Can I Put My Bike Accident On My CV?

Students who are looking to work for the first time have all experienced that blank piece of paper which stares at them as they wonder what experience could they possible write about to attract employers. Advisers always say that you must fit the skills you learnt from any activity to match the job being advertised. I wonder then, if I can put the events of my bike accident on my CV. Here is how it would be:

• Bike accident (Monday 2nd February 2009)

As usual, I was riding my bike home from school on that sunny Monday afternoon. I was only twelve, an age when bicycles are still thought of as ‘cool’ rather than just another form of transport. The road ahead was a lovely downhill sprint which I always looked forward to and consoled myself with when I had to ride up it every morning. There were cars blocking the road with the drivers arguing over who should reverse so I simply hopped onto the pavement and began to pedal my way down.

Faster and faster I rode, whipping through the air, the wind rushing past me, bouncing over the bumpy blocks of concrete when suddenly, my handlebars glance a large grey bin and I veer into a tremendously sized tree trunk.

I don’t remember that part exactly. I only remember being taken down by the bin and finding myself on the floor, my bike over turned and the headset turned the wrong way. The wheel was still spinning as I slowly struggled to my feet, blood on my knuckles, my arms feeling numb.

The funny thing was that a few people walked by but in their hurry to get to wherever they were going, none stopped to help an evidently poor kid in need of some assistance. Thankfully, a man finally asked me if I was okay and I reassured him that I was but could he help right my bike as I could not feel my right hand.

Then, I got back on my bike again and began to ride home one-handed which is okay to do normally but not when your other hand is permanently out of action. As I slowly rode along the pavement, I saw one of my aunts walking up head so I swerved onto the road, lest she see my bloody hand and make a big fuss.

It was only when I arrived home, did I begin to feel a sharp shooting pain in my right arm. When I knocked on the door to tell my mum that I needed help to pick my bike up the stairs, she thought I had been robbed.

It was later that evening that my mother’s fears were confirmed. I had fractured my right forearm.

Skills and knowledge gained: Independence, perseverance, determination, distrust of bins, distrust of Londoners on their way to anywhere and the ability to learn from mistakes. (Talking about the bin again here.)