Life is like a box of chocolates...oh really? Since when does a box of chocolates contain a special dark blend of painful reminders of mortality and the after effects of an accident? Just a couple of weeks ago I got a sharp reminder that, against all previous beliefs, I'm not totally invincible and made of kevlar. I'm going to post a more thoughtful write up shortly, I learnt quite a few good things in the aftermath but right now I feel like a quick rant.
Frankly, I'm mega pissed off. It has to go down as one of the most stupid accidents I can think of (in a general sense at least) applying to me. My smug "it'll never happen to me, I'm way too experienced and aware on the bike" premise is in tattered shreds, rammed face first into the congrete road way of The Big Bad World, or just plain reality as we know it. I fucked up and now I get to live with it.
Briefly, there I was minding my own busines not quite nearly enough when Ms Average Driver in Mummy's car decides this piece of road is a great place to stop. And what was muggins here doing? Daydreaming of the fantastic week of holidays ahead and NOT LOOKING AT THE FRIGGING ROAD! Oh for the love of God, how dense can I be? Honestly? Pretty darn dense as it happens, thanks for asking.
So, I turn back just in time to begin the whole "oh shit!" process which turns quickly into "Ouch!" as my once lovely bike rams head first up her arse. The irony kills me, as that was where my head was in a personal sense milliseconds before. In some weird way I'm a blessed soul as I'm only still limping around on a banged up hip with few grazes to speak of. My bike, though cosmetically speaking is the bike equivalent to a smashed crab, is still structually in good nick and totally repairable.
This does not change the fact that I'm angry at myself most for losing that essential riding instinct for danger and just being simply plugged in to what is going on. At the time I just wasn't, I was days into the future enjoying all that the week held. Not in the here and now, keeping my arse in the saddle and my bike upright. You have no idea how much that shits me and how much simple fun it has now cost me, and let's not mention the insurance issues right now....
Dopey Girly was exactly that, dopey. But not evil or reckless or lining me up. She just did something rather stupid and I walked right into the middle of it, so to speak. So as I blame her poor judgement to stop for no clear reason so I judge my own lack of "switched-oneness" for want of a better term. I'm simply lucky that my lights weren't turned off permenantly.
I'll catch you later...
