In praise of bike helmets

[RealPlayer]

I fell off my bike on Thursday. Not a crash in traffic, I was just dismounting.

I misjudged the height of my right leg/foot clearing the saddle, so I went down.

I think it’s a matter of losing flexibility with age. It IS a tall saddle height that’s worked for the last 25 years, but maybe I need to do other exercise to stay flexible.

Anyway, although I don’t think my head hit the ground, and my (brand-new) helmet looked unscathed, I could feel that something moved inside my skull. No disorientation, and I put the bike in the car and drove home normally.

I went to the urgent care a few hours later, and they tested my reflexes, and said don’t worry unless I get dizzy or confused or nauseous, or experience vision changes, but if I do, go to a hospital.

So my head felt achy for a couple of days, but it’s getting better. I seem to have all my faculties and I’m practicing effectively.

I do feel the effects on other body parts. My neck, shoulder, hip, elbow, knee are sore. I feel like I’ve been in a bar fight.

But thank goodness for bike helmets. Maybe it could have been worse.

[Axtremus]

Glad you survived.
Gotta take good care of yourself, man, none of us is getting any younger.