Freak Bike Accident – View With Caution
Below are some almost unbelievable photos of the severe leg injury incurred by a cyclist after a freak bike accident.
He was on a ride last week after the storm the weekend before last. The guy he was riding behind ran over a large branch which kicked up and impaled Bob’s leg when he ran into it. The EMT’s had to cut the ends of the branch off to get him in the ambulance.
They have him on heavy-duty antibiotics. They did not place any screws to set the broken Fibula, fearing that disturbing the bone might complicate contaminants getting further into his body.
The prognosis is good. He has to go back to the trauma surgeon on Friday to work out plans for a skin graft.
Apparently there may have been a line of riders, maybe 6 – 10 riders, two abreast, going approximately 25 mph, and the rider’s bike in front of him kicked up a branch, and you can see the results. The branch did not have a spear point at the end that went through his leg. That is why it broke his bone.
Imagine the pain. This happened a couple of weeks ago. He is going to be fine.
Be careful while riding your bike. You never know what can happen.
If you have any cycling stories you would like to share with Ride-Strong.com please contact us.
Comment below as to your thoughts on this nasty freak cycling accident.
Popularity: 100% [?]
Tags: broken Fibula, Freak Bike Accident
Related Articles
- Road Rash / Bike Crash Kit
- Sad day on the bike for a pack of racing cyclists
- Nasty Mountain Bike Crash!
_20110623040903.gif)
October 12th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
+2 ?
October 12th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
I don’t know. I asked myself the same question. Probably something the doctors wrote on his leg. I will ask my friend who is friends with the guy.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:34 am
I don’t know the specific meaning, but I do know that doctors are very particular about marking limbs for surgery. They want to make sure they operate on the right one. Probably not as big an issue in this case.
November 9th, 2008 at 4:46 am
Hahahahahah! Indeed not. Living in Africa we do hear pretty bizarre stories from the government hospitals, but this surgery should be pretty obvious. I can not believe how happy this guy looks….must be the medication kicking in! Here’s to a speedy recovery!
October 15th, 2008 at 12:38 am
The “+2″ means there’s a normal pulse at that spot. Patients with any kind of trauma to a leg (or arm) get the pulses for that extremity marked in order to make sure everyone knows where to look for the pulse, since a report of “no pulse in the leg with a branch through it” would generally be considered an emergency.
October 20th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
means the dorsalis pedis pulse-the artery was intact despite the injury
October 31st, 2008 at 2:54 pm
It means that he has a strong pulse distal to the injury. +2 is the best and 0 is the worst.
May 16th, 2009 at 11:40 am
fake probably
May 26th, 2010 at 7:37 am
Not fake at all. Bob is a well known tri-athlete in the Cincinnati area.
Number 1 or 2 tri-athlete for his age (50+)
Currently training to climb El Capitan…
November 16th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
This is scary because this happened to me( only with a small stick the size of a pencil). the only way you could tell was from the large bump on the opposite side of the wound.
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:30 pm
+2 relates to his pulse in his foot. Means that when it was written down he had a pulse there (but have to keep checking to be sure blood supply to the foot remains.)
October 12th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
OWWWWWW!
Hope the leg heals quickly.
October 12th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
[...] No, this isn’t an early Halloween gag. It’s what happened to an unlucky California cyclist during a group road ride. Read more over at Ride-Strong.com. [...]
May 26th, 2010 at 9:40 am
This did not happen in California. It was along the Loveland bike trail in the Cincinnati area after the winds from Hurricane Ike came through at 70mph for many hours. Thus the debris all over the trail.
October 13th, 2008 at 8:05 am
[...] Not, it’s a not a hallowe’en costume. [...]
October 13th, 2008 at 9:14 am
You can tell that the branch is Dogwood by it’s bark.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Noone sees this as a clip in pedal safety issue?
November 19th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Clip in pedal issue? WTF? Have you ever ridden a bike, certainly not a MTB. If this really happened, which I still have doubts.
How would your rat trap’s have helped, Fred?
That seems like a relatively small amount of damage considering the size and shape of the stick.
I also find it odd that there is no blood and or flesh, etc on the stick. He also seems quite jolly for being impaled by anything, I don’t know maybe drugs?
And if a serious rider, in an organized pace line. What jack-ass runs over a stick that size. Was he riding a Huffy with beach cruiser wheels. I am sure my Shamal Ultra’s would be really fond of me bushwacking.
So I ask, how serious and how many riders in the PL, in front of him. If that happened, I would be throwing the beat-down on the guys or gals in front for running us in to that.
No pictures of the gaping entrance and exit wound? You should be able to drive a Mini-Cooper through that hole.
January 25th, 2009 at 9:16 am
hahaha. chip you’re a fool.
May 26th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
i concur with john lol.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:31 am
“He’s serious rider ”
“They did not place any screws to set the broken Fibula, fearing that disturbing the bone might complicate contaminants getting further into MY [emphasis mine] body.”
So, who did this happen to?
October 13th, 2008 at 10:55 am
All the guys at my shop are calling BS… seems impossible.
October 13th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
how serious can he be with those hairy assed legs?
October 13th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Let’s clear this up. I know this guy and I saw him this weekend. This is real. Believe me when I tell you that this is one tough son of a ….. He is from Cincinnati-not California. He is not only healing but actually talking about running a race on Thanksgiving. This part may not be real.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
thanks for the clear up! it is for real!
October 13th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I ride 200-300 mpw and don’t shave.
Man, those pictures are better than most scars’ stories.
October 14th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
+2 means a two plus pulse on top of the foot
October 14th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Hello Biking Community,
I am desperately trying to find out where this bike pileup happened:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW3OYICxJbc
Any tips would be great! Thanks, Genevieve gwong@nashentertainment.com
October 14th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Genevieve Wong
Alpenrose Velodrome…Portland, Oregon…Summer 2008
October 15th, 2008 at 12:19 am
I cry BS this is an Adobe photoshope adjustment.
December 7th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
that isnt photoshop
thats my uncle bob and that did happen.
nothing about these pictures are fake.
trust me
October 15th, 2008 at 9:02 am
[...] going to do you a favor and leave this insanely gnarly image off the top of the post. You can click-through if you want to see the tree branch that went through a guy’s leg during a group ride in California. I didn’t have the [...]
October 15th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Hmmm… Not convinced. I impaled my knee on a branch a few years back and it was pretty nasty but looked nothing like this injury.
For one thing, how fast would he have to have been going to get the branch stuck that far through his leg? Aside from that – the end of the branch that punctured his leg isn’t straight and yet it left a very neat would with no ripping?
Nah. Sorry, I say Photoshop.
May 26th, 2010 at 7:34 am
Not fake at all. Bob is a well known tri-athlete in the Cincinnati area. Currently training to climb El Capitan…
October 16th, 2008 at 2:01 am
[...] nomenclatura antiga). Por sorte o rapaz passa bem. Para ver mais detalhes veja o relato completo no Ride Strong. Quando sair por aí, tome muito [...]
October 16th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
[...] At least I am not as bad off as this guy. [...]
October 16th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
It’s not Photoshop, guys. This really happened just recently on the Loveland bicycle path that runs along the Little Miami River in Southwest Ohio.
Yes, some things are stranger than fiction.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
[...] Instead of a snake this guy had a branch flip up and go through his leg. The pictures are gruesome enough to make me want to hurl and make my accident look like a little scratch. Click only if you have a strong constitution. [...]
October 17th, 2008 at 3:54 am
[...] Beware, there’s a little gore: http://www.ride-strong.com/freak-bike-accident-view-with-caution/ [...]
October 17th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I bet it is real. If the branch was attached to a larger tree trunk (with size and weight) and all the stars aligned just right, I can see a branch going through your leg.
More importantly is the picture of the guy making the “peace” sign. That is the universal symbol for:
“I am now on liquid Demerol and Valium and you say there is something wrong with my leg…”
May 26th, 2010 at 9:34 am
“I am now on liquid Demerol and Valium and you say there is something wrong with my leg…”
LMAO!
October 17th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
It’s for real… no photoshop there.
2+ is the palpable strength and location of the dorsalis pedis pulse on the top of the foot.
Hey Tyler….what’s up? Broke my tibia racing moto two weeks ago, but I’ll see you guys back at the pool next week.
MR
October 18th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Hi Mark,
That is a bummer. Hope you heal up quickly. Maybe should do a post of your leg.
See you at the pool.
TF
October 18th, 2008 at 8:19 am
[...] Encontrado aqui. [...]
October 18th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
[...] Click here to see it. *This is pretty gnarly. View at your own discretion. [...]
October 20th, 2008 at 2:34 am
That’s just scary …
October 20th, 2008 at 7:59 am
[...] to our friends over at the Ride Strong blog the photo at the bottom of this post (caution: not for the squeamish) shows what happened to a guy [...]
October 21st, 2008 at 8:32 am
[...] by tree branch October 20th, 2008 | Category: News According to our friends over at the Ride Strong blog the photo at the bottom of this post (caution: not for the squeamish) shows what happened to a guy [...]
October 24th, 2008 at 7:33 am
wow! how can this happen i cant imagine.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:51 am
I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around this?
First to me it seems that the length of the branch is awfully long? Mush have been reallllllly hauling ass to make it that far through?
Second the diameter is pretty thick and I would think that, yes there could be puncture but at that thickness it would have just made it so far and pushed the foot off the pedal, flipped him off his bike etc….
Third at the length, diameter, and speed it would take why did it just impale and not rip his calve in two?
I dunno guys? You SURE that this hasn’t been exaggerated a “lil” bit at all?
January 16th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Oh, he was on everything at that point… and this is a true photo with no photoshopping and nothing is exaggerated. It was a loooonnng healing process but he is a tough guy with a great attitude.
I saw him this morning, and he is still feeling it but is much better.
October 25th, 2008 at 12:02 am
It’s amazing to see a smile on the face of a body that has gone thru such a painful experience. How true is the phrase that ‘be careful, you never know whats in store for you’
October 29th, 2008 at 10:30 am
If the branch was either attached to a larger piece of a tree, or it could have wedged itself against the ground as he was riding into it. Think spear versus attacking horseback rider.
“but at that thickness it would have just made it so far and pushed the foot off the pedal, flipped him off his bike etc….”
I bet he was clipped in to his pedals. And i bet it did throw him off his bike eventually..
November 5th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Im so hard right now. Thats awesome.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
They must have given him some good meds coz he actually looks pretty happy.
November 6th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
[...] Cuidado con las bicicletas [...]
November 6th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
[...] More pics + info [...]
November 7th, 2008 at 4:55 am
damn, that’s gotta hurt!!!
November 9th, 2008 at 4:51 am
Wow! A painful story with seemingly a good ending. I followed the link to this blog via Shoemoney, and must say that I enjoy your offering! The linkbait of an impaled limb sure helped! Am givin g you a StumbleUpon thumbs up> Keep up the good work!
November 10th, 2008 at 4:10 am
[...] Link [...]
November 14th, 2008 at 2:44 am
He is still smiling! What a man.
November 25th, 2008 at 7:39 am
But did he get the point ?
January 12th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Going too fast, eh ?
Rush, Limb, OW !!!!
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:40 am
[...] Ride-Strong. Then there is the case of the man who was bicycle riding with friends, when an errant stick got kicked up by a bike, and impaled the rider through the leg as he rode over it. This fellow certainly had the happy go-lucky right attitude when photographed in the emergency room here. Seems like the situation had a positive outcome. [...]
February 5th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Haven’t you ever heard how tornadoes can blow straws through telephone poles? Strange things can happen when enough force is applied. to the right object. I bet he’s smiling because he knows chicks dig scars and that brach wasn’t about two feet higher.
February 26th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
As real as it looks i do not believe that ill look more into if you all say its real
May 26th, 2010 at 7:45 am
Very real. They were biking after winds from Hurricane Ike tore through the Cinci area. sustained 70mph for quite some time. We were without power for three days, some for just shy of a week. Anyway, these nuts went biking before all the branches had been cleaned up and this is what happened.
Bob came out of this just fine. He went on to compete in additional events and puts in fantastic times for a guy that is now 51.
I mentioned this to a biking friend at work and he said Bob is known for biking so hard that he snaps chains. Not a shock he was moving at a pace and with such power that this branch that kicked up could have done this.
March 2nd, 2009 at 8:22 am
[...] Freak Bike Accident – View With CautionCOWABUNGA! Win a brand new Colnago Carbon Bike!Shootout Bike Crash Caused By Police Officer. What was he thinking?Can I put a bike rack on my Toyota Prius? Rear hitch and bike rack is the way to go for Toyota Prius owners!Clincher Vs. Tubular TiresRide-Strong.com™ FREE Write Up! [...]
April 14th, 2009 at 7:43 am
That is crazy! Is that picture actually real?!
April 16th, 2009 at 2:46 am
[...] http://www.ride-strong.com/freak-bike-accident-view-with-caution/ [...]
April 24th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
I’ve seen worse. He is definitely on a valium cocktail. He will recover from this and go on riding. As to the photos, it looks like the Paramedics did a great job of cutting the branch clean so it could be removed in the hospital and no further damage would occur. Nice write up on the +2 as well. I’ll have to remember that when I have to provide help.
May 7th, 2009 at 11:10 pm
That is utterly disturbing, to say the least. I can’t believe he was able to crack a smile with the branch still through his leg.
August 31st, 2009 at 1:44 am
hi my name is jositia,
I want to know whether this is fake or real.. Can’t seem real or fake!
I hate blood blood blood!!
August 31st, 2009 at 2:00 am
hm.. that was probably scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARGH
September 24th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
This is totally real. Its my uncle Rick and my brother Astley saw it happen The branch went right thru his shin bone without deforming his lower leg. Wow – what luck.
September 25th, 2009 at 4:22 am
Update- here’s an the WBSD-TV interview with my uncle after he was released from the hospital.
http://tinyurl.com/ksy73u
Still has the ol” sense of humor!
February 22nd, 2010 at 1:38 pm
I was hoping “+2″ meant “2 more mg of morphine, please!” That’s gonna leave a mark…
February 28th, 2010 at 10:42 am
[...] bike accident photo thread Freak Bike Accident – View With Caution | Ride-Strong.com __________________ Anything is [...]
March 14th, 2010 at 2:57 am
wtf!
April 2nd, 2010 at 3:28 am
Poor guy
May 31st, 2010 at 9:52 am
funny how just coz somene cant imagine it, or doesnt look like what they expect, it cant be real.
June 15th, 2010 at 5:19 am
Fake or Real … its almost scary. {Shivers}
Jeff
August 10th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
[...] from Jason’s recent bike crash, but I readily admit that they were nowhere near as bad as this guy’s (caution: NSFW). Apparently he was riding with a group of cyclists when the guy in front of him ran [...]
September 12th, 2010 at 3:35 am
I can confirm. Bob is a close friend and we have been on a number of high adventure outings. He has completed the El Capitan climb as of the date of this posting.
November 17th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Im calling bs. Im a Vascular Surgeon and the +2 means he has a normal pulse in his foot. Sorry.. but if a tree limb went through your lower leg right there, you have severed your 2 main arteries in your lower leg. Therefore no pulse of 2 would be found in the leg…
Just my opinion..
WG
PS. Foot pulse rating are from 0 – 2. 0 – being no pulse, 1 being weak pulse and 2 being a normal pulse.
December 6th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
That is just disturbing. You did warn me before I looked though. I just didn’t imagin it would be anything like that.
At least the guy was able to smile about it, he must have been in some serious pain.
December 17th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
It’s for real. I heard that I’ve made Reddit a few times. Tell me how to post a picture and I’ll be glad to show the aftermath. No problems. Just a nasty scar but the ladies love to watch the muscle groups, clearly visible under the skin graft, move about as I flex the three affected muscle groups. It’s a nice ice breaker. All good. I’m lucky.
February 17th, 2011 at 4:14 am
OMG! Thats horrible, and yes what do they mean x2 ??? now that would be awful if he’d done it to both legs, lets hope he makes a full recovery soon,
Scary !
March 23rd, 2011 at 11:03 pm
positive pedal pulses, that is good
May 28th, 2011 at 9:00 am
I took these pics – ED RN cinci – He rides with my husband -
They said we had a guy coming in after a “puncture wound from a stick to the leg” I usually get the riding accidents since my Husband is a serious rider about town. The riders from his group usually call in for me to make a “reservation” for them when a rider goes down. We were all shocked when we saw this site – No photo shop – honestly. I called my husband Roger to bring in the camera quick. The guys were out for an early morning ride – Probably still dark out – I believe it was a fall morning around October. There were piles of branches out everywhere – following the high winds that hit us – coming up from Ike.
Cathy
July 4th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Wrong again. Ran a 5k sponsored at work w/ Bob. He kicked my butt. The scar is impressive.
Former naval officer (submariner), and a nice guy.
August 20th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
OUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCHOUCH