[glend (Glen)]

I am so careful about where I ride, and at what time of day I ride. I have a circuit around a new subdivision with nice roads ( but narrow), but few houses built yet, which is my daily cardio ride. Bike is a Leitner CrossX dual suspension ebike. On Saurday the12th of March, as I was rounding a corner, a fast SUV driven by a P player, cut the corner and I was facing a head on collision. I was not going fast, say 15kmph at most. I reacted by swerving to the left and in the process of avoiding the car the front end of the bike let go and I fell heavily on the road. The result was a broken elbow, radius and ulna cracked. Amazing pain. My head had hit the pavement as well but the helmet took the impact. At first, being full of adrenalin, I thought it was just bruised, albeit with skin lacerations, blood, etc. The bike was a mess: the Shimano handlebar shifter was broken clean off, hanging by the cable, and stuck in one low gear. The pedal assist controller was cracked, but amazingly the bike still had power to the rear hub. With the help of a nearby home owner, I got back on the bike and rode home in my one working gear. It wasn't until I was on the bike riding that I realised I had no feeling in my left hand and could not use it to alter the pedal assist level, or operate the rear brake lever. I made it home ok. Tried to clean up the wound, bandage it, and took some Panadol. Long story shortened, after the adrenaline wore off, the real pain hit. I could not sleep at all that night, so at 5am I got in the car and drove myself, one handed down the M1, to Wyong Hospital Emergency. They xrayed it, verified it broken, and put me in a full arm cast. This has been followed up with return visit to the Fracture Clinic, and it looks like my life is on hold for awhile.
I am considering giving riding away, as at 72yo I cannot afford any more broken bones, or worse. My recovery is going to take longer than a young fellow, and I will need rehab on the arm to regain function and flexibility. Time will tell.
For now the bike sits in the garage. My son suggested a recumbent exercise bike to keep cardio fit, might be my riding future.