avoiding an accident and still getting hit, in a way

[glc]

from a friend of mine who is getting into cycling. we went out the other day for a sopping wet 40 miler and i made him buy a helmet. i got this email a few days later:

"in traffic a car went through a red - i went to avoid it but i'm not
so used to grabbing the brakes low - so i veered off - bumped - and i
mean bumped - into this kid on a bike. i went down and then guess
what - this kid must have been beat up a thousand times because he
jumped me - fists to the head and then someone else kicking me. the
bicycle hat deflecting the fists but i'm dazed - just awake enough to
grab my bike. by that time there's like six 14 year olds standing
around laughing. the first dude is in my face and it's been a while
so i'm just kind of saying "what?" and then i realize there's a crowd
of people watching. the kids back off and then tell me not to call
the cops. hah! that was the crazy part. and all the people watching.
i just split super fast - bike needs wheels trued.

don't wreck your bike in the flatlands. and if you think that maybe
you're going somewhere where they might punch you, a bicycle hat
makes it easy to step back because when you get hit in the head you
are kind of helpless. "

[Bill Bove]

Stupid thinking aloud and I hit the submit key instead of the delete, sorry.

[taz-t]

Pepper spray and a full size frame pump are your friends when urban riding... :mad:

be sure to have your Rudy Projects on before hitting the spray button.

- taz