Wednesday, August 04, 2010

It was bound to happen

I did warn him beforehand that scooters and motorbikes are not a good idea. That you risk serious injury. When he insisted on buying on, much against my desires (although he did have good reason - with the petrol hikes, a scooter is MUCH cheaper to run; it's also much easier to get to work on time for him as he doesn't have to sit in the morning traffic).

But it was bound to happen.

An accident.

I'm just grateful that it wasn't serious.

He tried to stop to avoid an oncoming car, stopped too quickly, and came off his bike. He has shoulder & neck strain (I suspect a bit of whiplash), a rather nasty graze on his elbow and a few other miscellaneous cuts. Fortunately it was only 50m from the house, on his way home. I worry that had it been further away he would not have been able to get home as he could barely drive.

I doubt he'll be in any fit state to drive anywhere for a few days as he can barely lift his arm, but at least nothing seems broken.

But just yesterday morning he was talking to Janel about how when she gets older she can ride on the bike with him. I have only one thing to add: not bloody likely.

There is no way I'm going to allow her to get on one of those things. It's one thing if she's fully adult and decides to take the risk, but there is NO WAY ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH I will allow her on while she's a child. Last night has just confirmed that for me. Imagine that had happened with her on board??? And that was just a minor accident. I love my husband dearly, but if I have to, I will force both of them to make me a promise that she won't ride on a scooter or bike till she's 18, and even then I won't be happy about it.

Like mother like daughter....

When I was growing up we had a few lodgers - one of whom was injured in a bike accident on his way home one night (and was in hospital for at least 6 weeks), another of whom was killed not 20m from our house when he misjudged a corner, hit a tree and never woke up. Following those 2 bike "accidents", my mother made me promise I would never get on a bike. I've broken the promise to her, but only as an adult.

But Janel wants to get on the bike with her father. She keeps asking when she will be allowed to ride with him. She simply doesn't understand the risks or the danger. And if I have to, I will make her make the same promise I did as a child. I've already lost one child, I really don't want to lose another.

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