Hit head on?
11-22-09 | 09:35 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh, NC
Hit head on?
I nearly saw my life flash before my eyes yesterday afternoon...
To set the story up, I'm a college student and I was biking over to my girlfriend's dorm for dinner. There was a gaggle of 20 or so ROTC kids who seemed to have just finished some kind of event (they were all in uniform) and were taking their dandy time crossing the road to where their vehicles were parked. I began to weave through them at ~10mph, and when I was about to go around the last few I noticed that the car that had been headed in my direction on the left side of the street was suddenly barreling down on all of us in on the right side of the street. The guy swerved just in time to avoid hitting the people at the front of the group, but had I passed them any sooner I would have hit the car head on and been flying head over heels through the air. It turned out that he was a friend of the people he nearly hit and was just messing with them; they yelled "steve you jack***!" or something to that effect when he passed. Stupid college kids.
That was the most scared I've ever been on a bike. Anyone ever been hit head on? Or come close?
To set the story up, I'm a college student and I was biking over to my girlfriend's dorm for dinner. There was a gaggle of 20 or so ROTC kids who seemed to have just finished some kind of event (they were all in uniform) and were taking their dandy time crossing the road to where their vehicles were parked. I began to weave through them at ~10mph, and when I was about to go around the last few I noticed that the car that had been headed in my direction on the left side of the street was suddenly barreling down on all of us in on the right side of the street. The guy swerved just in time to avoid hitting the people at the front of the group, but had I passed them any sooner I would have hit the car head on and been flying head over heels through the air. It turned out that he was a friend of the people he nearly hit and was just messing with them; they yelled "steve you jack***!" or something to that effect when he passed. Stupid college kids.
That was the most scared I've ever been on a bike. Anyone ever been hit head on? Or come close?
11-22-09 | 10:13 AM
#3
well hello there
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,486
Likes: 387
From: Point Loma, CA
Bikes: Bill Holland (Road-Ti), Fuji Roubaix Pro (back-up), Bike Friday (folder), Co-Motion (tandem) & Trek 750 (hybrid)
Head on? No.
Close head on? No.
Side swiped? Yes.
Other close calls frequently? Yes.
Close head on? No.
Side swiped? Yes.
Other close calls frequently? Yes.
__________________
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
11-22-09 | 10:32 AM
#5
Erect member since 1953
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,000
Likes: 38
From: Antioch, CA (SF Bay Area)
Bikes: Trek 520 Grando, Roubaix Expert, Motobecane Ti Century Elite turned commuter, Some old French thing gone fixie
Head on in 1990.
Country road
Girl coming opposite direction veered off teh road to her right, over corrected, and shot across the road right through me.
I broke her windshield
She broke my elbow and leg, all my ribs, and most of the tubes in my bike.
At least it was a small car. I went up over the top, spun about in space for a bit before landing.
Pretty much sucked.
Best thing in the world: When the paramedic asks "Can you feel this?" and you can tell he's touching your toes.
Country road
Girl coming opposite direction veered off teh road to her right, over corrected, and shot across the road right through me.
I broke her windshield
She broke my elbow and leg, all my ribs, and most of the tubes in my bike.
At least it was a small car. I went up over the top, spun about in space for a bit before landing.
Pretty much sucked.
Best thing in the world: When the paramedic asks "Can you feel this?" and you can tell he's touching your toes.
11-22-09 | 12:15 PM
#7
Old fart
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 26,306
Likes: 5,211
From: Appleton WI
Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.
Had a driver turn left across my lane right in front of me -- no turn signal, nothing. I tried to swerve behind them but we were too close. I ended up wacking the passenger door with my shoulder and handlebar. No injuries to either me or the bike, but I left a good dent and paint gouge on the car. 
11-22-09 | 12:23 PM
#8
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh, NC
Head on in 1990.
Country road
Girl coming opposite direction veered off teh road to her right, over corrected, and shot across the road right through me.
I broke her windshield
She broke my elbow and leg, all my ribs, and most of the tubes in my bike.
At least it was a small car. I went up over the top, spun about in space for a bit before landing.
Pretty much sucked.
Best thing in the world: When the paramedic asks "Can you feel this?" and you can tell he's touching your toes.
Country road
Girl coming opposite direction veered off teh road to her right, over corrected, and shot across the road right through me.
I broke her windshield
She broke my elbow and leg, all my ribs, and most of the tubes in my bike.
At least it was a small car. I went up over the top, spun about in space for a bit before landing.
Pretty much sucked.
Best thing in the world: When the paramedic asks "Can you feel this?" and you can tell he's touching your toes.
Kudos to you for still having the guts (literally and metaphorically) to still ride.
11-22-09 | 01:22 PM
#9
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
11-22-09 | 02:37 PM
#10
Banned
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,387
Likes: 3
From: Santa Barbara, CA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT
