Hesitation Equals Death

I popped a tube on my way home from school today. I have about a 3 hour window til I had to go to work. I did my usual do nothing before I actually did have to go to work. Within that time I did actually do nothing and forgot to change my tube. When I was getting ready for work I realized this. I scrambled to get my tube changed like a pit crew at a NASCAR race. I got dressed and went out the door knowing I was going to have to book it extra hard to get to work on time.

There is a slight hill on 17-92 going down on my way to work where I can get some good speed. I just passed Barn Hills, aka the most disgusting place I've ever eaten or been to in my life, when a white Grand Caravan went past me. There was an older couple in the vehicle pulling into some parking lot. I'm not sure what the store they were going to was though. Anyway, the man who was driving came to a halt to turn into the parking lot when he saw me coming at a good speed and almost directly behind him. He did a slight hesitant turn to the right as to pull in, but stopped and then decided to gun it in the parking lot. His effort was in vein as I was already to his immediate right.

I find it amazing how fast the brain can process something. You can take one look, just long enough to blink and information is sent to every part of the body on what to do before you even know to think about it. Well, I knew I was going to be hit by this van at this point. So many things went through my mind; the crash , what would happen to me, my bike, thinking about fun things I've done with my friends, people I've never talked to, but just seen in a hallway, and at the same time I felt like nothing when through my head. I consider that my life flashing before my eyes.

I felt my front wheel hit the passenger side of the van and my body being trusted forward. I had my right hand on my break trying to evade the situation, but it was no use. I didn't think to do this, but I guess as a bodily reflex to live I put my left hand out and planted it on the van. From there I pushed as hard as I could to keep my face from smacking into the vehicle. Somehow that actually seemed to work and I was able to throw myself off of my bike. I got my left leg a little caught up in my pedal, but I was able to run off the entire crash. I ran off the crash. I went through what had just happened in my head a thousand times, as I put my hands on my hips, exhaled slowly, and turned around to see the damage.

I figured my bike was completely run over at this point. I figured I wasn't going to be going to work that day. I thought about how scared my mom was going to be when I told her what had happened. I thought about everything, but at the same time nothing really registered in my mind. I felt like everything was not there and everything like me sitting at home watching this on television.

The old couple had actually not run over my bike and got out of the car to ask if I was alright. I was fine, or what seemed to be fine. I removed my bike from underneath their car to see the wreckage. The couple then parked their car and assessed their damage quickly. They went over to me asking if I was alright repeatedly and if they should call an ambulance. I replied with I'm fine I just need to fixed my bike. As I went to adjust my stem to line up the steering I asked them if they were alright. I figured they were since they were in a van, but hell I could have given them a heart attack. The man said they were both fine and just continued to worry about me.

I stood up only to shake the man's hand and to tell him thank you for stopping to see if I was alright. They didn't really have an option because they were at their point of destination. I then left without a name, a number, or anything. I didn't care about a settlement for money, or how much I could get out of them for a new bike. I didn't think about that at all. I was in such a complete daze to everything. I laughed off some of it on my ride to work, that is until I realized my front tire was going flat. It was the same tired I had change just 5 minutes before the accident. I made it to work and I called my mom. She freaked out to say the least, but I assured her I was alright.

Shock was the worst part of this whole ordeal. For the next two or three hours I was walking around feeling confused, but I knew what was going on. I felt like everything I was doing wasn't real and wasn't happened. It was kinda like you knew you were dreaming and decided to do whatever. I thought about a lot of things, but nothing seemed to register and stick. I thought about so many things and the accident so much I got a headache.