Monday, June 23, 2008

Hit by a car.

I got hit by a car late this morning on Spadina Road. I was being perfectly safe---as safe as a cyclist can be---and a car drove right into me. The man driving had, I think, decided it would be a good idea to pass on the right, alongside/between sporadically parked cars, to get ahead of traffic. Except that I was on his right, in the lane with the parked cars.

It was broad daylight, and the road is straight, and I was riding at a constant pace.

So he hit me---my seat, actually---and I flew over the bike and landed on the road. I have a bruised and scraped up left knee, right elbow and arm, and left palm. I am otherwise ok. (Thank goodness for jeans and a jean jacket.) I didn't hit my head, but I easily could have fallen a different way or been hit at a different angle, and could have.

Please, friends, wear a helmet when you bike. (I always wear one.)

When the driver of the car eventually stopped and came over, all he could say was that he'd seen me fall. And then he proceeded to argue with me that he had not hit me. Bullshit. Me seat is torn and it was turned around. Not to mention the fact of my fly through the air.

I was too shaken up to argue with him or get his license plate. I realize now that I should have, but I just never thought of it when I had the chance.

My knee hurts and is swollen and bruised. I've been icing it, so hopefully I'll be better come tomorrow.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Get well soon. Important thing is you're alive. That guy's a real asshole.

Dafydd Hughes said...

aw jeez. what a jerk. happy bike safety week. get better soon, and keep biking.

The History Enthusiast said...

I hope you start to feel better soon. Mike is right; that guy was a total asshole. Maybe you'll see the car again and you can get the license number.

blogwatt said...

holy crap. i'm glad you're okay.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Sorry to hear about the accident and I hope your knee gets better soon. As someone who also gets around a lot on a bicycle you better believe I wring my little dumb bell at everyone who gets close (not that it would matter with a car, but I like to think it's more menacing that it actually is).