I picked the kids up from school early today to attend Sheela's wedding. On the drive home I witnessed a motorcycle driver go up and over a speed bump (at a safe speed) then 4 or 5 feet he lost control, the bike turned to the right sharply, the driver went down. No helmet. No movement. Eyes did not open, no fingers twitched.
I am unable to control my gasping so, of course, I made a horrible sound. The kids in the backseat immediately turned to look at the man on the pavement.
The truck in front of us saw the whole thing and the people on board jumped out to help. Other villagers and motorists stopped as well.
We remained in the car but were unable to move due to the traffic stopping in both directions.
People dragged the motorcyclist to the side of the road and tried to offer him water. I don't know if he took any.
The kids wanted to know if the man was dead. I said I didn't know but took the opportunity to lecture them on helmet safety. I said, had the man been wearing a helmet, he would have had some bruises but he probably would have walked to the side of the street by himself. I told them that he didn't plan to have an accident today and he's probably been driving his motorcycle for years and thought nothing would ever happen to him... so ALWAYS wear your helmet.
There was no body behind the motorcyclist, no one in front of him, he wasn't talking on the phone, he wasn't looking to the side, he went over the speed bump like a pro... it was just a freak accident.
Kids continued to ask questions on the way home but spent the rest of their time counting motorcyclists and passengers who weren't wearing helmets. The game would have been easier if they had counted the ones that WERE...
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