Share the Road!

So today was the day. It all started out so well. I was quite pleased with myself for breaking my PR for the Torrey Pines hill. The ride home was equally eventful.

Let me try to explain the diagram. Yellow box 1(1 black dot in box) represents where I made a right hand turn and passed a FedEx truck. Yellow box 2 represents where said FedEx truck regained the lead in the race to Torrey Pines. Yellow box 3 is where the FedEx truck slammed on the brakes to yield to cyclists already riding down Torrey Pines.(there is a "share the road" sign about 100 feet before the truck stopped) Yellow box 3 also represents the exact point that I locked up the brakes and ran directly into the back of the truck. I vividly recall the slow motion experience of realizing that no matter how hard I pulled on the brakes that I was going to hit the truck. I remember thinking " my tire is probably going to be out of true after I hit the bumper" Tire hit bumper, my head hit the back of the FedEx truck, and then I fell to the ground, landing hard on my left arm. My first thoughts were that I had definitely broken something, followed by my verbalization of those thoughts, not repeatable in a semi family friendly blog.

What happened next boggled my mind. The FedEx truck remained stopped for another 10 seconds, and then drove away. Either he never noticed I hit him, or he is a convicted felon. Fortunately some cyclists that were riding by notice me lying in the middle of the road and stopped to help me. The collision knocked both of the end caps off my handlebars, and they were both promptly run over by the next car that passed by. Better the bar end caps than me I suppose.

Arm clearly not broken I decided, helmet, on the other hand, not so lucky. Kerry picked me up, took me to the ER, neck X-rays negative. Narcotics prescribed and then sent home.

The bike is going into the ER this weekend for some diagnostics. Looks like the fork or frame may be cracked.

Closing thoughts. . .road bike brakes suck. Don't even think about trying to get a draft off of a large vehicle that can't see you. Always wear a helmet. I recommend the Giro Atmos. I sure am glad I am not a triathlete, I would have broken my collar bone for sure.