Tram Line Crash
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Tram Line Crash
Postby Rider123 » Wed Nov 16, 2011 5:45 pm
It went well until i got to the Barkers St./Church St. intersection in Melbourne, for those who know it.
I had heard a lot of incidents involving riders and tram lines so I was extra cautious. Thought i did everything right, tried avoiding the tram tracks and when i needed to cross them, I did so at a big angle.
Unfortunately, I was making a right-hand turn from Church St to Barkers St and tram lines run along Church St. direction and along Barkers St.. So, standing at the lights, waiting for it to turn green, I positioned myself in the middle of the tram lines running straight and what that meant was that when i turned in Barkers St... my front wheel got stuck in the 'other' tram lines and i fell. It happened so quickly...
Luckily, there wasn't any cars behind me (or at least that had stopped). Got up and walked onto the footpath. Looked down and i saw 4-small but deepish road rashes on my knee, the shoulder part of my jersey was torn (the club jersey that i had just gotten THAT DAY!) and a bruise on my shoulder.
Checked my bike. Nasty scratches on the STI shifters, my handlebar was shifted and the shifters were bent. Big thank you to those who came out of their car gave me a few band-aids and asked if I was okay.
Not a good day for me but very thankful, I'm relatively safe and well.
Couple of questions, what should i have done when crossing the tram tracks there? Should i had just avoided the intersection altogether and performed a 'hook turn'.
Also, what's the best way for road rashes to heal? I've already washed them and have applied band-aids
Cheers
- il padrone
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby il padrone » Wed Nov 16, 2011 6:17 pm
Nasty thing to have happen. Hope you get well quick.Rider123 wrote:Unfortunately, I was making a right-hand turn from Church St to Barkers St and tram lines run along Church St. direction and along Barkers St..
It's always possible for cyclists to do a hook turn at any intersection. This one sounds like a good candidate for that to be a strong recommendation.
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
- zephy
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby zephy » Wed Nov 16, 2011 8:51 pm
hope all is well quickly
- Mulger bill
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby Mulger bill » Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:13 pm
Don't pick at the scabs!
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby glennb » Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:36 pm
I've always approached tram tracks like a osteoperitic great grandma crossing the road, but still managed a spill on Swanston St after rain.
Eventually switched to 32mm tires, more so due to one too many close calls with storm drain grates with slats running parallel to the gutter.
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby trailgumby » Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:55 pm
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby human909 » Thu Nov 17, 2011 12:44 am
Watch where your damn wheels are going and avoid putting your wheels into the tram tracks! Its not like you couldn't see the ground or the tram tracks.Rider123 wrote:Couple of questions, what should i have done when crossing the tram tracks there?
I presume you actually made a right turn from High St (just before it become church) into Barkers Rd? In which case a the tram tracks also are turning right. So you need to stay between them or of course you'll get a wheel caught.
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby splunk » Thu Nov 17, 2011 9:29 am
I always turn right into Baker St, then left into Johnson St, then right into Barkers (actually called Victoria St, but I know what you mean)
- grasshopper
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby grasshopper » Thu Nov 17, 2011 9:31 am
I try to avoid those sorts of intersections by route choice but sometimes you just don't know before you get there. In which case I hook turn; costs a minute or two but less fuss and pain.Rider123 wrote:Couple of questions, what should i have done when crossing the tram tracks there? Should i had just avoided the intersection altogether and performed a 'hook turn'.
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby silkishuge » Thu Nov 17, 2011 9:33 am
Jon
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby rifraf » Thu Nov 17, 2011 10:18 am
Tramlines are maintained by non union labour?Mulger bill wrote: Don't pick at the scabs!
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby il padrone » Thu Nov 17, 2011 10:19 am
I think you have the wrong part of the commute, at the wrong time. The OP was riding city-bound, in Hawthorn (hence Barkers Rd). The other Church St.splunk wrote:I always turn right into Baker St, then left into Johnson St, then right into Barkers (actually called Victoria St, but I know what you mean)
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby Rider123 » Thu Nov 17, 2011 10:51 am
I knew I should of done a hook turn but as it was my first time there, i didn't know how easily a bike wheel could get stuck in those bloody tram lines. It happened so quickly I couldn't quick remember what happened. I think it was a red light so i stopped and when it turned green (the right-turn light that is). I got out of my saddle and rode in the middle of the tram lines that turned into Barkers St., which meant that I would of gone through the tram lines in the Church St. direction at a not-so-good angle.
I've managed to clean most of the wounds on my leg and have put a couple of bandages on it. My should and hip hurts like hell, they are a lot less deep but they are spread over a large area. My band-aids are way too small to cover those so I think i'll head to a pharmacy later and ask a pharmacists.
Cheers
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby grasshopper » Thu Nov 17, 2011 2:14 pm
Sorry to hear that. In case your pharmacist doesn't ride, ask about mefix or similar.Rider123 wrote:My should and hip hurts like hell, they are a lot less deep but they are spread over a large area. My band-aids are way too small to cover those so I think i'll head to a pharmacy later and ask a pharmacists.
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby Percrime » Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:32 pm
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby Rider123 » Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:51 pm
He also told me to get some non-adhesive dressing (Cutilin i think it is).
Anyway, so i've applied the Betadine antiseptic ointment and placed the non-adhesive dressing on.
Still stings tho.
Any ideas as to how long it would take to heal?
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby splunk » Thu Nov 17, 2011 5:04 pm
My wife is a pharmasist and she always uses post-op-site on my wounds with a healthy dose of solugel inbetween the wound and the op-site to keep the wound moist and prevent scabbing up, scaring and clean. I keep it up for a week but during that time, it can look very ugly when changing the dressing and adding more solugel.
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby David_G » Thu Nov 17, 2011 5:18 pm
As for the turn, you need to concentrate on several things at once with the tram tracks.
As well as all the traffic and trams, you've got to focus on your front wheel (and the rear but it's not quite as critical) and either hop across or just ride over the teacks depending on the angle and if they are wet or not.
Practice makes perfect, and the hook turn is always an option.
good luck and heal fast.
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby Percrime » Thu Nov 17, 2011 5:22 pm
Tram tracks get everyone eventually. Cept the very lucky.. the outrageously smug and the really really cautious
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby Toyopet » Thu Nov 17, 2011 6:07 pm
The bike path got me a while ago. I went off into the rough to go around some skateboarders. Silly me didn't account for the small lip at the edge of the path when trying to get back on from the grass. Down I went providing some free entertainment for the skateboarders.
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby Rider123 » Sat Nov 19, 2011 12:24 pm
Have applied betadine + non-adhesive gauze for around 3 days now. It seems to have gotten better with the white pus coming out and a bit of brown skin/scab covering it.
I was wondering whether i should continue applying betadine and covering it with a gauze or whether it would be a better idea to keep it moist with vaseline and keep it open. I managed to rip off a bit of the brown-ish skin when i tried peeling off the gauze earlier this morning, that hurts!
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby David_G » Sat Nov 19, 2011 1:24 pm
Hate to sound cruel, but maybe you should be getting your medical advice from your local Pharmacist or even your Doctor.Rider123 wrote:Quick update.
Have applied betadine + non-adhesive gauze for around 3 days now. It seems to have gotten better with the white pus coming out and a bit of brown skin/scab covering it.
I was wondering whether i should continue applying betadine and covering it with a gauze or whether it would be a better idea to keep it moist with vaseline and keep it open. I managed to rip off a bit of the brown-ish skin when i tried peeling off the gauze earlier this morning, that hurts!
They can look at it and give you some tips they've spent years learning.
I wouldn't be seeking medical opinions from internet forums, you will get "N+1" pages of opinions which will all be different and more likely none will be the right one for your situation.
Good Luck
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Re: Tram Line Crash
Postby velocopedant » Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:15 pm
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