It is bound to happen, that is what I have come to terms with as I read and hear story after story from long time cyclists. Well, today I had my first crash, and thankfully, I was able to walk away with only a few scratches. Body and bike.
I was out for an easy ride on the cross bike and had been on the trails around Meadowvale and south Brampton for a little over an hour when I thought I should get home. The way home is through the industrial area of Meadowvale, so very light traffic on the weekend.
I was passing the big Royal Bank building and ready to make a left turn. I noticed a car coming out of the RBC parking lot and entering my turn lane. I quickly made my turn onto a double lane road and wanted to immediately go from the left lane into the shoulder lane. I had made my signal right away thinking the car would be on my tail in the left lane (if they made a proper turn!). As I made my signal and looked back I noticed the idiot in the car had made a wide turn into the shoulder lane that I was entitled to. You would think this person would have accepted my signal and slowed down to let a bike get to the right side of the road but they just kept coming at me. This rushed me into getting across the lane as fast as possible and, since I wanted to make sure they did not hit me from the back, I paid too much attention to the back and not enough to the side.
I looked up just in time to get a little more sideways on the upcoming curb before scrubbing out and flying into the sidewalk area. My helmet was in fine working order as my head hit the grass boulevard first (thank goodness there was grass between the road and the contrete sidewalk!)before I slid across to the harder surface of the sidewalk.
I was fuming and cursing up a storm. I am not sure why that person would not stop but I was ready to give them a piecce of my mind. Funny how you try to obey the traffic laws and stay safe and you end up paying for it because someone else does not deserve to be on the road.
I really should have grabbed the darn license number and reported the idiot driver.
4 comments:
Hey Larry,
Glad it wasn't more serious. I hope you are able to rest and recover!!
Dude. hope the bike, and you :> are allright. Give your helmet a good once over to make sure there are no cracks. Even light hits can crack them. General rule is to replace it once it has taken a hit.
Karma is a biatch, and that guy will get it someday.
take care!
Hey Guys,
Thanks for your concern! I guess it was more of a scare than anything, thankfully. I am OK and the bike just has a few scratches but it needed those to look tougher!
Thank godness for the bike show very soon. New helmet is in order!
Talk soon,
Larry
Holy Crap,,glad you are alright!!!!Have the helmet checked though!!!!Remember train safe!!!! Ma
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