So I broke my hand...

[LunaP]

Lokky and I had just left Scoot Richmond. We went to pull across a sometimes very busy, two big lanes each direction with a wide median in the middle road. Typically he lets me lead, but this time he went first. I followed. I saw him stop in the middle, which is not a policy of mine- I wait for both sides to be clear, then cross all four. For whatever reason that makes me less nervous. Anyhoo- I saw him stopped at the break in the median. I saw the truck coming. At first glance, it looked like PLENTY of room to go, so I didn't slow down. Split second later it occured to me that this was probably not smart, there was probably a reason my boyfriend had stopped. I looked again and it kinda looked like the guy was going at least ten over- at this point I'm almost right at Lokky and need a split second decision.

I have a strong suspicion that if I had hit the throttle and gunned it I could have made it across the two lanes safely, since this was the only car on the road, but I have no way to be sure, and I'm not willing to beat myself up over it. At the point where I decided my choices were either jam the brakes or get t-boned, and grabbed brakes and went down. I didn't get thrown, or skid, but I went down HARD. I've taken it down twice before this- once on my first day because I grabbed too much front brake, and once because an ass slammed on their brakes and stopped for a left turn with no signal, and after breaking for several feet I came damn close to her bumper and dropped it rather than chance a even a 5mph collision. Both times dropped the Buddy but barely scratch it (just the bevel and kickstand) and neither hurt me at all.

This was not like those. I pretty much DOVE into the pavement. I'll admit that I wasn't wearing gloves because it was warm and that was dumb- that's what I have some rash on my left palm. My left hand and knee took the brunt of my fall; my knee is totally raw yet my jeans don't show any kind of mark, which reaffirms my belief that these jeans are going to last forever (it's my favorite pair). My helmet hit, edge of my visor first, and the visor didn't pop off, so I'm impressed I suppose. However, once I was done landing my right hand was curled up under me and searing in pain. I knew something was wrong in the back of my head. I wanted to be optimistic.

The truck passed- but like 2 or 3 other cars stopped, I think, in the time it took me to convince myself to move, then stand up. Once I had my wits again, and the bike started, we drove back to Scoot Richmond so I could wash my bloody hand and rest a minute. I was trying to be optimistic, telling myself MAYBE I'm being a ninny and I'm okay, the pain will subside soon. No. The act of washing my hands sent me into a whole new world of pain. I started crying. Sappy things make me cry. Pain does not make me cry.

So I'm lucky that SR is awesome, locked the Buddy up for me so we could leave, and I have a PCP that is open til 8 with an xray suite. They know of a close by ortho-specific clinic that is also open late. Who was able to tell me, unlike the NP and my dr office- exactly how bad it is- I have a fracture just above my pinky knuckle, that comes specifically from jamming my finger/hand into the pavement in a perpendicular manner- which, correct me if I'm wrong, but gloves most likely couldn't have saved me from. This kind of fracture is at the beginning of the bone, and causes multiple cracks from the end down into the bone- if I could draw a picture, I would (or remember the name, I'd google and link). I won't know for sure until I see a hand specialist, but I may need surgery to put a pin or screw in to make sure it heals correctly- if it heals unevenly, it will rub away at the cartilage in the joint and make me all arthitis-y eventually.


Cast goes past my wrist so I can't drive myself anywhere, I have to go back to Lokky and my mom helping me. I'll be a gimp for my first rally And currently, the low-dose hyrdocodone the PCP gave me isn't doing shit.

BUT

I'm not blood giblets, or legless. Sailor Scoot is fine, aside from maybe needing some new footpegs and bezel (entirely cosmetic). At this point and time I'm not missing any work, I can still work a register.

So all in all, I"ll go ahead and say I came out on top, given the circumstances.

[Jenetic]

So so sorry to read this. I'm glad it wasn't worse. Have nothing but sympathy & compassion to offer since I'm a total newbie.

Take care of yourself and wish you the best for a full & speedy recovery.

[Skootz Kabootz]

That sucks big time Luna! Heal up and get well quickly. I hope the scooter can be put back to new with minimal fuss and bother. Maybe with a couple of character lines just so you can tell their story

[jrsjr]

Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Empathy is what makes us human, I suppose, but right now it's making me feel your pain. I know exactly where you're talking about. I've ridden there many times. I'm having no trouble picturing how easy it would be to get caught up in trying to cross there. If it's any consolation at all, I thought your write-up was one of the best crash write-ups I've ever read on any scooter or motorcycle site. I look forward to reading your future write-ups about happier riding experiences.

I hope you heal well and quickly!

[LunaP]

That sucks big time Luna! Heal up and get well quickly. I hope the scooter can be put back to new with minimal fuss and bother. Maybe with a couple of character lines just so you can tell their story

Thanks Skootz I continue to be amazed by how well the buddy takes damage- it was just the bezel (again) and a teeny bit at the bottom edge of the front wheel fender (there was already one from a previous drop on the other side of it, so now the fender is symmetrical haha)

The bezel bothers me, but I'm going to get past my n00b stage before I bother replacing it.

The footpegs bother me, they are inconveniently placed for the driver, but seem to take damage for the scoot, so if my set can't be bent back to their original position, I'll be replacing them. Worth the $40 if you ask me.

Fun fact- this is the first bone I have ever broken in my 26 years. And of course it needs surgery and a pin. That's my luck

[LunaP]

Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Empathy is what makes us human, I suppose, but right now it's making me feel your pain. I know exactly where you're talking about. I've ridden there many times. I'm having no trouble picturing how easy it would be to get caught up in trying to cross there. If it's any consolation at all, I thought your write-up was one of the best crash write-ups I've ever read on any scooter or motorcycle site. I look forward to reading your future write-ups about happier riding experiences.

I hope you heal well and quickly!

Haha thanks- I have some adventures I haven't sat down and shared yet. I will probably do that in the interim- I never properly introduced myself anyway, I got on here to find out Lokky had a thread going about me hahaha

So while I'm bored and not riding I promise I'll make a flickr or something so post photos finally and brag about my gear and show off and stuff. Including my cast

As for the writeup- I tend to be overly... verby. Most people can say whatever I am saying with 50% less words and still get the point across. But narrative I can do well. English majors gotta be good at something XD

I have a sneaking suspicion hydro makes you restless, by the by.

[Skootz Kabootz]

The footpegs bother me, they are inconveniently placed for the driver, but seem to take damage for the scoot, so if my set can't be bent back to their original position, I'll be replacing them. Worth the $40 if you ask me.

Fun fact- this is the first bone I have ever broken in my 26 years. And of course it needs surgery and a pin. That's my luck

Fun fact? Me thinks maybe just fact Ouch!

I couldn't agree more about the foot pegs. My scooter has gone down twice, once knocked over while parked by a taxi and once a low side crash when I hit an oil slick. Both times the foot pegs took the bulk of the blow and saved the scooter from much worse damage. They were a twisted mess afterwards and had to be replaced, but I appreciate their sacrifice! I never ride with a passenger, but I will always have those foot pegs on my Buddy!

[LunaP]

The footpegs bother me, they are inconveniently placed for the driver, but seem to take damage for the scoot, so if my set can't be bent back to their original position, I'll be replacing them. Worth the $40 if you ask me.

Fun fact- this is the first bone I have ever broken in my 26 years. And of course it needs surgery and a pin. That's my luck

Fun fact? Me thinks maybe just fact Ouch!

I couldn't agree more about the foot pegs. My scooter has gone down twice, once knocked over while parked by a taxi and once a low side crash when I hit an oil slick. Both times the foot pegs took the bulk of the blow and saved the scooter from much worse damage. They were a twisted mess afterwards and had to be replaced, but I appreciate their sacrifice! I never ride with a passenger, but I will always have those foot pegs on my Buddy!

Cheers to footpegs!! I will totally continue to put up with all the bruises on my legs from the poking me. Initially, I was determined to take them off until I needed them, and was really lazy about making time for it... then that second drop happened and I thought twice about it. I'm very glad now.

[jmazza]

UGH! So sorry to hear about this, but glad it wasn't worse. Crashes suck. The decisions we have to make in a split second are so tough. I found myself in a similar situation last week, second guessing how much time I had to pull out into traffic. I gunned it and made it safely (as you guessed you likely would have) but my heart was racing because I probably should have waited! Traffic speed can be very hard to judge and I've always found (in a car as well) that when I know that I *might* be able to make it I tend to rush the decision. I had a car wreck when I was about 18 and I was following my father in an unknown city. We were turning onto a busy road and he lurched forward to pull out. I took one quick glance at traffic and hit the gas, only to find he'd second guessed himself and stopped. I slammed into the back of his car, lol.

Fun fact- this is the first bone I have ever broken in my 26 years.

My broken thumb from my recent crash was my first broken bone as well. I guess our scooters ought to feel honored!

Heal up quickly- I hope the surgery goes well.

[Southerner]

Glad you weren't more seriously injured.

I don't think gloves would have prevented that type of injury, just cushioned it maybe and prevented skin abrasions. That being said, I always wear gloves of some kind whle riding. I normally stuff mine inside my helmet and therefore never leave without them.

I guess you'll be buying a new helmet? I think that one just paid for itself.

[synaps3]

I agree, you definitely came out on top. It's really good that you're not afraid to hop back on and ride again, I'm still working on getting my wife to ride again. She grabbed a handful of brake when she was cut off at about 5mph and went down, scratching her leg. She's never quite recovered from it, even though she and the bike were both basically undamaged.

I think you definitely made the right decision by slowing down, even if that meant you had to drop the scooter. You're okay (mostly), and so is Sailor Scoot, which is much better than being smooshed against the front of a reckless truck.

How long is your hand out of commission for? Or, will it depend on whether or not they have to do surgery?

[Rippinyarn]

So sorry to hear of your spill, but glad that you are (almost OK). If you can get to a health food store, you may want to try some Arnica tablets. They help a lot with swelling and bruising. Heal fast!

I hate the middle (median) lane stuff from a left turn and have been going to the light near my Troy office just so I don't have to that uncontrolled (no light) left over the median. It adds a few minutes, and two lights, but even with that I sometimes beat my co-worker as he is stuck waiting to turn left across the middle lane!

[Howardr]

Ouch! I can definitely empathize. I went down earlier this year and got my first fractures ever as well. In my case it was my wrist, elbow and humerous.

So sorry to hear about your incident. Heal fast.

Howard

[AWinn6889]

Glad to hear you're okay Luna!
Hope all goes well with your hand and you're back on the Bud soon!

[LunaP]

UGH! So sorry to hear about this, but glad it wasn't worse. Crashes suck. The decisions we have to make in a split second are so tough. I found myself in a similar situation last week, second guessing how much time I had to pull out into traffic. I gunned it and made it safely (as you guessed you likely would have) but my heart was racing because I probably should have waited! Traffic speed can be very hard to judge and I've always found (in a car as well) that when I know that I *might* be able to make it I tend to rush the decision. I had a car wreck when I was about 18 and I was following my father in an unknown city. We were turning onto a busy road and he lurched forward to pull out. I took one quick glance at traffic and hit the gas, only to find he'd second guessed himself and stopped. I slammed into the back of his car, lol.

Yeah, I've always felt that sometimes I take longer than I should have to to judge the speed of oncoming traffic, possibly by choice- I'm usually overly cautious when it comes to driving (at 16, they made me take my road test twice because the teacher said I was cautious and hesitant to a fault XD true story), and typically trust Lokky implicitly with his decision making- he SAYS he drives like a crazy Italian, and sometimes he goes fast, heavy on the throttle for sure, but he's a very safe driver. I really don't know why I initally got it in my head that I should just go. The whole thing was a fluke for sure, but a lucky one I guess. I don't have the balls to say that I KNOW I would have made it- the truck was in the far lane, not the one closest to us. Except for how inconveniencing this will be to the important people in my life, I'm not upset about this.

Glad you weren't more seriously injured.

I don't think gloves would have prevented that type of injury, just cushioned it maybe and prevented skin abrasions. That being said, I always wear gloves of some kind whle riding. I normally stuff mine inside my helmet and therefore never leave without them.

I guess you'll be buying a new helmet? I think that one just paid for itself.

Yeah, I'll be rethinking the my recent laziness on my glove policy. And making sure my winter gloves at least have a decent palm, if not knuckle guard. But the big spot of rash on my left palm is the only super painful thing it would have saved me from- there are other tick marks elsewhere but they arent really painful of any consequence.

My knee and hand(s) took like 98% of the fall- my helmet hit, scratched the edge of the visor, and by the time anywhere else on the helmet touched the ground it was because I gave up moving and laid down. The only damage to the helmet are scratches on the visor in places that are far from blocking my vision- it didn't take a true hit anywhere else, so thankfully I don't need a new one. I'll see how much visors are, I may replace the visor just for shits if they are as cheap as I think they might be though

One thing I will be looking at investing in now is strap-on knee pads- so if anybody knows of or can link me to some reasonably priced ones that maybe are CE approved that'd be FANTASTIC.

I agree, you definitely came out on top. It's really good that you're not afraid to hop back on and ride again, I'm still working on getting my wife to ride again. She grabbed a handful of brake when she was cut off at about 5mph and went down, scratching her leg. She's never quite recovered from it, even though she and the bike were both basically undamaged.

I think you definitely made the right decision by slowing down, even if that meant you had to drop the scooter. You're okay (mostly), and so is Sailor Scoot, which is much better than being smooshed against the front of a reckless truck.

How long is your hand out of commission for? Or, will it depend on whether or not they have to do surgery?

Thanks- taking down the bike is definitely kinda scary- but I've always felt more embarrassed than scared, even if I had no reason. Either way- Lokky said the same thing to me the first time I downed it when I grabbed too much front brake and just sat cackling about how dumb it was instead of being upset or whatever. He said some people wouldn't be so quick to get back on and I was just like... what am I gonna do? Let myself get scared of a scoot I just paid 4 grand to have so I can't drive it? Hell no. Then I'd be a worse/more dangerous driver because I wouldn't be confident in myself or my vehicle. No point in letting myself get intimidated by it. I know when to quit, this is definitely not even close

As for the hand, I am working on getting to a hand specialist- I have an appointment for (next) Friday but I really need to be seen sooner than that. The late night ortho was going to try and convince that doctor to schedule me today or monday on a double-book. If not, I'll be calling a different doctor- but I have a feeling the hand specialist at the other group will be just as jam packed.

From how they talked, my chance of surgery seemed pretty high- just because its my dominant hand and there's no reason not to do everything we can now to keep it tip-top later, even if it is just my pinky. I don't know anything for sure yet though- aside from being certain that the surgery would be outpatient- which to me just means hopefully I won't miss more than a day or two of work, tops, worst case scenario. Not even a clue about healing times.

[lilguy]

So sorry to hear that

I have pins in my wrist from a snowboarding accident a few years, so I understand the excruciating pain. I hope you have some friends or family who are willing to play nurse for a while.

[TVB]

I don't think gloves would have prevented that type of injury, just cushioned it maybe and prevented skin abrasions. That being said, I always wear gloves of some kind whle riding. I normally stuff mine inside my helmet and therefore never leave without them.

After scraping up my palms in a bicycling incident several years ago, to the point that I wasn't able to draw for about a week, I made it a policy to never get on a 2-wheeler with bare hands (or head).

[Drum Pro]

Sorry to read about your hand. Get well soon!!! This week has been bad for a lot of scooterist.

[Southerner]

Funny you should say that. I actually had a worse accident on a mountain bike than I've ever had on a MC.

Went off the edge of the pavement and foolishly tried to jerk it back on. Crash! Slide! T-shirt & skin all over the asphalt from my left palm down the side of my arm and scrubbed down my ribcage as well. Was stiff for days.

No head injury but I seldom ride a bike without the admittedly silly-looking helmet, either.

But gloves for bikes are definitely a good idea.

[LunaP]

Sorry to read about your hand. Get well soon!!! This week has been bad for a lot of scooterist.

It seems so- it really sucks. Harumph.

The update is that the hand specialist was willing to double book me on for monday, so I don't have to wait a whole week to know more.

Also, since I can't help assemble rally packets for Indian Summer 6 on thursday with the rest of Seven Hills, I've volunteered to be the beerwench (I am assuming it's in bottles or cans and I don't have to pour, lol)

[Southerner]

There's a beer wench?

I think I'm really missing out not having a scooter.

I hope you don't have to do like the German chicks and carry 6 steins in each hand.

[neotrotsky]

OUCH!! Sorry to hear, but I know how you feel: 2 days ago some bitch ran a red light while on her iPhone AND had eyeliner in her other hand (I was that close to see) and I had to hard stop. Broke both the clutch and front brake cable at the same time and locked up the rear. The bike needs some mechanical repair now, but I was lucky enough to only have a cracked rib and a twisted ankle. Nothing severely broken like you!

Take it easy and get better... and WEAR GLOVES I am always sporting gloves because in Arizona you will burn off something without protection on the hands. That and the Vespa vibrates way too much to be comfortable without very thick gloves

[dakotamouse]

So sorry to hear about your wreck. Gloves probably wouldn't have saved you from the break but they do help keep your skin on. Speaking from experience here. By the timeyou get your cast off you'll be so sick of it you'll want to gnaw if off!!

What really sucks is how much physical therapy that goes into getting better after the cast comes off.

[LunaP]

So sorry to hear about your wreck. Gloves probably wouldn't have saved you from the break but they do help keep your skin on. Speaking from experience here. By the timeyou get your cast off you'll be so sick of it you'll want to gnaw if off!!

What really sucks is how much physical therapy that goes into getting better after the cast comes off.

Yeah, the ortho confirmed it with the type of break- there's no kind of glove that could have braced me in a way that would have prevented that. I have a wrist brace for the same wrist that I sometimes wear for wrist support from an RMI, but it's a soft brace- a hard brace would have probably damaged me more in this situation. Neotrotsky is right- I would have not lost skin had I been wearing gloves- and definitely if I lived somewhere as sunny as AZ I would always wear them to avoid the sunburn

Neotrotsky- glad to hear you are mostly okay and your bike is repairable. What is up with this week??

There's a beer wench?

I think I'm really missing out not having a scooter.

I hope you don't have to do like the German chicks and carry 6 steins in each hand.

I think a bottle per hand is my limit XD but yes, when your club hosts a rally and you can't do much else to help prepare- you serve the beer.

[Dooglas]

Glad you came out of it without too much harm done. It would be a good thing if you posted youir experiences in the "Who's Crashed?" thread.

viewtopic.php?t=635&start=1200

[Drum Pro]

What's an RMI? I know the L.a. scooter group is going for a ride tonight at 7pm. Hope my bike is fixed by then cos I wanna go. Never been to a group ride before. Anyways, hope everyone is doing well and the people that have had a bad week as far as their scoot is concerned, can put all this behind them....

[LunaP]

Glad you came out of it without too much harm done. It would be a good thing if you posted youir experiences in the "Who's Crashed?" thread.

viewtopic.php?t=635&start=1200

Definitely- I didn't realize there was a crash thread, thank you.

What's an RMI? I know the L.a. scooter group is going for a ride tonight at 7pm. Hope my bike is fixed by then cos I wanna go. Never been to a group ride before. Anyways, hope everyone is doing well and the people that have had a bad week as far as their scoot is concerned, can put all this behind them....

RMI= repetitive motion injury. In my case, I have a few semi-permanent/permanent knots- one in my bicep and one under my shoulder blade in my muscle. I started out with many, they were worked out with occupational therapy but these two remain, since I continue to operate a register (and everything else) with my right arm, and have chronic muscle tension problems. It causes radiating pain in my wrist. Until I got to the occupational therapist, they thought I had carpal tunnel.

This wrist support is the one I was talking about in case anybody was wondering- it's 100% adjustable, incredibly breathable, and totally flexible. I love it for riding- it has a slim enough profile to fit well under gloves.



Eating with my left hand is not fun, especially since my wrist is quite sore. I'm about to go attempt my first shower and work shift. Yay.

[viney266]

BEER wench?? See something good comes from everything

seriously, heal up quick and chalk it up as a learning experience.

[iMoses]

oowwiieeeee
Heal fast, get back on the saddle (so to speak)

As for the cosmetic injuries on the Buddy I have left mine as is. My crash was three weeks after I bought my Buddy 125 in 2007. Scratched headlight bezel, foot peg and on some of the plastic pieces. War wounds.

[ericalm]

How are you typing so much?!

Sorry to hear about this and glad it wasn't worse. Hopefully, you won't have to rely on the Buddy's ability to take damage too much!

[Lokky]

How are you typing so much?!

She still has a left hand and the use of a couple fingers on the others, it's true, I've seen her do it


Stopping only to see your girlfriend and her scooter come sliding past you was really frightening, I am so glad she didn't get hurt any worse.

[Cheshire]

Well, that explains what happened to my right pinky and why it's now bent at the last joint. (very low-speed wreck several months ago on a ninja 250 from 3 things: squirrel, tires, and not taking time to refresh two-wheeled riding mentality after being in a car for three months solid...totally avoidable on my part.) I dismissed it and didn't see anyone about it for 2-3 weeks: by then the doc just kinda looked at me and said, "too late now."

Hope you heal quickly and the pain subsides faster! Glad it was minor, as wrecks go.

[Syd]

Have you posted this to the Who's Crashed thread?

[Lostmycage]

I think I showed up to Scoot Richmond just after you had returned (I pointed out to Chelsea that you had left your keys in the scoot - a direct result of shock and understandable). I didn't really feel the need to be sociable since you were more interested in seeking medical attention.

I did survey your bike and it looks to be all cosmetic. So that's good since the plastic parts are generally cheap. The pegs actually look like they could be bent back into place with some table mounted vice clamps or the like. If you replace them, I'd hold onto them and possibly even frame them as they saved you and your scoot from further damage. The steering tube looks slightly off as well, but is also an easy fix.

I do feel the need to speak to the downplay (unintentionally as it may be) of gloves. I'm certain that leather or most other glove textiles would allow for an amount of slippage, or abrasion resistance as the manufacturers refer to it. To put it differently, the human fingertips are made to grip and that's what they'll do best. This all amounts to speculation, but I believe that a glove could have saved your hand from it's hyper-extension and breakage. If I ever skimp on protective gear, the two parts I leave on are a helmet and gloves. Without my head and hands, I'd consider myself useless.

That aside, I'm glad your injuries are relatively minor (compared to their potential). Be absolutely sure to follow the doctors' advice on it's recovery to avoid any unnecessary "clicks" or "pops" that will last a lifetime (personal experience).

Once you're back to riding status, I'd go over ground rules with those who you ride with regularly. Try to think of everything and never be afraid to ask about those odd situations. Everyone's perspective is different, but you can't base your actions on someone else's perspective if you don't understand it (aggressive, passive, assertive, etc riding).

Heal fast, drink your milk, take your vitamins and don't cheat by riding too soon.

[TVB]

If I ever skimp on protective gear, the two parts I leave on are a helmet and gloves. Without my head and hands, I'd consider myself useless.

[vabeancounter]

Heal quickly and hope to meet you at the rally.

[SuperFlyBuddy]

Sorry to hear. But like the others have said, it could always have been much worse. Sounds like your mind is still in the right place about riding, now you just need to get your body (pinky) back to that place as well.

We were turning onto a busy road and he lurched forward to pull out. I took one quick glance at traffic and hit the gas, only to find he'd second guessed himself and stopped. I slammed into the back of his car, lol.

I almost did that same thing when I had my Ducati. I was at a four way intersection with traffic lights but I was making a right which is a sweeping corner separate from the through traffic lanes and is controlled by a stop sign. There was a car ahead of me so when it turned I turned my head to the left watching traffic. When there was an opening I started going and then turned my head back to the right only to find the car in front of me didn't actually go earlier like I thought. I grabbed the brakes and clutch and was able to stay upright and not hit the car (whew). That incident made an impression that i still think of when making a right turn. Every morning going to work I make a right turn from a road that T's into another road where side traffic doesn't stop. Even when I am not behind somebody I still turn my head back to the right just to make sure it is clear before I start rolling.

[Southerner]

Do continue to follow up with your doctor about your hand. I have an old hand injury myself. arts rather than MC related but I have one finger joint that's slightly bent (at least in the right direction) that I can never completely straighten up. Doc said something about damage to the cartilage.

[Bolbos]

Knee pads for Luna, as requested:

I've researched this quite a bit as I feel that while I have some protection wearing a slightly armored jacket, I've got nothing for my knees while riding in jeans. There are a few companies whose names come up the most in searches. Those include Knox and Icon. From all the reviews I've read, and the video demonstrations, I'm going to be ordering Knox knee pads for both of us. They are $70 a pair, and come in either a short or longer length (we will be getting the longer length for shin protection).

The benefit to these seem to be that they are made to wear under jeans and be mostly inconspicuous, yet...excellent protection especially for the knee cap/shin. They make products for heavy duty motocross type riders, and are formulated to absorb and disperse a hit properly. They are said, by most, to be comfortable enough to keep on for a spell even while off the bike (for riders who wear them on the road). They also seem to be more recommended for 'staying in place', as well as comfort, than their competitors. Plus, they're relatively cheap. You can find them on Amazon but here is a link to their demonstration video. Their website has all types of other protection items (if all seems well when trying these, I'm also considering buying their hips/tailbone protection under garment. Anything is better than nothing, and when the weather is colder the thought of adding extra safety stuff seems like less of a burden comfort/aesthetic-wise. That is, it's cold out anyway, what better time to put some stuff on.

http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=4152

[LunaP]

How are you typing so much?!

I can move the first three fingers in my broken hand, and have full (but slow) movement in my other. I've found that if I don't move them, they get stiff, and more painful... so when I'm not icing and elevating, I try to keep them moving some. Also, I'm pretty stubborn

Heal quickly and hope to meet you at the rally.

Definitely! I'll be easy to spot, due to the cast! XD

Do continue to follow up with your doctor about your hand. I have an old hand injury myself. arts rather than MC related but I have one finger joint that's slightly bent (at least in the right direction) that I can never completely straighten up. Doc said something about damage to the cartilage.

Absolutely- I have an appointment 9am Monday with an Ortho who specializes in hands, there's a pretty good chance I will need surgery to put a metal pin through it so that I don't have cartilage deterioration due to it healing unevenly.

I do feel the need to speak to the downplay (unintentionally as it may be) of gloves. I'm certain that leather or most other glove textiles would allow for an amount of slippage, or abrasion resistance as the manufacturers refer to it. To put it differently, the human fingertips are made to grip and that's what they'll do best. This all amounts to speculation, but I believe that a glove could have saved your hand from it's hyper-extension and breakage. If I ever skimp on protective gear, the two parts I leave on are a helmet and gloves. Without my head and hands, I'd consider myself useless.

I hadn't thought about that- it's a very good point. I had no hyperextension- my hand hit nearly perpendicular and most of my fingers curled under me, but I was moving fast enough that I suppose my pinky didn't get a chance and it got crunched straight into the pavement. I can see how a glove may function exactly how you were explaining, and give a finger a little room to slip inside of the finger hole... but since my body was falling quickly on top of my hand, I am still not sure (either which way) that gloves could have saved me from the break. However, they damn sure would have saved me from the road rash, maybe helped my other wrist out, and I will definitely be wearing them from now on, regardless.

THANK YOU for pointing out my keys- I knew I left them in the Buddy, I wasn't able to turn or pull them out... I thought Lokky got them, but he was worried sick at that point and probably losing his mind. I'm sorry I wasn't in a state of mind (or body) to say hi, I didn't even notice there were more people there when I came out of the bathroom than when I went in XD I know I've seen you at rides before, but there are several people at rides I haven't introduced myself to yet.

As for healing fast- I'm doing all I can to help the healing; tea for some antioxidants, multivitamin, fluids, elevating and icing, and ibuprofen for an antimflammatory on top of the pain meds. I won't ride too soon- I'm stubborn, yeah, but I don't want to risk not being able to ride for longer, that's for sure.

Knee pads for Luna, as requested

Dude, you are awesome. I had kind of figured my knee pad comment went unnoticed and had planned on making a thread about it sometime in the next few weeks when my typing wasn't so limited (this post has taken me 40 min ) Thank you very much, I will check those out. And by check them out I mean start saving for them.

[LunaP]

So, I've worked two nights now, and I'm very glad I'm off tomorrow and monday. I'm managing better than I thought I would, but it's still tough pain-wise. By all means, tonight is better than last night, and I think that's a very good sign

I thought I'd share- I work at a gas station, so a large portion of my customers are regulars or semi-regulars. Just about all of them had to ask me how I hurt myself, after seeing one arm in a temporary cast and the other in a wrist brace and me still operating the register by myself. But SOME of the comments I've gotten over the last two nights are priceless. I have been:

-asked if the zombies got me
-told that next time I should just pay the loan shark
-asked what I did to my boyfriend
(and the kicker) -asked if the cast was my Halloween costume


EDIT to say by the way, I'm weird like this, but I think it's SUPER DUPER COOL that I can look at my own xrays on the cd my PCP gave me to take with me to the other doctors.

[dakotamouse]

I know what you mean about stiffness. I wake up in the morning with an all over ache in my hand. It's worse if I had a busy day at work. I'm a lab tech and I do lots of work with my hands.

It has gotten better. A couple of weeks ago the ache was so bad it would wake me up in the middle of the night and I would have to fire up my heating pad to get back to sleep.

I wish I had a cd of all the xrays I've had. Starting back in Livingston, MT. I find the progress really interesting. Maybe I should have gone into radiology!

[siobhan]

I want to add Forcefield limb tubes to the list of knee guards. I've wanted them for a while now because they're super-low profile...you pull them on like socks up to and over your knees (they fit elbows, too). Someone local was selling a set cheaply and I'm loving them. I can't even feel them under my riding pants. Search around for a good price 'cos they can be expensive.

If you're looking for a pair of quickie straps on, start cheap (like under 20 bucks...Fox, Thor, MSR) until you decide that's how you want to go. You may prefer overpants.

Heal up!

[Skootz Kabootz]

Those Forcefield Limb Tubes (gotta love the name) look pretty cool. I like that they will stay in place and can go under any pants. I wonder how they are as far as cutting off circulation when sitting goes?

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

Glad you're doing well and staying positive Luna! You chose the lesser of the two evils. You and Lokky are a lot like Julebox and I. I usually let her lead, but sometimes take over if it's unfamiliar territory to her, particularly downtown. It's one of my biggest fears to see her get hurt and I nearly go batshit when I see someone tailgating her. We try to be on the same page when riding together, but sometimes it can be tricky. She's an excellent rider by herself, but we spend too much attention worrying about each other.

BTW, was it the corner of Commerce Rd? That's a nasty intersection, people come flying past from the bridge.

Will you be riding with Lokky this weekend? Bring a sharpie so everyone can sign your cast

[iMoses]

Get well soon.

[LunaP]

I'm happy to announce that I went to the doc this morning and I require NO SURGERY!!! I am a lucky __insert colorful noun here__

My forecast is, unless something goes awry, 2 weeks in this cast, 2-3 in a second cast, and another 3 weeks or so in a two-finger splint, learning to bend my finger again. Towards the end of that three weeks, I'll be allowed to hop back on Sailor Scoot- sooo what's that, end of December? Could be worse.

BTW, was it the corner of Commerce Rd? That's a nasty intersection, people come flying past from the bridge.

Will you be riding with Lokky this weekend? Bring a sharpie so everyone can sign your cast

Yes, it was Commerce... we cross Commerce and go up and take the Rt 1/301/Belvidere Bridge across to the VCU campus, and BOTH of those roads are can be crazy coming from the side streets- and I know that... I think that's why a little voice in my head told me I NEEDED to look again. The bridges are both I think 40, and I'm sure this dude was going 60 (don't get me wrong, we go around 55 down the bridge as well- but slow down once we've crossed it- we have to be in the left lane to turn for Scoot Richmond, if you don't pace people get PISSED... I wouldn't continue speeding down that road for fear of getting pulled, or worse).

As for the Rally, I am armed with appropriately colored sharpies I will definitely be riding, though I've been relegated to cupcake status again. Not sure whose scoot, I'm sure he would rather show off the Stella- tbh Sailor Scoot hasn't been picked up because of the rain and SR's rest days. We need to clean her up some Maybe I'll have him clean her up for me and ride us up to the pub Saturday night on her, just so she gets a little love at the Rally

EDIT to mention, because I don't think I did, that after looking at the xrays, I realized either I misunderstood or the first ortho office explained my break poorly- it IS my pinky broken, not the bone above my pinky in my hand. So finger, not hand. In case anybody cares.

[TVB]

My forecast is, unless something goes awry, 2 weeks in this cast, 2-3 in a second cast, and another 3 weeks or so in a two-finger splint, learning to bend my finger again. Towards the end of that three weeks, I'll be allowed to hop back on Sailor Scoot- sooo what's that, end of December? Could be worse.

Yup. Coulda happened in June.

[Southerner]

The people in So Cal won't get that.

[LunaP]

The people in So Cal won't get that.

... do I lose cool points if I don't get it either? I'm a n00b...