I didn't get to work yesterday.
And I'm not there today.
Rather than go to work, I decided to crack a rib or two and enjoy a number of other injuries, the least of which is gravel rash.
Well, I say I decided but it was in fact a petite Nurse who decided to chance running across the road in front of me who made that decision. A decision she might think twice about in future once the dentist has reset her front teeth.
The road (A34 into Birmingham just south of Great Barr) was rammed full of cars. I had the benefit of a nice clear cycle path and was enjoying my commute. Approaching a pelican crossing I slowed a little, y'know, just in case, down to around 17 mph. Lucky for a middle aged nurse really, as she saw a gap in the traffic and decided to leg it. This forced the cars to break against the flow of the lights (they were green for road traffic) and left me with nowhere to go. To my left is the kerb, to my right cars. In front of me was a Nurse, we became acquainted via a rather unpleasant crunch, and then I left her with neither wheel in touch with the tarmac. I landed on my back (cracked ribs anyone?) and continued a roll, still clipped into my bike. My bike ended up on the grass verge and somehow, I never touched a car.
Fortunately, it was witnessed by an off duty fireman and his mother, who turned out to be the brother and mother of the copper who turned up. Freaky or what?
The first words the copper said to me were "I've been told what happened, I need a statement but you don't have anything to worry about".
Given the nature of the motorist/cyclist relationship I was expecting the witnesses to say I aimed for her on purpose, grinning like a maniac, not shouting "Noooooo!", as I was.
The fact is, this nurse did something we've all done at times. She took a chance. She saw a gap in traffic without really looking properly. She simply wasn't expecting anybody to be riding a cycle. Not even in a cycle lane. The copper said (quite off the record so perhaps I'm breaking a little confidence here), "I don't want to sound callous, but perhaps that'll teach her to use the lights properly, they're there for a reason". I think he must have warned the Nurse a little because she actually apologised before we both left the scene, something I never asked for or expected.
Anyway, I'm off the bike for around a month.
Great huh?
Keep Pedalin’
Gazza
