Ice

Today was clear and cold. That proved problematic for me.

As part of my bike commute to work, I make a left turn through a busy intersection. I usually move into the left turn lane and turn with traffic on a green arrow, as instructed by my state’s bike safety manual. Today was no different… until I reached the middle of the intersection.

A patch of black ice had formed on the asphalt, and I didn’t see it. I started to turn. I had a fraction of a second to realize that something wasn’t quite right about the way my wheels were responding before the bike slipped right out from under me.

For a moment, I felt like I was in some kind of action movie. More than once I’ve seen a scene in which a motorcycle rider turns sharply and drops, letting the bike slide across the ground usually to avoid some deadly collision or to create an explosion. Similarly, though without the flair, I sat down hard on the asphalt and watched for a second or two as my bike skidded across more ice, wheels-first, in the general direction of the opposing traffic (which was still stopped by a red light).

I stood up quickly, grabbed my ride, and rushed it to the sidewalk. I think I even laughed while doing so, which was probably just a side-effect of the flood of epinephrine hitting my bloodstream. I was unhurt save for some minor impact-related pain in my left thigh. The bike was fine save for a scrape on the left pedal and a dislodged chain. It was easily fixed, and I was on my way again.

I think it was more embarrassing than anything else. I was confidently and capably riding through an intersection one moment; I was sitting on the ground and blocking traffic the next moment with a dozen pairs of headlights pointed straight at me. On one hand, I’m glad I was able to get right up and out of the way so quickly. On the other hand, I almost feel like I should have made more of a show of it by looking up at some of the motorists, shrugging nonchalantly, and laughing at my predicament.

I may know how to drive on icy roads. I guess I haven’t quite learned how to properly bike on them yet.