The schedule called for 3 hrs, but I wasn't sure if that was in the cards. The weather still stinks around here. As is typical for a North Texas Spring day, it was windy as hell. We're talking steady winds in the 20 mph range, coming from the North, so it was an arm warmer day. I found myself off the aero bars most of the ride for safety as the gusts just caused too much wobble to feel good about my balance.
As I was heading out north, I rode past some Texas Longhorns and decided to stop for a photo opportunity.
I decided to deviate from my normal route and add a small climb into my ride by hitting Country Club Road to Hilltop Rd. to head up and over the little climb.
Right after I got over the climb, I'm riding along hugging the shoulder and WHAM! I feel like someone has taken a paddle to my left calf. I got hit from behind by a white Buick.
It was a glancing blow, and by some miracle, it didn't knock me down, or even run me into the ditch. I don't know what part of the car I was hit with, but it was either the front wheel or the side paneling, or some of both maybe.
The driver clearly as freaked out as I was sort of slowed before turning into a driveway maybe 50 yards up the road. The driver got out and walked up the driveway. It was a very old lady, probably in her late 70s or 80s. She had the big block sunglasses that have the 90 degree angle wrap around to the side. Behind them I could see her regular glasses were on.
She apologized profusely saying she couldn't see me. I was pretty calm, really because I was in a bit of shock.
After collecting my wits, surveying my leg and bike, I decided I could keep riding. After the adrenaline subsided, some soreness in my calf started to set in. It felt like someone had punched me right in my calf. I have a little bruise, but really, it is just some muscle soreness.
I guess this is what I get for having such big calves that stick out into the middle of the road.
In all seriousness, I was riding safely, it was clear as day, it was a quiet rarely traveled rural residential road, and it still happened. I'm lucky, and so was she.
Be careful.This brings me to a safety question that in my mind is largely ignored in society. Shouldn't there be more scrutiny on the abilities and faculties of elderly drivers? My grandfather who just passed away was still driving all the way up to his last days in his 90s, and I'll tell you what. I wouldn't have wanted to be within 10 miles of him if he was out there. I hated driving with him when he was in his late 60s, and I can't imagine he got any better over time.
How many times have you seen someone driving erratic, too slow, or unsafe only to recognize as you drove past that it was an elderly driver?
It seems like it is sort of the pink elephant in the room. No one wants to come down or say anything about it out of sympathy, respect, or whatever. Myself included. But it isn't safe, and the number of elderly drivers is going to sky rocket in the coming years as the front end of the boomers start to hit that sweet spot where driving skills begin to erode.
Just a rant, but this lady had no reason not to see me. Turns out that driveway she pulled into was hers, so this all happened less than 100 yards from her house, so you can't say she wasn't familiar with the contour of the road, etc.
I'm just saying people... Be careful...
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