flat line
Yep, today I almost bit it. I’m dead serious. Dump truck almost took me out. I was braking hard, dragging my feet, anything to stop before this fucker, who I don’t know how he didn’t see me except that he wasn’t looking, plastered me to his grill. And believe me, there would have been no walking away from it. Dumb luck for me that the dumb ass stopped his 5 ton vehicle at the last minute.
It was super fucking weird, though. The feeling I had staring at the truck and trying to stop. Not like the movies at all. I felt flat, underwhelmed, kinda pissed. A huge sense of “No way, man. I can’t believe this is it.” Had that same feeling years ago in a car accident. I was driving back from Indy to Btown with Licia and my jeep spun out on an ice patch on 67. It was so damn quiet in the jeep while we spun around. And I remember thinking, fuck, we’re gonna roll. Could die. Could very well die.
i’m SO grateful you are OK. let’s say a prayer or do a ritual — in honor of you. 🙂
Yes, glad you’re okay. Not to read too much into it, but maybe being in a good place with yourself makes the prospect of instant, pointless passing seem less reflexively frightening.
Ach – thank god you’re okay. A bike is a thing of joy, but the dangers sometimes make me wonder if it’s worth it – and I’m a dedicated biker all my life.
Yesterday seems to have been a bad one cosmically – I almost got hit by someone making a turn who didn’t bother to look in my direction at this messed up intersection in Hoboken. I had to swerve into the opposite lane to avoid her and my primal rage came out – I swore at her (later wished I’d just said ‘Watch out!’) and she and her passenger swore back at me. It’s sobering to think how often we put our lives in the hands of random people just because they happen to have a car or dumptruck. How about a national campaign for bike lanes and some respect out there!
thanks you three. really. your comments mean ALOT to me. i had to get it out here on the blog because i was so pissed all day. so just like, pissed.
i love to bike. biking and walking are probably the # reasons that keep me in portland. they make it possible to find some kind of meaning every day.
national bike campaign. i am soooo down with that!