| Author | Message | ||
     Along4theride |
do not collect two hundred dollars.... What a beautiful warm Spring day. Taking the usual route I was practicing leaning off my bike, no dragging knee or anything like that just staying on my toes and shifting my weight. It’s the middle of the afternoon traffic is moderate, but light enough to be able to ‘enjoy’ a couple good corners. I avoid the ‘Surface streets’ and stick to some of my favorite local back roads. Spring isn’t knocking on the door she’s here. The trees are blossoming and everywhere you look everything is alive with color. Even the cars have that nice 1st layer of yellow pollen to announce the change of seasons. I sit up on my bike, put my hands in the air and enjoy the breeze on my face, the warmth of the sun. Thinking finally Spring is here, it’s warm, I’m on my bike. I was sooo happy just enjoying the ride. I decide it’s best to start heading that way, the long way of course. To do this I take a surface street to hit one of my favorite routes back to the house. Traffic seems a bit heavy but nothing of any consequence or so I thought. The first light I come to traffic is stopped about 12 deep, having just missed the green arrow I enter the turn lane and stop at the cross walk I thought about pulling into the intersection but for some reason thought better of it and stayed where I was. The cars begin to enter the intersection and oncoming traffic makes it about ¾ of the way into the intersection when I hear loud honking from behind me and to my left. Before I can even turn my head it’s in front of me to my left breaking hard steering back to the right side of the road to avoid oncoming traffic. HOLY CRAP!!!  A little red Geo Metro or something had just flown by me on my left side- the wrong side of the road at about 40mph into oncoming traffic. He then cuts cars off and weaves through traffic all the way to the right to turn into the driveway immediately after the intersection.  I did a couple hail mary’s, thought of the pope and said a little prayer. The sun was beaming down and I took a moment to appreciate it and experience it’s warmth on my face. Thank you all the forces of the universe!!! There was a guy on a Honda CBR at the intersection waiting for the light and a heavy equipment truck driver who I think were the only ones that even saw the incident. At least they were the only ones that had the same dumbfounded look on their face when I finally came to the realization that the world was still rotating and looked around. It was crazy. I still don’t know how he missed me AND the cars but I wasn't hanging around to find out. I thought about making a stink about it, we were only a block form the cop shop but I just wanted to go home. I saw the video of the guy on the bike at the red light who gets hit by a mini van from behind who never even applied it's brakes until it was to late. I always wondered about that, I wondered how someone could just plow into the back of a bike at a stop light like they didn't even see the bike. Well now I know. I always stay in gear at lights and had made a practice of watching my mirrors but the one time I didn’t watch my mirrors after I came to a stop. I will always watch my mirrors, I will always watch my mirrors, I will always watch my mirrors. But I do have to admit I think this is one of those moments when even if I had watched my mirrors anything I could have done could have made the situation worse- ya never know. Either way I'm just glad God had it in his plan for me to be here this Morning to tell the tale and tell everyone to stay in gear at lights and watch your mirrors!!!  (Message edited by along4theride on April 06, 2005) | ||
| Toomanytoys |
that is a lucky and scary story. glad you made it out alright, and live to ride another day. when people do some **** like that, I always think about flagging down an officer and telling him about it, but then I figure karma will come back to that person eventually. and will affect me worse if I am a pain in the ***. i guess you just count your blessings, and enjoy the afternoon. | ||
| Glitch |
And all this time I thought you were pagan. | ||
| Along4theride |
I always think about flagging down an officer and telling him about it But what would the cops do? It's my word against their's. I believe in Karma and I figure that I must have used up about 10 gallons of mine with that one. Guess I better go find some good deeds to do. And all this time I thought you were pagan We won't go into what religion I am, but I will say I'm not Catholic by any means. I don't even think I did them right I just wanted to do something to show whoever or whatever that I was thankful. I think it was more of a reflexive action than anything. | ||
| Glitch |
I wuz kiddin'! Just forgot my smilie thingy!  I had something similar happen once. I was at a light when I heard tires screech. I looked in the rear view to see a cage coming up fast. I zipped in between the cage in front of me and the cage beside him. The offending cage hit the cage I was behind. I could have been squished! Good thing I was in gear, I don't think I would have time to get in gear in time to get out of the way. I'm most always in gear at a stop. Learned that many years ago during a MSF course. Glad you didn't get hit! | ||
| Along4theride |
Glitch- I knew you didn't mean anything by what you said/typed. I found it funny that I did hail mary's. I have never done one in my life, I've only seen it done on TV. Like I said I don't even think I did them right. Hopefully God got the idea and wasn't offended.  Man I'm glad you didn't get sqwooshed years ago too. I have learned so much from you. Don't let it go to your head but I'm sure I wouldn't be the rider I am today had I not gotten pointers from you- Thanks.  | ||
| Glitch |
Wow, I had no idea  | ||
| Bomber |
we've all got mantras of one kind or another -- even if it's simply, "phew!" it's scary out there -- glad you're OK, Ride -- there was a campaign in the Army (during my post-grad work long ago and far away {grin}) -- posters and the like up all over the place -- Stay Alert Stay Alive nuff said we changed it to "Stay a LRRP, Stay Alive," but we were equipped with Humor, Sense of, Wonky, 1 each | ||
| Whodom |
Whew! Glad to hear that didn't turn out badly. I hope you don't have to have your seat re-upholstered due to the massive pucker factor you no doubt experienced. Like I said in another thread, it never ceases to amaze me how many drivers there are out there willing to risk your life (and a bunch of others) so they can get somewhere they probably don't want to be ~5 minutes earlier. Thanks for the mirror reminder. I will watch my mirrors - I will watch my mirrors - I will watch my mirrors.... | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Pucker up & get a new seat cover!  |
