Yesterday afternoon my sister was on her way to work in Portland when she was hit by a car. She was on her bicycle, in the bike lane, and wearing a helmet (thank God). This is the second time in a year that she has been hit by a car while biking.
I was swimming at the pool with a few girlfriends when my mom called and was like, "Hey. Have you talked to your dad or sister?" My heart leaped into my throat. "No? Is...everything alri--" And my mom cuts in: "H is okay, but she was hit by a car this afternoon and is in the hospital." I could feel tiny tears building at the corners of my eyes. "Again? Oh, my God. Are you sure she is okay?"
The woman hit my sister - which sent H sliding underneath a parked car while her foot was stuck in her bicycle - and then the woman ran into two parked cars. My sister, in a panic, jumped up and began running and screaming.
"I was running because I thought the car was coming after me and I didn't want to look back at what was happening. It was terrifying," my sister told me.
She was searing with adrenaline so she was able to escape being trapped under the parked car. People heard the commotion and came out of coffee shops and office buildings to help her. Thank you Jesus for sending people into the streets to help my sister. An ambulance arrived soon after and she was immediately taken to the hospital.
My baby sister only suffered a medial sprained ankle. To think what could have happened gives me thick goosebumps.
What sucks is her last day in Portland is tomorrow, so she is having to pack her things on a bad ankle, get to the airport and through security with a bad ankle, and move into her college apartment on a bad ankle.
Here's my PSA:
If you're a biker, 1. always wear a helmet, 2. watch your surroundings, 3. obey driving/traffic laws as if you were driving a car (use signals, come to a complete stop at stop lights, etc.).
If you're in a car, respect bicyclists. If you can't, then get the hell off the road.
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