Very Scary Incident Tonight...

Tonight, I was on my way home from a couple of friends' house. I had everything well in hand...and then it all went to hell.

I had been riding along Beemon Lane in Florence, about to approach Cayton Drive. Now, this road has some sidewalk, but parts of it do not have one and anyone in a wheelchair is forced to ride either in the grass, or on the shoulder of the road. A car came around the turn at 45 miles per hour (legal speed is 35). He didn't see me...I saw him clearly. Suddenly, I had 30 seconds to make a critical, life-saving choice.

Was I going to jump to the right, and risk getting rear-ended, OR was I going to go to the left, and end up in the grass, and thus, in the ditch where the mud would stop my forward progress? If I ended up in the ditch, I would not be able to move. If I went to the right, as I said, I might get rear ended. If I did nothing...well, let's not think about that.

All this goes through my mind in 30 seconds or less, and I made my choice. I went for the ditch, and it was a lifesaving move because that car came within 5 feet, and he DID NOT STOP!

Now, however, I was faced with the unenviable task of getting out of this ditch. I didn't think I could pull it out myself. First, I texted Emily and Chris to tell them I was in the ditch. Eventually, someone came up and carried me and my chair up out of it...and then Chris and Emily pulled up to give me a ride home, because after that experience, I was, frankly, too shaken to be on the road by myself.

What came out of that, was that the bond between myself, Emily and Chris has become even stronger. It was strong before...but now, it's even better.