Commentary: Bicycle safety cuts deep Published Sept. 7, 2012 By 2nd Lt. Christopher Mesnard 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs RAF MILDENHALL, England -- There was a time when I used to ride the streets of Austin, Texas, with little care about wearing a bicycle helmet, reflective material or gloves. It was not until I witnessed a car hit someone on her bike that I decided to invest in protective equipment. Recently, that investment paid off, big time! I was riding my bicycle near Cambridge, England, with my Tuesday riding group, when I experienced what could best be referred to as an "improper dismount" from my ride. The group was rotating through leaders in a riding style referred to as a "chain gang," when we came upon a narrow portion of road. With a parked car on our left and an oncoming vehicle to the right, we took the normal course of action and moved closer together with less than a foot of clearance between riders. Unfortunately for me, as we tightened up our formation my weight combined with the draft wind from the riders ahead of me pulled my front wheel alongside the rider immediately in front of me. It was also at this moment that she swerved to avoid a pot hole. Her movement was just enough to clip my front wheel and send me into the rider to my right. After bumping shoulders with him, I lost control of my bike and went rocketing into the pavement. It's during moments like these when I almost wish I had lost consciousness, but I remember every bump and scrape. My right shoulder and right side of my face hit the road first, followed by my left knee, while my bike landed somewhere in the distance. After a brief skid along the pavement, I heard a very distinct crunching noise as my helmet smacked into the raised curb, bringing me to a resolute stop. My first thoughts centralized on the lack of control I had had on situation as well as not being able to breathe from having the wind knocked out of me. As I came around, I started to take in all that had happened. I realized I had a fair amount of blood flowing down my face, obscuring the vision in my right eye. As I sat myself upright I could feel something was wrong with my right side. It was not until one of my fellow riders tried to help me off the road and onto the grass that a pain streaked through my right arm, neck and chest. I would find out later from X-rays that my collar bone had separated from my shoulder. My left knee looked like hamburger meat with pieces of rock in it. I began taking off my gear so the emergency responders could stop the bleeding before transporting me to the local emergency room. As I looked at the top of my helmet with the outer layer now smashed in, I realized how smart my investment in protective equipment had been. My wounds will heal. The road rash will go away. I will have a few scars from stiches and my right shoulder may look weird from now on. But, none of that compares to the damage that could have been done, had I not been wearing the right gear that day.