Down I Go
Great Saturday. Rough Sunday. I used to kind of sorta half pretend to surf back in the day before I was married but I married someone who hated the beach because it was "dirty" so after my surfboard sat unused for 3 years I finally sold it in the classifieds a year or so ago my memory is short.
I got into a discussion about this with a co-worker recently and she mentioned that she had a board that was collecting dust that I could use and I took her up on it. Mind you the surf in this area even when its good is not great and when I got out it was terrible and mostly just chop but I had a great more importantly peaceful time nonetheless. Had such a great time Saturday I couldn't wait to go back Sunday which unfortunately was not to be because.....
I was heading out for the Sunday group ride at about 7:30 Sunday morning. I was about 3 miles from my house on a 4 lane divided road and suddenly about 30 feet behind me I could hear this car laying on its horn which almost made me crash when he passed me he was so close I could feel the breeze from the car on my elbow at which point I reached up to give him what my grandmother affectionately calls the "New York Salute" when I noticed a police officer going south who I attempted to flag down to let him know the driver was harassing me and when I turned back to the road it was off the road I was going. I did my best to hang on to it and probably should have tried to jump off but when that front wheel dug in at about 25mph I went down hard. I can't describe the crash because its all a blur. My left knee had some pretty bad swelling and cuts and I have significant pain in my lower back. The officer did turn around to check on me. When he pulled up I felt a sudden splash of water on my face and I thought 'what are you throwing water on me' .... he ran over my water bottle :)
None of my friends recognized the officers cell phone number so noone would answer their phone. I did the man thing and rode it the 3 miles home.
I get the feeling I'm going to be out of it for a while went to the ER no broken bones but any weight on my left foot sends shooting pains into the left side of my lower back. The swelling in my knee has gone down but I still have a tennis ball sized lump on my left hip. The left pad on my aero bars was broken off my derailer is hosed and my shifters are turned completely sideways.
If you live in Palm Coast and know any roughly 60+ year old men who drive white Audis who might have been traveling north bound on Belle Terre early Sunday around 7:45 am please provide me with his name and address because I have some choice words I would like to share with him over his aggressive driving.
Just thank the Lord it certainly could have been much worse and for instantly teaching me that my response to his aggressive driving was not appropriate. I typically wave and yell have a nice day when people harass me but this guy was so close and so hard on the horn it felt dangerous. No excuse I should have just followed Christs own words "But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; ".
In a perfect world the cop would have stopped him and a judge would make him ride a bicycle as community service to get a taste of what its like to have some guy in a 2,000+ pound car playing chicken with his life. That early Sunday morning there is no traffic and I was hugging the shoulder best I could there's no reason he couldn't have just as easily gotten into the other lane if he was so concerned that I was interrupting his traffic flow.
I would like to add to this a public service announcement. As I have been reading complaints recently on the local discuassion boards about road cyclist and why don't they ride on the sidewalk. How bout BECAUSE ITS THE LAW! So long as a cyclist is not impeding the flow of traffic I am afforded all the rights of a typical car. So don't blow your horn and throw crap out your window at me. It is not safe or reasonable to travel at 25mph on a sidewalk ever...A good example of this happened just after my accident on Sunday. I decide Im hurt I can't shift to the small ring Im gonna take it easy going home. I get on the sidewalk traveling 12 miles an hour roughly half my typical pace and I approach an older couple walking arm-in-arm on the sidewalk I announce myself "Behind You" 4 TIMES! In 30 feet and they do not hear me and only when Im within about 5 feet do they hear me and move. This is not safe for me or the pedestrian. And if you don't believe me stick your fat behind in a saddle and hit your nearest sidewalk. I think Im going to start carrying a pen and paper with me and write down license plates of people who think its funny and or cool to cause someone out getting some exercise and enjoying a hobby bodily harm.
This brings me back to why doesnt law enforcement come down harder on people who hit and harrass cyclist I've now twice seen the school bus driver that did a hit and run on me still out driving around in the school bus. Never did receive a phone call or anything from the school or the police on my status after that incident. Nobody cares.
So much for surfing on Sunday.
I got into a discussion about this with a co-worker recently and she mentioned that she had a board that was collecting dust that I could use and I took her up on it. Mind you the surf in this area even when its good is not great and when I got out it was terrible and mostly just chop but I had a great more importantly peaceful time nonetheless. Had such a great time Saturday I couldn't wait to go back Sunday which unfortunately was not to be because.....
I crashed
I was heading out for the Sunday group ride at about 7:30 Sunday morning. I was about 3 miles from my house on a 4 lane divided road and suddenly about 30 feet behind me I could hear this car laying on its horn which almost made me crash when he passed me he was so close I could feel the breeze from the car on my elbow at which point I reached up to give him what my grandmother affectionately calls the "New York Salute" when I noticed a police officer going south who I attempted to flag down to let him know the driver was harassing me and when I turned back to the road it was off the road I was going. I did my best to hang on to it and probably should have tried to jump off but when that front wheel dug in at about 25mph I went down hard. I can't describe the crash because its all a blur. My left knee had some pretty bad swelling and cuts and I have significant pain in my lower back. The officer did turn around to check on me. When he pulled up I felt a sudden splash of water on my face and I thought 'what are you throwing water on me' .... he ran over my water bottle :)
None of my friends recognized the officers cell phone number so noone would answer their phone. I did the man thing and rode it the 3 miles home.
I get the feeling I'm going to be out of it for a while went to the ER no broken bones but any weight on my left foot sends shooting pains into the left side of my lower back. The swelling in my knee has gone down but I still have a tennis ball sized lump on my left hip. The left pad on my aero bars was broken off my derailer is hosed and my shifters are turned completely sideways.
If you live in Palm Coast and know any roughly 60+ year old men who drive white Audis who might have been traveling north bound on Belle Terre early Sunday around 7:45 am please provide me with his name and address because I have some choice words I would like to share with him over his aggressive driving.
Just thank the Lord it certainly could have been much worse and for instantly teaching me that my response to his aggressive driving was not appropriate. I typically wave and yell have a nice day when people harass me but this guy was so close and so hard on the horn it felt dangerous. No excuse I should have just followed Christs own words "But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; ".
In a perfect world the cop would have stopped him and a judge would make him ride a bicycle as community service to get a taste of what its like to have some guy in a 2,000+ pound car playing chicken with his life. That early Sunday morning there is no traffic and I was hugging the shoulder best I could there's no reason he couldn't have just as easily gotten into the other lane if he was so concerned that I was interrupting his traffic flow.
I would like to add to this a public service announcement. As I have been reading complaints recently on the local discuassion boards about road cyclist and why don't they ride on the sidewalk. How bout BECAUSE ITS THE LAW! So long as a cyclist is not impeding the flow of traffic I am afforded all the rights of a typical car. So don't blow your horn and throw crap out your window at me. It is not safe or reasonable to travel at 25mph on a sidewalk ever...A good example of this happened just after my accident on Sunday. I decide Im hurt I can't shift to the small ring Im gonna take it easy going home. I get on the sidewalk traveling 12 miles an hour roughly half my typical pace and I approach an older couple walking arm-in-arm on the sidewalk I announce myself "Behind You" 4 TIMES! In 30 feet and they do not hear me and only when Im within about 5 feet do they hear me and move. This is not safe for me or the pedestrian. And if you don't believe me stick your fat behind in a saddle and hit your nearest sidewalk. I think Im going to start carrying a pen and paper with me and write down license plates of people who think its funny and or cool to cause someone out getting some exercise and enjoying a hobby bodily harm.
This brings me back to why doesnt law enforcement come down harder on people who hit and harrass cyclist I've now twice seen the school bus driver that did a hit and run on me still out driving around in the school bus. Never did receive a phone call or anything from the school or the police on my status after that incident. Nobody cares.
So much for surfing on Sunday.
posted by Migofast at
9:30 AM
4 Comments:
Man, I'm glad you're "O.K.". be sure to take it easy (like you have a choice..) and be careful of those a*$h*^&#s n the road!!!!
Wow- like you said thank the Lord you weren't hurt worse, especially at that speed. Hope you're not laid up for very long.
OUCH!!! That sounds painful. Will be praying for speedy healing for you.
I once had a similar experience - some guy in a car buzzed me. Turns out he was one of my staff (recgonised his car). When I asked him about it, he was embarassed that the rider was me and he admitted that he was unhappy that I was not riding on the bike lane - which is clogged with 4 yr olds learning to ride their bikes...
Sean,
I am glad u are ok. I do my best to ride in quieter roads. I rarely ride in my city no more. Too much cars. Worst. Too much drivers who don't know how ot drive.
When I run in the city, that's where i see bad drivers. They don't see pedestrians. I can't recall how many times I almost get hit by a car.
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