We were riding paceline and I was pulling Sting up the gap. We jumped and were riding close to 40 km/h, approaching the sharp zigzag left then hard right where the 2nd bus stop is we made the left turn and the lorry must have been slowing because as we rode up to its rear, I feathered the brakes to slow down and then realized that the lorry was braking hard to a stop! I slammed on the brakes and my front wheel overlapped the rear of the lorry.... my handle bar just barely clearing the overhang section. I was hoping Sting was alright. I had no idea whether he was on my wheel or not. It didn't matter then, as I just wanted to haul my ass up the hill and throw it down the descent.

I thought to myself, 'shit!!!,' if a car came round the bend, there was no way he would see Sting and be able to stop in time. I hurriedly dumped my bike by the railings and ran back to where he was. Sting was not stirring at all. I shouted to him if find out if he was all right and to get off the road but he just lay there. He must have laid down motionless for about 5-10 secs but it felt like an hour. I picked the bike off him and rested it against the railings and helped him up. All he wanted to do then was to sit down. He sat down again in the middle of the road he kept going 'shit!! f**k!!! what happened man?' We managed to get to the other side of the road and sat on the pavement. He was bleeding on his legs and arms I couldn't see where from as it was dark and the lamp post was quite a distance away then I realized blood was dripping down from his chin and that’s when i saw his badly torn lip and broken tooth. His lip was totaled. I knew it needed stitches so after resting awhile and catching our breath. I got him back on his saddle and we rode up the crest and down to A&E at NUH (kids don’t try this at home!).

It turned out worst than I expected. Sting couldn't remember his address and could not fill out the form. While waiting to be treated, we ran through the details of the accident except that there were no details. It was a total blank to him. He did not remember the lorry, nor how he fell. He only remembered jumping hard and then he was lying on the floor, bleeding. His lip was as totalled as I had thought it was. The doc said that it needed more than stitches to patch it up so he had to be admitted for plastic surgery and maybe some observation for his slight concussion.

We still managed to crack a joke there after about how we should take a photo of the lip now and post it up on the web (we have the pictures - webmaster). The graphics in full Kodak colour splendour would definitely add to the gore in the accident report which Sting himself would pen.

While waiting for in-processing, the his memory caught up with him. He managed to clear up his confusion. He cleared up the mix-up between his current address at Ghim Moh and his old one at West Coast and then he remembered the lorry and how it slowed and we had to jam our brakes to avoid riding into it and how he must have hit my back wheel and fallen.

He will be attended to by the plastic surgeon when the theatre is available as it might just be a day surgery. I'm not sure if he'll be staying over or how long the doctors will want to keep him for observation

His Litespeed Vortex thankfully survived without a scratch except his STI shifter that has to be re-positioned and his front wheel which may have to be replaced.

Now importantly my reflections on the accident

Well, I spend a lot of time on the saddle riding with numerous close shaves and I’ll be the first to admit but I've always been blessed to live through the experience, thank GOD for it. However Sting's fall reminds me off my own mortality and how dangerous a lapse of concentration can be. Crashing on the bike is a game of chance and probability. Careful riders perhaps may face a much lower probability than others but sometimes its not your own fault and there's just about nothing you can do to prevent it. In most cases, we get up and walk away from the crash cursing and swearing taking the accident and our survival for granted. In some cases, you have to be carried away, sometimes in a PVC bag.

I'm reminded of my father's team mate from Geylang who's time came prematurely when he rode into the rear of a lorry and went underneath. I prayed that his end was instantaneous and that there was no pain. He was only 27. His mom almost passed away too with heartache, sadness and anguish but the Lord felt that the time was not right and that she still has a role to play in taking care of the aged father and younger siblings.

Thank God that Sting was wearing his helmet today and that he has been wearing his helmet religiously every time he is on the bike.

His helmet was not so lucky. The front of the helmet covering the brow and forehead took the impact and cracked through the reflective plastic covering. The road ‘sanded off’ the hard styroform. Hence, he fortunately only suffered facial abrasions and road rash on his chin and lower part of the face. Had it not been for the helmet, he would have landed on his forehead first and slid across the road on his face. It might have needed much more than just plastic surgery on his lip and a new tooth to set things right.

The helmet has served its purpose and saved another life. I pray that each and everyone of you will make full use of the helmet for we will never know when our lives are going to depend on it. If not for yourself, then for your wife, kids... people that you care about.

Shaken by the incident, I immediately paid a visit to my girlfriend, Denise, who is a physiotherapist in NUH to thank her for being who she is and to tell her that her presence in my life is deeply appreciated

We have only one chance at this mortal life of ours live it fully appreciate your loved ones lead a fulfilling life surrounded by people that u care about

Be happy and most of all ride safe

May the force be with you.