cycling
04. September, 05:49 Uhr
Please bear with my stream of consciousness.
Last night, my best friend arrived into my college town for the weekend. I haven't seen him since February, and was really excited to ride with him for our first time riding together. I go to school in a pretty flat area, so we were planning on doing a moderate 50-60 miles or so and enjoy a good Saturday workout.
3:05 we roll out.
3:40, he's laying on his back in the middle of the road with a compressed spine, fractured c2, a cracked helmet, torn up shin, elbow, wrist, and
We were going on a straight flat route (haven't really had the stomach to put this on strava to look at it) doing 28mph in a group of four (single file, 2m gaps) when I hear the sound of a horn blaring behind me. A car had crossed the double yellow lane (no passing zone) into oncoming traffic and overtook all four of us in less than ten seconds (we're in a 40mph zone coming up on a stop sign).
He holds down the horn, clears my friend in front of me (I'm riding second), swerves to cut him off, and slams on the brakes. My friend barely has time to react before he crashes headfirst into the rear of the car. I immediately hop off my bike, and at the same time the driver exits the car and starts cursing out my friend who is lying on the road. My two other friends are keeping this guy off of him, writing down license plates, calling the police, while I'm making sure my friend's neck is stabilized.
I don't have video footage of the accident but I recorded this insane driver talking about how we shouldn't have been there and all kind of nonsense while at the same time yelling at my friend to get out of the road. I also have recorded how the passengers of the car were saying that it was his fault, and that he should not have passed over the double line and how they were yelling at him the whole time. I absolutely refused to let him get near my friend until the ambulance arrived.
I have never seen a more malicious driver in my entire life. I felt such a strange feeling of emotion that I am not sure how I refrained from punching the guy square in the fucking mouth. I really have never been so angry in my entire life. My hands literally did not stop shaking until about an hour after I made it to the hospital.
The police officer arrived first and helped me stabilize my friend until the ambulance arrived. They put him in the ambulance, and I asked the police officer to interview each of the four cyclists separately and also to check the driver for intoxication, signs of concussion, etc so he couldn't claim any reason why the police report that we were filing should be nullified for any reason.
We got pictures of the bike, the double yellow line, the car, the cracked helmet, everything. After the police officer interviewed me, I got in the ambulance and headed to the hospital with my friend while she stayed to interview the driver and my two other friends. My friend had two ct scans, and a bunch of other tests and is so fucking fortunate to walk away without a concussion, without blacking out, without being paralyzed or killed. The helmet took most of the blow and cracked right down the middle. Bike was only scratched but we will most likely have the carbon wheels and frame and bars inspected before riding again.
The driver had the audacity to claim that he slammed on the brakes because of a stop sign up ahead, even though the GPS shows the nearest intersection to be over 100m away. Fortunately, the officer actually booked him for a court date and a criminal charge (misdemeanor) of reckless driving. With the great way the medical industry is in the country, my friend will definitely have to press charges possibly in a civil suit and we figure a bill of at least 20k in medical expenses for today's events alone.
He's going to be in a neck brace for 4-6 weeks, which is better than not walking and I'm just happy he's alive.
I'm sure I'm missing some of the details but I just wanted to get some thoughts out. The attitude towards cyclists expressed by that driver was quite literally nauseating. When I close my eyes, all I see is a replay of a car swerving over and brake lights lighting up and my best friend crumpling into the back end of the SUV. I know I'm not the one that crashed, but I still am not sure exactly how to feel right now.
It could have been any of us, and any of us could have been seriously injured or killed, we all roll turns and it just so happened that he was the one in front. I have never been on the receiving end of road rage, only hearing about it, but I will probably be buying a trainer and sticking with that until I get out of the midwest or at least till racing season on closed roads. I feel absolutely sick to my stomach. I just got back to my apartment from the hospital, ate some food, and sat down to type this. My hands have kind of stopped shaking, I tried to have a glass of wine but I couldn't stomach it.
Anyone experience any similar situations and have any advice? I've never been in a bike crash before (I'm 21). I cannot unsee this crash. I close my eyes and it just happens again and again and again.
Really could use some guidance and experience right now, thanks.
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