On my bike ride home last night a little dog darted out right in front of me and went under the front wheel of a minivan going the other way. Well, partially under.

I heard and saw the crunch of its back legs right next to me and then the loud, pathetic cries afterwards for about the next three blocks. (The minivan stopped and there were people on the sidewalks there, possibly including the dog's owners.)

The dog wasn't going after me – just darting straight across the road for some reason. The minivan had just pulled out backward and then was accelerating forward and never had a chance to miss it either.

A half-second later on the dog's part and I would have hit it. Something that big would likely have spilled me, so I'm thankful that we didn't collide, but I feel sad for the poor dog and minivan driver.