Habits - they can wreck you and save you at the same time

I had my first down while moving (as opposed to parking lot drops) a couple days ago, and it was a bad habit that put me in the situation, and a good habit that kept it from being far worse.

I live in a very rural part of Washington State, and we get very little traffic out here. When I get to the end of my road and turn onto another, I have had a habit of slowing, beginning the turn, and checking for oncoming traffic before turning. On Thursday, I did the first two, and then when doing the head check, I clocked a sedan coming at a little above the speed limit which forced me to brake very hard to avoid an accident. I managed to completely stop the bike before entering the traffic lane, but the road was sloped to a drainage ditch where I came to a halt, and the poor bike just slowly laid over on her right side, and my foot, as we both fell into the ditch. I struggled for a few minutes to get my foot free (it's black and blue now), and the woman driving the car (bless her!) came back to check on me and was able to give me just enough assistance to get loose...not sure what I would have done without her!

The bike is fine, and my foot is healing, but it reminded my that it is as important to pay close attention even when very close to home on roads I've ridden hundreds of times. My bad habit of complacency was only saved by my good habit of doing head checks!