Be Careful of the Front Brake… or else…
…Or else you’ll end up with 7 stitches in the face…
Ouch…
It’s a long story, but to sum it up, it was my fault. I was cruising in my mountain bike in excess of 30 km/h going uphill when I encountered an incoming bike that swerved right in front of me, going to my right. My bad for hitting the front brake after I hit wheels – that ensured that I got catapulted out of my seat and over the handle bars. I landed squarely chin first on the ground.
Why the mess up with the front brake? Because my bike in the Philippines has the brake levers reversed with functions (that is, my front brake is actuated in the left hand, while my rear is actuated in the right hand). I carried the bad habit with my new bike here in Beijing which was fully stock.
Moreover – what I didn’t like was the fact that nobody cared while I was sprawled on the ground. There was this lady just beside me, up on the sidewalk, sending SMS on her phone, and not giving a damn about what just happened in front of her. Also, the guy that got me into the accident fled the scene (he was on a motorized tricycle).
I am recovering now. The intern who attended to me in the ER did a good job on the suture – just hoping now that infection won’t make the best out of the scarring that will occur.
Peace with all Chinese bikers!