Commuting Obstacles 6: The Road

I still don’t know how it happened.

One second I was overtaking another cyclist, the next I was sliding very painfully along the tarmac. We moan a lot about the minor problems with commuting on a bike, but there are times when they’re all put into perspective.

All I can think of is that the chain jumped and jammed and the momentum I was carrying, out of the saddle and pedalling hard, flipped the bike over and dumped me on the road. When this happens there’s a weird chain of events. Firstly you’re aware of it all going wrong and then briefly of what’s happening. Then you’re lying in shock and pain trying to get your bearings as you get mentally run through a checklist of the possible injuries you could have and check for broken bones. Next you start disentangling yourself from the bike and any bags and helmets still attached to you, and think about getting up. At this point I realised there were about four people who had stopped to help me out, they got me sitting on the kerb and my bag and bike were moved out of the road (and not stolen) and they stayed as I got my bearings back, before a hairdresser invited me into the warm for a cup of tea, and to start recovering, as I rang work to explain I would be late, and started to take stock of the damage.

The bike was ok. It was laughing in its glee at having thrown me off, and just needing the chain refitting, a light true to the front wheel, and carrying a new decoration of TfL red-route paint on its bars. I was less ok, with lightly grazed knuckles, my elbow a mess of blood and grazes and my side turning a lurid purple where it seems I must have landed on something. Apart from the damage to my body which would mean I went home form work early and would change my weekend plans dramatically, the real victims were the clothes I was wearing. In a couple of seconds an expensive cycling top and base layer were effectively wrecked. I’m not sure which is more upsetting, the continuing pain, or the money it’ll cost to replace the broken things (As with every crash you realise you’re quite cheap to put right compared with all the kit you’re using!). Possibly the biggest hurt was to my pride. I mean, noone else was even involved...

A

Thank you to the people who stopped to help, the traffic for not running me over and Zoo N1 Hairstylist for inviting me in and giving me one most needed cups of tea I’ve had in ages, and not minding that I was probably not their usual customer to be sitting in reception.