Near death

[Scene] Lilyfield Road; flat out down a big hill.

Time stopped as I was cut off by a car at 70 kmh. Wedged between the car and the gutter I hit the anchors and went into a two wheel skid under brakes.

Impending collision; not enough, instinctively I jumped the bike onto the brick-wide footpath liner (there was a street garden on the other side) at about 30 kmh and lived to see another day.

I fear it was a fluke; I would not back myself to be able to do it again.

One thing for sure, cycling makes life very here and real. Just by sheer contrast with the possibilities.