
just asked for a bucket so I don't need to crawl to toilet.................
Not fallen on ice in 42 years, but this is a cycle path with bridges, and a nice wooden bridge with a sheet of something covered with grit but most importantly, it holds water and hence the black ice, no draining for yesterdays rain and night freeze?
Hope other users since will be OK, I was feeling guilty I did not wait longer hoping some authority would turn up and block bridge.
Nearly turned back twice, I feel I did my bit, not sure what the cyclist that fell and his two mates would of done even after their fall.................?
My helmet cracked has probably saved something, I am 59 and rate my self as half soft old git
Edited for grammar
Not that that will achieve much, especially on a Sunday. IME, the highway authority line is that they do their best with limited resources and treat roads in advance, making best use of weather forecasts. Generally, the gritters are out during the night and the crews have gone home by the time morning traffic starts.
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