Dwight Butler is always cautious when he rides his bicycle to and from work.
Not only does the co-owner of Wasatch Touring, 702 E. 100 South, always wear a helmet, but he usually rides on the sidewalk or through areas with less car traffic, such as the University of Utah campus. On Tuesday, Butler's helmet saved him from possible serious injury if not death.
Butler was riding on 100 South near 1000 East, making the home stretch on his journey to work — the point of his trip where he rides on the road — when a car made a left turn right in front of him. Butler was going downhill and traveling at nearly the posted speed limit for vehicles. He said he clutched both brakes instinctively, including the front brakes, and "did a Superman" over his handlebars onto the front fender of the car.
Butler took the impact on the right side of his body, hitting his shoulder, neck and head.
But because he was wearing his helmet, he was up and walking a few hours later.
"I think (wearing my helmet) was huge," he said. "I think it was so huge. I mean, I felt the impact on my head. I'm quite surprised (the helmet) wasn't shattered."
Butler was joking with Wasatch Touring employees Tuesday afternoon, who called him "tough" and "Evel Knievel." Salt Lake Mayor Ralph Becker even called the longtime business owner to check on him.
Butler showed off his road rash, which covered him from his legs to his shoulders, to his employees. But he knows if not for his helmet, it could have been worse.
Butler's accident was one of two auto-bicycle crashes Tuesday in downtown Salt Lake City that happened less than an hour apart.
The first accident happened about 7:10 a.m. when a 51-year-old man on a bicycle was crossing against the light in a crosswalk at the intersection of 400 South and 200 East and rode into the side of a moving car, said Salt Lake Police Sgt. Robin Snyder.
The man, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered severe head trauma and was taken to the hospital in extremely serious condition, she said.
Eastbound 400 South from 200 East to State Street and northbound 200 East between 400 South and 500 South were closed for several hours.
Butler said he saw the car before it hit him. It appeared to him the woman driving the car may have been watching other traffic and waiting for it to clear before she turned at 1000 East, he said. Police were looking at whether the sun played a factor. Either way, "she just did not see me," Butler said.
The accident happened right in front of Salt Lake Regional Medical Center. Butler said the driver was a nurse going to work.
"She feels terrible," he said. "I feel bad for this girl."
The collision left a huge dent in the woman's car, he said. His bicycle, however, was unscathed. Police issued the driver a citation.
Butler called his brother, Charlie Butler, using a paramedic's cell phone, and then walked over to the hospital, where he was given a CAT scan and underwent other tests for about five hours before being released.
Charlie Butler, co-owner of Wasatch Touring, said the message he got from his brother was, "I'm going to be sore for awhile."
"I think it was a combination of the helmet and just darn good luck," Dwight Butler said of his relatively good condition, considering what he had been through.
After he was released from the hospital, he walked his bicycle the rest of the way to work. Moving gingerly, he was all smiles while talking about his experience and the pain he was in.
The message he had to motorists was to watch for bicyclists and motorcyclists.
"A lot of automobile drivers believe roads are for cars and are looking for cars and not bikes and motorcycles," he said.
Likewise, he said, cyclists need to "assume they are invisible."
E-MAIL: preavy@desnews.com