Below is information from Eric S. Many of you have heard that there was an accident this morning with the cycling group here in Rocky Mount. Tim, Eric, Richard, and Cliff were involved. Cliff had the most serious of the injuries and was taken to the ER. Eric provides several details below:
Cliff is home. He is very sore and has some stitches, but the CT and Xrays came back negative and thankfully everything seems good there. We are still trying to piece together exactly what happened, but we know there was a cable tv cable in or across the road that Richard hit with enough force that it snapped a mailbox post off at the ground.
I hit Richard and went over the bars and slid. My back quite sore (but I think it is only an impact/muscle soreness and nothing more severe or related to the operation from last year) and have a fair amount of road rash. It seems that when the mailbox sheared off, it spun into the road and Cliff it it head on. It sheared his front forks off in a straight line, almost like a saw cut them off, about 4 inches below the head tube.
All in all, we were very lucky. Richard managed to stay up and Tim managed to get around me and was not hit by the mailbox as it snapped into the road.
On a positive note, of the 12 or so cars that passed us while we were on the road, over half of them stopped to offer assistance, including one nice man who drove Tim back to get a car to get Cliff to the hospital. Ironically, one of the cars that did not stop... had a bicycle on a rack on the back. Still, it is nice that there are people who are willing to offer help. -- Eric
Thank goodness the injuries were not any worse than you describe, although they sound pretty painful to me! I am glad there were folks that did stop and offer assistance. It is somewhat reassuring for someone like myself who feels RM is not exactly runner or road biker friendly. Each of you, do take care!
ReplyDeleteWow! Gives me chills. I'm so glad there are no serious injuries! Thanks for the updates. Cliff, take care. Hope you have a speedy recovery.
ReplyDeleteKinnie
How scary! Seriously, we're all so glad things seem to have turned out okay. But a questio:
ReplyDelete-- about the cable . . . why was it there? Mistake or "prank?" This is very serious. If a "prank" we need to find the individuals and make sure they recieve full punishment.
Maybe you bikers need to consider running as a safe alternative. ( Just kidding! )
Frank
Wow, so scary. Glad you guys are okay and hope you recover quickly!
ReplyDeleteRobin Johnson
Hey---not a member of your club---but I am here in Tarboro and ran the sweetheart and check your website weekly for news and information--keeps me motivated---wanted you guys to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers----Angela
ReplyDeletethanks for the well wishes and calls...all are appreciated. a very fast incident, eric's garmin has us at 23 mph then 0 ( a great graph!) everything will heal. i just need a bike! see you all on the roads.....cliff
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you are all okay. I'd like to find out why there was a cable in the road! Sounds like the cable company has some explaining to do. You all take it slow for a couple of days and feel better soon :)
ReplyDeleteso what do you do with 2/3 of a bike?
ReplyDeleteyou lend it to some one who is 2/3rds of a biker?
ReplyDeleteI think that the wire was a freak incident, not something deliberate. After going back to the spot, I think that there were three cables over the road where there are now 2. My thought is that an over-height truck went through and snapped the cable off the pole on the South side of the road and the house on the North side of the road. When Richard hit the cable he said it was like a bungee was attached to his bike and it quickly slowed him to a stop, not an immediate stop as a taut wire would have done. I would think that the weight of the cable could make it feel that way as it dragged along the wires over the road and along the ground and across the mailbox. The mailbox post was very rotten (termites in hole) and I think it just fell over in front of Cliff from the friction of the wire pulling on it. Whatever was sticking up that caught the wire must have pulled it just enough to cause it to loop down into the area we rode into, but as it was still supported over the road by the other wires, it did not sag into the highway for cars to hit. Just a very freaky, unfortunate occurance - at least, I am hoping that is the case.
ReplyDeleteEric
wow guys, Im glad to know that it was not more serious, I cant imagine going 23 mph and then 0, that fast then nothing at all but flying over your bike. I hope you all recovery quickly and get back out there soon!!!
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Tracy Hicks
All of you have been on my mind and in my thoughts and prayers. I wish everyone speedy recoveries.
ReplyDeletegreat picture eric... i have always wanted to learn how to ride a unicycle...cliff
ReplyDeleteFunny stuff Cliff. If you can do that while clipped in I will be REALLY impressed.
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