“Fuck!”
This is apparently my gut reaction to falling off my bicycle.
So I was cycling home from work today, going fast ’cause the wind was at my back and there was no traffic, when a dude steps out in front of me. I don’t really remember what happened between me hitting the dude, and me hitting the ground, but I certainly remember standing up and shouting
“Fuck!”
I then sensed a slight ache in my head and started to cry.
So there I was, standing outside of an African hairdresser’s on Kingsland Road, crying to the person I just slammed into, who was probably worse off than I was.
It’s not that I was in much pain. As I said to the dude, “You really scared me!” Just the other day Tim and I were questioning the merits of the bicycle helmet. I know if I wasn’t wearing mine today, my head would be a whole lot worse. It’s a scary thought.
The guy and his friends were nice and took me into the hairdresser’s and sat me down and offered me water and an ambulance. I really just wanted to go home so I left and got back on my bike, then quickly got off to replace the chain. Home again, and all that’s sore is my ass, which took a harder thump than my head (Giro doesn’t make a butt helmet).
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Glad you remained in one piece,it sounds like a horrible experience. Never under estimate the value of your hat. I read a statistic once,years ago that put things in to perspective for me.I think it said that 80% of people who die as a result of bike accidents would most likely have survived,had they been wearing a helmet.This was when they seemed to rarely be worn,hopefully our chances are a lot better these days! I always wear a high viz yellow jacket around Liverpool,just as an extra precaution in the city. Hope you get back in the saddle soon.Safe cycling!!
Hey Alison, thanks for the comment. I wear a fluorescent yellow jacket, too - but the guy still managed to miss me. That’s the thing - we cyclists don’t make any noise! Time to start talking to myself, listening to music on my cell phone like those annoying people on the bus. Oh well. I was back on the saddle the next day. Was super-perceptive of people ahead of me opening car doors into my path. But I told myself to not live in fear and kept on riding. It is good. Happy cycling to you, too!