This morning on my way downtown, I came across a cyclist who had just been struck by a truck. Not a pretty sight. Actually, I should rather say that the truck was struck by the cyclist. Seeing a cold man, damp from the Vancouver rain, lying on the road, with blood streaming down the side of his face, crying in pain is not a memory I will easily forget.

Apparently the guy on the bike, SANS HELMET came down the slightly inclined road at a fair speed, went straight through the stop sign and bang on to a large truck driven by a foreign older man who clearly had the right of way. Fortunately for him there were a few people about who came to comfort him, put a towel beneath his head and cover him with our jackets.

When we asked him who we could call for him, he replied that he was homeless and had no-one. Really sad.

The ambulance showed up within about 5 minutes and as they maneuvered him onto a stretcher it was clear that he had broken a leg and had other injuries. With no helmet, he could have died instantly. He was screaming in pain. In true Vancouver style, no sooner had the ambulance arrived, it was followed by a fire-truck, a second ambulance and then a police car.

My thought and prayers are with him.