Rehab1´s accident(s)

[dmethvin]

@Rehab1, I hope you have a quick recovery! Once you've retired from your medical practice you can get back in the saddle and by then maybe EUC makers will have figured out what they're doing.

4 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

But there will always be freakish accidents. I think it's a bit of the roll of the dice as to whether you injure yourself while riding.

Absolutely. Since 2014 I have probably 15 times when I have been involuntarily dismounted from my wheel. In about half of those I managed to stay upright and run it off. In the other half I fell with varying injuries from just a few scuffs to serious road rash. I've bashed my helmet three times, once it was hard enough to make me worry that the helmet might have been damaged so I threw it away.

All of my crashes involved inattention, excessive speed for the conditions, or both. Every time I watch someone riding and their speed shows 25 mph I think, "Wow maybe I should get a faster wheel!" Then I think about how my crashes at about 18mph have gone and wonder what kind of injuries I'd get at higher speeds.

[LanghamP]

2 hours ago, Smoother said:

 

I understand your decision.  When you're all healed up maybe you could enjoy the freedom of riding again on a rideable with more than one wheel.  Something to think about.

Goodbye friend. You are missed already 

Maybe the unfortunately named @Rehab1 could mount and ride one of these instead?

 

[WeeJ]

Thinking of you Rehab -  hope you are on the mend soon

[US69]

6 minutes ago, dmethvin said:

 

All of my crashes involved inattention, excessive speed for the conditions, or both. Every time I watch someone riding and their speed shows 25 mph I think, "Wow maybe I should get a faster wheel!" Then I think about how my crashes at about 18mph have gone and wonder what kind of injuries I'd get at higher speeds.

Thats nearly exactly my ecperience! My 33kmh,  20mph, fall/crash -was not even a cutout, so  i saw it coming!, keeps me away from riding my 50kmh wheels to the max! I only have those freaking powerfull wheels to have more "head-room" when i need more power/torque and reserve! Any crash over 18-20mph just can get into a desaster, no matter what protections you wear. The human body is not designed to smash with 25mph/40kmh-or faster- onto the ground, its just that easy.....

[Bob Eisenman]

Maybe you could listen to some blues while you rest. I found a new female blues guitarist called 'Samantha Fish ' on YouTube. 

 

 

[litewave]

7 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

Let this be a lesson to everyone....get a reputable full face helmet! I believe Dan has the Bell Super 3R. Not downhill rated but very close to it. Given the apparent forces involved in his fall I can only imagine what his face would be like now had he not had a substantial chin guard. God knows what could have happened with no helmet at all. 

This makes me feel much better about all the hassle I go through before each ride to wear full body armor (that includes shoulder and collar bone protection).  I am however also highly reflective regarding the risk I still face,  despite all the gear,  vs. the benefits of wheeling.

So, assuming it was the Bell Super 3R, based on @Rehab1's accident we can say it performs well when it counts.

While I certainly understand his decision to give up EUCs permanently, I really hope he mends quickly and comes back to the site. He's a subject-matter-expert with a rare combination of medical and EUC expertise and experience that have, and will continue, to provide great benefit to us all.

[Rehab1]

Thank you everyone for all of your kind comments and thoughts!  It means alot to me!

Ortho trauma appointment Thursday. Surgery probably Friday or Saturday. With the blunt force impact to my left shoulder only a full body cast would have protected me.

Take care,

Dan

[Electroman]

2 hours ago, fryman said:

This makes me very sad that you were injured. I will pray that you will be blessed with a full recovery. I just got my wheel in December 2017 and this makes me pause and rethink how I will ride and the gear I use.

 

Broke my left Scaphoid and still out 3 months later, blood flow is poor to these bones and that is why healing can be so difficult.  My last x rays looked better though so cast removed the other day but so stiff (from more than just removing a cast), painful and swelling returned right away so chuck it up as a mistake and cast back on again and read literally hundreds of pages of Scaphoid fracture literature, reports, journals and not extremely uncommon with people out a year in total where complications occur.

So yes I'm glad to hear, I did not right after buying mine and it turned out expensive.

Sad to hear Rehab1, hope you heal up fast and recover fully whether you ride again or not, feel the pain and yeah it sucks.

2 hours ago, fryman said:

This makes me very sad that you were injured. I will pray that you will be blessed with a full recovery. I just got my wheel in December 2017 and this makes me pause and rethink how I will ride and the gear I use.

 

Broke my left Scaphoid and still out 3 months later, blood flow is poor to these bones and that is why healing can be so difficult.  My last x rays looked better though so cast removed the other day but so stiff (from more than just removing a cast), painful and swelling returned right away so chuck it up as a mistake and cast back on again and read literally hundreds of pages of Scaphoid fracture literature, reports, journals and not extremely uncommon with people out a year in total where complications occur.

So yes I'm glad to hear, I did not right after buying mine and it turned out expensive.

Sad to hear Rehab1, hope you heal up fast and recover fully whether you ride again or not, feel the pain and yeah it sucks.

[fryman]

6 minutes ago, Electroman said:

Broke my left Scaphoid

OK, your on my list buddy!  Prayer list that is.  Sorry to hear about your accident and the long recovery.

[Electroman]

8 minutes ago, fryman said:

OK, your on my list buddy!  Prayer list that is.  Sorry to hear about your accident and the long recovery.

Thanks appreciate that, and I of course will add Rehab1 to mine.

I do mean it though, would be very glad if others would learn from our mistakes, sadly I was to darn stubborn and stupid, you know somehow it will happen to others ? People did tell me wear protection and even specifically the good wrist protection, sure wish I would have listen now.

 

[steve454]

22 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

 

No I drew that by hand. I should have stayed home after that. Unfortunately I decided to take the GW1600 out for a ride and ended up crashing.

The wheel went into a uncontrollable wobble at high speed. I just returned from the emergency room. I suffered a fractured humerus that is going to require the Humpty Dumpty approach ( screws and plate) to put me back together again. 

My employees are terrified that I cannot work. Being the only practitioner in my practice I’m terrified as well. So this ends my riding days forever. Thank God for helmets. The extended jawline protected my face and head where I only suffered a small laceration above my eye. 

It has been a fun run.  I really enjoyed everyone’s friendship and commerode! I just can’t put my wife, kids and employees through this again. My son was definately looking down and protected me from a much worse accident.

Take care and be safe! Dan

Get well soon!  Your content is great!

[EUCMania]

@Rehab1 . Sorry to hear your accident. Hope you get well soon. Sad to hear that you will quit from EUCing. I know that everyone has to quit it at some time in the future. But I do not want this day comes this fast to you. But I think you do not have to quit this fast. You can play your Mten for some fun, don't ride it at high speeds

I fell from EUC about 4 times last year. One was when I ride on a flat road when suddenly there is a protruding well cover appeared in my front. Another two was when my paddle scratched sidewall next to narrow sidewalk. The other was when I was riding over a hidden tree root. The two curb scratching accidents were at low speeds. But the resulting body turning making run-off impossible. The falls were not much, but the keys in my pocket did some damage on me. Now, I only carry 2 keys in a soft paper wrapper. I tried to look for a nice leather or vinyl key wrapper without any hard part without success.

Although we are thrilled at high speeds, the kinetic energy at high speed is too much for our body to take. As we age, our bones will get more brittle. I would like to suggest that anyone over 55 should ride at a speed <= 24km/h. At this age, we do not have to rush, rather, we can afford to slow down and enjoy life.  

[EUCMania]

@Rehab1 . Why does the wheel vibrated uncontrollably? Was that because of resonance? 

[z3n]

Get well soon @Rehab1. You have always been the MacGyver of EUC world! 

[radial]

Oh man, so sorry you had this accident.  But honestly, I've been having second thoughts myself lately.  These glorious one-wheeled vehicles we ride are fundamentally accidents looking for a place to happen.  I've been riding for less than a year but have already racked up more injuries than the previous 20 years of semi-extreme sports.  Might be taking a break myself before long.  Again, though, sorry for your injury.  You'll be sorely missed here.

Edited January 30, 2018 by radial

[TremF]

Wishing you a speedy recovery  @Rehab1 ! This is a stark reminder of what these things can do to us. I hate to think how much worse you might be if you didn't have a helmet on. You will be missed on the forums unless you stick with us just for chats and company etc After my ACM accident it was hard getting back on and I'm truly scared about what will happen if I have one on my Monster. 

As you say, it's not easy to guard against every possible injury. My new jackets have elbow and shoulder protection but previously I cracked a rib, and my elbow and wrist were stress fractures which may still occur with wrist guards with the force I was slammed to the ground. I still can't straighten my elbow and my wrist really aches from time to time - probably with the cold & damp.

If we start riding around wrapped in bubble wrap then people are going to worry about being around us. 

If I didn't use the EUC for mobility I think I'd stop riding as, especially with the Monster, I fear with my spine and neck problems these things could paralyse me. Like radial, I had managed 40 years with only a fractured foot, and I used to dodge traffic either while running or cycling, but since riding these I have had a few minor and one pretty bad accident that resulted in fractures, scars and chipped bones. We aren't young, our bones are more brittle so we don't shake off these injuries as quick as our younger selves.

Keep us posted on your recovery please.

[Luiz]

I am sad to hear about your accident . I wish you a full and speedy recovery . Thank you for sharing with us your painful experience and decision to stop riding eucs .

The thrill of riding eucs is so great that we feel invencible sometimes . We know that we should not do it  but we keep pushing the speed up to keep the adrenaline pumping ( we all do this , it is human nature to push the limits ) . It is easy to forget how fragile  and vulnerable we are while riding this failure prone devices .

We all made poor choices while riding , we all had close calls , we all had accidents (congratulations if you have not yet) . Some had more luck than others but after so many accidents reported it is wise to assume that it will happen at some point if you ride eucs.

Your accident will remind us all , (once again)  of how dangerous eucs are and that we should do everything possible to minimize the risks if we chose to keep riding .

I dont know about you but i will try to stay away from cars , use full face helmet , full body armour , wrist protection and knee pads and pray for the best . I reckon 20 is plenty for me from now on .  That is my way to manage the risk .

 

Edited January 30, 2018 by Luiz

[Scatcat]

@Rehab1 I will miss you if you disappear from the board, but I totally get your point. So many people are dependent on you, and there is such a thing as responsibility when you reach our age-bracket. My spills so far have been mercifully mild. The only speedy spill I've had still left me rolling rather than taking the fall head on, I'm not sure how I would react if I broke something.

17 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

Nothing prevents the breaking of any bone. I wear a lot of gear that will absorb a lot of energy in an impact. With luck it will absorb enough to reduce the chances of serious injury but nothing is guaranteed and the wrong fall will hurt you regardless of what you are wearing. Murphy says that fall is probably be the one you will have. 

For upper body protection I wear a protective undershirt with reactive pads over the shoulder, collar bone, sternum and ribs augmented by a full back protector covering spine and shoulder blades. 

I wear a motorcycle jacket with shoulder-protection, elbow pads, and d3o back protection, wrist guards and knee-pads. The jacket is also pretty stiff, and dampens impact energy pretty well.

That said, there are no guarantees whatsoever. A loose stone, a fence, a curb hitting in just the wrong place and bones WILL break. Even the helmet cant take that kind of abuse, even though it's a bloody good helmet.

I've taken a few spills by now, and while the protection helps a lot, it is always scary. And it always hurts. Maybe not immediately, maybe not bad, but even rolling perfectly you strain your muscles - muscles that up to that point have only been static, and so are cold and stiff before sudden violent use...

But what can we do? The only answer I can think of is gearing up or getting out of the game. So far I'm doing the former.

[Rehab1]

 

[meepmeepmayer]

[Bob Eisenman]

http://www.toledochildrensmemorial.com/site/mobile?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.toledochildrensmemorial.com%2FAbout.html#3157

 

[Circuitmage]

@Rehab1 Get Well! In addition to my current signature quote, hopefully one from Friedrich Nietzsche applies for you;  "That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

[Xolition]

Get better!

[Ombre]

@Rehab1 I respect your decision.  It's a tough call to make. Ceasing a sport you love in order to protect your family and the people who work for you is the act of a brave man.  Still, we'd appreciate your expertise and commentary here from time to time.

[novazeus]

i hate to see u lose something u obviously loved to do. hopefully u will mend like new and be able to resume ur euc activity. i worked cattle yesterday and this morning by myself so i could ship off 24 to the auction and had a 600 pound bull yearling just miss me with a full on cow kick just an hour or two ago. not sure what damage that kick might have done. i’ve entered this world of euc with caution. just started going down my road and back last week. at one point, i was getting tired but it was more from me holding my arms and hands up in front of me like a zombie. just like my harley, anybody can ride one at speed, it takes a lot of skill to ride one slowly, that’s how i’m approaching this activity. hopefully while ur recuperating u will stay active in the forum and share ur wisdom with new riders like myself.