The Motorcycle Accident I Walked Away From
Falling off a motorcycle isn't always a bad experience, providing you follow the right course of action afterwards. The moment before impact is a frozen image. Your eyes go camera – tiny shutters – capturing the instant in perfect stillness. Sight, sound, smell – all are heightened and then crystallized. Every detail is ingrained forever, burned into the mind's eye.Recently, I was nearly hit by a car. That's a near hit. Not a near miss. No matter how skilled a rider you are and no matter how good your motorcycle is, odds are, you will have a close call or two with your fellow man while out on the road.
I was turning right at a crossroad junction. The green light bade me continue. I taxed forward slowly to make sure everything was clear. This saved me. By the time I saw the insane BMW drive, he was coming straight for me at my twelve o'clock. I really don't know how he didn't hit me.
Heart in mouth, I lurched to a halt and then banked the motorcycle over to the left as much as I could. The front fork dipped. I curled up small. This all happened in less than a second. You don't know how fast you can react until your life depends on it.
The gap between us must have been less than a centimeter. The laws of physics seemed to have been suspended for that one moment. We should have collided. Pedestrians gasped and gaped at the two of us; the collision all but inevitable to their wanting eyes. But he didn't hit me. He just kept on going.
Then, came a huge wave of adrenaline. I was shaking all over. People were staring at me. Without thinking, I turned to pursue, hauling my motorcycle around in a tight arc, nearly popping a wheelie in the process.
My blood was up. I consider myself an easy kind of guy and I'm opposed to violence unless it's absolutely necessary. I wasn't out to hurt the idiot. But I just had to talk with kin. I needed his explanation. Seeing me in his mirrors he speeded away. And with the amount of adrenaline in my system I was in no shape to chase him around Bangkok... I stopped at a coffee shop on Phahon Yothin Road to relax, called my girlfriend and canceled the meeting I was going too.
Anonymous User
Every ride, every day is a life threatening experience.