Bobby Petrino has no plans to stop riding his motorcycle, but he does feel lucky to be alive.
Two days after suffering a cracked vertebrae and four fractured ribs as a result of a motorcycle accident, Petrino met with the media and attended Arkansas spring football practice, observing from the press box.
Petrino wasn't wearing a helmet at the time of his accident.
"I'm very fortunate," said Petrino, who was wearing a neck brace and sporting an array of bruises on his face. "I feel very lucky to be here and be in good health."
Petrino said he noticed the sun in his eyes moments before veering off Arkansas Highway 16 in Madison County, which is about 20 miles southeast of Fayetteville. Petrino ended up in a ditch and was found by a passing driver. He was taken to the hospital where he was in stable condition.
"I remember coming around the curve, I was noticing the sun was going to be in my eyes the rest of the way home," Petrino said. "And then there got to a point where I was not going to be able to maneuver the turn.
"It seemed like 15 seconds where I said, 'Oh no, here I go.'
He was released Tuesday and immediately went to practice. According to the Associated Press, Petrino, an avid motorcycle enthusiast, had not been drinking and had spent the day with his wife, Becky, at the lake. The highway where he crashed is one frequented by motorcyclists.
Arkansas state law does not require riders to wear helmets, but Petrino said now he probably won't get on his bike without one.
"It's something that really puts a scare in you," Petrino said. "I can't say that I'm not going to ride a motorcycle again because I might do that. The ironic thing is we were sitting there in the kitchen, Becky and I, and I had two helmets out. I said, 'This one's going to be really heavy and hot, and then this one makes me look like a cone head. I think I'll just go with the hat.'
"Obviously, bad call. We wouldn't have converted the third down."
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