Saturday 21 October 2017

A BRUSH WITH NOT-QUITE-DEATH

I'm feeling glad to be alive and walking! On my bike trips to Hemel Hempstead I take a beautiful country lane of just over 2 miles, and at one point there's a fairly blind intersection. I was halfway across it doing about 5mph when round a bend to my right came a car doing maybe 50. The woman driver hit the brakes and it was one of those moments when you just watch it happening as if in slow motion. This large vehicle was heading directly for me and as the yards closed it didn't deviate. 
At about 10 feet out it was clear she wasn't going to stop in time, and I was actually waiting for the impact, but by the wonders of ABS she was able to turn at the last second and stop alongside me. Then, through her half - open window she began to abuse me for being in the middle of the road. I tried to point out that until that place in the junction I couldn't even see her, and she shouldn't be going that fast. I wasn't polite, I have to admit. Coming that close to being smashed and bent up on the road tends to have that effect. She drove off still telling me I was some kind of idiot, and I shouted after her to slow down.
The inevitable result of this is being reminded of the fragility of our human existence. Having been knocked off from behind by a car travelling at 40mph some 6 years ago, I know well enough that the danger is real. I could so easily be lying on a hospital trolley right now waiting for surgery and wondering how badly this will turn out. or unconscious. Or worse.
It makes me thankful, at the end of the day, which this is.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Chris. Thanks God that nothing happened to you. God did not want that you had the same experience back 6 years ago! He is good!

    ReplyDelete

Please leave a comment!

IT MAKES YOU THINK

In 3 days time, on Saturday 28th July, I will be exactly the same age my dad was when he died. He was 64 and 2 weeks. It was no age, we all...