After 2 years of daily bike commuting in Seattle, I was finally hit by a car today. I’m a bit sore, but fine. I was riding over to NPower Seattle to get a lesson in migrating data out of eTapestry from the incomparable V Waters when it happened. I was riding in the bike lane going south on 2nd avenue when a man swerved right into me as he pulled over to pick up his wife at the curb. I saw him coming but didn’t have time to do anything but break.
He hit my right side and sent me skidding. I then fell over backwards and landed in the open parking space he was headed for. My elbows hit (ow) and my helmetted head hit the pavement, but not very hard judging from the light damage to my lid.
Like most bike accidents, I was obeying traffic laws and the car driver was completely at fault. That doesn’t get me anything, unfortunately. Somehow in the accident my chain broke, but the rest of my ride appears in good shape.
I was definitely shaken, though. My first reaction was anger, then I was stunned for at least 4 hours. Pretty unsettling, even though I didn’t really get hurt. I headed back to the office and just started working again. It was a bit surreal.
So to all the drivers out there, Watch out for bikes! And to all the bikers out there, The drivers aren’t watching out for you!