I was on my way home from work today in the nation's capital when I was hit by a car. I never, ever ride on sidewalks since I think it is more dangerous, and my point was proven. I wanted to cross a major road - Wisconsin Avenue - but there were too many cars. I took the sidewalk up towards the next intersection with a light. As I neared the first cross block I slowed to a roll. I let one car go, another car, then went to cross. I had my eyes on the next car in line, sure that the woman would turn and look. Okay, turn. Okay, now turn and look. She went right through the stop sign, through the cross walk and all without ever turning and looking right as she pulled from two cars lengths back. Nice! She was of course trying to beat other cars onto the clogged road. I screamed at her to stop as she closed in, hoping she'd stop.

She hit me, I flew onto the hood of her car, I slid off and stopped. It all happened so quickly I don't know what happened. Somehow I was fine. I swung a leg over my handlebars and somehow my bike was fine. I yelled at her and asked her if she made it a habit to drive through stop signs and crosswalks.

I guess she hit me in my left calf and somehow flipped me up onto her car. Maybe it actually helped that she was accelerating into the turn, serving to pop me up. I told her to pull over, checked my bike out, yelled at her for awhile. She was crying and apologizing but never got out of her car. The woman behind got out to see if I was alright.

I guess I was in such shock from 1) not dying 2) not getting hurt 3) not hurting my bike that I just yelled at her and was so annoyed with the state of drivers in general that I just wanted to leave. In hindsight I know I should have called the police and gotten her off the road. Then again, I've heard so many horror stories from friends being laughed at by cops.

Anyway, next time I shall turn her in. Hopefully there won't be a next time. I wish there was video so I could see how I got hit by a car and didn't even so much as bruise my shoulder/elbow that I fell onto the hood with.

Beware those metallic hearses!

ryan