Don't Have a Crash

This is a very good description of a complex acetabular fracture, caused as you said by the roughly spherical femoral head being pushed straight through the hip joint socket. At my age I would have expected this to happen to me as I went straight down onto right hip, shoulder and right side of helmet- after your description I feel even luckier, especially as I know a fit woman my age who broke her femoral neck falling onto the carpet at home. I didn't want to push my luck so I returned early from a ride up onto the moors the other day when I saw those early signs of ice on roadside puddles! Good luck with your recovery, and keep using your helmet. Mine suffered the fracture in my place.

Sounds terrible ... I hope you have a speedy and relatively pain-free recovery.

Alternatively - you shouldn't have to do this any more than you probably don't if you walk to the shops, or drive to the tip. (On average most of my time on a bike is probably spend in mundane / transportational activities). Or indeed wear a helmet for said activities.

But maybe it's more helpful to examine the reasons people feel that they need to, or that others should. And be open about / tolerant of such decision-making not being driven by "facts" or an examination of risk probabilities. I believe this is rarely the case in human affairs, we go with our heuristics which include a strong social component (e.g. what others are doing / how we want to appear to others).

wtjs wrote:

tell someone where you're riding, and roughly when you expect to be back

Oh dear! Not this again (usually, it's in connection with mountaineering or even walking). An alternative view is: don't ever do that, as I have never done.

I completely fail to see why not doing this is of any benefit at all. If you think you might be safer, or if someone you care about wants to know, then tell them. Costs nothing and might at least add domestic harmony. It's unlikely to save your life but probably has a positive cost benefit case.

You remind me of the "helmets make you less safe" argument. I don't agree with it but do see what the idea is, in contrast to your point here.

You remind me of the "helmets make you less safe" argument
This hardly makes sense, as I am one of the outspoken proponents of helmets on here, and never ride without one!

wtjs wrote:

You remind me of the "helmets make you less safe" argument
This hardly makes sense, as I am one of the outspoken proponents of helmets on here, and never ride without one!

Perhaps I wasn't very clear... I was reminded of that as a contrast: as I say, I disagree with it but understand why people make it. But on your point: what is the negative impact of telling people where you're going?

what is the negative impact of telling people where you're going?
This is rather like conversing with people who say 'what can be wrong with screening for cancer of the (X)?' If they ask the question, they're not likely to understand the answer.

So superstition? If I check for cancer, I will find cancer! 

Or not wanting to cause unnecessary worry with the other person? 'I'm going for a cancer screening of x" "oh my god, I'm going to be really worried you have got it if you feel the need to check. Why haven't they told you the result yet, it must be positive"

Tbh, I will tell the wife my ride will take 1 hour or 2 hours. Mainly so she doesn't get worried and also to plan around stuff. 

There must be some twisted logic there somewhere.

The fact that you can't give a simple answer is telling.
When you go off for one of your trips do you just say 'see you when I see you'?

I'll see your "Black Ice" and raise you "Worn smooth manhole cover on apex of corner after the roads have been gritted".

Superfluid helium is stickier than that.

Or even just random innocuous looking stretches of road after a light mizzle following a dry period.

I've twice gone down taking corners in a leisurely fashion because I've unexpectedly found myself trying to cross an oil slick.

I can assure you that a broken hip is not necessarily excruciating, but the pain of hitting the deck is.

I did the comedy cycling in mid-air routine due to a worn, damp surface, then did the trying to walk on a broken leg comedy routine. I then fought off an off duty fireman who wanted to move me. I cracked my greater trochanter 2/3 of the way through. First doctor wanted to send me home, registrar was ready with his saw, consultant decided it was best to wait to see if it fell off of its own accord - so I was probably right to have argued with the fireman.

cracked my greater trochanter 2/3 of the way through
Avulsion of the GT is not the same as what people usually understand as 'a broken hip' so the experience may not be broadly applicable. I was lucky to avoid a proper hip fracture on ice just over a year ago, on the same day when a much younger man got the real thing, also on ice. Definitely to be avoided.