Texters, talkers, gawkers, tourists and teens behind the wheel scare the hell out of me. When I'm running or riding my bike in my South Florida resort town, I see them turning, swerving, pulling out, pulling in and speeding without warning.
Do I really want that behind me? Nope. That's why I defy the law and face the traffic in all cases.
An accident between a bike and car I witnessed during a Sunday evening run confirmed my belief that this is the only way to protect myself from the Wild West mentality on our roads. A biker legally riding northbound on A1A in Delray Beach was about to cross a side street when a car taking a right pulled up behind him. The driver, who obviously saw the biker, hesitated for a moment before taking the right right in front of the biker.
The biker struck the side of his car, and bike and biker flipped over the hood. The biker landed on his head and shoulders. If he hadn't been wearing a helmet, he would have been dead.
The driver stopped for a second then ripped out. I was too concerned about the biker, who was still in play, to get the license plate. I also wanted to make sure that the next driver to take a right in the dim twilight didn't run him over. I helped the biker up and removed his bike and red flashing light from the road. An ambulance showed up. Paramedics treated the biker for what appeared to be a broken shoulder, put him on a gurney and took him away.
These types of accidents happen all the time in our area. I refuse to be the latest victim. Facing the traffic gives me a chance at survival that having my back to the traffic never will. If a driver heads for me, I at least have an opportunity to react by steering or running out of his way.
I'm sure traffic purists will take issue with this approach and have a hundred reasons why this creates a danger for drivers, but quite frankly, I don't care. Drivers have proven they can't be trusted. Most car and bike/pedestrian accidents are due to their ignorance or state of distraction.
As for the driver who hit and ran from the biker, I hope he knows everyone in the neighborhood is looking for an Altima or Sonata with a big dent on the hood.
