bike accident

Thank You Jesus Christ for Creating The Way of Your Word!

What happened yesterday

Yesterday I did my typical ride to school. No big deal, same nice "good mornings" in the park and quiet ride through the neighborhood. Even then out onto 40th at Busch, so nice with no cars around.

I usually try to leave by 8am, or 9am at the latest because Busch Gardens opens at 9am, so there will be a bunch of traffic there. I was running late, but cut across Busch, with no on there, wow. Then the line at the turn onto 40th was short too. So I passed them all up and the light changed just as I went through the intersection.

Then all the drivers to race past me. Something about these poor Florida folks they all have cars bigger than my bike, so they need to show me how fast they can pass me. Like that makes them bigger and better somehow? I always get nervous at the Busch Gardens entrance because the bike lane goes straight, while the entrance lines up to my right and turns in. So for a moment I will have cars on both sides. That always freaks me out. People get so slow coming up on my right, or they try to rush in front of me from the left... crazy, all of them...

Really Stupid people sometimes, so what I'm in the road too, just accept it and WAIT YOUR TURN, 3 seconds more for a bike wont kill you. And so I always can feel everyone watching me. Like they never saw a bike before, and a bike passing cars is just out of hand. So I went on down 40th and got to Fowler. So here we go again, across Fowler and into the turn lane for USF. Passed them all up and got to the intersection as the light changed again. It was funny.

I love when that happens, I don't have to stop or slow down. Then I can just race down Leroy Collins Blvd into campus. The enterance has a slight hill down into campus. Florida only gets slight little hills, but when you get one it's great. Course as the light changed everyone starts to race past me again . . . only to stop at the next light at Alumni Drive, where I passed them all again anyway. Always makes me wonder how these people could live where passing the lone biker is so important.

As the light changed again they all started to race past me again. I was moving too. I love racing down into campus and always wonder how fast I go, since the cars don't always catch up to me, depending on the timing of the light and how much I slow down or don't.

So just as I see this car coming up on my left, I'm racing in the bike lane of course, and see the red blur come up next to me, just speeding up to pass me to.... AND HE TURNS...

What? Yes, he turns right into me. Barely even passed me yet, but the enterance for the first parking lot is there, and you know he's got a car so he owns the road. SMASH. He clips me off and I hit his rear end. Shit at least pass me before you try to cut in front of me! I caught his antenna and stayed up. He pulled in and parked where I could see him. And the car behind him stopped to see if I was ok . . .

So I got there names and phone numbers, wrote down the tag number too. I mean I was just researching how cars are assault to a bike . . . SHIT! So then I went over to the red racer. Got his tag number and the kid looked like he didn't care, busy talking on his cell phone, didn't even open the door. He opened his window as I came up to him. I told him to shut off the car "you wont die without air conditioning for a few minutes..."

Then I asked for his insurance card and drivers lisence, he's fumbling around with the phone still. Christopher Scott Calikins . . . "Wow my son is Christopher, and funny my only brother-in-law is named Scott, small world." So I started writing things down. He didn't seem to care or hear me... Then I noticed the Oracle in the back of his car.

Oh so I've been working on this Article and researching the biker laws in Florida. "You know I'm a pedestrian and hitting me with a car is assault with a deadly weapon. If the cops showed up now they would arrest you... maybe in a week you could get a hearing... " He glanced up at me a few times from the phone.... no apology, no concern over me or the bike... Oh except he asked for his antenna back. lol... "oh sure kid, this is exhibit number one, it broke, wont do you any good now"

And I turned and road off. Oh, then I stopped and turned back. Gave him a card and said call me, or better yet call University Cycle on Fletcher and ask them about fixing a Specialized Crossroads....

The kid barely even looked at me... dam stupid drivers can't respect anyone else on the road.

He never called. Ellen in the office gave me ice for my hand. My thumb is still kinda numb now??? Sharon told me to call them and then the insurance company if they weren't cooperative.

So when I got home I called. His mom answered and got his dad got on the phone. So Scott tells me that I freaked out his poor little son. Telling him that it was assault and the police would arrest him. He told me his son was really naive. Helpless poor kid, where daddy was going to protect him again. Oh jesse, gvie mea break... he'll never grow up.

Then the guy tells me that the marks on the car were in the back corner, so I ran into a turning car. Like I had to stop for the car already in the intersection. WHAT?

Oh I got pissed! WHAT A FUCKEN IDIOT! Yes it is assault. Racing a bike is one thing, but cutting him off is ROAD RAGE! If little Christopher had cut off a car the same way, we would all be in the hospital now.... Course I hung up on him then. I wasn't in the mode for such crap. He called me back and said why don't we try to be adults about this. So I said fine, fix my bike, or let me get it repaired... Or better yet the last tune up was maybe $150 so tell your son to visit me next week with a apology. Like a little card with a check in it to get it fixed.

What $150 to fix a bent handle bar... ??? He's only got this little mark by the window. Oh he's got no clue I ride a real bike not a $50 Wal-Mart special. Yes so just go buy me a new bike and we can forget the whole thing. "What a new bike?" Oh forget it mister I'll just talk to the insurance company. And he said fine, and hung up. So I called them and reported it. And now I want to get a police report and file assault charges.

It's one thing for the kid to not even apologise, call or anything. He didn't even care I had to ride home that night anyway. But then to rationalize about the accident and try to blame me for it. What's wrong with these people? A bike is a pedestrian. And even in the street we have rights too, you can't just smash them off the road because it's time to turn. I guess my little article will teach people a little bit. But an assault charge and criminal procedings might get the truth out there.

Yucko, I hate havingto deal with such idiots? what's wrong with these people? Oh I figured it was the Chevy or Ford Commercials about how big and fast their cars are... where you can rule the roads. . . Dumb kids all programmed like robots... reminds me: www.themeatrix.com

I Love You Dearest Loving Lord Jesus Christ. Please lead and guide me to fulfill the Glory of Father Son and Holy Ghosts. Amen