A Monthly Publication of the Cascade Bicycle Club

July 2004

From the Road Rash Files

Accident and Safety Report

WHO: Doug Walker

WHEN: May 26, 2004, morning commute

WHERE: Dexter Ave. at Thomas St.

BACKGROUND: I am co-founder and CEO of WRQ, Inc, a Seattle-based international software company that is also the lead sponsor for Bike to Work Month. I live in Shoreline, Washington and commute year-round to WRQ’s offices on the southwest side of Lake Union. My round-trip commute distance is 19 miles, and I usually ride about 4,000 miles a year on my bike. I use a Dutch-style city bike in the city when I am wearing business clothing, and I use a mountain bike with smooth tires for my daily commute.

WHAT HAPPENED: During my morning commute on May 26, a few minutes before 9:00 a.m., I was on my bike heading to WRQ. It was raining and gray that day. I was headed north on Dexter Ave., two blocks north of Denny Ave. A woman driving an Acura MDX SUV was headed west on Thomas St. She was stopped at a stop sign. Her desire was to cross Dexter to get onto Aurora Ave. northbound. As she was stopped at the stop sign, I moved west into the left lane of northbound Dexter, hoping that she would see me. She evidently did not see me, as she accelerated to cross Dexter just as I entered the intersection. She struck me with the front of her car as she accelerated onto Dexter. I was knocked down (even my bike seat was knocked off), and she immediately stopped her vehicle. Another cyclist behind me witnessed the accident and a store owner called an ambulance. Within a few minutes, police and ambulance were on the scene. I was taken to Harborview Hospital to be checked for trauma.

All in all, I was very lucky. I had no concussion, but I needed 20+ stitches in my right eyebrow/temple. I also have the expected road rashes. In addition, my left wrist seemed to be sprained or injured in some way -- I have since found a slight fracture of the wrist. My helmet was significantly damaged in the impact with the car -- there is dent in the right front, scratches and grooves across the right top, and a series of cracks and breaks in the interior foam and padding. Clearly, without the helmet, I would have suffered very serious head injuries. My bike initially seemed to have sustained only minor damage (the seat was broken off and the fender broken), but I have now seen that the bike is a total loss -- downtube, fork, crank, handlebars, and stem were all bent. I probably dented the car, and I knocked the SUV’s front license plate off.

I was somewhat sore the day after the accident and looked a bit gruesome. However, my head cuts have healed quickly. I had headaches in the following days and even had a CT scan of the brain, but these symptoms have gone away and otherwise I am ok. Two weeks later, the only thing still bothering me was my wrist.

AFTER THE FACT: My experience has reminded me of many of the safety measures that bikers must follow every single day. I urge all bikers to wear helmets, no matter how short the trip might be—my helmet probably saved my life. Make sure to travel at a pace suitable for the traffic and weather conditions. Work to make eye contact with drivers, even with tinted windows. Bright clothing is a must, every time you ride on city streets. It’s a good idea to ride with your bike headlight on, even in the daytime.

Even after this experience, I remain committed to bicycle commuting -- it remains my transportation preference. See you on the road!

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