I was sitting at my desk this afternoon when a piercing scream and loud squeeling tires caused me to actually look up from my monitor. I looked out in time to see a car, bicycle and rider come to a skidding stop in the middle of the intersection (SW 4th and Market). Immediately there was a crowd assisting the fallen rider; I called 911 and reported the accident. I’ve never done that before — usually I worry about someone calling 911 re something I am doing.

I didn’t see any blood and the rider’s limbs all seemed to still be attached at the correct angles, but the paramedics took their time getting her into the ambulance and traffic was stopped for quite a while, and there was quite a crowd gathered within just a few minutes. It also seemed to take a long time for the cops to show. I was a little worried for the driver, thinking that maybe a hoard of angry bikers bent on revenge might descend on him before the police arrive. They didn’t; that guy got lucky today. Aside from being involved in a nasty accident anyway.