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09 Aug 2007, 1:03 am / Other
Well, for those that are wondering why I haven't been out riding to the benefits or on the runs, I am recuperating at home thanx to a drunk driver at Daytona Bike Week.In 1997, before the helmet law was changed I had on my HJC 3/4 helmet & had just left Bulow Campground in Flagler where I was set up to vend. I thought it was a beautiful night for a ride, so I packed my products up & got the bike out.The street in front of the campground leads to Kings Hwy. The care behind me was clipping faster than the limit, as I was also, however. I came to a complete stop, with both feet down on the ground. His car never stopped, and he rearended my bike throwing me to the ground far from my bike. Where my helmet ended on my forehead was where my windshield hit, knocking my unconscious. Before leaving the bike also, I hit my left thigh hard on the left handlebar causing a hematoma from the left groin to my left knee.I awoke in the arms of a Red Knight from PA, who removed my helmet, guess he wasn't a paramedic, and I was lying on my left side.A few years later the herniated disks in my neck ruptured where the helmet hit & I now have titanium in my c-spine.At the hospital in Ormond Beach as I wasn't taken to Halifax trauma center, an MRI showed herniations on my lumbar/sacral spine. Well last year they were aggravated by helping to pull a patient up in bed & L5 all the way down thru my sacrum ruptured.So when people call me to ride now, I just can't. The new titanium rods in my lower back are still trying to set in place, and the left sided pain I had from the accident was from the hip that never healed from being broken as seen in a different MRI after Daytona.So here I sit, bike in front of window, making me just want to go out and get on it.Well, I did just that. Took off the cover, and turned it on, dead battery. No big deal. I wanted to set it in a different position in the parking space, and hell, I think it gained weight waiting for me to ride it. I couldn't push it backwards to save my life. It was like so damned heavy I just sat there & cried.Before surgery 1100# meant nothing to me. After surgery the bike feels more like a million pounds now. I just sat there, swore as usual, with a dead bike that I can't budge right now. Damn!Since I can't move it on my own anymore, I will wait out until my lumbar/sacral spine heals, so I don't push the rods out of place. I'd rather have healing spinal rods, than try to ride my bike, hit a bump, and hurt myself all over again. Makes sense to me.Oh, the guy who hit me, Thomas Michael Constant, of Perth Australia, took out a 1 million dollar liability policy on his renatl car from Enterprise. He got a ticket for DUI, was not arrested, his car was held back by about 60 bikers who threatened his life for trying to leave the scene of the accident. After he left the scene he ditched the car in a ditch, and took off for Australia. When we contacted the police the next day, they said they found the car miles away from Bulow, and the rental company knew nothing about the accident. We called Enterprise who also stated they knew nothing, but would take care of my hospital bill, if I didn't contact an attorney. Yeah right. I did, and my attorney was paid off more than I ever got.Oh well. He'll get his, Enterprise will get theirs, and as for my attorney, I've told two friends who told two friends, etc.So, I will be home recuping for a little while longer. Trying to exercise so I can walk further each day.Drop a line if y'all want to. And let's all learn to ride together & get along.Rebel Ruthi
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