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Bike Related: Falling Over in Traffic

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    I was riding up 5th earlier today and stopped at a light. As I slowed down I tried to pull my right foot out of my straps, couldn't, and fell over. It was some embarrassing shit. From now on, looser straps. Has anyone else done this or am I just retarded? Anyone else have crash stories cooler than falling over like a fool?

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    learn to trackstand? or this isnt a fixed gear? my friend almost got hit by a car at mash but nothing like that has ever happened to me. i ran into a car once but thats it.

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      CommentAuthorjvandub
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    lucky you didn't get your face run over, I'm an asshole like that. "Pull your teeth out chew up ya food for ya and make ya swallow it."

    My girlfriend just landed in the tram tracks the other day and completely ate shit... Luckily she had a helmet on because she fell right on the side of her head. I would have had a vegetable for a girlfriend.

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      CommentAuthoralex
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    Yeah, when I got clipless pedals I fell over a few times at stop lights

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    every time I go outside to learn how to trackstand I end up getting bored and going for a ride instead. I'm lucky it was a red light. Some lady asked me if I was okay, I do like Portland.

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      CommentAuthoralex
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    The first time I fell was awesome. It was at a stoplight at a really steep hill in SW. Of course after picking myself up and trying to get going I fell over a second time.

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      CommentAuthorlongwood
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    i've had a couple of close calls but was able to stop myself from completely falling over. pretty embarrassing though.

    • CommentAuthorkrystenr
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    Haha, I ate shit on the Portland Streetcar tracks when I first moved here. Embarassing as hell, thankfully it was late at night and no one was around.

    I got hit by a car on the east side few months back, but that's about it.

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      CommentAuthoralex
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    One of my friends was new to clipless and fell over a few times when I was riding with her. She was super embarrassed by it but I thought it was pretty bad ass. You haven't lived until you've fallen off your bike at a traffic light a few times.

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    yung jeezy pdx:

    learn to trackstand? or this isnt a fixed gear?

    it doesn't have to be a fixed gear to trackstand.

    i've switched between clips and clipless a couple of times. i remember one time after i'd been riding clipless for a while and switched to clips and straps again, i pulled up in front of this office building and tried to twist my feet out and tipped over in what felt like slow motion, that point where you go "oh, shit, i'm falling and i can't do anything" and just slowly tip. i'm sure the suits standing around made fun of me after i left.

    • CommentAuthoro_perkins
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     
    felldownthewell:

    I was riding up 5th earlier today and stopped at a light. As I slowed down I tried to pull my right foot out of my straps, couldn't, and fell over. It was some embarrassing shit. From now on, looser straps. Has anyone else done this or am I just retarded? Anyone else have crash stories cooler than falling over like a fool?

    I really wish I had been there so I could yell TIMBER!

    • CommentAuthoro_perkins
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     
    humancongereel:

    it doesn't have to be a fixed gear to trackstand.

    True but its a hell of a lot easier when it is

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    yeah, i'm sure whoever posted that knew it, too. i just thought it seemed as though the phrasing implied that and needed clarification.

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      CommentAuthorahnichols
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    I ride clipless on my roadbike and fell at a stoplight when I couldn't get my foot out. I have Look pedals and you have to twist your foot really far out. My other, less embarrassing/more badass fall happened last week; i got t-boned by a car and flew off my bike. It was badass because i didn't get hurt at all, my bike on the other hand...

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      CommentAuthorstumptown
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008 edited
     

    One rainy day last summer I ate shit in the street car tracks on the back side of Powell's when I was delivering a nice heavy double stack of burrito party platters at my old job... had the car the next lane over not stopped I would have likely been paralyzed or dead. Falling in traffic is no joke!

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      CommentAuthorjvandub
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     
    stumptown:

    One rainy day last summer I ate shit in the street car tracks on the back side of Powell's when I was delivering a nice heavy double stack of burrito party platters at my old job... had the car the next lane over not stopped I would have likely been paralyzed or dead. Falling in traffic is no joke!

    I'm sorry to hear about your mishap but the inclusion of the double stack of burrito party platters makes this story hilarious.

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      CommentAuthorstumptown
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    Haha I was delivering burritoes for Baja Fresh at the time... on a track bike no less. It was a very dangerous time in my life :D

    • CommentAuthorcrossett
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    I fell over at a stop light the first time i used look pedals many years ago. I fell into the car stopped next to me, my face and arm hitting the passenger window. I scared the shit out of the driver, the look on his face was priceless.

    The other time I fell over I had just got my track bike back from the shop and I was really excited to take it out for a spin. I had previously been practicing no handed track stands for minutes at a time before giving it to the shop for a week or two. I guess my skills had been somewhat diminished in the time away from the bike and I did a very slow tip over right across the max tracks. Normally I would be embarrassed but I was so happy to have my bike back I just laughed and road away with a big grin on my face.

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      CommentAuthorgrimm
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    Ive never fallen down in traffic other than going over the bars on my old road bike when the front tire came to a slamming halt. Never track standing or due to clipless. The closest to eating it was with clipless trying to dismount but luckily I was right next to my building and caught myself.

    Im sure some day my day will come to have something embarrassing go down.

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      CommentAuthorzelah
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    going to portland massacre i tipped over and landed shin first on that double sided curb coming off the hawthorne bridge, i'm glad i didn't fall over into that hole, but i did lose a lot of blood that day from my shin.

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      CommentAuthorJennx
    • CommentTimeApr 18th 2008
     

    I was making a right on 60th from a stop and some dude decided to run the light so I turned slowly but quickly onto the sidewalk where it was all up and downish. I wasn't going fast enough to get over the hump and couldn't get my foot out of the clip and just went over, I knew that one of the lights were green but no cars were going and my knee was bleeding pretty bad.....yah lame.

    I did it one other time I got all the way home was super tired worked like a 13 hour shift or so, came up to my house and couldn't get my foot out and just went right over into the grass. what a way to end the night. haha.

    • CommentAuthoro_perkins
    • CommentTimeApr 19th 2008
     
    humancongereel:

    yeah, i'm sure whoever posted that knew it, too. i just thought it seemed as though the phrasing implied that and needed clarification.

    yeah, I know, I was making fun of myself for stating the obvious, after I posted that.
    I'll try to not tell everybody that the sky is blue next time.

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      CommentAuthorbschultz
    • CommentTimeApr 19th 2008 edited
     

    March 24th, 2008: My first day in clipless pedals... oh my; luckily, the bicycle had a freewheel. I was unsure if I could unclip by turning my heel inward, and, thus, proceeded to try... don't ask me why, as I'm curious/stupid by nature. As I began to unclip, my heel became lodged between the seat tube and rear wheel, causing the rear wheel to lock up. I was going about 15mph pre-foot-entrapment, and had the luxury of time to try and get my foot un-stuck. Alas, my efforts were in vain– agonizing vain. The cleat had unclipped just enough as to not allow the shoe to return to the normal position, and not enough for me to lift my foot from the damned pedal. In all my panic, I failed to unclip my other (right) shoe, and proceed to violently bash my knee, which I had surgery on last July, on the asphalt upon skidding to a dead stop. After all that, while laying on the ground still straddling the bicycle, it took me a good 5-10 seconds of leg shaking to free my foot. It must have looked hilarious.

    • CommentAuthoro_perkins
    • CommentTimeApr 19th 2008 edited
     

    My first day on clipless was on my brand new Caad9 but unfortunately, it was also the same day I was doing the Cycle Oregon weekend ride-73 miles. Up to this point I don't think I had ridden more than 40 miles at a time. Anyways before even starting the ride I think I fell at least three times, knocked my friend over once and thus had blood running down my shin. During the ride, I was doing great until the 35th-40th mile where my legs started to cramp. So I had to pull over and stretch a few times but each time I did I couldn't unclip because I couldn't move my legs so I had to fall over. At the last couple check points I fell because my legs were like jelly. Oh, and I fell in the gravel once. I think it adds up to about 7-9 falls, but I still had a blast.

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      CommentAuthorjonah
    • CommentTimeApr 21st 2008
     

    i almost slid under a car with yung jeezy, but i pulled it out with steez and didnt die.

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      CommentAuthorted
    • CommentTimeApr 24th 2008
     

    Falling over in traffic is a rite of passage, it builds character.

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      CommentAuthorstumptown
    • CommentTimeApr 24th 2008
     

    ^ ^ ^ bonus points if it occurs during a massive rain storm.

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    Hmm, so far mine is super tame. Came up to a stop sign, unclipped my left foot, and proceeded to tip over to the right. Had a nice older guy asked me if I was alright. Think I said something like "only hurt my pride". Good times though, I think pride cushioned my fall.

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