It wasn't my time to die

Tuesday was pretty traumatic.  The day started very normally... an extremely busy and stressful shift at work. Got home to find some workmen blocking our driveway with a mini JCB (for the 7th time in 7 days).

I was in desperate need for a ride to de-stress. I set off on my merry adventure into town to meet Mikey from work. The weather was glorious and the wind was minimal (Prob 12mph, but that's nothing for this neck of the woods) I had my shiny new shoes on and suddenly the world seemed a much better place. With a song in my head I was instantly stress-free.  I rode down the by-pass, enjoying every minute. Reaching 25mph and averaging 15. I was on top of the world.

I became a little disgruntled nearing the end of the by-pass when being forced into the middle of the fast flowing lane of traffic whilst trying to overtake an illegally parked car...  Grrr... She had her hazards on so that meant she could park on double yellows whilst reading her A-Z. Sadly that wasn't the end of my woes. Within minutes I was at a major roundabout. I needed to take the 2nd exit. I saw my chance to go and a couple of cars followed me out into the roundabout. Unfortunately a European coach (with a left hand drive) decided to then pull out of the first exit and right across my path. I pulled on my brakes as hard as I could, somehow managing to unclip from my left pedal and using my foot to help me stop quicker. (I twisted my ankle in the process.) Despite my braking and foot on the floor there was no way I could avoid a collision and I hit the side of the coach! My back wheel flew off the floor and the saddle hit me square on the back whilst my stem hit me forcefully in the groin and my face narrowly avoided hitting the coaches bodywork (my nose ended up less than 2cms away).

The coach stopped. The air was blue with my language. The cars behind screeched to a halt - somehow managing to avoid hitting into me. The air continued to be blue as the obscenities continued to fall out of my mouth. I couldn't see the coach driver but I could see some scared looking passengers. A few moments went by. No coach driver appeared to see what damage he had done. The coach then pulled off, complete with my tyre print on his otherwise pristine paint job, and took the third exit. I momentarily thought about chasing him, but he was joining another by-pass and my exit was a safer A road and I could jump on the pavement and regain my composure.

No sooner as I stopped the adrenaline left me and I was suddenly very tearful. I was just so grateful to be alive! If I had been going any faster there would have been a cat in hells chance of stopping. If I hadn't been paying attention my reactions would have been slower and it doesn't bear thinking about the consequences.

I shakily made my way to the rendezvous point to meet a very concerned Mikey and John and we made our way back home. I was OK when I had the both of them with me, protecting me at the front and back but no sooner as John turned off I suddenly felt very vulnerable, especially at the little roundabout into our village where another idiot car driver decided to cut in front of us, far too close for comfort.

I spent Tuesday night being sick and with diarrhoea. Must have been the shock. (Or maybe the trauma to my guts.)  Anyway, I'm all better now. I've never had such a close call, but I guess it just wasn't my time to die and I have never been so happy to be alive. =D