Yesterday began with our new Monday – Wednesday – Friday routine. That is, I took Donna to her exercise class first thing in the morning. I dropped her off at Liberty Station in Point Loma around 8:40am.

My plan was to go to Starbucks. I could sit and sip coffee while posting to the blog on their wifi. When I dropped Donna off, her sister said she would drive Donna home after the class. Since I didn’t have to pick Donna up, I decided to come straight home and write my post.

As I crossed the intersection from Midway Drive to West Mission Bay Drive, I thought I heard a siren. I took a quick look around and checked the scooter mirrors, but I didn’t see an emergency vehicle. Continuing on to Sea World Drive, I thought I heard a siren wailing again. I checked my mirrors; the road was empty behind me.

A few moments later, I heard it again. Quick check – nothing. I began to think the air was whistling through my helmet or something. I stopped at the traffic light in the left turn lane at East Mission Bay Drive. I heard the siren again and it was getting louder. I looked back and saw an ambulance and police car coming from behind and I could see that the ambulance was indicating a left turn.

There weren’t any any other cars on the road at the moment, so I cranked the scooter hard right and got out of the left turn lane and moved to the curb. The ambulance and police car turned onto East Mission Bay Drive. From there, they turned left again onto Fiesta Island.

Out of morbid curiosity, I followed them. They took the short loop around the island and drove all the way back to the water ski jump area before they stopped. I saw some people ahead. A woman on the side of the rode was dressed in bicycling gear, standing over her bike. Then I saw a bike lying on the side of the road and a woman dressed in bicycling gear lying in the road.

I rode slowly past the scene and stopped. The woman was motionless. The paramedics stabilized her neck with a brace and were putting  a backboard under her. She appeared to be conscious. I walked back and asked the woman on the bike what happened.

Hit and run on Fiesta Island

She told me a car hit the bicyclist and drove on without stopping!

The speed limit on Fiesta Island is 25mph. The traffic moves in one direction, counter clockwise around the island. It’s a popular area for bicyclists and runners. The road is plenty wide enough for a car to safely pass a bicyclist or runner. I thought it was a safe place to ride.

How does this happen? How can a driver of an automobile be so reckless? How can anyone strike a person with their car and drive on?

I can only hope the woman isn’t injured too seriously and she completely recovers. Apparently a hit and run involving a bicyclist isn’t newsworthy. I checked the local news, Internet and newspaper and couldn’t find any information about the incident.

It was after 11am before I got on my bike to ride. I did my usual loop, including a lap of Fiesta Island. I went to Mission Beach, then rode to Pacific Beach and back home along Crown Point. The liner on my bicycle helmet is broken and I’ve made my last few rides helmetless. The hit and run this morning brought home how foolish this is.

After lunch, Donna and I rode the scooter up to Clairemont. I needed new glasses, so we went to Lenscrafters. After I ordered my glasses, we went to a bicycle shop. I bought a new helmet.

Donna had her book deadline extended and she is continuing to work on it. Last night, my daughter, Shauna, left her car with us. Today we have a few errands and the car will be handy. Donna also has a hair appointment. She’s happy she won’t have “helmet hair” from riding the scooter when she goes to the hairstylist.