"You gotta go with traffic man"

Recently I've been attempting to conserve money and save our planet by riding a bicycle. So far, its been real good, thanks to Trae-pal,who graciously donated a Raleigh road-cruiser to my cause. With its purple shade and 21 gears, that sucker flies, and i mean flies. I've got a speedometer on the thing to prove it. However, the gravity defying speeds turned out to be my demise.

I was riding home from school Friday, booking just over 20 mph down Dixie Highway. Cruising the right southbound lane, i came up to Belvedere Rd, and rather than reducing speeds to avoid colliding with a potential car, i opted to cross over into the far left northbound lanes of oncoming traffic. I made sure no cars were coming my way before doing so, and made my move zooming through Belvedere as waiting cars stared googly-eyed at my dazzling purple speedster. I think i may have even stood up to peddle at this point for added effect.

After passing through the intersection i noticed that no cars were headed my way, so i stayed in the northbound lane. Unfortunately, at this same moment, a man walking, about 30 years of age, was noticing the same exact thing, and also made the choice to step foot in the lane we both deemed safe for traveling. I let out a holler, as did my brakes, sending the stranger into a startling state of motionlessness. We hit, and hit hard, hurling him to the ground, the bike into oblivion, and me through the air.

I guess it all happened so fast, neither of us really had any time to react to the crash. I gathered myself, the bike, and chunks of my ego spread out on the concrete, while he sort of brushed himself off, calling out, "you gotta go with traffic man." We both went our separate ways, and looking back on it, other than a sore tail bone, my only regret is not asking him if he was alright. I think pain has a tendency to make me self-consumed.