Close to death – the motorbike and luck
I bet there isn’t one of us who has not a tale or two about death. We delight in in telling our tales. I think they exhilarate us and make us feel more alive. I’ve had a few encounters. This is one of them.
I was chugging along on my trusty AJS 350cc, minding my own business. A 350 AJS is a nice sturdy workhorse of a bike. It’s not nippy or fast. I’d describe it more as homely and steady.
I was heading down a three lane road with a fifty MPH speed limit behind a car which was following a bus. We were all doing a steady 50 mph.
I was in no hurry.
The car in front was. He decided 50 mph was far too slow.
The car pulled out into the middle lane to overtake the bus. Coming towards us was a big lorry. A car simultaneously pulled out to overtake the lorry. The two cars were heading towards each other in that middle lane.
Casually my eyes watched and my brain calculated. I could see that neither of the cars were able to accelerate fast enough to overtake and pull back in. One of the cars would have to slow and cancel the manoeuvre.
Neither did.
It was as if I was watching a film. I seemed dissociated from reality. The cars crawled up alongside the bus and truck respectively and headed for a head-on crash. I was a spectator.
At the very last minute both cars attempted to cut in but neither was sufficiently past and clipped each other and the vehicle they were overtaking. This caused the cars to spin and the bus and truck to swerve. What had been an orderly line of traffic was instantly transformed into chaos. The road ahead was full of spinning cars and veering truck and bus. I was heading straight for it at 50 mph with nowhere to go.
Without thinking I laid the bike down and avoided the spinning car coming straight at me, I pulled the bike back up like a speedway rider and opened the throttle to go in front of the truck bearing down at me, I swerved the other way behind the bus that was heading across the lane almost broadside, and pulled the bike back down, with throttle wide, to accelerate round the other car that was spinning and heading for my side.
It must have taken a couple of seconds but it seemed like minutes. One minute the road in front was a mass of spinning metal and the next I was through into clear road and order.
Everything had been pure instinct and reaction. Somehow I had picked a path through.
I looked in my mirror. Behind me cars were slamming into the wreckage. It was a mammoth pile-up. If I had clipped one of those vehicles I would have been under that mess.
It only takes an instant to transform the ordinary into death.
Yes you are right, the year before my Husband died 93, he had gone to collect Jonathan from school who had left something at home and rang for his Father to pick him up. It was late morning and David went off in the car to collect Jonathan just as he had turned the corner from the school road David said he heard someone screaming next instant he was hit by a car, the driver had the car in the middle of the road and landed on our Granada’s bonnet, Jonathan could not get out and the car started to go on fire a little, some people living in that road ran out and tried to pull David out but he shouted for them to get Jonathan, the fire brigade were there so quickly by that time David had got out. The other driver was in his twenties then no police tested for drugs, he was done for dangerous driving, Jonathan was cut on the forehead had to have stitches. David had a problem with his chest but was never the same again, he died December 94 but could not prove it was the accident. Had to fight all the way for compensation for Jonathan and the car, finally received because I would not give in, £5,000 which by then I was a Widow with two young Sons, it helped. Opher, your life can change in an instant. Some years previously David had given a lift to two youngsters and their girlfriends, for his thanks he was hit with an iron bar and left for dead in a field. Police dogs caught the two fellows got 5 years each, the girls were 15 you guess the rest. Life can be tough but something or someone is there to get us through and keep us going.
That sounds terrible! We had a bad car crash and a battle for compensation too. It seems crazy when you look at the amounts they pay out for libel!
I hope you were not too badly injured in the crash, insurers really get you down. Having a struggle at the moment, one of the paintings I purchased from the Rod McKuen estate came with the glass smashed, nobody wants to claim responsibility. I have a damn good mind to have it repaired and pay for it myself, these constant emails back and forth, they know if they push you enough you will give in.
I had only minor injuries but my two boys were both severely injured and hospitalised for three months. We were all lucky to get out alive.
God how awful for you and your wife, how on earth did you cope from day to day, I hope your Sons finally made full recovery. Opher I cannot imagine what you and your wife went through.
It was horrendous I thought they were going to die in front of me. But you do what you have to do. I may write about it in one of my cheery anecdotes.
That is it somehow you find the strength to cope to carry on it is after you start to crumble, how awful for you all.
It was a difficult time! My elder son actually took his GCSE’s lying on his back with both legs in traction!
I bet he passed too.
Yes – he did OK. He’s a Nurse Practitioner now. The experience sorted his career. He worked in A&E for a long while. But you can’t do that too long – too much death, pain and emotions.
Tough environment.
Yes it is. Dealing with terrible injuries and death all the time – young kids and babies. It takes its toll.
I could not do it, most of my cousins on my Father’s side were in the medical profession, best Dr they used to say was Dr John Dorgan, unfortunately he died in his late fifties/early sixties, heart, was my first cousin.
If you get a request from a Jon Morrissey it’s Jonathan my eldest Son, why he says Jon is beyond me and Morrissey was my maiden name, anyway he was gushing over some of the groups you have seen.
The Books have arrived, “Ginny” came separate, I wonder why? I shall try and find the order you told me to read them in and do so, they all look fantastic can’t wait to get started. I will let you know what I think. Hope you enjoy talking to Jonathan.
Glad you like the look of them anyway!
I’ll look out for Jon Morrissey and give him a warm welcome.
I think I could have done medicine and surgery. I seem to be able to handle emergencies – I go very rational and deliberate. I don’t get fazed by it.
I have a cousin here in Bristol who came over here at 18 to train for a Nurse ended up a Sister midwife, retired I think it was last year. All my cousins from Father’s side were Nursing Sisters, Matron, Chemist in a lab and of course the Dr, had one cousin a football player think he came here. Where did I go wrong? .
You didn’t go wrong. You did it differently.
Thanks Opher.
No worries Anna. You take care. I just hope you’re enjoying those books!
I should have said my Cousin the Dr was in Cork City.
I always have utmost respect for doctors and nurses. They do such a great job!