Jesus hit me with his car (long)
11-22-04, 10:31 AM
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Frankly, Mr. Shankly
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As I sat there in the emergency room at Northwestern Hospital, watching the clock go past midnight, the girl and I discussing the other people who were also waiting, I thought about the odds. I thought about Fugazi Dave, who was about to leave Chicago and relevantly had gotten into a few accidents this year on the bike. One of which I witnessed.
I was cursing the rain, Mother Nature on the way to the girl’s – why it had to rain, why the day itself had been frustrating with work, trying to design layouts that didn’t pop, moving onto other client work that was going nowhere fast. I was close now, in the girl’s neighbourhood and turned down a street that would lead me to the side streets that would sneak me to her place.
I pulled down Armitage, a wide one lane street, big enough for two cars if need be. A car had just started to back into a spot slowly and so I did what I usually did when I felt it was safe – I gave the car wide berth, took the lane right down the middle on the dotted line and started to pass.
As I did, I remember the last thing I saw before my chin hit the wet street – the corner of this car had come all the way out to the middle of the street, right to the line.
Bam.
I can see the street coming up to eye level just like that, my arms outstretched and my instinct to just loosen up, from years of bailing whilst skateboarding take over. I get on my side somehow but end up on my butt with one elbow propping me up. From nowhere and what felt like one minute later, my bike lands on top of me, winding me. I try to get up but I can’t. Oh ****. Did I break something?
A guy comes out of nowhere and takes the bike off me. A couple helps me up. I’m shaky, winded but okay. I think.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I think so,” as I felt around, moved all the limbs and appendages.
“Do you want us to call an ambulance?”
“No, no, I don’t think I need one.”
“You’re bleeding, bad.”
“On your chin.”
My hand moves toward my chin, my gloves had disappeared somehow, taken off without my knowing, and I feel around. Ugh. I can feel the side of my chin has a deep gash, the skin is split and I know this could be bad. My hand falls away and I see nothing but blood. I refuse the ambulance though. Knowing it’d cost me an arm and a leg, something I’m fortunate to still have at this moment.
“You’re going to need stitches.”
The next 45 minutes are spent calling the girl, the roommate, the cops and standing around with this Hispanic couple, who don’t speak English but who I’m trying to communicate with. They’re sorry, and they’re not running. For this I’m glad. The man gives me his insurance card to jot down details as I’m on the phone and we wait. We wait for the girl to arrive and she does. And we wait some more. We wait for the cops to get there so we can file a police report on the spot. They come, at the end of 45 minutes, another call had to be placed to check on them.
They don’t give me any **** though. For this I am glad. They take down the details and I’m with a report. I’m still bleeding. The couple who had helped me up had gone into their apartment and given me an assortment of first aid items which I was stemming the tide of blood with.
It’s cold, my body is shivering and I’m done with this. The cops leave, I shake hands with the Hispanic couple and they leave. I notice there’s not a single mark on their car where they hit me -- must have been the wheel that got me. It’s just me and the girl on Armitage now. We have to walk two miles or so to her apartment. I look at Gretchen and the awkward angle the less than a month old carbon fork now has, broken at the top of the legs. The wheel, surprisingly has held up, but is no longer true. The frame looks alright. I lift her up and on her hind, so I can wheelie her back to the girl’s.
I clean up a little at the girl’s and look at my wound. I move it a little and the skin moves way down there – I’m immediately woozy and lie down. The girl calls the emergency room and ten minutes later we’re in a cab on the way downtown. For the next three and half hours we people watch as blood continues to make its way through the gauze on my chin. I’m finally seen to. It’s wide but not deep, no stitches really necessary, just some butterfly bandages and a tetanus shot. We’re outta there. A cab takes us home.
I’m thinking again about the odds. That it’s inevitable. Amount of riding x Exposure on the streets / Driver mistake = Rider getting hurt. After all the near misses I had this summer, I knew deep down it’d happen sooner or later.
I looked in my Moleskine later to see the insurance details I had written down. I had to smirk a little when I realized that the man who had hit me, was named Jesus D. Alva. Jesus hit me with his car.
I was cursing the rain, Mother Nature on the way to the girl’s – why it had to rain, why the day itself had been frustrating with work, trying to design layouts that didn’t pop, moving onto other client work that was going nowhere fast. I was close now, in the girl’s neighbourhood and turned down a street that would lead me to the side streets that would sneak me to her place.
I pulled down Armitage, a wide one lane street, big enough for two cars if need be. A car had just started to back into a spot slowly and so I did what I usually did when I felt it was safe – I gave the car wide berth, took the lane right down the middle on the dotted line and started to pass.
As I did, I remember the last thing I saw before my chin hit the wet street – the corner of this car had come all the way out to the middle of the street, right to the line.
Bam.
I can see the street coming up to eye level just like that, my arms outstretched and my instinct to just loosen up, from years of bailing whilst skateboarding take over. I get on my side somehow but end up on my butt with one elbow propping me up. From nowhere and what felt like one minute later, my bike lands on top of me, winding me. I try to get up but I can’t. Oh ****. Did I break something?
A guy comes out of nowhere and takes the bike off me. A couple helps me up. I’m shaky, winded but okay. I think.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I think so,” as I felt around, moved all the limbs and appendages.
“Do you want us to call an ambulance?”
“No, no, I don’t think I need one.”
“You’re bleeding, bad.”
“On your chin.”
My hand moves toward my chin, my gloves had disappeared somehow, taken off without my knowing, and I feel around. Ugh. I can feel the side of my chin has a deep gash, the skin is split and I know this could be bad. My hand falls away and I see nothing but blood. I refuse the ambulance though. Knowing it’d cost me an arm and a leg, something I’m fortunate to still have at this moment.
“You’re going to need stitches.”
The next 45 minutes are spent calling the girl, the roommate, the cops and standing around with this Hispanic couple, who don’t speak English but who I’m trying to communicate with. They’re sorry, and they’re not running. For this I’m glad. The man gives me his insurance card to jot down details as I’m on the phone and we wait. We wait for the girl to arrive and she does. And we wait some more. We wait for the cops to get there so we can file a police report on the spot. They come, at the end of 45 minutes, another call had to be placed to check on them.
They don’t give me any **** though. For this I am glad. They take down the details and I’m with a report. I’m still bleeding. The couple who had helped me up had gone into their apartment and given me an assortment of first aid items which I was stemming the tide of blood with.
It’s cold, my body is shivering and I’m done with this. The cops leave, I shake hands with the Hispanic couple and they leave. I notice there’s not a single mark on their car where they hit me -- must have been the wheel that got me. It’s just me and the girl on Armitage now. We have to walk two miles or so to her apartment. I look at Gretchen and the awkward angle the less than a month old carbon fork now has, broken at the top of the legs. The wheel, surprisingly has held up, but is no longer true. The frame looks alright. I lift her up and on her hind, so I can wheelie her back to the girl’s.
I clean up a little at the girl’s and look at my wound. I move it a little and the skin moves way down there – I’m immediately woozy and lie down. The girl calls the emergency room and ten minutes later we’re in a cab on the way downtown. For the next three and half hours we people watch as blood continues to make its way through the gauze on my chin. I’m finally seen to. It’s wide but not deep, no stitches really necessary, just some butterfly bandages and a tetanus shot. We’re outta there. A cab takes us home.
I’m thinking again about the odds. That it’s inevitable. Amount of riding x Exposure on the streets / Driver mistake = Rider getting hurt. After all the near misses I had this summer, I knew deep down it’d happen sooner or later.
I looked in my Moleskine later to see the insurance details I had written down. I had to smirk a little when I realized that the man who had hit me, was named Jesus D. Alva. Jesus hit me with his car.
Last edited by absntr; 11-22-04 at 10:41 AM.
11-22-04, 10:40 AM
#2
無くなった
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I was wondering when the pic of your ER bracelet would make it here...
Just be glad that landing on your chin did not result in death or concussion. I have put my jaw through my ear canals and had it wired shut, the doctors were amazed that I did not die immediatly.
Heal quickly. Keep riding.
Just be glad that landing on your chin did not result in death or concussion. I have put my jaw through my ear canals and had it wired shut, the doctors were amazed that I did not die immediatly.
Heal quickly. Keep riding.
11-22-04, 10:46 AM
#3
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Bummer! Sounds like it could have been even worse.
From your description, it sounds like you hit the car, not vice versa. Is that wrong?
baker
From your description, it sounds like you hit the car, not vice versa. Is that wrong?
baker
11-22-04, 10:46 AM
#4
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it's been exactly a year since my face plant. reading your post, I felt like it was happening all over again. I am sorry for your pain.
How many people reading have no health insurance?
Perhaps today we should all make a plan for what to do if this happens to us.
How many people reading have no health insurance?
Perhaps today we should all make a plan for what to do if this happens to us.
11-22-04, 10:50 AM
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Originally Posted by absntr
...They’re sorry, and they’re not running. For this I’m glad. The man gives me his insurance card to jot down details as I’m on the phone and we wait....
11-22-04, 10:52 AM
#6
Tiocfáidh ár Lá
Originally Posted by Mayonnaise
How many people reading have no health insurance?
One!
11-22-04, 10:52 AM
#7
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Unfortunately, it's pronounced "Hey-sus" not "Gee-suz"...
I got lucky, when I did my head dive into the ground going to work, I didn't have insurance yet but I was lucky enough to get back on and get to work.
I got lucky, when I did my head dive into the ground going to work, I didn't have insurance yet but I was lucky enough to get back on and get to work.
11-22-04, 10:54 AM
#8
Frankly, Mr. Shankly
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Originally Posted by bbaker22
Bummer! Sounds like it could have been even worse.
From your description, it sounds like you hit the car, not vice versa. Is that wrong?
baker
From your description, it sounds like you hit the car, not vice versa. Is that wrong?
baker
There wasn't any blame or finger pointing - I knew he was wrong and so did he and there was no argument about it. He immediately gave me his insurance card so I could take down details. I was glad, last thing I wanted to do at that point was get into a fight or a blame war.
11-22-04, 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Mayonnaise
How many people reading have no health insurance?
Perhaps today we should all make a plan for what to do if this happens to us.
Perhaps today we should all make a plan for what to do if this happens to us.
11-22-04, 10:57 AM
#10
Frankly, Mr. Shankly
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Originally Posted by Mayonnaise
it's been exactly a year since my face plant. reading your post, I felt like it was happening all over again. I am sorry for your pain.
How many people reading have no health insurance?
Perhaps today we should all make a plan for what to do if this happens to us.
How many people reading have no health insurance?
Perhaps today we should all make a plan for what to do if this happens to us.
11-22-04, 10:57 AM
#11
Frankly, Mr. Shankly
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Originally Posted by slvoid
Unfortunately, it's pronounced "Hey-sus" not "Gee-suz"...
11-22-04, 11:11 AM
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Originally Posted by absntr
He was backing into a spot, slowly. I gave him another car's width berth and took the middle on the dotted line. He obviously must have felt his angle was wrong because he came all the way out suddenly and hit me as I was passing.
There wasn't any blame or finger pointing - I knew he was wrong and so did he and there was no argument about it. He immediately gave me his insurance card so I could take down details. I was glad, last thing I wanted to do at that point was get into a fight or a blame war.
There wasn't any blame or finger pointing - I knew he was wrong and so did he and there was no argument about it. He immediately gave me his insurance card so I could take down details. I was glad, last thing I wanted to do at that point was get into a fight or a blame war.
baker
Last edited by bbaker22; 11-22-04 at 11:17 AM.
11-22-04, 11:22 AM
#13
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Originally Posted by jfmckenna
One!
11-22-04, 11:23 AM
#14
idée fixée
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as far as insurance goes, any of you registered musicians can get cheap insurance through ascap.
absntr- as i sit here with the sweat evaporating off of my back from my sunny-day ride in nyc, i hope you're doing ok. it's just like hanging a rock and roll, you gotta get up and move on. heal fast.
absntr- as i sit here with the sweat evaporating off of my back from my sunny-day ride in nyc, i hope you're doing ok. it's just like hanging a rock and roll, you gotta get up and move on. heal fast.
11-22-04, 11:29 AM
#15
Shiftless bum
Originally Posted by timmhaan
yep - you have to think about these things. my brother's broken leg (10 years ago) cost almost $20,000.
Heal fast absntr
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truneo that tuned park internal nipple wrench work ??
11-22-04, 11:39 AM
#16
troglodyte
absntr - shocking to say the least. Good luck healing. Despite the injury sustained, I'm glad the more lasting damage was to your fork and not to you (even though its carbon).
11-22-04, 11:41 AM
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Even just thinking about my minor (compared to this, anyway) endo a month or two back, this scares me. Essentially, no matter how careful you are, eventually the odds are something like this will happen.
Heal fast and don't wait too long before you get back on the bike.
Heal fast and don't wait too long before you get back on the bike.
11-22-04, 11:55 AM
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ryan c
shut up and prescribe something already.
Naz - quick recovery. glad you are still here!
shut up and prescribe something already.
Naz - quick recovery. glad you are still here!
11-22-04, 12:12 PM
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Glad to hear your ok, other than your chin. I'm always worried that when I give a wide berth to a car that's parallel parking or potentially going to open the driver side door, I'm gonna get hit by a car in another lane. You could always count on Jesus doing the right thing and giving you his insurance. Hope Jesus takes care of your bike too! Heal fast!
11-22-04, 12:14 PM
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Absntr,
Glad you're ok (relatively).
Heal quickly
Marty
Glad you're ok (relatively).
Heal quickly
Marty
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Sono più lento di quel che sembra.
Odio la gente, tutti.
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Odio la gente, tutti.
Want to upgrade your membership? Click Here.
11-22-04, 12:22 PM
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Glad you're still kicking. 12 years ago I had an appendectomy when I had no insurance... I'm still afraid to answer my phone if the caller ID says "unavailable". You seem in good spirits, keep your chin up.
11-22-04, 01:54 PM
#22
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This totally and completely sucks, man. I hope you have a quick recovery and the same goes for your bike as well. Hearing of people getting hit just gives me this sick, sinking feeling. I hate it. And it keeps happening.
What's scary about the health insurance thing is that it's getting worse. A lot worse. There's an article on salon.com right now that I'm trying to find, but can't at the moment, so short of that go look here https://www.livejournal.com/users/poulsbo/ at the top entry, wher my friend has quoted it. As if I needed any more reason to get the hell out of here.
What's scary about the health insurance thing is that it's getting worse. A lot worse. There's an article on salon.com right now that I'm trying to find, but can't at the moment, so short of that go look here https://www.livejournal.com/users/poulsbo/ at the top entry, wher my friend has quoted it. As if I needed any more reason to get the hell out of here.
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Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
11-22-04, 01:59 PM
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Hope you're healing well.
Damn that Jesus! Just when I thought I had him figured out...
Back the drawing board I go.
Damn that Jesus! Just when I thought I had him figured out...
Back the drawing board I go.
11-22-04, 02:11 PM
#25
Frankly, Mr. Shankly
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Thank for the well wishes everyone. Much appreciated.
I'm sorting out what I need to do with the bike, whether or not it'll need to be replaced or if I can salvage it. It's at the girl's and I was scared and too tired to give it a once over. Contemplating picking up a KHS Flite 100 that someone is selling used on Craigslist locally or seeing if I can get a new fork and then get the wheel rebuilt. Hopefully the frame is alright. Seeing as how it wasn't a high-speed accident, I hope the bike came out okay.
I'm already itching to ride again.
I'm sorting out what I need to do with the bike, whether or not it'll need to be replaced or if I can salvage it. It's at the girl's and I was scared and too tired to give it a once over. Contemplating picking up a KHS Flite 100 that someone is selling used on Craigslist locally or seeing if I can get a new fork and then get the wheel rebuilt. Hopefully the frame is alright. Seeing as how it wasn't a high-speed accident, I hope the bike came out okay.
I'm already itching to ride again.