Did you ever go on a ride that you new was going to be trouble? I was on that ride Sunday with our annual New Years Day ride. Some of you may know that along with my Bandit I also have a Harley Davidson Springer Softail. And that Susie and I are USCF bicycle racing officials. Those two facts will become important later in the story.
Every year for the last 6 years a small group would ride on New Years day. We rode in all weather but snow. This year the small group of 10 riders grew to 30. As I stood there and watched the stream of bikes entering the parking lot I turned to Danny and said, “This is bad”. “These large groups are nothing but trouble.”
This was a group of 30 Harley’s. Most of which were friends of friends of friends. I didn’t know hardly any of them and definitely did not know how they rode.
Off we went into the farmlands with narrow roads with no shoulders and deep drainage ditches for our New Years day ride. Out of a deep feeling of self-preservation, I took the last spot in the parade. I wanted to be able to see what was happening, not be a part of it. Because I knew it was going to happen. And as much as I knew it was going to happen I couldn’t believe it when it actually did happen.
4 bikes in front of me a guy decided it was time to take his 4 day old Harley Road King Custom off roading. Down into the drainage ditch (full of water) up out of the ditch, side swiped a small tree that flipped him and his bike and back into the ditch (full of water).
The two guys in front of me watched him and continued on down the road. I being a USCF official and used to helping bicyclist that crash during races stopped my bike and jumped down into the ditch without even thinking.
Here is the part where I hesitated. I didn’t hesitate because I didn’t know what to do; I hesitated because in this day and age everyone is looking to sue someone for something.
He was laying face down in the water. Not moving. Actually he was well on his way to drowning. I was there all by myself and shouted out “SHIT” and a bunch of other thing !! I reached down and gently lifted his head and upper body out of the water knowing that if he had any kind of neck injury I could kill him or paralyze him for life. But he was not going to drown on my shift. I got his head out of the water and rolled him on his side. He came to and rolled on his back. The two riders that saw him go off the road finally came back along with a couple of people that saw the accident. 911 was called and he was taken to the hospital.
I found out this morning that he has some serious bruised ribs, his arm is badly bruised but he’ll live to ride another day.
Why have I burdened you with all of this? Actually I don’t know. Maybe to keep you from hesitating when you feel something is wrong or hesitating to do the right thing. Because it might be me face down in that ditch one day and I don't want you to hesitate on what to do. I don’t know why, but I know I just had to pass this on to those of us that choose to ride.
Topic: What Would You Do ?? (Read 5049 times)