Was I really almost killed twice while riding my bike today?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (205796)
Walnut Creek, California
August 8, 2016 12:15am CST
No, only once. I would have "won" the second collision.
The first occurred in the parking lot a shopping center, just after I had deposited some cash at the Versatel (B of A) machine. I was riding slowly in the proper lane, when a woman started to make a left turn from the oncoming direction right into me.
I took evasive action to my right, and she screeched to a stop. She missed me by about 18 inches. She said, "I'm so sorry" from her open driver window. I smiled and said, "No harm, no foul" as I cycled off. I couldn't tell if she'd been on her cell phone or not. But she was obviously distracted by something. I was proud of my relationship with my older Trek 820, which I've had for many years. My evasive action saved a collision. It's hard to know what the extent of my injuries would have been had she gotten me.
About fifteen minutes later, I was on the "safe" part of a bike path, away from roads. I spied a "nerdy" teenager walking from my right toward the bike path. He was looking at his cell phone. I slowed to about 10 mph, but assumed he'd look up. He did not, and walked right in front of me. I applied both brakes full force and screeched to a stop, about six inches from his left hip.
He said, "Oh, sorry," and never took his eyes off of his cell phone. I gestured for him to proceed. He never looked right to make sure someone wasn't coming from the other direction.
Heroin and meth-amphetamine are illegal. If cell phone companies got sued for marketing addictive products that led to death, I'd be amused. I'm tired of living among zombies who can't perform basic acts competently.
26 people like this
25 responses
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
9 Aug 16
@TheHorse We already had two cars that entered the freeway on the wrong side because they were chasing the Pokemons, one young lady has fallen into a ravine and a cyclist has crashed into a wall because he was looking at his phone. I expect many more to come.
1 person likes this
@AliCanary (3045)
•
8 Aug 16
The kid was probably playing Pokemon Go. Kids have always been pretty stupid, historically, cell phones or not. The driver didn't have that excuse, though!
2 people like this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
8 Aug 16
Good that they still make bikes like they used too and you have great reflexes
It's just that some people have changed, like you mentioned they are "zombified" by cell phones 
It's just that some people have changed, like you mentioned they are "zombified" by cell phones 1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205796)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Aug 16
@louievill I think cell phones are even more addictive than desktops because you always have a "fix" in your pocket.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205796)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Aug 16
@louievill Even with my desktop, I'm always checking it when I'm at home. That's a part of why I refuse to buy a smart phone. My dumb phone works fine for now.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
8 Aug 16
Oh lordy @TheHorse ; both very close calls. I'm sure glad you're okay. And yeah on the cell phone crap.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205796)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Aug 16
@nanette64 Yes they are. Or zombies. It's very sad. Corporations win. And many of these products aren't even made in the US.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
9 Aug 16
@TheHorse Robots. People are just becoming robots.
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
8 Aug 16
These kind of accidents are no joke. I often see people behind the wheel not paying the full attention they should. And when someone else is killed in a traffic accident, the person at fault almost always tries to make some excuse, even knowing they've killed someone. It falls to the rest of us to be extra careful.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
8 Aug 16
I'm pretty sure that teenager was looking for Pokemon.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
8 Aug 16
Glad you're OK. So annoying that I have to always steer out of the way when people walk. It's so rude that some people don't even budge to move.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
8 Aug 16
@TheHorse for instances two people walking on the sidewalk and you're going head on with them - they don't do anything it's so annoying. I've tried once and they move right the last sec but they give a facial expression like what the?
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
8 Aug 16
Is it bad I would have stopped, and not said anything to see if he plowed into a nonmoving me
1 person likes this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
8 Aug 16
Glad you're okay, glad no blood was shed. Like everything else, cell phone should be used in moderation.
I usually text my husband to let him know I'm coming home, but also include the notice "driving" so he knows I can't respond to anything he texts back. Sometimes, when I'm in a smart@ss mood I text from the driveway. But there's very little damage I can do sitting in a parked car in our driveway.
1 person likes this
@Daljinder (23233)
• Bangalore, India
8 Aug 16
Even those iPods and the headphones are a bane. Especially crossing roads and railway tracks.
1 person likes this
@Daljinder (23233)
• Bangalore, India
9 Aug 16
@TheHorse Now they have added this "Pokemon Go" which was supposed to get people out of house and away from T.V. and computers. 
They had added onto the already existing problem.
They had added onto the already existing problem.
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
8 Aug 16
It's a good think you were able to have a break .
Here , there are a lot of those people texting while walking . So , they will learn a lesson when something happened to them while walking anf texting .
And even drivers too , once i saw . But those are prohibited things to do . If caught , the driver can be penalized.
Here , there are a lot of those people texting while walking . So , they will learn a lesson when something happened to them while walking anf texting .
And even drivers too , once i saw . But those are prohibited things to do . If caught , the driver can be penalized.1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36451)
• Toccoa, Georgia
8 Aug 16
God protected you. I know He has protected me on many occasions while driving a car and riding my bike. All of us take our lives in our hands just driving to Wal Mart.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205796)
• Walnut Creek, California
8 Aug 16
If I thought about how we're taking a chance every time we leave the house (or that a meteor might come through my ceiling, even at home, and bop me on the head), I think I'd spend a lot of time being really anxious. Thank goodness for "denial."
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
8 Aug 16
mercy :( i wish they'd ban those phones. so many lives 've been destroyed by 'em. not the phones'n other gadgets faults, mind'ja, 'tis the irresponsibility 'f those who use 'em. i'm glad that'cha t'weren't injured by that gal's lack 'f attention 's well 's ya not jest plowin' that young'un o'er. i'd been tempted to 't least bumped him. 'course, then he'd no doubt sued!
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
9 Aug 16
@TheHorse how many teens ya run 'cross down there that've got a clue? 
hopefully she'll be payin' closer mind from now'n, though sadly most ferget those near misses quickly. i'm jest so glad that'cha were payin' 'ttention 'n avoided what could'a been a catastrophe.
hopefully she'll be payin' closer mind from now'n, though sadly most ferget those near misses quickly. i'm jest so glad that'cha were payin' 'ttention 'n avoided what could'a been a catastrophe.
@Rohvannyn (3098)
• United States
9 Aug 16
I get tired of the same thing. I think if you are using a screen you should not be walking or driving.
1 person likes this
@miniam (9154)
• Bern, Switzerland
8 Aug 16
Sometimes l wish phones could be banned even for pedestrians.Sorry for your experience.
But stop there,sont put ideas into greedy peoples heads so they find a way to sue,it`s as if people are always looking for ways/reasons to sue and demand compensation.
1 person likes this
