This was a wonderful day to bike to work. A beautiful clear day with no wind. The flowers are in bloom, bringing with them the wonderful fragrance of spring.
The ride to work started as most do - passing all the cars, which are stopped in traffic in the center of town. I rolled past some apple orchards and some farms before passing the hospital. A short time later, I rode through a small neighborhood before hitting my favorite part of the ride - crossing the causeway over Sandy Pond.
On this day, I was even looking forward to riding down "Stinky Farm" road since the lilacs were sure to mask the normally awful stench. I approached the most difficult intersection of my commute and was pleased to see that there were no cars coming from either direction. I started across and was on my way to "Stinky Farm" road.
"What the ....!"
Once I was halfway across the road, I spotted the car pulling out from the gas station. The driver was looking down the road and never looked my way before pulling out. I tried to take evasive maneuvers, but I didn't have time. Soon enough, I was on the pavement.
I took a quick inventory and realized I wasn't hurt too badly. I think I was yelling at the driver before I even got up from the ground.
She apologized repeatedly and said, "I didn't even see you. Where did you come from?" - admissions of guilt as far as I am concerned. I gathered her information and said I would be in touch to let her know what it would cost to repair my bike. I also was able to get the name and number of a witness.
The rear wheel was trashed, making it impossible to ride the bike. I called home and waited for my ride. While I waited, I looked the bike over and was amazed that most of the damage was superficial. When my ride arrived, I took off my helmet and was surprised to see that I had obviously hit the back of my head when I fell. The helmet had done a wonderful job.
As the day went on, I started feeling the injuries I sustained - a sprained wrist, bruises and a couple of cuts and abrasions. Upon further reflection, I realize how lucky I was not to have sustained any significant injuries. Had the driver accelerated quickly, I would have been hit with a much greater force and may have even been run over. Also, with the exception of the rear wheel, the bike was fixed with only a couple of hours of work.
What did I learn?
The ride to work started as most do - passing all the cars, which are stopped in traffic in the center of town. I rolled past some apple orchards and some farms before passing the hospital. A short time later, I rode through a small neighborhood before hitting my favorite part of the ride - crossing the causeway over Sandy Pond.
On this day, I was even looking forward to riding down "Stinky Farm" road since the lilacs were sure to mask the normally awful stench. I approached the most difficult intersection of my commute and was pleased to see that there were no cars coming from either direction. I started across and was on my way to "Stinky Farm" road.
"What the ....!"
Once I was halfway across the road, I spotted the car pulling out from the gas station. The driver was looking down the road and never looked my way before pulling out. I tried to take evasive maneuvers, but I didn't have time. Soon enough, I was on the pavement.I took a quick inventory and realized I wasn't hurt too badly. I think I was yelling at the driver before I even got up from the ground.
She apologized repeatedly and said, "I didn't even see you. Where did you come from?" - admissions of guilt as far as I am concerned. I gathered her information and said I would be in touch to let her know what it would cost to repair my bike. I also was able to get the name and number of a witness.
The rear wheel was trashed, making it impossible to ride the bike. I called home and waited for my ride. While I waited, I looked the bike over and was amazed that most of the damage was superficial. When my ride arrived, I took off my helmet and was surprised to see that I had obviously hit the back of my head when I fell. The helmet had done a wonderful job.
As the day went on, I started feeling the injuries I sustained - a sprained wrist, bruises and a couple of cuts and abrasions. Upon further reflection, I realize how lucky I was not to have sustained any significant injuries. Had the driver accelerated quickly, I would have been hit with a much greater force and may have even been run over. Also, with the exception of the rear wheel, the bike was fixed with only a couple of hours of work.
What did I learn?
- Always where a helmet (something I already do)
- Drivers don't see you, even on days with perfect visibility
- Always use blinking lights to draw attention to yourself
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