Timber020
29th January 2008, 21:46
This afternoon I had a quote to do in the Ohirau valley. I get home and park up the work truck and get the bike out and gear on.
You know that out of body feeling you get when your a bit drunk? Well I had that when getting my gear on. And then it was like I knew I was about to have a bike accident, I even went upstairs and told someone where I was riding to and how long I was going to be. I have NEVER done this.
I thought it might be because I worked all day in the heat and knew that the road would be a bit melted. So I rode the very narrow and windy makara rd doing 40kmph. This is a knee down narrow rural road with little traffic or driveways which I have ridden alot. Try doing 40kmph on it, its just not natural.
So Im riding along very quitely, insanely so. I turn a tight left hand corner, really hugging the verge with a bank about a foot from the edge of the road. A silver Audi driven by an asian woman rounded the corner, it was going slow and seemed to be pulling over in her lane. Then I saw the Silver Pajero. It was hard to miss, on a tight blind corner it was passing the audi so had all my Lane. Big chrome bull bars, spotlights, 2 male occupants.
I didnt have time to do anything (like a second max) but get maybe another couple inches over and try to dodge the corner of his bullbars as they flashed past. I thought there wasnt room between his vehicle and the bank for my bike. His rear view mirror tapped my jackets sleeve but I made it through.
I wasnt angry or that shook up, my normal response would have been to U turn and engage in some active road education, I have collected my share of mirrors in my time. but instead I felt relieved. Like a voice inside me said "oh so THATS what it was"
Really weird. And so fucking close it feels surreal. Its was just a flash and then gone.
You know that out of body feeling you get when your a bit drunk? Well I had that when getting my gear on. And then it was like I knew I was about to have a bike accident, I even went upstairs and told someone where I was riding to and how long I was going to be. I have NEVER done this.
I thought it might be because I worked all day in the heat and knew that the road would be a bit melted. So I rode the very narrow and windy makara rd doing 40kmph. This is a knee down narrow rural road with little traffic or driveways which I have ridden alot. Try doing 40kmph on it, its just not natural.
So Im riding along very quitely, insanely so. I turn a tight left hand corner, really hugging the verge with a bank about a foot from the edge of the road. A silver Audi driven by an asian woman rounded the corner, it was going slow and seemed to be pulling over in her lane. Then I saw the Silver Pajero. It was hard to miss, on a tight blind corner it was passing the audi so had all my Lane. Big chrome bull bars, spotlights, 2 male occupants.
I didnt have time to do anything (like a second max) but get maybe another couple inches over and try to dodge the corner of his bullbars as they flashed past. I thought there wasnt room between his vehicle and the bank for my bike. His rear view mirror tapped my jackets sleeve but I made it through.
I wasnt angry or that shook up, my normal response would have been to U turn and engage in some active road education, I have collected my share of mirrors in my time. but instead I felt relieved. Like a voice inside me said "oh so THATS what it was"
Really weird. And so fucking close it feels surreal. Its was just a flash and then gone.