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Riding the overgrown "shoulder" of the A4130 - Nettlebed to Henley - I hit a thick windfallen branch which wobbled me and then launched me straight into the road - right into the path of very fast traffic coming up from behind. I was lying face down trying to get unclipped and get up, and waiting to become roadkill. I thought "This is it... this is how it ends..."
By some miracle I launched into a gap in the traffic... I just got out of the way before a horse transporter whistled by inches from my head with its horns blasting.
The thing is... I can't shake it, I can't stop thinking about it, didn't sleep last night, adrenalin is still pumping nearly 24 hours later - I feel like I've had a bowl of amphetamine, can't concentrate on my job. What's going on? I feel like I am going mad.
Buzzin! 😯
Are you absolutely sure that you're still alive?
[i]What's going on?[/i]
your body's worked out it's alive and wants to stay that way, your fight or flight reflex won't calm down so keeps flooding the system with chemicals.
Which given you've been scared shitless is probably understandable.
'you just had a near life experience' - Tyler Durden
jeezus thats lucky!
i had a bus pass me but swerve in to avoid a motorist on the other side of the road. it only clipped me at about 25 and flipped me over the bars, fracturing 4 vertebrae. that was 12 years ago and it took me 2 years to get back on a bike and it still hurts every single day. im lucky in a way that i work shifts as i would never commute in busy traffic again.
Been there. Tripped into the road and lay there while a truck drove straight over the top with it's tyres about 4 inches from my head. Waited until it had passed and rolled into the gutter shaking.
About 3 days to stop flinching at the sound of a car passing.
About 3 months before the flash backs stopped.
That is awesome. Do you reckon life would be better if you had approximately one near death experience every week?
That is awesome. Do you reckon life would be better if you had approximately one near death experience every week?
Nah, then it'd become mundane.
time off and see the dr, this is a heavy trauma, poss a little something to help things calm down? ive stared it in the face a few times in my life, it will pass and just know your luck was in and your still here, so be happy... and get down the newsagents for a lotto ticket.
I can do you a good deal on upping your life insurance if you like 😉
MTFU dude!
Back in Nam, just before the Tet offensive Charlie came over the wire next to my position. I spent 11 hours in intensive hand to hand combat. Even now I can't pass a Chinese takeaway without the reflex to grab my ankle knife or grasp around for a M16.
Have you played the lottery this week yet? With your luck I think you should.
Glad you're ok, the scary stuff might go on its own but seek professional help if in doubt. I can vouch for counselling (sadly), it works better than expected.
Probably poor road positioning, or lack of lights on your bike or something. Either that or nothing dangerous happened at all and it's just your imagination...
"wobbled me and then launched me straight into the road"
Have you informed the Police that a branch tried to push you infront of traffic ?
how's the bike?
That's what you get for using SPDs
The "quick, get a lottery ticket" comments always make me chuckle (I make them as well by the way) but, he is the only one who nearly died yesterday, he is the one who got ambushed by a twig/branch/log and got pinged into the road... and that's lucky!!!!!
Damn straight you are still wound up, it was a near miss, and no more likely to happen again so be thankful that it was an unusual thing that happened and do something relaxing whilst you say thank you anyone and everyone you think you need to, but with luck like that, I wouldn't waste my money on a lottery ticket 🙂
ps, very glad you are ok you lucky bugger 😉
Glad you are ok, good job for surviving, but:
I just got out of the way before a horse transporter whistled by inches from my head with its horns blasting.
FFS! People beeping at you, "hey stop lying in the road you silly fellow!" As if you're out to inconvenience them... 🙄
Anyway re the current level of anxiety - as above, the effects of this kind of thing last for a while.
Yes, the devils pedals certainly seperate the men from the boys.
Use it as a positive, look forward, make some plans. Get out on your bike.
Thats what i did after being taken out by a car hitting me head on.
And yes i was clipped in and i didn't die.
I knew there'd be a MTFU somewhere in there.
Manager's giving me the afternoon off... gonna see the doc, see what he says.
Bike (and me) are otherwise fine - a few scrapes, and Gore bibs shredded.
It was weird how I got "launched" - I was trying to fall left, and I felt the suspension compress and got flipped to the right instead -that's the "Oh My God" moment.
... and thanks for the kind responses.
Now go back and ride the path AGAIN. NOW! Attack it like its insulted your mother, really give it some. Take that BITCH!
OP just be thankful you didn't have Charlie around
[i]Manager's giving me the afternoon off[/i]
that's very good of them 🙂
IF this had been me I'd be playing it down so no one started mentioning how dangerous a past time I indulge in and perhaps I'm gettign too old for it 😉
gonna see the doc, see what he says.
IME the doc's won't really be that much help - and even if they refer you to NHS counselling it could be 3-6 months before you get to take that up. I was pretty well unable to function after my accident and so it wasn't really viable to wait that long - fortunately I was able to sort something independently which did help to sort myself out again.
Have you informed the Police that a branch tried to push you infront of traffic ?
It was probably Special Branch, undercover.
Back in Nam, just before the Tet offensive Charlie came over the wire next to my position. I spent 11 hours in intensive hand to hand combat. Even now I can't pass a Chinese takeaway without the reflex to grab my ankle knife or grasp around for a M16.
LMFAO. Seriously. 🙂
I was imagining Hora's words, in the voice of Charlie Sheen.
OP, in a nice way. Seriously MTFU. Think, put it into perspective and move on.
So if the Doc gives you anti-depressants etc. Do you think your near miss has given you a positive reason to live?
Don't dwell on it, take the positive that you are unharmed and run with it. Think of what you'd like to do now- what you've been putting off and do it.
Take something positive out of the experience - your alive, revel in it.
FFS. 20yrs ago I was in a car that somersaulted many times. You know what I did when I got out? I lived life. I didn't think 'oh shit Im now depressed.
Firstly glad you're OK and you'll get over it.
Secondly, don't ride near roads, ride on it at least the traffic can see you and anticipate moving around you.
OR, like me just avoid them full stop. I think riding through undergrowth wasn't the brightest decision you've made and the Doctor can do nothing to help you.
A counsellor may help you talk about it....
Unfortunately for the rest of use Hora "did get off the boat!"
quick ! find a woman whos had a similar near life experience recently and have fantastic 'end of the world' sex
Kimbers - lol
@Hora...
who said anything about being depressed.... I said I feel like I am on speed - my mind is racing like an engine in neutral with the gas held down, and it's freaking me out.
Quick - pick me 6 numbers from 1 to 49.
A few good stiff drinks will calm you down.
try and do it monday morning next time......wake you up properly for the week
good to hear you're ok but did you move said offending branch as someone might not be as lucky as you were.
Ax3M4n, glad you're still with us.
Is that the first time you've been in a situation like that?
Like most I guess, I've had a few close calls over the years but I can honestly say I've never though "this is how it ends". It's always been either over too quickly to think about what to think or, and only rarely, "sh!t... do something about it!"
Any would-be shrinks on the forum?
'cos I have to admit, I enjoy that feeling of coming close to disaster and getting away with it.
Have others really thought "this is how it ends" at the time?
Just interested.
First time i came down skiddaw in a bout 2002 I was buzzing for about 2 days, just fizzing on adrenaline. It will subside im sure, might want sleeping pills though.
actually i find sleeping with music really calms me down if my mind wont stop buzzing
my mind is racing like an engine in neutral with the gas held down, and it's freaking me out.
yep, that's it.
FFS, whatever you do, don't watch any of the Final Destination movies.
Not because of your experience, just because they're sh1t.
What tyres were you using (for a near death experience)?
They sound rubbish.
Good to still have you with us.
Watch Crash (Cronenberg) and try not to get hooked by the buzz of it all 
"whistled by inches from my head with its horns blasting"
To be fair if it had been relly close he/she wouldnt have had time to react and press their horn.
Talking of near death experiences, I had one as a kid. I fell of a boat on lake coniston. Was the most weird and calm experience I've ever had.
I just remember looking up to the surface and a circular patch of light on the surface getting smaller and smaller and more distant. Strangely at that point I was very calm and relax, in fact I felt very comfortable almost like in a dream.
The next thing I remember is being back on the surface spitting out water, unable to swim as I was in a blind panic and being rescued by a canoeist.
I think that was a proper near death experience. Didnt have any nightmares, depression etc. If anything it made me realise that lifes for living, and that now I wont fear death by drowing.. I dont think.
Back in Nam, just before the Tet offensive Charlie came over the wire next to my position. I spent 11 hours in intensive hand to hand combat. Even now I can't pass a Chinese takeaway without the reflex to grab my ankle knife or grasp around for a M16
Rubbish. We all know you get your nob out.
Op- lucky escape that dude. Chalk it up as one of your nine lives, a good tale for the pub, and don't let it put you off your riding.
Is this what stw is becoming. You have had an amazingly lucky escape. You should be thanking your lucky stars etc etc etc. What you mostly should be doing is smiling and being happy. I had a similar situation when i was younger where i ended up staring head-on into a set of headlights and it missed me by mm's. Why think about it, its not as though you could a) Forsee it, b) Do anything to avoid the a similar situation in the future. Smile and walk on.
Glass half full, half empty. Too many on stw are half empty people which is why there are so many depression and suicide threads