Friday 14 November 2008

To Cycle Or Not To Cycle?

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek



Not long ago I described a lovely walk that I enjoyed with my sister in law and these are some of the photos that I took as we walked along the cycle path.
I described how dangerous the silent cyclists were when they sneaked up behind us with out warning, not ringing their bells or shouting out that they were there.
However,  all this cycling  talk reminds me of the last time I was on a bike myself, only few years ago.............



I used to cycle to and from work........... but not anymore!



One lunch time, I happened to be cycling home from work and was waiting at a junction to turn right into a very busy main road and I can remember pulling away.......... 
The next thing I remember was lying on my back in the road and an ambulance was not far away. I could see it. A lady was saying, "Now don't you worry about the blood, a little bit goes a long way. You silly girl why didn't you wear a crash helmet?" 
The paramedics had arrived by then and put a neck brace on me and slid a straight board under my body. The right temple over my eye brow was gushing blood. They bandaged it.

I was worried about what would happen to my bike and a woman in one of the houses said she'd take it in for me.

It turned out (and I only learned this later from other people), that an elderly driver had driven into the back of my  bike while trying to pull away on the same righthand turn too, but had not given me time to get away.
When she saw what had happened, she ran away to get someone to help, leaving me to lie unconscious in a busy road that has juggernauts thundering by. Anyway I was well out of it so didn't know the danger I was in at the time.

After a couple of days in hospital suffering from concussion, throwing up and so dizzy that I could hardly walk, I looked a sorry mess with black eyes, bruising and swellings on various bits of my anatomy, I had to take a couple of weeks from work and was sore for ages.
People used to joke as to whether my old man had given me the black eyes. Not so funny after the first half dozen times you hear that!

I did try and get back to cycling again, after I'd had the wheel straightened out, but it wasn't the same after that.
Flashbacks........

This is my story and these are my photos. Photostory Friday, hosted by Cicely and MamaGeek.
 





44 comments:

® ♫ The Brit ♪ ® said...

Great photos Maggie! I love the one under the arch...
Oh no that must have been a real shock getting knocked off of your bike! But you was so lucky it wasn't so bad and that the car that hit you was that one pulling out from the road! But it must have been very traumatic!

imbeingheldhostage said...

Wow Maggie! What a great PSF and I'm so glad you're still around to tell it! (A little blood goes a long way-- that's great). Your shots are lovely.

Irina said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Poor you Maggie - can imagine you never felt the same cycling after that.

Lovely photos though.

I have to agree with you about cyclists not ringing a bell to warn pedestrians. Now where is my soapbox ......

A x

Anonymous said...

Oh you poor love. How awful and how wicked of the driver to run away.

We have a path at the top of the cliff where Milou and I walk every day. It is a pedestrian path but is often used by cyclists. i get miffed when they furiously ring their bells to make us move, it sounds so officious. I would much rather they whistled merrily or sang loudly or coughed. Daft I know, but it is our path and they should dismount unless we walkers beckon them through. What an old biddy I am.
Sad that you cannot cycle any more.

Mean Mom said...

Heavens those photos look so familiar, but I suppose one cycle path looks much the same as another, doesn't it??

What a scary story! I'm not surprised that you don't want to cycle any more. My son was also knocked off his bike, by a motorist, whilst he was waiting to turn right. A driver emerging from the right turn drove straight into him. He stopped to check that son was OK, but then left him lying in the road, with the traffic steering round him!

I'm glad that you suffered no lasting physical injury, anyway and that someone came forward to get you some help.

earthlingorgeous said...

Oh my! Glad you survived that one sounds so scary! thanks for sharing us this story! Lovely photos too.

Earth

cheshire wife said...

Glad that you are still around to tell the tale. Roads today are too busy for cyclists unless there is a cycle lane.

Indrani said...

I too wouldn't have got back to cycling after this kind of a scary accident. Great PSF!

tiarastantrums said...

You poor dear - great photos though!

Expat mum said...

Blimey Maggie - I'm surprised you ever got on a bike again!
That looks just like the Derwent Walk where my mother lives. They do all look the same don't they?

Jeni said...

Yep, I think that might be enough to scare me away from cycling too! But, on another note, your pictures were great!

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Sorry to hear about your cycling accident, Maggie. I'm sure you felt very sore and traumatised for a long time afterwards. (There doesn't seem to have been much sympathy for you at the time...except for the lady who looked after your bike.) Big hugs Hxx

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

This was BEAUTIFUL Maggie. That first shot just draws me in, what eye candy.

Anonymous said...

They say that when you fall off you need to get right back up and ride again, but I don't blame you. I don't know that I could do it either. Scary story. I'm glad you were "alright".

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

Great photo's but jeezo what a tale about the accident. No wonder you are nervous about getting back on a bike. I didn't look at your accident pictures as I am horribly squeamish but glad you are here to tell the tale.

aims said...

OMG! I wouldn't go back to it either Maggie!

Aren't some people so kind when they are needed the most!

I'm glad a concussion and bruises was the extent. You're lucky and you know it.

Suburbia said...

Lovely pics.

Gosh, that sounds nasty but could have been so much worse I suppose. Glad you're still here to tell the tale :)

Chris said...

That is frightening. Glad to hear it worked out okay -- eventually.
These pictures are very nice.

RiverPoet said...

I'm so glad you were relatively okay, Maggie! Oh my. I can certainly see why you don't cycle like you used to.


We gave our son a bike this year so that he could get around the very large college campus. He loves it and always wears his helmet, but I do worry about him. I've encouraged him to wait until spring to start riding the bike the 8 miles to and from the campus because it's not good for bikers to be out there in the dark. It's hard enough in the daytime.

Peace - D

Izzy, Emmy 'N Alexander said...

Lovely set of photos. Thank you for sharing your story!

Wendy said...

Ouch! What a nasty accident. No wonder you haven't been back to biking.
I enjoyed your photos. They do look serene.
Glad you are here to tell the tale!

Irina said...

Maggie, I deleted my comment because you've read it in my blog and left the answer.

Yesterday I didn't read your story but today I came back and read. Interesting! Your pics are nice. Have a good day

Mama Wheaton said...

I love the photos, though I am sorry about your accident. I'm going to borrow (if that's ok) your line , a little blood goes a long way, I have 3 boys and it would come in handy.

Irene said...

I can imagine that this will take the joy out of riding your bicycle for good. It is really ashame though, since riding a bike is such a good way to get around.

Good story with a happy ending and great photographs. I am so glad that you are okay and able to tell about it. That's the most important thing.

Lulda Casadaga said...

Love the pics and sorry about your bike accident. That would give me pause to get back on a bike again.
:(
I helped save a guy once who was also hit from behind by a motorist. Thank god no bones were sticking out, but he was pretty banged up and bleeding from a flesh wound. The funny part of the story is that he asked me if his bike was ok and I said your bike is dead! At which he became really upset and proceeded to tell me his bike was 1 of 5 in the world...specially made...similar to a Lance Armstrong model.

Well, I said...I hope you have insurance! LOL

david mcmahon said...

Ouch, Maggie, I don;t think I'd be brave enough to ride after an experience like that.

Sandi McBride said...

Oh Maggie...you poor dear! It's no wonder you don't like biking anymore...I loved biking at one time, but nothing so traumatic as that caused me to stop...just laziness! So sweet of you to drag up what have to be painful memories like that to share with us...
Sandi

Granny Smith said...

Biking has become too dangerous to indulge in where I live. And it used to be such fun! Otto and I once took a two week bike trip through New Hampshire and Vermont. But that was a long time ago when our bodies were stronger and the roads less crowded with cars.
It must have been terrifying to think that you had been left unconscious at the mercy of traffic on a busy road!

® ♫ The Brit ♪ ® said...

Hi Maggie,
Just passing by here like you asked... as I have just written and posted part four of my story!
Hugs! x

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Maggie - me again to let you know I have tagged you. Details at my blog.

A x

MarmiteToasty said...

Good grief, Im so glad you lived to tell the tale.....

The photos are wonderful....

Im desperately wanting to get back on me bike, but as yet I do not have enough knee bend, but Im working on it at the hospital physio department 3 times a bloody week.... that is my aim, to get back on a bike :0)...

x

Grit said...

i don't know whether i want to get back on my bike or not, now!

the mother of this lot said...

Glad you lived to tell the tale Maggie!

Expat mum said...

On a different note Maggie, if you go over to A View From England, there's information on a knitting for charity excerise. (Knitting the world's biggest tea cosy). Deadling is this week though. www.brilliantbritain.blogspot.com

nanatrish said...

I am so sorry about that terrible accident. I know you must have been frigtened. Thank the Lord you were not hurt worse. I try to tell myself that when I get too old I will stop driving. I pray I will have enough sense to do it. That woman probably felt terrible about what happened, but maybe she should have stopped driving prior to that. Bikes are such good exercise and good for the environment, but I am kind of a scary cat so I probably would only ride my bike in certain situations. good post!

Saz said...

crumbs!! Ive heard some horrow stories about cycle accidents, and lm not the best coordinated cyclist there is, l'm always very wary. take care!!

rosecreekcottage-carol.blogspot.com said...

Gosh, Maggie! This was awful. I'm sure the flashbacks haunt you. I cannot believe the driver left you there! Your photos are beautiful, though. Congrats on your POD award!!

Richard Lawry said...

My daughters first attempt at mountain biking wasn't that sever, but she did break her to severely when she crashed into a tree.

An Arkie's Musings

Hilary said...

Yikes.. I'm not surprised that you'd find it hard to get back into it again after that. I'm sorry you went through that but glad you're ok now.

Jules~ said...

Now that is definitely a story to tell. How scary! A friend of fine took a good spill all by herself last spring while trying to take off her riding gloves. Her front tire hit a rock jsut right (or wrong) and over the front she went. Even with a helmet, she was a mess. I can imagine it did take you quite a while to get over your pains. And that feeling of waking up in the road...yikes!

Those pictures are incredible! Especially the arch picture. Wow I am going to have to go back to your profile and see where you live.

And you commented on those sneaky bikers that come up behind you without signaling...not nice indeed. I do appreciate on my walks when the bikers yell out "your left" before they pass me by.

SandyCarlson said...

These are wonderful photos, and that looks like a great path--oh to stay on it! I am glad you are tenacious.

Working Mum said...

Poor you! I do think we need some of those government ads about watching for cyclists. It's so dangerous to cycle round here, I actually gave my bike away when I moved house.
(Perhaps a second driving test wouldn't go amiss for some either -don't get me started on the elderly drivers over here in 'Pensioner City')

Cath said...

Ouch! MAggie I am not surprised you don't cycle anymore.
Glad it wasn;t worse.