---
title: "On accidents"
description: "Instant replay, the heat of the moment, and lucky breaks"
author: "Ghaith Ayadi"
site: "Verbatim"
collection: "The mechanics"
url: "https://verbatim.ayadighaith.com/the-mechanics/on-accidents"
date: 2024-09-08
updated: 2026-09-16
---
# On accidents

At the moment of fall

First thought: scanning if I broke any ribs

Raising a thumb up for everyone watching. There were two dozen probably

This is probably not gonna affect my goals too much.

Second thought: unclipping the pedals and trying to stand

Third though: this sucks, but I think I'm fine. It's gonna hurt a lot for a few minutes and I'll walk it off

I say I'm fine and smile to the people trying to help

I close the workout on Garmin. And think. Fuck, I have to start another ride

Try to ride home - in pain but not given up in the goal. Can’t do: bike is broken. Start looking for a taxi.

(Writing this on the toilet before I forget. I just looked up, bathroom door open, I can see my apartment door. It’s also open. I can look see the elevator. That's focus for you.)

In the taxi: 

thinking that this is probably one of the better falls - low speed, downtown in broad daylight, next to a taxi station, nothing broken, bike looks like it only had one part broken

Thinking about logistics, calling repair shops. Missed them by a few minutes. They close at 13 and it was 12:55 when I started calling

Approaching home: the dreaded ride home in a taxi... Beats the hell out of a stroller... Or an ambulance... Not that those take you home

First thought at home: you know? I guess I'm gonna be swimming a lot

Probably a good thing all in all. I needed the swimming volume anyway

---

Editing note:

That day, I entered my apartment in pain. I now realize that I was obviously in shock. But at the time, I was completely taken by my owb reaction to the fall. So much so that I felt compelled to write everything down immediately. 

The crash was basically me hitting a street pole after having slipped on a cobbled street. It went right into my pelvis between my upper thigh and my undercarriage. That area was so numb that I had to try to use the toilet to see if things are working. But as soon as I sat down, I just started writing like a man possessed. I didn’t write these in order. I was writing on arbitrary lines trying to make sure I record it all before I forget. 

I didn’t write just this stuff. I wrote more that ended up on other articles. On Calm, and On reactions, On effects. Those three go into more thoughts about this strange crash.

I can’t stress enough how lucky I got. I don’t think this could have been lethal, but it could have easily, easily, been a life changing crash of dire, permanent consequences. I’m so thankful that I got out relatively unscathed. 

Writing this Nov 6th. Knee is still fucked. But I still think I got out easy.

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ