Once upon a time I borrowed a friends motorbike. It was fun and it was transportation and it was something I did not want my folks to know about.I was over 18 and... well... stupid, quite frankly.
My dad rode motor bikes, he probably would have been fine with it and mom would have begrudgingly accepted the idea after some discussion (banter). However, I sidestepped and paid a price obliquely.
I was heading up harbor blvd. and I ended up rear ending an LTD station wagon. I do not recall the impact, not even if I was on the ground or not. Directly afterwards I knew enough to get out of the middle of the road so I kind of scrambled to the sidewalk. Around the time I made it there I realized that I couldnt breathe, so I slowly sank to the ground figuring I was going to pass out then die. Looking up, from my prone position I saw a police officer, oblivious to my plight at the front of the light. Also, a car load of girls next to me, looking and possibly screaming at the cop.
Then I inhaled. Elapsed time, maybe 30 seconds total. The cops where there, the bike was moved to an ex-taco bell parking lot. The Ambulance showed up with a male and female EMT, the female had a tough time and damn near dropped me at the hospital.
Results. a wrecked friends bike, A bruise where the helmet hit my upper chest (full face helmet), twin bruses across my upper thigh (handlebars), missing the naughty bits by a couple centimeters. Finally I got a unique looking five horizontal evenly spaced scars across my kneecap courtesy of the cooling fins.
It was late and I did not feel that getting chewed out by my parents, even deservedly so, would be anything that could 'cheer me up'. So after release I called up Robert G. (link on the right). And interuppted his dial up connection to a BBS enough that he hung up the phone and I could catch a ride.
I recall getting into his car and it being a rather quiet ride home. Still it allowed me to save face till the wee hours of the morning. Then it hit the fan.
Thanks for the ride Rob. Sorry for being stupid mom and pop.
Oh, you should note that since that time no other young person has ever done anything stupid....
4 comments:
I learned a lesson with roller skating and listening to a personal stereo. I was old enough to know better - at least 18, because I got stereo when I was attending Golden West College.
So I was rollerskating thru my neighborhood, listening to the music, to get some exercise. I wanted to cross the street, and I heard a car coming, so I let it pass. Then I headed to cross the street - without checking the street.
There was another car right behind the first one. I hit the front bumper, and did an interesting spin all along the right side of the car, and eventually landed on the road.
The owner of the car pulled over and checked that I was okay (I was - just a little bruising and torn pants). I humbly skated home again.
Never wore earphones to exercise out in public again. I still don't have a cell phone. More of the same, distracting -wise.
That was pretty stupid, huh?
I still remember that rescue. :-) I was just getting into the dial-up BBS world and I remember being annoyed that I kept disconnecting. I finally gave up and the phone rang. Glad you were persistent in waiting for me to actually answer the phone! I was more than happy to come to your aid.
I also remember another rescue involving you, Steve Virscik (sp?), and a carload of friends on Ortega Highway, but that's another story.
Wow this sounds really bad, it's a wonder you survived - but fortunately you did! Did you have an adequate bike insurance policy to cover you riding your friends bike? If not then you could be in an even bigger mess!
I had no insurance at all. I paid for the hospital ER trip out of pocket over time. Same with my friends bike, he did kick in for about 1/2 the repair out of the goodness of his heart.
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