» Near Death Experiences

Not clever or proud of this but...
21 years ago (yes I really am that old) out meeting mates in the pub. I had a couple of pints, then a couple more. I left, jumped on my motorbike and rode off into the cold dark night. It was about 11:30 pm and I was just *so* tired. The drone of the bike was singing to me like a lullaby and I was struggling to keep my heavy eyes open.

You know when you are really tired, but must stay awake, like when there is a late film on and you want to see the ending? It was like that really.

So I made a deal with myself. Instead of blinking, I'll shut my eyes for just a tiny bit longer, for surely it won't hurt. Its a quiet, straight stretch of road, and dark anyway. Just an extra blinks worth, and I'll be refreshed for the rest of the ride home. Right?

Wrong. Next thing I know, I'm being thrown around like I was riding a bucking bronco, a full 2 metres off the road and on the grass verge, with assorted undergrowth and ditches. I had managed to get up and over the 4 inch kerb without falling off (may have been a drop kerb, I had my eyes closed and was pissed remember) and remained upright. Quite how, God only knows. That or the spinning wheels of the bike were acting as gyroscopes.

I never blinked the rest of the journey home, and have never drunk and drove again.
(Fri 26th Nov 2004, 17:23, More)