joshuastar

there is honestly nothing like riding with your wife at seven a.m.

it was her first time riding to work. it's only five miles, but it's hilly and we spend too much time in high traffic areas.

we made it without incident. the early morning provided us respite from the heat and from most of florida's finest.

I've decided that all the jerks come out after seven thirty.

i kissed my wife and headed home. a guy in a big red truck turned right into a car dealership, apparently just so he could turn around. i hate bike lanes.

oh well. i would have wanted my first bike/auto collision to be this way.

i did my best to turn with him, but the lip of the curb followed the turn and he cut it close. at one point, my bike was hopping that curb while my body was leaning against his truck. it was mind-boggling. i somehow landing on my left buttcheek and rolled, scraping my elbow lightly and flipping my bike over my rolling self with feet still mostly in the clips.

amazingly, i popped up, yelling, running after his truck. he looked like he was trying to make a break. i actually unstrapped my helmet and threw it at him.

for future reference, helmets aren't good things to throw. it was like trying to throw a balled up piece of fuzz. mostly, it's a good way to look like an idiot.
especially when you're on foot chasing a truck through a parking lot, yelling "hey!" over and over with morning breath and crazy hair.

anyways. i got him to stop. he rolled down the tinted windows. it was just a kid. half asleep. he was very confused. once i realized he lacked malice i calmed down. i really just wanted him to admit he hit me, or if he didn't realize it to...well, realize it.

special thanks to the lady behind him who must have been a counselor or something. she diffused the situation and calmed me down in five seconds flat. i think she wanted to tell me it was my fault but she was real nice and kept asking me if my bike was okay, if we needed the police, or if i needed to go to the hospital.

anyways. my left butt cheek is going to have a great bruise, i was able to pop my tail light back together and i had plenty of adrenaline left to make it up that crazy hill on the way home.

i just wish i had the ability to talk to the kid (and to the lady) and tell them both that i didn't want to fight...i was just scared and wanted mental justice.

home before eight am. the sun is still bright and cool and my bike still works.

what more do you need?

Frankie Fixed

Glad you're okay. Sounds like you came out of it all the wiser. Maybe the kid will notice next time he's about to kill a biker and that'll save someone's life.

kemmer

You and the bike are OK? If so that's the most important thing. I think the kid (and maybe anyone who saw it) learned something. Maybe you learned something too. Usually when someone tries to kill me I learn something even if it wasn't my fault.