Close call

Today I almost got hit by a car (edit: I suppose it was more like run over by a car). I'm actually pretty surprised I still haven't actually collided with a car considering all the time I spend in traffic and all the stupid moves I pull on a daily basis. *Knocks Wood* Get this - I was standing still at the time!

I was on my road bike with a trailer on my way to pick up a couple boxes for work - I'm a bike courier, so I guess it is more like as work. There were two cars waiting at a red light, and I pulled up next to the one on the right - a little too close b/c she was turning left onto a one way and I would have gone around on the right if there was room. Both of the cars were turning left and it was actually a single lane two way street - so the driver in the wrong lane was clearly an idiot.

Nevermind... I just checked google maps and it was a one way there, but for some reason there were cars parked on the far left facing against traffic so I thought it was a two way street at the time. So the lady in front of me in the right lane obviously decided she wanted to get in the left lane - where she should have been to turn left. She started backing up without ever looking back - right into me! Luckily I yelled and started slapping the trunk all while managing to jump back a couple of feet. She quickly hit the brakes and pulled back forward. The trailer had jackknifed behind so I wouldn't have been able to roll back any further had she kept going in reverse.

She put it in park and got out of the car, looking worried and asking me if I was alright a couple of times, saying "I looked left and didn't see anything." She was nice enough and generally shaken by almost running me over that I totally forgot about being pissed and found myself on the verge of apologizing for slapping her trunk and telling her that I didn't do any damage! Hah! I also felt it was unnecessary to tell her to look behind her next time because I am pretty sure she almost had a heart attack. All I said was "Yeah, I'm fine" in response to her questions. I was speechless. When the light turned green I waited a good long time for her to finally make her turn before I crossed through the yellow. Oh, and the bike was fine too.