Recently I was riding my bicycle back from an evening meditation group which ended at 9 p.m. I was moving rapidly down 39th Avenue, making a left on 16th Street when a vehicle didn’t stop at the stop sign. The driver did not see me and pulled out to make a left.
I yelled at him (or her) so he would look and swerved to make a very big left in front of the car. I couldn’t make it all of the way around in time so the car directly impacted my bike and sent me on the road.
I blacked out from the fall but there were people around me in seconds, a man who was an off-duty ambulance attendee and others.
This man helped me on to the sidewalk to get off the road. 911 was called and within minutes an ambulance came.
I had head trauma (a lot of blood coming from my head) and damage to soft tissue on my shoulders and right knee. I am a yoga teacher and Thai massage therapist. I use my body quite a lot.
I was in emergency waiting for five hours to get two X-rays and four stitches on my head. When I returned at 3 a.m., my bicycle was not in the driveway, and I was locked out as my keys were in the saddlebag on the bike.
A week later, I located the bike. Gratitude to the person who returned it.
I wanted to say thank you to all of those that helped me. I am unsure why charges were not laid to the person driving the car as he did not come to a full stop at the stop sign and did not look right, the direction where I was coming from.
I have always advocated for bike lanes in Vernon, supported Bike to Work Week, and now I will pay particular attention to wearing a helmet. Biking is good for the environment and our health.
I am injured, and concerned for my recovery as I rely on my body to make my living.
To drivers, please look both ways, make yourself known if there is an accident. I know this was not intentional but my body is now not functioning as I require.
Satyama Dawn Lasby, Vernon
