Slow Motion Wipe Out: The Day Fear Took the Wheel

In November of 2014 I took a slide on my Vespa in a gravel parking lot. I was going slow but turned my wheel as I braked to pull into a parking spot. Somewhere in there seems to lie the issue.

One minute I was upright, the next I was pinned half under my scoot, one shoe missing, gravel pressing into my leg and very confused about how I got there. For me it was lightning quick. For my husband, who was following behind me; it was a slow motion wipe out. To this day I think he was trying not to laugh but he won't confess so I will never know.

He carefully pulled in behind me and jumped to my aid as did another bystander who witnessed the whole thing. Nothing appeared to broken although my pinned foot had begun to swell in the heel area. My pride was darn near smashed to pieces, however. It was so embarrassing but the relief at my scoot and my body being ok made up for it.  When we were ready to leave I felt some anxiousness at driving on the gravel out of the parking lot but managed to depart without incident.

I parked my scooter and some time went by before I rode again and when I did, I didn't enjoy it. Not at all. In fact, I was afraid and anxious. I didn't want to fall again or get into an accident. As time passed my fear grew. By August of 2015 I had all but decided to sell my Vespa, much to my husband's dismay. I was really struggling with not being able to dissect my fall in my mind so I could avoid it happening again. It just happened so fast I could not figure out the point at which I made the mistake that led to the slide.

Bill had discovered Scoot Pensacola and we were planning to attend their scooter UNrally in October but I was very reluctant to go. I had lost all joy and fun in scooting and really wanted to sell my scoot. I did not believe I could enjoy it no matter what Bill said. Almost at the last minute I agreed to go with the understanding that if I felt like I didn't want to participate I could go shopping or meet up with friends and not ride. Our mid-life joint crisis was about to come to an end.

The UNrally turned out to be a game changer for me, but that's another blog. I also got bogged down in sand and fell over but that's another blog, too. Stay tuned and don't forget to subscribe!

Safe scootin, y'all!

Robin