Adams, Mike
Let us not loose sight of the ramifications of trying to squeeze through a tight spot 1,2,3k to the finish. You need to remember one very important point, and (1)it is your responsibility to ride with your safety and the other racer's safety in mind. If your blocked in wait for the 200m sign and hammer, realizing this, that at 25 to 35mph you will need to be in the top 20 to 25 riders to place top 10. The other more important thought is a fellow racer who has a wife and kids is injured because of your impatience. Sometimes it is best to roll in with the pack and call it a good training day. There is know conceivable reason to endanger another racers ability to race and go home uninjured. I would like to say more because I know the injured rider but my emotions might lead me to say what kind of idiot thinks placing is more important then another riders safety but I will try and be civil. Just a thought.
Mike Adams
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Ruff [mailto:staceyar@verizon.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 2:08 PM
To: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: [OBRA Chat] Crash Cat 4 Cherry Pie
I was not going to post any info about my crash because at first I was worried that someone might think I was looking for sympathy. After some thought I reconsidered with the belief that someone might learn something from my accident.
Coming in to the finish line I was bumped pretty hard on the left side by someone that was trying to move up by squeezing between the yellow line and myself. There was NO room for this. Is this a tactic that we want to continue to use?
The bump sent me off my line (that I was following very diligently) and into the rider next to me. I leaned very hard on that rider (sorry I was in survival mode). I then overcorrected back to the left where my front wheel got tangled up causing me to go down. Yes it hurt badly.
My first visit to the emergency room they took x rays of my hip and said everthing was fine. They sent me home after cleaning my road rash. Got a call the next day and said I needed to come in for a CT scan. After the doctor reviewed it he was highly upset because there was a very obvious break in the hip socket.
Long story short according to the Ortho: If the fracture were 2mm higher I would need plates and screws. If the fractured part had been separated I would require a hip replacement. I am to be off the bike for 8 weeks.
There is another scenario: The person trying to squeeze through on the center line could get bumped into the oncomming lane into a car.
Hope someone can learn something from this. I would not recommend trying to get into the front by riding on the yellow. If you are not in front, you won't be contesting the sprint. There is just not enough room.
Ride safe, see you in Mid April.
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