Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Man Down

I fell off Etienne on my way to work today. I am uninjured, as is Etienne, but I was really scared. I was on the second-to-last road, the last stretch of the grueling uphill climb to the bike rack, when I began to skid on construction gravel. The traffic on the road moved along very slowly due to the steam and death sounds coming from the jackhammers. I feel like if I had more room to manuever, I could have righted myself, but just as I regained my traction the wheels caught on those ginormous steel plates they use to cover up holes.

I felt the bike whiz out from under me toward the left, and luckily I could get my foot on the ground to the right and didn't slam all my weight down on my wrist or arm. I just sort of rolled like a bug. More luckily, the cars moving in both directions were majorly slowed due to the construction so neither I nor Etienne was run over.

Several people checked whether I was ok and just as soon as I stopped spurting cuss words, I assured them nothing but my pride was injured.

What is the lesson here? I don't quite know what to do about the very, very dangerous conditions on that road. It's the only one that leads up to my work building. I don't want to not ride Etienne. Maybe I'll take the bus tomorrow and wade through the danger zone on foot, which may be a tad safer, and hope that the street is all cleaned up by Monday.

2 comments:

PeaceLoveMath said...

If you'd have to walk up that street after taking the bus, why not ride your bike and walk it up that street?

Or, even tho it's usually illegal, maybe it would be OK to ride on the sidewalk for just that little bit while the road is crappy? Is there a sidewalk?

I'm glad you're unhurt!! And your internally-geared companion ;o)

Anonymous said...

hmmm let me think ok maybe a montain bike with shocks and knobby tires. or a motor scooter? peas out get it. like peace out but I used peas. unc. Tom