[CR]The Dangers Of Riding Road Bikes

(Example: Racing:Roger de Vlaeminck)

Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 16:20:38 -0800 (PST)
From: "Stephan Andranian" <sandranian@yahoo.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]The Dangers Of Riding Road Bikes

Well...it finally happened. I was hit by a car...actually a suburban...driven by a soccer mom and her two kids. While it almost killed me, I guess I will be just fine (broken wrist with four pins and a 8-10 inch laceration in my neck which required 350+ stitches). I won't be riding for a while though....

The good news, if there is any, is that I decided not to ride my retro bike, as I usually do on Fridays, but instead, my brand new 2004 Gitane was crushed, instead of my 1985 Gitane...which I almost rode that day. The new bike is replaceable, the old is not, of course. The other bit of good news is that I don't remember a thing, but the doc says I came within 1cm of cutting an important cable in my neck which would have done me in for sure.

Also, another person in my bike club injured themselves (broken hip) mountain biking. The lesson here? It took him two hours to get off of the mountain via helicopter. The ambulance drove right up to me on the road, which in my mind, makes road riding safer!

Oh yeah...always wear a helmet. My helmet saved my head when it went through the windshield....

Sorry about the iffy retro content, but please be careful out there. I almost forgot...the police report said it was all her fault....

Stephan Andranian Costa Mesa, CA

Stephan Andranian, Esq.
Law Offices of Stephan H. Andranian
485 E. 17th Street
Suite 390
Costa Mesa, California 92627
Ph: (949) 646-8892
Fax: (949) 722-8416
sandranian@yahoo.com