I rode 754 miles this months and at mile 753.5 today I got hit by a car.

After my best ever month on the bike, (Highlights: A double century, A regular century, 2 metrics) I get swiped .5 miles from home by a driver that shot out of her driveway without looking.

My wife was on my wheel and yelled out to warn me since I had already decided, wrongly that the car was parked and not moving.

I swerved around the back of the car instead of t-boning it or braking hard and going over the bars.
I just got clipped on the rear wheel and did not even go down. It looks like the damage to my bike is limited to only a slightly out of true rear wheel. (Let's hope the drop out is not bent. I do not think so.)

I was lucky and the mistakes I made will serve as safety reminders for me, and maybe us all.

Mistake #1: I did not look in the windows of the car as it sat in the driveway to see if a driver was in it.
Reminder #1: If a driver is in any parked vehicle, watch out and keep an eye on the car's wheels for any sign of movement.

Mistake #2: Looking 3 houses up the street at a guy doing yard work, thinking "Is that my neighbor Ray,?"
Reminder #2 Eyes on the road and mind on controlling the bike. Even at 12 MPH like I was going, bad things happen very quickly

Mistake #3: This was a 12 mile recovery spin in my granny and I was very tired from a hard ridden century yesterday. I forgot how fatigue impairs reaction time and judgement.
Reminder #3 When tired, mistakes like #1 and #2 are easy to make, the brain fatigues as much as the body. Be more cautious when weary.


I was lucky, all I got was a tweaked wheel and this crappy feeling to end an otherwise great month on.

I hope I don't sound preachy or too dramatic.
I just thought I would share in case it would do any one else some good to hear.

Be safe friends.