Key in the cognition - November 20th, 2007

06:47 pm - Crash boom bang

I've been pretty busy with work for the last few weeks and haven't had anything particularly exciting about which to write. That streak ended today when a pick-up truck backed into me while trying to parallel park. I was riding behind it when it stopped. I stopped behind it and was about to pass it on the left when I discovered, to my horror, that it was reversing. Although there were a few feet between us, it's impossible to backpedal on a bicycle so I tried to dismount as fast as I could but to no avail. The truck slammed right into my front wheel while I was still seated. In desperation I kicked off and flipped backwards off the bike and onto the road.

Almost immediately thereafter, the truck stopped moving and the driver got out to see if I was OK. My calves hurt from being mashed against the pedals but I was otherwise unhurt. [Ironically, I'd been hit right outside the best hospital in the city.] My bike's front wheel was completely destroyed and the kick-stand had been snapped off but the frame looked undamaged so I exchanged contact information with the driver, who gave me and my bike a ride home. I estimated the damage at roughly $200 so he handed me that amount in cash and said I could call him if it turned out to be insufficient.

I'll be taking the shuttle to Palo Alto tomorrow and will be in NYC until next Wed so I won't need to use my bike for another week, which should give me enough time to have the wheel replaced.

Current Mood: relieved