# Anyone ever not remember the accident?



## habsfan (Jun 10, 2011)

I broke my collarbone and was knocked out (I got my bell rung pretty good:thumbsup - I simply have no memory of hitting anything or flying over the handlebars, etc - anyone have that happen to them? Bugs the crap out of me because I'd like to know what I hit. :madman:


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## MrEjeep (Mar 18, 2011)

*memory loss*

when you injure your brain in a concussion or a knock out you have disrupted the signal to the brain and sometimes luckily you dont remember. I know that memory allows us to feel fear and we learn not to repeat those actions. Give your brain a chance to heal, multiple knockouts and concussions can result in Pugulistica dementia and concussion syndrome, and early dementia symptons. If you hit hard enough to be rendered unconsious you need a new helmet.:thumbsup:


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## STT GUY (May 19, 2009)

You may never remember it so make some stuff up! 

Glad you're ok and get a new helmet.


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## Fastcars12 (Mar 27, 2011)

I haven't had this happen to me in any bike-related accidents but once in gym class i ran into a wall and all i remember is walking into the ER. Ended up with a concussion, broken nose, and chipped teeth.


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## TraumaARNP (Oct 13, 2005)

Not remembering a mishap involving a head injury is NEVER a good thing; I'm assuming you didn't go to the ER, which I strongly recommend you do. Telling any provider in the ER that you don't remember the events ALWAYS requires a head CT, which is the appropriate standard of care to rule out potential bleeds or other potentially catastrophic events.


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## 29ger (Jan 1, 2011)

Not bike related, but I fell through a hole in a roof once- about 12 years ago. I don't remember anything except all of a sudden I was on the ground. I ended up breaking my sinus cavity, but that is it. Went to the ER, bot no CT, they only took x-rays.


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## tpc1 (Jun 29, 2010)

I crashed hard last year riding at Killington, I only remember hitting the ground once but i actually hit 4 times. I am glad in this case i do not remember more.


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## Muddy Toe Joe (Mar 28, 2009)

Back in the 90s I smacked a tree with the side of my head and was knocked out cold for about 15 minutes. After moving away for almost a decade I moved back home and while riding the same trail system I recalled the tree vs head incident and can still pick out the exact tree that I hit. All I remember about the crash is the tree and waking up with bark lodged in my face and forehead.


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## pointerDixie214 (Feb 10, 2009)

TraumaARNP said:


> Not remembering a mishap involving a head injury is NEVER a good thing; I'm assuming you didn't go to the ER, which I strongly recommend you do. Telling any provider in the ER that you don't remember the events ALWAYS requires a head CT, which is the appropriate standard of care to rule out potential bleeds or other potentially catastrophic events.


What would you know about trauma? What, are you an ARNP or something? 

The above advice seems to be spot on. And get another helmet was also good advice.


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## Adam_B. (Apr 7, 2011)

Had a pretty high speed otb a little while back that my knee is still recovering from. I remember seeing the ground coming at me but no recollection of the tumble that followed. The next thing I remember I was laying on my back with my bike about 10 meters down the trail and having severe knee pain. I gimped back to the truck and drove straight to the ER. Told the doc that I hit my head hard enough to not remember the tumble following the fall but he didn't seem too concerned. Ended up having a mild concussion(went back to the doc because of dizzyness) and knee sprain, bone bruising and possibly some messed up cartilage under my knee cap(still waiting to find out for sure).

On a positive note my clipless pedals made the trip back to the truck a little easier. I couldn't pedal because of the pain in my right knee. It was a 4 mile trip back so I got on the bike, clipped in my left foot and pedaled with one foot by pulling up and pushing down with the one pedal. I probably would have looked pretty goofy riding like that if someone had seen me, pedaling with one foot and the other foot just dangling there.


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## intheways (Apr 19, 2004)

I was riding in a skatepark and woke with a needle being pushed through my cheek (stitches) glad I missed that one


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## markowe (Feb 1, 2007)

mtbnoobadam said:


> On a positive note my clipless pedals made the trip back to the truck a little easier. I couldn't pedal because of the pain in my right knee. It was a 4 mile trip back so I got on the bike, clipped in my left foot and pedaled with one foot by pulling up and pushing down with the one pedal. I probably would have looked pretty goofy riding like that if someone had seen me, pedaling with one foot and the other foot just dangling there.


Ha, I did the same when I recently broke my neck of femur in a race, didn't think it was that bad, so pedalled back to the finish line with one leg. Thanks to Friel and all those "one-leg spinning" exercises, he he.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

Nope- never been unconscious from bike calamities or otherwise. Played soccer for 30+ years and got railroaded by two guys into a goal post at full speed once... I scored the goal, heard PINGGGGG, got up off the ground and walked away with people jaw dropped all around me amazed that I wasn't out cold. I suspect that I have large rocks in my head.


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## Bjdraw (Jun 3, 2012)

Sorry to bring back an old thread but this happened to me lately. I recall approaching a steep descent and then waking up at the bottom of it. My helmet did it's job of protecting my head, but my face is wrecked. I'll be buying a new helmet with more protection this time, although I can't bring myself to a DH type full face for the types of trails we have here in Florida. 

I'm actually very annoyed by the fact that I am unable to remember my mistake that led to my accident. I've convinced myself that I went wide and endoed when my wheel caught soft sand, or that I went too far inside and was thrown off when I went over a steep dropoff. But honestly, I can't remember. The Dr said I should wait 6 weeks for the fractures in my cheek to heal before getting back on the bike, but I can't wait to go back to the scene and see if it jogs my memory. 

Thank goodness I wasn't riding by myself that day, and that my CT scan only showed fractures in my cheek.


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## dwnhlldav (Feb 2, 2006)

I hit a tree while skiing in 2007. I was in the woods, going fast and got knocked off my line by some funky snow. I remember the instant I realized I was going to hit the tree and then I remember waking up I am pretty sure I don't want to remember the actual impact. Bystanders said I was out for about 10 minutes, with a helmet on. The concussion was the least of my worries.


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## Bjdraw (Jun 3, 2012)

Sounds like you really lucked out. You remember the cause, but not the pain.


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## Tone's (Nov 12, 2011)

You would have to ask my mum, but i think she might remember my birth, although she probably tries to block it out....


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## Spec7 (May 3, 2000)

Unconscious on the mountain for 1.5 hrs. I don't know why/how it happened or the accident, I just remember waking up in branches and thorns.

*The story:*
Five or six years ago I was on the final stretch of a hill climb training ride and the last 2.8 miles is an all downhill overgrown fire road. I used to routinely hit just north of 36mph on this stretch. It was around 4pm and on this particular stretch I was already doing over 30mph. I may have been the only rider on the mountain that day. I was riding solo and I had not seen anyone else after riding 9 of the 12 trails up there that day.

The next thing I remember is waking up about 60 feet off the trail down the ridge side. My bike was about 20 feet up from me. Apparently the only thing that kept me from tumbling further down the ridge was a pile of dead tree branches that blackberry thorns had grown up through securing the tree branches like a barrier wall. My shoulder was burning, helmet had a rock lodged in it (Giro Xen) and I was dazed to say the least. I looked at my watch as I laid there and saw that it was almost 5:30. It was November so I only had a few minutes of light left and I had not brought any lights with me. I scrambled back up the ridge with the bike and amazingly it was fine (love that Santa Cruz Chameleon!) so I slowly rode it back down to the truck. It was dark by the time I got to the truck so I just loaded up my gear and went straight home.

The shoulder of my jersey was ripped and under the rip I discovered I was missing a clean 2"x3" section of what looked to be the top two layers of skin from my shoulder. It required pliers to remove the rock that was lodged in my helmet vent. While I bandaged up I started thinking about the time line and realized that I'd laid unconscious on that mountain side for somewhere around 1.5 hours.

I still don't know what happened that afternoon, but now I have a mental block that will not allow me to exceed much past 32mph on that stretch if I'm riding with a group. If I'm solo, I really slow down at the section where I think I left the trail.


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## 3vil (Feb 11, 2013)

Last summer I was riding home after doing some urban free ride type stuff. Nice sunny afternoon. Woke up on the sidewalk surrounded by paramedics and cops. I apparently called my friend who lived near by and asked for a ride to the hospital cuz I didn't have insurance and wasn't about to get cornholed for a amberlamps ride. A few xrays and a pair of CT's shows that I had a fractured skull, inter-cranial bleeding, a broken clavicle, and 3 broken ribs. Ended up netting me $40k in medical debt, guess the meatwagon ride would've just been a drop in the bucket. 

Best guess by the me and police is that someone drilled me while I was in the bike lane and bailed when they didn't see me move or get up. Police never found (or even bothered looking for) the person/vehicle involved. No idea how long I was out, but it was long enough for 3 cop cars to show up, in my area that has to be at least 20mins.

Good news is that other than some scratched paint and slightly bent front wheel the bike was ok!


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## Rigid (Nov 27, 2004)

I don't remember.


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## Joel. (Aug 16, 2009)

Dad has said he was training once and came off. Doesn't remember how it happened or that it even happened. Only realised when he noticed blood all over his arm and had lost an hour somewhere.


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## swampboy62 (Feb 10, 2009)

Fractured my skull in two places fooling around on my bike in front of the house. Don't remember the crash or the 10 seconds before it, and was unconscious for about 2 minutes after impact. I've tried and tried to trace the memory, but it just vanishes.

Steve Z


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## trodaq (Jun 11, 2011)

I remember headed down a section of trail. Got going as fast as I wanted. Adjusted my feet and butt then thought. Okay that feels good. That was the last thing I remember. Was told I was out for 3 min or so Crushed helmet broken collarbone and scapula. No recollection of the crash what so ever. Clear CT scan no headache or visual disturbances afterwards


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## Darth Pinche (Feb 19, 2013)

Yup, I was unconscious and in a coma for 3 days after a bad crash. I have no memory of what happened but based on what people saw and my injuries, I went over the bars and landed on my face going down a mild trail in a community park. It was the last place I'd expect to crash since I usually ride much tougher terrain. I hyperextended my neck and got 20 stitches on my eyebrow where my sunglasses shattered and cut me. My helmet definitely saved my life. I woke up in the hospital a few days later with no memory of the crash as well as the day before the crash. Since then, I have raced downhill and xc and 90% time ride with armor and a full face. You never know.
The good thing is that this was 20 years ago and I have not stopped riding! Probably due to brain damage or at least that is what my family tells me.


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## Jomama (Feb 26, 2014)

*No memory either*



habsfan said:


> I broke my collarbone and was knocked out (I got my bell rung pretty good:thumbsup - I simply have no memory of hitting anything or flying over the handlebars, etc - anyone have that happen to them? Bugs the crap out of me because I'd like to know what I hit. :madman:


I have two occasions when I cannot remember a crash. 1980 motorcycle crash - woke up with my sister kneeling over me.
Then the 2nd time happens just 9 months ago on my bicycle when my wheel lodged in a storm drain slit and the next thing I know is a sheriff is looking down at me telling me not to move & can you move your hands & feet. From what I can gather, I had flown over the handlbars & landed head first that is based on the smashed location on my helmet and the fact that I broke my neck (broke C1 in two places) Luckily I didn't injure my spinal cord ala Christopher Reeves. In both cases part of me wants to remember (mostly the bicycle one) and part of me doesn't because it's trauma I probably don't want playing over & over in my mind (or dreams).


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