Bike Down

[waynem]

It's 7/7/7, the luckiest day in the year. I'm headed home from a nice day ride, PGR mission, and leisurely rolling along hwy 146S. Just past FM=517, the highway narrows to two lands with a right lane going to avenue "T"

I noticed a truck parked on the Southbound side, facing North. Oncoming traffic was light, two vehicles approaching. I could not tell if the stopped vehicle was empty or occupied. as the last approaching vehicle traveling North passed the stopped vehicle, the stopped vehicle pulled out to go north. I now saw the person in the vehicle to be youngish, long brownish hair, wearing a red cap looking over his right shoulder for any other oncoming traffic, as he was 2/3 to 3/4 into the Southbound lane he finally decided to look to his left. His mouth dropped open as he saw me on my bike trying to swerve to avoid a t-bone into his side. There is no reason to believe that the course of action I took was not the correct action. Sliding or any other action would have resulted in being under his vehicle.

So, he broad-sided me with the front of his truck on my right side. I slid 30-50 feet, right palm on the ground, burning flesh, and my helmet digging into the asphalt. Half way through the slide I said to myself, "I'm glad I'm wearing my helmet!"

It was a hit and run. He never stopped. Now typically hit and run are not caught, but that nice new Nomad with 1800+ miles on it, grabbed and knocked off his front license plate. They got him the next morning and now it is turned over to the criminal investigators.

Since I'm typing this, I'm alive. Spent Saturday through Wednesday at UTMB medical branch in Galveston. Although I am home now, I am in pain, cannot walk because of a broken bone in foot, have multiple road rash abrasions on both hands, up my right forearm to my shoulder, and along my right thigh and lower leg. a sore right shoulder, and my left shoulder was undergoing rehab for rotator cuff surgery. And yes, it all hurts like heck. took a few hours henpecking to get this typed. don't expect any long replies for a few more days.

Semper Fi!