I am still trying to make sense of it.
It's something that has completely blind sided me
and left me quaking...
I was driving in my car...a Volvo estate, along a quiet street in Oak Bay.
In case you are not familiar with these cars they are a very sturdy and heavy vehicle.
Anyway...
I was driving at 40 km, which is the new speed limit in our residential areas of town,
when and I passed a cyclist.
The next thing I heard was shouting and swearing.
When I looked back in my rear view mirror and saw the cyclist racing up to my window.
He was shouting and swearing saying I had clipped the mirror on his handle bar.
I said "oh my goodness I am So Sorry if I hit you I am SO very sorry."
"Are you OK?"
(I felt and heard nothing inside the car even though the windows were wide open)
He said "You are NOT SORRY"
"You are a terrible driver!"
"You were going too fast and passed me between two parked cars!"
I said "I am Sorry if I clipped your mirror."
"I didn't think I had passed that close to you."
By this time he was red in the face, and still yelling so I suggested that we call the police.
He was having none of this and yelled at me as he sped off...
"Respect the bike, Respect the bike!"
He then rode right through the stop sign and swerved onto the road ahead...
my heart was pounding and I was shaken.
I looked around for witnesses and saw no one.
I slowly drove away looking to see if he was in sight.
He was nowhere to be seen.
As soon as I got home I got on the phone to the police and made a full report...
I explained how shaken up I was by this event.
It was all the yelling and swearing that had me so upset.
I was not even sure that my car came in contact with his mirror but if it did I wanted them to know.
(I looked at the passenger side of my car and could find no evidence of any marks or scratches)
The report was filed and within the hour I received a call from the Police...
The previous week there was a report exactly like mine...
a driver reported a cyclist who intimated that his bike had been hit
the driver had no idea or evidence to that effect
an apology was forthcoming ~ despite lots of shouting from the cyclist.
The driver had filed a report with the station and the cyclist had not.
The officer assured me that I was right to report the event and counselled me not to lose any sleep.
I consider myself a very careful driver and I look for cyclists.
I obey the speed limits and am very aware of pedestrians.
I drive defensively...
Now I am left uncertain, shaken and wondering...
and I'll never know for sure.
Sitting with a mug of Lapsang Souchong Tea
on my wee patio
by the back door
listening to the birds
watching the bees flit from flower to flower
trying to make sense of this event.
What have I learned from this?
I'll never know if my car clipped his mirror...
but one thing for sure is that I'll be on the look out for this same cyclist
in case it happens again.
Life is full of unanswered questions...
Thank goodness for the roses...
they are such a cheerful tonic and I hope in time this feeling of unease will fade.
Hope you enjoy your weekend.
Hostess
XO
