Near Death Experience......

......not mine, the other guy.

It is amazing how thing will happen in a matter of seconds, sometimes, yet you can look back and visualise each bit of that space of time in incredable clearity.

I had just left the house this afternoon. Ours is the second driveway on the left, from the intersection. Less than 100 feet probably, at most 125'. I turned left onto Nowhere Rd. ( I'm not making that up ) I really do live almost at nowhere.

In my 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 (with 274000 miles on it) I accelerated away from the stop, and saw sitting at the next street, maybe 200 feet, a black crotch rocket with helmeted rider about to turn right toward me. No biggie right?

At about 50 ft from him, I saw him start to pull out. Still no problem....
......then I watched as he had trouble with the pullout, as if he had little experience on bikes. His front wheel gave a wobble left and right, and I knew we were in for trouble.

If he gets it straightened out and stays in his lane we're OK. If not he's going to cream me.

Decision time folks. Only course of action for me is get over and try to accelerate past the probable point of impact. If it works it gives him my lane to try to recover or at worst he'll run off the road and maybe up the grassy bank. A bruised ego and maybe a scratch on his bike.

I almost made it. Funny about bikes, the more they start to get away from you, the more you twist the grip to the rear increasing the gas to the engine. Just as I thought, 'maybe I made it', Wham impact to the left rear. I saw in the rear view mirror him hit the grassy bank behind me, I slammed on the brakes. No other traffic on the road in either direction, popped it into reverse and smoked tires backing up toward him and off to the right side of the road.

Stopping short of the point of impact, throwing it in park, I jumped out reaching for my cell phone and running to see if he is OK. He's getting up, I ask if he is hurt as my thumb is dialing 911.

I'm OK he says, just as the dispatcher answers, '911 dispatcher, can I help you'?.

"Auto accident, on Nowhere Rd, at Blueberry Hill intersection"

"Is anyone hurt sir?"

"Are you OK", I ask?

"I'm OK"

From there it was a matter of waiting for the police, which to my astonishment, happened within seconds as a Sheriff's cruiser pulls up behind us.

I'm thinking, 'Man their good down here'. Turns out he just happened to be in the area and didn't even get the 911 call before he got out to check on us.

He getS our license and my ins. card, and I'm stepping back to look at the damage to Ol' Red when I hear the guy say, "I just bought it and don't have ins".

Hot damn, wouldn't you know it. Not only didn't he not have ins. on the bike but he didn't have a motorcycle permit.

The bike was brand new with less than 20 miles on it.

His left handle bar and mirrow had hit just beyond my left rear tire. His mirror was still stuck inside the wheel well, and the left rear quarter panel was flattened from there to the bumper.

Could have been much worse. Lucky we were both just pulling out. Who knows what would have happened if our respectiv speeds were faster.

Turns out that he has his car insurance with the same company as I. Even if they refuse him, my uninsured motorist coverage should take care of Ol' Red.

Glad I didn't have to shoot her. We've grown used to each other.