Head on bike collision today, separated shoulder and a broken bike :(

**Scottwax** · 05-09-2011, 10:15 PM

Riding in a paceline today, pulled off the front and going towards the back of the line when another guy came around a corner and kept drifting towards us. I`m braking, trying to get over, he almost hits the guy in front of me, the hits me head on, handlebars to handlebars, I was still going at least 15-16, he probably about the same, he never slowed down, never went back to the right. He is on a steel mountain bike, I`m on my Fuji road bike. Impact snapped my top tube in half and bent up the bottom tube. My shoulder was hurting pretty bad, then I could feel where bone was sticking up. Other guy was perfectly fine. Road his bike out. One of the guys I was riding with, road his bike and held on to mine to get it back to the parking lot where my son was going to meet me. Cops were coming back on the path to investigate an abandoned bike, one of them gave me a ride back. Went to the ER, got x-rays and the diagnosis. Separated shoulder, he said on a scale of 1-6 its a 3. Seemed surprised at how much movement I was able to tolerate, but said to take it easy, and keep my arm in a sling. Heals on its own, should take 4-6 weeks.

**David Fermani** · 05-09-2011, 10:59 PM

That`s sucks Scott. I`m really sorry to hear this. What the heck are you going to do in the meantime? Can you hire a temporary helper? What is salvageable on your bike?

**Scottwax** · 05-09-2011, 11:03 PM

My son has been working for me this past year and has on and off since he was about 10-11. He will take over exterior duties and I do interiors 1 handed for a while. No corrections until I heal up though. My son can do light DA polishing but has never done a paint correction. Most of my business is basic details anyway.

**David Fermani** · 05-09-2011, 11:16 PM

Oh, that`s right. I forgot about your son. Thanks God for that. I hope you recover quickly.

**Scottwax** · 05-09-2011, 11:22 PM

Yeah, he`s been a real blessing.

Sad more about the bike right now, I`ll heal and it won`t. Really like that bike, deceptively fast because it was so smooth. Hit 32 mph tonight in the flats on it.

**the other pc** · 05-10-2011, 12:36 AM

Ah man, that really sucks. Freaking moron. Did he at least say "Uhhh, sorry, duuude?"

I hope you heal up fast.

Speaking of fast, you`ve got a few weeks to shop for a new frame. What else on the bike got mangled? Front rim? Handlebars?

pc

**salty** · 05-10-2011, 12:54 AM

Sorry to hear about your shoulder. And yes the bike isn`t cheap either. Double whammy, right when the good weather is starting.

**Pats300zx** · 05-10-2011, 05:40 AM

Sorry to hear that Scott. Glad you came out ok. I`m sure you will be back on the road in no time.

**C. Charles Hahn** · 05-10-2011, 07:23 AM

Ouch! That sucks, Scott... hope the bike is salvageable!

Heal up soon.

**Scottwax** · 05-10-2011, 08:02 AM

bike components are salvageable but the frame is toast. Really like that bike too, just upgraded the wheels and was hauling pretty good all day, paceline was averaging 22-24 mph and I hit 32 mph in the flats about 20 minutes before the wreck.

Shoulder did stiffen up overnight but it appears the bone isn`t sticking up quite as high as last night so hopefully that is a good sign it will heal up relatively fast.

**Scottwax** · 05-10-2011, 08:10 AM

Here is my x-ray

**imported_Picus** · 05-10-2011, 08:40 AM

That`s a bummer, hopefully it heals properly and you`ll be good to go soon.

I`ve often wondered about biking accidents like this - I take it it isn`t like a car accident where someone is at fault, insurance/cash, etc? I only ask because I know some bikes cost a small fortune and it sounds like the other guy was clearly the cause of the accident.

**Dan** · 05-10-2011, 10:02 AM

Scott, sorry about your wreck. Seems like just a while ago you had a car wreck. My dad and I were riding and some tard jogger cut a turn and ran right into my dad. Luckily everyone, including the bikes were unscathed.

Now you have an excuse to get a new frame! I`ve built a couple of my own bikes, let me know if you need any ideas or tips. It really is fun to build from frame up, and there are some amazing deals on ebay if you take your time. I ended up finding a Felt F5 frame (full carbon) for about $700, brand new, delivered. Swapping the components over is pretty easy.

**Scottwax** · 05-10-2011, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Picus

That`s a bummer, hopefully it heals properly and you`ll be good to go soon.

I`ve often wondered about biking accidents like this - I take it it isn`t like a car accident where someone is at fault, insurance/cash, etc? I only ask because I know some bikes cost a small fortune and it sounds like the other guy was clearly the cause of the accident.

Doubt the guy has any money, looks like an old hippie. We hit right on the centerline so even if he has insurance, they`d probably say based on the location of the impact fault is 50/50 even though he made no attempt to move over or brake.

Bought the bike used from a customer but new would have been $1600-1800, plus I just picked up a set of lighter wheels which luckily, other than the front one being slightly out of true and the tube bursting, are okay. Should be able to find a comparable frame on craigslist in the $400-600 range.

**Brad B** · 05-10-2011, 12:32 PM

So sorry about the accident. You know what they say, `stuff` can be replaced but YOU can`t. So at least it wasn`t worse.

Can`t wait to see your final HEALED x-ray. As for the results of the prostate exam or urinalysis.... Keep that to yourself!!