gabby
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Post by gabby on Nov 18, 2015 14:15:54 GMT -8
Used to ride to and from work (2nd and 3rd shift, so most all of it in the dark & no helmet) on a bike when I was much younger (the 70s, for ref). I took so many falls I was lucky to have survived the decade. I had frat rats (and others) constantly opening their doors into the bike lanes as harassment.
In 1973, with gas stations closing all over, I attempted a shortcut across a gas station apron to avoid traffic on "The Drag" (the local name for Guadalupe St in Austin) and hit a metal cable blocking entry to the area about handlebar height. I flew through the air and landed with my back on the curbing upon which the pumps were mounted. It took 2 decades for the recurrent pain of that injury to subside completely.
It didn't stop me from riding (no parking at the university where I was working), but I'm too old for that stuff now.
Hope you recover soon and are back out there with a new laptop!
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BlueBear
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Post by BlueBear on Nov 18, 2015 14:59:24 GMT -8
The reflective vests nowadays are amazing. Here's an example of one (photo from the internet... not my family): I am most definitely getting a set of those. Thank you for the tip.
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BlueBear
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Post by BlueBear on Nov 18, 2015 15:06:59 GMT -8
You didn't say, so I am hoping all of the injuries & broken bones are on your non-dominant side. If you have to keep an arm in a sling for a while, and if movement hurts, it will help if the injuries are not on the dominant side.
Settlements- Not just a new lap top, new bike seat, and the Dr bills. Since the driver was cited, you can collect for pain and suffering, along with any other inconveniences, like inability to "service your marriage" due to discomfort. Seriously. That is a term used in formal papers like IRS allowances. Difficult as it is to put a price on such things, trust that the insurance people have done so long ago. Get whatever you can, and use it to do whatever you feel is right. It is my dominant side, which makes it a PITA doing much. I've been signing doctor's forms like a kindergartner with my other hand. I found out an hour ago I'll need surgery next week to reassemble my collarbone which is apparently broken into enough pieces to not heal correctly on its own. A CT scan tomorrow morning will tell whether or not I need the same for my shoulder blade. I'm not normally one to hop quickly to a personal injury lawyer over something like this, but every few hours it's already getting more complicated, and that might not be a bad route to go. A friend here who went through something similar a couple years ago recommended one to me, it wouldn't take much more here for me to go to that. I might just do that. We'll see.
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rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Nov 18, 2015 15:08:43 GMT -8
I am sorry to hear of all of this. You didn't say, so I am hoping all of the injuries & broken bones are on your non-dominant side. If you have to keep an arm in a sling for a while, and if movement hurts, it will help if the injuries are not on the dominant side. Barbara says it's his dominant side. Blue Bear is obviously pretty good at one-handed non-dominant typing.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Nov 18, 2015 15:10:44 GMT -8
The reflective vests nowadays are amazing. Here's an example of one (photo from the internet... not my family): I am most definitely getting a set of those. Thank you for the tip. Excellent for night, but I'm thinking the bright yellow jacket for daytime (which is when the kid rides most, tho the spouse commutes in the dark). For myself, I've been mostly wearing neon yellow-green for biking for years, but the offspring is less enthusiastic about that fashion choice. I'm pointing out it's pretty much the same as the helmet, which he has no problem wearing.
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echo
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Post by echo on Nov 18, 2015 15:16:29 GMT -8
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BlueBear
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Post by BlueBear on Nov 18, 2015 15:32:02 GMT -8
Barbara says it's his dominant side. Blue Bear is obviously pretty good at one-handed non-dominant typing. I'm not that great at it, it's actually slow as molasses to type this way, lol. But guess which guy suddenly has all the time in the world!
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tigger
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Post by tigger on Nov 18, 2015 15:37:23 GMT -8
I've been waiting to hear if anymore damage was done. I'm assuming you have no whiplash on top of the rest of your injuries. I will just reiterate what you already know. Be patient and do exactly what the Physical Therapist tells you to do or you could set yourself back in recovery much longer, if not cause permanent damage.
I'm very glad my fearless leader is still in one piece. I look forward to the pics of all your wounds. You can always tell everyone a bear did it...
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Nov 18, 2015 15:40:30 GMT -8
Some things are best done with the dominant hand, and are quite awkward when trying to learn to do with the other hand. I wish you well, and some level of pain tolerance that allows you to go about your daily doody.
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Post by trinity on Nov 18, 2015 16:00:19 GMT -8
Damn, sorry to hear this, but glad you're okay. Really a bummer about the necessary surgery. Hope it goes well, and I wish you a speedy recovery. If I'm b****ing about a laptop, things are okay. Still feeling lucky. Definition of having a positive attitude about a crappy situation. Good on you. That attitude will serve you well in the months ahead. Hang in there.
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desert dweller
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Post by desert dweller on Nov 18, 2015 16:26:53 GMT -8
Maybe buy a lottery ticket and see how far your luck goes.
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Post by swimswithtrout on Nov 18, 2015 17:06:36 GMT -8
I've been reading Barbara's posts at FB since last night , but it's more reassuring to read your own posts !!
Heal quickly !!
And about the dominant hand thing. I never took "typing" in Jr H/HS, and when I was in College, my Computer Science classes were still FORTRAN..... I didn't learn to "keyboard" until ~ 15 yrs and since my right hand was always on the mouse, I learned to type with just my left hand.
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BlueBear
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Post by BlueBear on Nov 18, 2015 19:13:17 GMT -8
I look forward to the pics of all your wounds. You can always tell everyone a bear did it... lol... You wouldn't see much in pictures except an enormously swollen puffy shoulder, not much to show off as it were. I have the x-rays from the ER on a disk, I could always pull those up at some point I guess, although I'm not entirely sure they're all that interesting except to show my collar bone is really f'ed up right now.
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Post by rwtb123 on Nov 18, 2015 21:09:36 GMT -8
Wow,I just saw this and now the two word thread makes more sense.I cycle on some of the most cycle unfriendly roads in the U.S. and high interaction with traffic is an understatement.But,it has given me strong skills interacting with traffic and high up the list is cycling defensively viewing every vehicle as a potential threat that could do something stupid and put you in danger.But,sometimes as you describe, there is nothing you can do.Glad you are still alive and hope you heal fast...
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daveg
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Post by daveg on Nov 18, 2015 21:17:52 GMT -8
Sorta been there, done that (I was riding a motorcycle at night and was rear ended by a car that didn't see my tail light/brake light; went flying over the handlebars and landed on the pavement). Changed my perspective on life. Wishing you a full recovery.
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