The Kindness of Strangers

I fell off my bike on the way to work this morning. Apparently merging to avoid a car that was parked in the bike lane, signalling, checking my blind spot AND using the same hand that was signalling to brake when the car in front of me decided to stop unexpectedly was too much my mortal brain. Result being that I kept on going right into the back of afore mentioned car! Oops. The resultant dive over my handlebars and bike flipping over to land ontop of me must have looked pretty comical and if not then my squalk of surprise certainly was. I should emphasise that everyone was moving very slowly and that I was not in the slightest bit hurt, unless you count being highly embarrassed.

The reason that I’m writing about this is that as I was lying on the road with my bike on top of me feeling like an idiot, about 5 other cyclists who saw what happened were running over to me, picking up my bag, my bike, me, helping me off the road, checking that I was ok and generally being very lovely and considerate. They all took the time to stop and make sure that I wasn’t hurt, that my bike was still working. I’m sure they all had places to be but they stopped for a stranger.

Maybe (probably), knowing that I wasn’t hurt, they’ll all have a giggle today at the memory of the crazy girl who rode into the back of a car and did a front flip on the road this morning. But embarrassing as that is it’s OK. They gave me my daily reminder of the beautiful kindness of strangers, if I can make them smile in return then I’m fine with that – even if my ego struggles!