What is the scariest experience you had?

I was riding my bike and next thing I know I'm waking up in the hospital with my family all around me.

Half my face is bloody and I've got stiches. I have no idea how much time has passed or even what day of the week it is.. The nurse asked me what day it was and I don't think I could even tell her the month... although I do remember trying to guess.

So anyway, what happened was my front wheel came off (or I was bumped from behind, I have no idea, I have no recollection of the events) and I went flying over the handlebars and landed face first on the asphalt.

I had to take a MONTH off work, which almost got me fired.. My bosses understood, but I was only a contract employee, so there was a lot of pressure to finally get me back working and being productive. Eventually after a month I was able to return to work, but could only work halfdays.. The reason? I had a brain hemorrage (brain bleeding) and it basically felt like somebody rebooted my brain. The first couple weeks after the accident my mental capacities were wayyyy reduced. It was hard to think and reason.. and I was ALWAYS tired.

So.. yeah, eventually I had an emotional episode in which I emailed my boss and his boss and thanked them for being patient with me while I recovered.. I tried to explain how hard this was for me and that I was really not trying to screw them over.. This happened right after my boss gave me crap for coming in late and leaving early.. which I thought was our agreement - but I guess his superiors gave him crap.

Anyway, it all worked out in the end and I did not lose my job.. and I have a couple scars on my face, but they're not noticable - you have to look closely to really see them. And.. my brain is fine :)

This was 6 or so years ago and I haven't really ridden many bikes since. I used to LOVE it.. My one mistake was not wearing a helmet - which I always do now.

SO kids.. if you're reading this. Wear a motherflippin bike helmet. It could save your life.
 
Would a helmet have helped in your case? If you went face-first, then only a full face helmet would help in that situation, right?
 
Would a helmet have helped in your case? If you went face-first, then only a full face helmet would help in that situation, right?

I have no idea, but it couldn't have hurt :) I am very good with my reflexes (am a goalie, etc.) so I could see myself using the helmet somehow to minimize the impact of my body and the asphalt.. without the helmet there isn't much you can do, except try to use your hands to block the blow (which I apparently tried to did, my watch was broken)
 
Passenger in a friends car, turning right (we drive on the left here), he waited til the other side of the road got the green light before turning. The sight of the other car coming straight at me scared the crap out of me, though I don't think my friend knows how much that frightened me. I avoid getting a lift with him since then though.
 
Warpus that is exactly what happend to me minus stiches. It was 5,5 years ago for me. I met a drunk guy a few months ago who said my front wheel fell because some people tried to steal my bicycle that was locked with front wheel. They took the front wheel off but someone interrupted the theft and they ran off. I could bicycle on it for a wheel since gravity held the wheel in place. When I went over a curb gravity no longer had this effect.

I didn't bicycle for several years. Before that I bicycled daily. Today I am a big bicycle enthusiast.
 
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