What did you do today? Me, I got hit by a car
Seriously. That is how I started my morning.
I’m fine thanks for asking. I don’t want to go into the details here but suffice is to say it was an eyeopening experience. In the end I walked away which is a lot more than you can say for some people.
So where is the political angle? How about creating an environment where cyclists and pedestrians are welcomed - where, as gas increases, cycling can be a viable alternative- everywhere. I’ll admit some places are easier than others in town.
I live a few miles from my place of employment and I tell you it is difficult to ride a bike to work. Ever look at Jefferson Road? Winton near Jefferson? There really isn’t a place to ride - sidewalks or shoulders. Try crossing Winton Road (between the railroad and Jefferson) on a bike. You take your life in your own hands. Makes you want to surround yourself by the comfort of a car.
Then again - like today - you could be peddling on a sidewalk and the driver who didn’t look both ways accelerates from stop and t-bones the cyclist.
So I’m just ranting here but be extra careful drivers -look both ways before you accelerate. People’s lives could change very quickly.
Not everyone is as lucky as I was today.
holy krap!
glad to hear you are ok, mate. and yeah, even here in NYC, one of the most pedestrian/cyclist friendly large cities in the nation, this stuff happens everyday.
check out streets blog and, though it has a definite NYC focus, there are lots of great ideas at transportation alternatives.
oh, and look both ways!
not sure if this was involved, but don’t forget the right wing radio hosts who joyfully encouraged their wingnut readers to purposelly run bicyclers off the road. I hate riding on busy roads unless they have wide paved shoulders, and even then I prefer small un-trafficked roads. Glad you’re well.
Damn dude… you need to learn ninjitsu…you could have back flipped over the car and biked on the telephone wires
Actually I fell correctly which I believe helped. Something I learned a while back studying martial arts in college.
I just had this funny image in my head of stlo7 and J making a short instructional film for kids: “How to get hit by a car properly”. It would show you how to “duck and cover” on being hit, then springing up and unleashing a ninja’s quiet fury on the offending car. Funny.
Glad you’re okay. Like the film idea a LOT, kind of a metaphor for our war in Iraq, maybe? Interestingly, I just got in from riding my bike (on the sidewalk, thank you, because the drivers in my town are anti-bike) and I was nearly backed into, didn’t fall but I did let out a primal scream. Some cities have wonderful biking lanes, like in California.
Woah. I am also glad you’re ok.
Biking to school from where I live is ok, but I can definitely see how it could get much more dangerous if I took an alternate route/tried to go anywhere else.
You should definitely carry a loaded shotgun in one hand. If car drivers can be freely negligent with a deadly weapon, well, fair-is-fair, right?
If not, why? Would the NRA support you? Explain your answer.
I did this exact same thing about 10 years ago. The driver of the car did not look both ways and accelarated when I was directly in front of him. It is extremely painful, but it took a while for it to set in that I had been hit. Meanwhile, I walked my bike home and collapsed on the couch. Then it hit, and I cried. end of story.
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