A Few Seconds That Got My Attention

Yesterday, I was reminded how quickly an ordinary bike ride can turn into something you weren’t expecting.

Pat had knee replacement surgery three days earlier, so I had been home taking care of her. I needed to drop off a check at the bank, but for whatever reason, the phone app I usually use for deposits refused to recognize it.

Pat encouraged me to get out of the house for a little while. It was a nice day, I could use the exercise, and the bank was only about a 30-minute round trip by bike. She promised she wouldn’t get up for anything until I returned, so I headed out.

On the way home, I approached an intersection at a freeway off-ramp. Traffic traveling in my direction had a green light, but I did not have a walk light. I needed to cross two right-turn lanes.

As I approached, I made eye contact with the driver in the closest turn lane, and he stopped. A car in the second turn lane was slowing down as well. I thought that driver and I had made eye contact, so I continued riding.

I was wrong.

He suddenly looked to his left, saw there were no cars coming, and started his turn right in front of me.

We collided.

Thankfully, we were both going slowly enough that the impact just knocked me down. I ended up with scrapes on all four extremities and will probably have some nice bruises to show for it.

The driver immediately stopped and, as luck would have it, he was an EMT. We did a quick assessment of my injuries and checked our vehicles. Nothing appeared serious enough to require further attention, so we exchanged phone numbers, and I was able to ride home.

The experience left me thinking about a couple of things.

First, several cars saw the accident happen. Not one person stopped to see if we were okay. Are we really in that big of a hurry that we can’t take a minute to check on someone when we see something like that?

Second, I’m amazed at how much can go through your mind in less than two seconds.

From the moment I realized we were going to collide until I hit the ground, I remember thinking, Please, God, don’t let me die.

That was followed almost immediately by, Oh, this is going to hurt, but I’m going to live. Why didn’t I wear my helmet?

Then I thought about Pat. How was I going to explain this to her? I didn’t want her getting a phone call saying I had been hurt in an accident, especially while she was home recovering from surgery.

Then I realized I didn’t have any identification with me.

And somewhere in those same two seconds, I was angry with myself because I knew better. I should have stopped and waited for the walk light, and I should have been wearing my helmet.

All of that happened before I hit the ground.

I find that amazing.

After collecting myself and exchanging information with the driver, I got back on my bike and rode home. I walked into the house bleeding from enough places that there was no hiding what had happened from Pat. I scared her, and for that I am more sorry than I can express.

Later, one of the kids sent me a video of a trick bike rider rolling over the top of a car and asked, “Was this how it went?”

I told them, “Exactly. But I didn’t stick the landing.”

So, another life story to add to the collection. It was a scary incident, but fortunately, that’s all it turned out to be.

It was also a pretty good reminder that sometimes waiting another few seconds is worth it. Don’t assume a driver sees you just because you think you made eye contact.

And wear a helmet when you ride a bike.