I still can't believe this happened. I hit a little girl on the bike trail and knocked her down. She and her dad were walking with their backs to me and right as I got to them, she ran out in front of me. It happened so fast! I yelled LOOK OUT and braked hard, but I couldn't avoid her. There was oncoming bike traffic and other pedestrians on the other side of the trail, so I could only swerve so far over. My front tire and right leg hit her and knocked her down. I can't believe I didn't go down too.

I stopped and the dad had already picked her up off the ground. She was sobbing but there was no blood and the dad was saying "see, this is why you have to follow the rules! this is why you have to look both ways!". I was shaking and fighting back tears. I apologized over and over and the dad kept saying she's fine and he seemed pretty ok with it. So after a couple minutes I got back on the bike and rode off. I feel so guilty. I feel like I should've given them my name and number or something. Honestly, I don't think it was my fault, but I still feel just awful. Poor little kid...she was only about 5. How traumatic for her!