So …

[blamebrampton]

I succumbed two weeks ago and bought an iPad, immediately after succumbing to the lure of a full-time job on a mag that puts out an iPad edition.

Despite it being a luxury, I have been able to justify it as it will pay for itself in New Yorkers alone with the year and I have been getting a lot of writing done on it thanks to the little Logitech keyboard cover I also bought. I was in two minds about buying it a travelling case, as they were yet another expense, but I rationalised it with the thought that since I ride everywhere, I would rather be safe than sorry.

Good call, as things turned out.

It was raining this morning and I hit an oily patch of wet road while turning a corner on my newish town tyres (wide-ish, but slick) and my bike slid out beneath me. It was very dramatic sounding, but that was mostly my helmet cracking, which is what helmets are meant to do. Worth every penny spent on it and it will now join the sainted row of Helmets That Gave Their Lives So I Might Live. (Anyone who tells you that helmets aren't brilliant is talking shit or only ever rides under 10kph.)

A young couple came running up to help, as did Suzanne, the lovely woman whose house I stacked outside. I tried to brush it all off as a commuting incident. They were charming and delightful and pointed out that it might be a better idea to pause a moment until the adrenalin stopped flowing, rather than jog my bike up to the nearby shop for a new helmet before proceeding onto work, as was my initial plan.

Wise advice. As I went to peel my gloves off, it became apparent I had broken a thumb. The left one, and up the top, so minimally awful as these things go, but that meant a day spent having X-rays rather than signing contracts at work. Aside from that, a few grazes and bruises, bike was carefully protected by my body and is fine.

However, having walked my bike back home after thanking my genuinely fabulous rescuers, I decided it was time to face the music. I opened up my pannier and pulled out the travelling case. The iPad is FINE! If you are considering an STM case or a MET bicycle helmet, I strongly recommend both!

Comments

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Hee! Yeah, I am going to die with the five day a weekness of it all, but the team and mag are delightful, so I will do my best to cope! Thank you! I usually do: excuse for lots of milk and broccoli! (Er, not together …)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I am pretty much the same: Denmark, parts of Holland, Firenze and some parks are OK for helmet free if I am riding at a slow pace on a lady bike or cargo bike: never if I am fanging around on a mountain bike or road bike. Because as shown again: I am quite capable of damaging myself without cars.

I find cargo bikes are lot more stable than road bikes, but I do tend to wear a helmet whenever I am taking out any of the younger kids I associate with even if we are riding lady bikes around the park, just to reinforce with them that it's a normal thing. However, that's in an Australian context where helmets are compulsory. I think that in Denmark, there's a lot more room for contextual education in that sort of thing: Danish drivers are saner!

IIRC you were one of the people who said the iPad was awesome when I was thinking about it first the other month. SO true. The language materials alone are worth the purchase, and I am getting a lot of writing done, too.

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

I just had to come back and see what I'd written to elicit a response about milk and broccoli! Haha :D

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Least expensive mangling managed!

Thanks, dear!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

They were fabulous. People are generally very good, I find. And yes, big fan of the helmet and case people! Worth every penny spent!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I intentionally didn't look at it until I was back home, because the people who were helping me were all a bit freaked out and I thought I might upset them if it was cracked and I burst into tears ;-)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Fate and the MET bicycle good company!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

OW! Oh, that is the classic cook and art director accident (they do it using the old school scalpel and metal ruler trick). SO NASTY! You poor thing! Glad it grew back well!

I had a friend when I was a teenager who taught me the definition of degloving through a cycling-based demonstration: he is the reason I never wear rings when I ride and always wear gloves for as much protection as possible. Mostly worked!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It wasn't that scary: it was all my own silly fault for not slowing right down given the crappy conditions, slick tyres and laden panniers. Even as I was accepting that I couldn't stop the spill and doing my standard tuck and roll for minimal damage, I was telling myself that I was an idiot, which made the whole thing much less stressful: our own mistakes are so comprehensible!

The people were ace. They were Aunt Purlish in their loveliness!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I thought we had more accidents because our motorists are INSANE ;-)

Actually, I have been thinking about doing some bike videos for safety stuff and defensive riding, but will need to buy kit that I feel comfortable strapping to me while I am on the road. Can probably afford that later this year now the work situation has improved!!

And you didn't miss it, that was my first quiet announcement. Still terrified about the whole five day thing, thank goodness the people are nice! It's been years since I went to work EVERY day!

And if I fail to get my act together and come back to comment on your Eddie entry: yes. I blame politics. It's very sad.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Me too!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's all about the iPad ;-)

(I wish I wasn't tied into Apple thanks to work platforms, but by crikey they are addictive things!)

[valkyrie17.livejournal.com]

Haven't been online for a few days. Sorry you were in an accident, but glad the damage was minimal to both you and your iPad.

I never bike without a helmet...even at the measly speeds I go. A friend's husband was in a lowspeed accident without one years ago, and he is basically a vegetable.

[enchanted-jae.livejournal.com]

D:

Goodness, what a mishap! I'm sorry to hear you were hurt, but it's good to know both your cranium and your iPad were protected.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

*snort* nah, most Aussies are, not just those in a car.

When you say defensive riding, I have the eerie suspicion that it won't be a "don't" but rather a "how to" *flashbacks to s01 of Grey's Anatomy*

I hear you. It's said that it takes a year to not feel tired (when doing a (new) full time job), but it's been ten, or three and three, and I just get tireder. You of course will FLOURISH SOME MOAR!
And if tired, have an accident ... expensive days off :)

Please, ma'am, what do you mean? I can't find what could be blamed on politics re. Eddie Izzard. I wanted to ask you right away, when you still might have remembered, but I'm shy. Also hated on due to not managing to word my review convincingly.

[nenne.livejournal.com]

Feel better soon. I'm very happy to hear that your helmet did its job. I have bought one too now. My very first.

[queerbychoice.livejournal.com]

I can't figure out how I completely missed reading about your bike accident until now. Yikes! With all you've said about past bike accidents and near misses, it's a wonder you have the courage to keep riding a bike at all. (Me, I never even properly learned how. In elementary school I became convinced that all bicycles were plotting to kill me, and I've refused to go near them ever since.) Anyway, I hope you recover quickly!