CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

Icy Innocent incident indicates A&E

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    There are various factors involved.

    On roads, if they have been gritted, there won't be much ice (unless VERY cold). Even on 'side streets' tyres will have brought some salt/grit from main roads.

    Car tyres get quite warm due to friction on tarmac - which is warmed too.

    Off-road paths tend not to be gritted!

    They won't get much grit dragged there by bike tyres - which won't be that warm either.

    Old railway lines tend to be in cuttings which can be shaded - especially when tree-lined - or exposed on embankments which can be wind chilled.

    Probably the biggest factor at present where air temperature is not much above freezing is latent heat. Basically this means that for ice to become water requires energy - not just a rise in temperature.

    All reasons why it is important that the off-road network is gritted and monitored - long after the rest of the transport system has returned to 'normal'.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  2. Kirst
    Member

    I have a purple bruise on my knee

    and a multi-coloured massive bruised lump on my thigh - the lumpiness isn't just cellulite, it's bruise too.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  3. Claggy Cog
    Member

    CEC do have pavement gritters/mini tractor things so they could do the cycle paths, I think it is just lack of will and an indication that they really do not take cycling very seriously. In fact was it not a case where called the council about just this matter someone in CEC did not actually know of the existence of the Innocent. I cycled the Esk path on Sunday out from Loanhead to Roslin, that was interesting shall we say...glassy across the entire path in very long and large sections but managed to stay on the bike. No sudden movements, no sudden changes of direction and no sudden braking, just very slow and very steady...no studded tyres either. The Esk bridge itself was solid ice the entire length as it is so exposed and you could feel the breeze.

    @Kirst get well soon. Arnica is great for bruises and can be taken orally (from Boots, homeopathic medications bit made by Nelsons) Nelson's Arnica cream (should only be applied where the skin is not broken) or Weleda do an oil/rub with arnica and rosemary (from Holland and Barretts). It really is wonderful stuff, and should be applied soonest. Take analgesia as recommended.

    A couple of friends reported having come adrift from their bikes in the past week or so as well. Take it easy...y'all.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  4. Kirst
    Member

    Yeah, I have plenty of arnica, and lots of painkillers. A nurse colleague recommended a medicinal vodka as well but I think I'll leave that for now!

    Posted 12 years ago #
  5. Kirst
    Member

    Had an email response from one of my councillors
    "Very sorry to hear about your accident Kirsten.
    I did raise the issue of gritting off road cycle routes last winter through a motion and basically was told they wouldn't be given priority but would have to take their turn. It seems cyclists are expected to take to gritted main roads when the cycle routes become icy!

    I'll forward your email to the Head of Transport and see if there's been any change in approach.

    Hope you aren't too sore"

    Posted 12 years ago #
  6. Kirst
    Member

    Went back to A&E for reassessment yesterday morning as my hip is still very sore. Re-X-rayed, and was prodded and put through a range of movement. Doctor says there's no fracture but he thinks maybe the femoral head got jammed into the acetabulum by the impact and perhaps has nipped a bit of cartlidge or something, so I have an appointment for fracture clinic on Wednesday. Am even more sore now after he prodded me.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  7. amir
    Member

    Get cured soon, Kirst. You're missing this lovely cycling weather ;)

    Posted 12 years ago #
  8. gembo
    Member

    Kirst - you got me worried now. Like you I came off [just before Xmas] on black ice on Murrayfield side street when main roads were fine. Slid some distance, extensive bruising on left hip and large carpet burn all down left arm, with fair bit of blood [congealed by time I reached Leith]. Bike fine and Protective jacket not ripped Now that swelling has gone down and I have read your tale, I find I have large hole/dent in muscle on left hip that is not present on right hip. I have assumed no fractures but now I am not so sure. I will see how you get on at fracture clinic before proceeding [technically not the most rigorous approach to my health but as I seem fine I don't want to bother NHS unnecessarily]. All the best. Gembo

    Posted 12 years ago #
  9. Kirst
    Member

    Do you have pain and are you having any difficulty with moving? If the answer to either of those questions is yes, I think you should see your GP this week. If they think you need further assessment, they can refer you on to RIE or WGH for investigation (the minor injuries unit at WGH has X-ray facilities. I'd have gone there if I'd been at the other side of town). If you're painfree and moving normally, I'd be less concerned. Having said that though, I know someone who knocked his hip against a wall when someone fell against him, he thought he was ok but a short while later developed a serious bursitis in his hip which kept him off work for months and put paid to his triathlons. So you might want to get checked out anyway.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  10. gembo
    Member

    Thanks Kirst - I am in a tiny little bit of pain but that is mainly because I have been prodding. I have been out running 4 or 5 times since I came off and no gip in the hip [the knees yes but not the hip]. So I will not be troubling the medics, but note your tale and the person bumped against wall tale and will keep an eye on it in a way that I wasn't going to.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  11. custard
    Member

    ouch Kirst,not good
    wqhen I went to the fracture clinic,it was rammed.
    be prepared for a bit of a wait,they were 1+ hours behind for me

    Posted 12 years ago #
  12. Kirst
    Member

    My appointment's at five to four, so they'd better bloody not be!

    I have a friend who works in ortho, she might be able to speed it up a bit for me. She says they are mad busy though.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  13. Kirst
    Member

    F*ck f*ck feckity f*cksticks.

    Went to fracture clinic today. Saw either a reg or a senior reg, not sure which. He looked at the X-rays, I looked at the X-rays and laughed because I could see my IUD and my mooncup. He did an examination, I said ouch a lot. He went off to consult a consultant, I looked at my X-rays and laughed a bit more. He came back and said the consultant agrees I shouldn't be having joint pain like this after two weeks and they think there might be an undisplaced fracture somewhere that they can't see and I need an urgent MRI scan, and I had to hand the stick back in and I'm now toe-touch weightbearing on two elbow crutches in case the fracture suddenly displaces and my leg falls off (or something). This is somewhat inconvenient given that I live alone in a 2nd floor flat and I have a job. I can't go to work until I've been scanned and authorised to weightbear again and I had a student start on placement today. The MRI scan should be Thursday or Friday and just gah gah gah bollocks. And I'm sore again from where the doctor was prodding me and Rob (long distance boyfriend) went home this morning and I think I might just sit and bubble for a while.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  14. custard
    Member

    thats bad news Kirst.
    I'm sure if you are stuck we could help with stuff if you are really stuck

    Posted 12 years ago #
  15. Kirst
    Member

    Thank you. I'm managing for now and lots of people have offered to help. I'm just feeling sore and sorry for myself. And really pissed off that all this could have been avoided if they'd just grit the paths.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  16. SRD
    Moderator

    sounds very frustrating. want to borrrow any dvds? or, did you know that all the early timeteam episodes are now available on 4od?

    Posted 12 years ago #
  17. Uberuce
    Member

    Hot bath and fine wine. Maybe skip the bath if your mobility isn't great and you don't have friends nearby to give the help-me-out-the-bath call to. Fine wine for damn sure, though.

    It's rubbish, being all knackered when you were hale and hearty the month before. Jeepers and grr.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  18. Nelly
    Member

    kirst, I had several weeks of severely limited mobility following a hip op at the end of october.

    I appreciate its not the same as me, as it was my choice, but feeling garbage hobbling around is normal so dont worry about feeling weepy/upset - particularly as you are a cyclist and (I imagine) reasonably fit. I often wonder if couch tatties respond better to these kind of things as they have lower expectations !!!

    You mentioned earlier in thread that you know the CES guys, so absolutely no point in offering you any equipment tips !!

    If you want a chat about how to do 'stuff', techniques for lifting, staying pain free etc - please feel free to PM me.

    Other than that, I hope it actually turns out to be minor and you have a speedy recovery.

    p.s. again, not the same but as a bloke there are a few other wee 'items' which show up in life size on MRI scans - always worth a giggle !

    Posted 12 years ago #
  19. amir
    Member

    Oh no. Hope you get the all clear after the mri.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  20. Min
    Member

    Gosh. Sorry to hear that Kirst. Hope the MRI is clear.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  21. Kirst
    Member

    Nelly, thank you, but I'm an OT so I'm reasonably clued up. Although my crutches technique is terrible.

    Uberuce, there is not a chance I can have a bath when I'm not supposed to be weightbearing on my right leg. I'll be strip-washing at the sink tomorrow, officially, although I might just decide that as I've managed for the last two weeks I'm climbing in/out of the bath for a shower anyway.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  22. Kirst, again, if you need anything just give me a shout and I can ride by (tomorrow - not got the bike today, natch).

    Posted 12 years ago #
  23. Kirst
    Member

    Thank you. I just wish they'd ring me about the MRI appointment because as long as they're not ringing me, I'm wondering if they're just not ringing me, or if they've forgotten...

    Posted 12 years ago #
  24. I'm not so good with MRIs, but I could give it a whirl. Just magnets and a computer screen innit?

    Posted 12 years ago #
  25. crowriver
    Member

    You'll need a mahoosive bike trailer to haul an MRI scanner, and some serious electric assist. How to get it up two flights of stairs though?

    MRI = 2 parts washing machine (cylindrical bits) + 1 part TARDIS (not the bit that's bigger on the inside though).

    Kirst, I hope you get better soon. My commiserations on being effectively housebound.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  26. Kirst
    Member

    No need for giant magnets in a trailer, I'm getting MRId at 1430 today.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  27. Good luck Kirst, hope it's nothing serious.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  28. Booo! Kirst has posted in another place: "I have a fractured superior pubic ramus."

    Posted 12 years ago #
  29. amir
    Member

    That's not good. Cross fingers for a quick recovery.

    Posted 12 years ago #
  30. Kirst
    Member

    I'm actually very relieved! I'm relieved that there is something wrong because if they'd said there was nothing wrong while I'm having pain like this I would have been very displeased. I'm relieved that it's nothing serious, and I'm relieved because I can go back to walking with one stick instead of struggling with crutches. The surgeon wasn't available to come and speak to me but he rang me as I was on my way home to confirm, and said it should heal gradually over 6-10 weeks, so another 4-8 weeks to go. First thing I did was go round to physio and hand over the crutches and demand a stick. And then I went up to see my friend in orthopaedics and she gave me a lift home.

    I'm sore and achey again but that will continue for a while and gradually improve over the next month or two. I bloody knew it was fractured. I said to my mum on Boxing Day, I don't care what the Xray says, I'm convinced there's a fracture, this pain just isn't right.

    And now I'm wondering if a claim against the council would encourage them to prioritise gritting...

    Posted 12 years ago #

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