Life is like a 10-speed bike: Most people have gears they don't even use.~ unknown
As regular readers know, I cycle. For fun, fitness, and transportation - mostly, for fun. Unfortunately, over Labor Day weekend I was hit by a car and nearly killed. Do I still like to cycle? Well, I hope so. I think so. But I won't really know until I strap on a new helmet* and hit the road. Um, let me rephrase that. I don't plan to hit the road--not literally--I intend to roll along the road, just as safely as possible. And I hope I enjoy it, as much as I did before.
Don't Drive Distracted
The driver who hit me wrote in the accident report that she didn't see me; she wrote that she stopped because she heard a "thud." Well, speaking as that "thud," I'm glad she stopped. And I'm eternally grateful for the professionalism of the EMTs, emergency surgeons, doctors, and nurses who brought me back from the brink.
I should also mention that the driver who hit me felt (well, almost) as badly as I did about the accident. No one wants to knock off a biker, or a pedestrian, or even another driver. After the accident, and perhaps somewhat ironically, I am now more dedicated than before to the notion that WE MUST SHARE THE ROAD with ALL approved forms of transportation that travel our roads. So please, as the bumper sticker says, START SEEING BICYCLES. And, I'll add, start seeing pedestrians. And equestrians. And golf carts. And mopeds. And start seeing the point, which is: WE ALL OWN THE ROADS. So share. Please.
Now, if you're still reading, but not so sure you agree (I know many otherwise reasonable people say "bikes should be banned") consider this: I was one of four bicyclists hit by cars THAT ONE DAY in the relatively small town of Hudson, Ohio. This is a horrible statistic, and it's probably going to increase. Biking is a fast-growing hobby. If you don't like to bike, and if you don't like bikes, you still have to face facts: there are lots of bikes on the road, and there are more every day. So please, SHARE the road. Even if you don't appreciate cycling or cyclists, be aware of them. If you blink, or glance at your cell phone, or otherwise become distracted and hit someone at the very least, you will also suffer just by knowing that you completely F#*%-ed up someone's life. Trust me. Getting hit by a car hurts. And that's just the beginning. OK, I'm stepping off my soapbox now.
As regular readers know, I cycle. For fun, fitness, and transportation - mostly, for fun. Unfortunately, over Labor Day weekend I was hit by a car and nearly killed. Do I still like to cycle? Well, I hope so. I think so. But I won't really know until I strap on a new helmet* and hit the road. Um, let me rephrase that. I don't plan to hit the road--not literally--I intend to roll along the road, just as safely as possible. And I hope I enjoy it, as much as I did before.
Don't Drive Distracted
The driver who hit me wrote in the accident report that she didn't see me; she wrote that she stopped because she heard a "thud." Well, speaking as that "thud," I'm glad she stopped. And I'm eternally grateful for the professionalism of the EMTs, emergency surgeons, doctors, and nurses who brought me back from the brink.
I should also mention that the driver who hit me felt (well, almost) as badly as I did about the accident. No one wants to knock off a biker, or a pedestrian, or even another driver. After the accident, and perhaps somewhat ironically, I am now more dedicated than before to the notion that WE MUST SHARE THE ROAD with ALL approved forms of transportation that travel our roads. So please, as the bumper sticker says, START SEEING BICYCLES. And, I'll add, start seeing pedestrians. And equestrians. And golf carts. And mopeds. And start seeing the point, which is: WE ALL OWN THE ROADS. So share. Please.
Now, if you're still reading, but not so sure you agree (I know many otherwise reasonable people say "bikes should be banned") consider this: I was one of four bicyclists hit by cars THAT ONE DAY in the relatively small town of Hudson, Ohio. This is a horrible statistic, and it's probably going to increase. Biking is a fast-growing hobby. If you don't like to bike, and if you don't like bikes, you still have to face facts: there are lots of bikes on the road, and there are more every day. So please, SHARE the road. Even if you don't appreciate cycling or cyclists, be aware of them. If you blink, or glance at your cell phone, or otherwise become distracted and hit someone at the very least, you will also suffer just by knowing that you completely F#*%-ed up someone's life. Trust me. Getting hit by a car hurts. And that's just the beginning. OK, I'm stepping off my soapbox now.
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