Hit by a stone in Ranelagh

eclipsechaser

I was cycling home last night around 2345 on Sandford Road. Milliseconds before it hit me, I became aware of a projectile coming towards me. A stone, about the size of 2 golf balls, came from the other side of the road from a car travelling against me. It came almost head on as opposed to a 90 degree angle. I was going about 25km/h and the car opposite was going about 40km/h so it hit with real force. Fortunately I was only struck on the hand and was wearing heavy padded gloves. It was still enough to bloody, swell and bruise.

I didn't notice anyone throw it from the car but then I wasnt looking out in advance and didn't look back in time given the shock. Is it possible for the car to have thrown up the stone from the tyres? Certainly if it had hit my eye or face, it would have been serious damage.

Inquitus

eclipsechaser wrote: »

I was cycling home last night around 2345 on Sandford Road. Milliseconds before it hit me, I became aware of a projectile coming towards me. A stone, about the size of 2 golf balls, came from the other side of the road from a car travelling against me. It came almost head on as opposed to a 90 degree angle. I was going about 25km/h and the car opposite was going about 40km/h so it hit with real force. Fortunately I was only struck on the hand and was wearing heavy padded gloves. It was still enough to bloody, swell and bruise.

I didn't notice anyone throw it from the car but then I wasnt looking out in advance and didn't look back in time given the shock. Is it possible for the car to have thrown up the stone from the tyres? Certainly if it had hit my eye or face, it would have been serious damage.

According to the Internet it can be caused by the car

For a vehicle moving forward, the top of the tire is rotating upward and forward, and can throw objects into the air at other vehicles or pedestrians in front of the vehicle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_(vehicle)

sconhome

I've been hit by a stone that flew up from under a bicycle wheel, high pressure tyre meant it flew like a bullet when it was pinched against the road.

I've seen stones the size you talk about flying from truck wheels like missiles but it would strike me as a bit unusual to have a stone that size just lying on a busy road waiting to be launched from under a tyre.

That is a very near miss. If you hadn't reacted or it hit you on the head it could have been far more serious.

sconhome

Inquitus wrote: »

According to the Internet it can be caused by the car

Usually fired from under the wheel rather than off the wheel but these objects are like daisy cutters and I'd be surprised to see one launched 3-4ft into the air across the road.

Inquitus

sconhome wrote: »

Usually fired from under the wheel rather than off the wheel but these objects are like daisy cutters and I'd be surprised to see one launched 3-4ft into the air across the road.

I guess its possible but doesn't happen often, the wheel arch is supposed to prevent pedestrian injury by absorbing these. Either that or scumbag was driving round with a big stone and willing to potentially cause a fatal injury with it......

Lusk_Doyle

sconhome wrote: »

Inquitus wrote: »

According to the Internet it can be caused by the car

Usually fired from under the wheel rather than off the wheel but these objects are like daisy cutters and I'd be surprised to see one launched 3-4ft into the air across the road.

I've had plenty of smacks on the windscreen from stones thrown up by wheels.

JBokeh

Probably got pinged out from under the tyre, it might have just been the right size and shape and caught just under the shoulder of the tyre and got shot out forwards.

It happens with surprisingly big stones on bikes too, hit my mate square in the teeth with one a few months back

DJIMI TRARORE

Regular enough occurrence,unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time

Lusk_Doyle

JBokeh wrote: »

It happens with surprisingly big stones on bikes too, hit my mate square in the teeth with one a few months back

That was my main concern years ago before I started racing. My parents spent a good few thousand fixing my teeth when I was a young lad and I had a dreadful feeling that my teeth would get broken by a big stone thrown up while in a large group of racers travelling a speed!

RobFowl

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

That was my main concern years ago before I started racing. My parents spent a good few thousand fixing my teeth when I was a young lad and I had a dreadful feeling that my teeth would get broken by a big stone thrown up while in a large group of racers travelling a speed!

HaHa, got most of my teeth knocked out in a crash in a race, be afraid, be very afraid

Ryath

Have gotten pinged by small stones thrown up by cars on my on the bike a few times. Mostly from the pitiful attempts at road maintenance in some parts of the country of just tarring and chipping the road.

Was hit a good few years ago by a sliotar sized one on the shin thrown up by a car going the other way when doing a 100k on a motorbike. That still hurt and left a bruise despite wearing boots and leathers with armour! It would have been fairly bad if I wasn't wearing them I'd say.

OP I hope you were just unlucky and it wasn't scumbags throwing stones.

eclipsechaser

Thanks for all the replies. For my own peace of mind, I walked back to Ranelagh to have a look at where it happened. There was a stone - actually it was more like cement - on the pavent just where it hit. Attached is a photo of it. It looks like the piece although it's impossible to be sure obviously. It's big enough but definitely smaller than 2 golf balls (I don't play golf so that was a poor item for comparison).

I'd prefer to think it was just bad luck and it was thrown up by the car. Still very thankful it didn't take out an eye or some teeth. Thanks again.

dunworth1

eclipsechaser wrote: »

Attached is a photo of it

that's pretty big glad you are ok and nothing serious

ps. what camera did you use it looks very good as i can clearly make out the ridgesof your fingerprint

cython

dunworth1 wrote: »

that's pretty big glad you are ok and nothing serious

ps. what camera did you use it looks very good as i can clearly make out the ridgesof your fingerprint

EXIF data in the photo tells me it was a Samsung Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505) if that helps!

68 lost souls

I've had a window chipped in my driver side door as a result of something like this happening with a bus. Happens the odd time unfortunately this time it hit you.

the boss of me

I was driving a HGV a few years ago and I clipped a stone about the size of a tennis ball.. It flew between two pedestrians at head height and smashed a plate glass shop window.