Irregularity

So much for regular posts that were promised when I started the blog
Since I last posted, much has happened

• house renovations have been completed
• relatives have visited from South Africa
• I was knocked off my bike by an errant bus just before Christmas..

The bus incident is clearly a standout event and one that landed me in hospital with 9 broken ribs and a collapsed lung ( pneumothorax , for those who are medically inclined). It took a while to recover mobility , there are still a few twinges in the chest area but I am largely back to normal , although it has been pointed out to me that injuries such as these flare up from time to time when age becomes a factor.

How did it happen? I was riding along, minding my own business on the way to the train station, when a bus appeared in my rear view mirror.
The bus decided to overtake , despite there not being enough room to do so. As the bus overtook, I realised he was next to me , about 1 meter away but as he passed me, he turned in too soon and walloped me with the tail end of the bus.

I was thrown to the ground, on my back and head, the helmet saved my head but my ribs took the brunt of it and when I tried to stand up, all I could think of was getting out of the road before being run over by another car, I managed to pick up my bike and get it to the side of the road, despite the fact that my ribcage sounded like a coffee grinder and lay down at the side of the road in agony until the ambo arrived with a sweet smelling sedative.

It may seem trite to say it but my life really did flash before my eyes - I thought of my daughters and Catherine and wondered what would have happened if the accident had been worse ( it might well have been MUCH worse ).

I've recovered with the help of a friendly neighbourhood physiotherapist and now am able to ride to work once more. My rides are no longer as carefree and are longer because I avoid the roads religiously.

Although a cyclist is legally entitled to ride on the road, there is no satifisfaction to be gained from being in the right when you are lying in hospital nursing your wounds and with pipes emanating from every orifice.