Tram Line Crash

[Rider123]

I looked outside this morning and thought it would be a great day for a ride.
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]

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..

Nasty thing to have happen. Hope you get well quick.

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.

[zephy]

amazing the amount of incidences that occur on/around/over tram lines.... on one of the motorcycle forums there always seems to be someone coming unstuck on them; particularly in the wet.....

hope all is well quickly

[Mulger bill]

Try lifting the front wheel over each rail as you get to it. Crash likelihood reduced by shedloads.

Don't pick at the scabs!

[glennb]

Ouch for you and the bike and clothing.

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.

[Oxford]

hook turn.

re the gravel rash. my remedy is to use a hog bristle brush with soap and warm running water in the shower the scrub it out and clean it. its meant to hurt, it reminds you why you'll be careful next time. when clean I then rub baby oil into the wound to help keep it moist if I am not dressing it. if you can keep it moist, it will not scar as bad. if it needs to be protected/dressed sometimes the wound pads can be of benefit. alternatively I use Micropore tape (3M or generic) to cover the wound as protection, just cut strips to stick over the wound. Micropore tape peels of fairly easy so should not stick to the wound. its important that you scrub the wound clean before dressing to limit or eliminate the potential for infection.

[trailgumby]

+1 for infection. Another thought: the scrubbing reduces the likelihood of the grazes turning into dirt tattoos.

[human909]

Couple of questions, what should i have done when crossing the tram tracks there?

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.

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.

[splunk]

That intersection has AVOID written all over it.

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]

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'.

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.

[silkishuge]

If hook turn is an option, why take the risk.

Jon

[rifraf]

Don't pick at the scabs!

Tramlines are maintained by non union labour?

[il padrone]

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)

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.

[Rider123]

Thanks for all the replies.

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

[grasshopper]

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.

Sorry to hear that. In case your pharmacist doesn't ride, ask about mefix or similar.

[Percrime]

Yes ask about mefix. Put it on and leave it for a week. After scrubbing the wound until you are sure all the dirt is out. If it bleeds heaps...meh

[Rider123]

Spoke to my pharmacist today and he suggested a tube of Betadine antiseptic ointment. Anyone here have any experience with that before?
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?

[splunk]

Yes, I got the wrong intersection... did not know High st turned into church st (which is pointless as it is only church st for a few 100 m before it ends)

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.

[David_G]

Betadine's good stuff and it's going to keep the bugs at bay while the wound heals.
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.

[Percrime]

Betadine is more for gashes and small grazes .. which is presumably what you have got. You should have scabbing in a couple of days and maybe healing in 2 or 3 weeks.

Tram tracks get everyone eventually. Cept the very lucky.. the outrageously smug and the really really cautious

[Toyopet]

Tram lines are hazards at any location, but especially where the trams turn such as at Barkers Rd and Church St. There is much more chance of needing to cross them at a slight angle instead of 90 degrees. Swan St westbound at Church St Richmond is another one. Hook turns are the best safeguard. However if you are suddenly onto them with no time left, a quick "bunnyhop" lifting the front wheel will usually see you through.

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.

[Rider123]

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!

[David_G]

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!

Hate to sound cruel, but maybe you should be getting your medical advice from your local Pharmacist or even your Doctor.
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

[velocopedant]

This takes me back a few years. I remember slotting into a tram track in West Brunswick one day while coming home from uni in the early 80's. That was the day that I decided that maybe I wasn't too cool to wear a helmet.