A split second has had a big impact on Mia Easton's life.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
She had pedalled just 25 metres after work when she was hit by a car at the Kepler and Timor streets roundabout in Warrnambool.
"I left work and mounted my bike on Kepler Street," Mrs Easton said.
"I started riding through Timor Street roundabout after head checks, and was hit by a car as I was about to exit the roundabout heading towards the train station."
The next detail Mrs Easton remembers is lying in the middle of the road with a sore ankle.
"The last thing I remember is thinking 'something's not right, why can't I keep riding', and then I blacked out," she said.
The driver involved stopped and immediately called the paramedics and police.
"She didn't see me," Mrs Easton said.
"Lots of people don't look for things other than cars.
"We quickly compute in our minds there is no vehicle coming from the right, not having thought 'is there a bike or a pedestrian coming across the road'.
"We are not slowing down enough, not giving ourselves enough time. It is an awareness thing."
A regular cyclist, Mrs Easton rides both mountain and road bikes, and teaches safe riding skills to junior riders with the Warrnambool Mountain Bike Club. In 2018, she completed the Amy Gillett Foundation Gran Fondo, which helps to promote safer cycling.
Mrs Easton would like to see improvements made to the safe cycling infrastructure around Warrnambool.
"There are some positives around town with 40 kilometre per hour zones and pictures of bicycles in some roundabout," she said.
"It is getting better in some spots."
Wider shoulders along roads and links between cycling routes, particularly across the Princes Highway, are problems that Mrs Easton would like to see improved.
"Even along Wangoom Road where there is a dedicated cycling lane, the shoulder is loaded with gravel and the lane is incomplete," she said.
Bike riders have to take responsibility for their own safety as well, Mrs Easton said.
"We pick up on other riders doing the wrong thing and tell them they are doing the wrong thing,
"There are people who do cycle around town that aren't safe enough, they don't do anything to help us who do ride every day doing the right thing."
Although it might be some time before she is riding again, Mrs Easton is confident she will get back on the bike.
"I'm pretty shaken, I've had some pretty good night terrors about it all, and I usually cycle every day," she said.
"It will be a matter of how I'm feeling when I finally get back on the bike, I'm sure it will be a slow process.
The effect of such a small moment can have such a big effect on your life.
- Mia Easton
"The effect of such a small moment can have such a big effect on your life."
RELATED CONTENT: Bryce Morden faces a long recovery after being hit on his ride home
RELATED CONTENT: Spate of incidents involving cyclists prompt police warning
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.
