VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Last fall, Bruce Mimran was poised to take the top spot in the nation for the 65-69 age group in USA Cycling.

All the training came to a screeching halt on Sept. 16, 2021, in the Pungo section of Virginia Beach when he was struck by a 17-year-old driver.

His crumpled Specialized SL7, a cracked helmet, and bloody gloves tell part of the story.

“I suffered a traumatic brain injury. I suffered subarachnoid hemorrhage. I suffered a subdural hemorrhage and I had a fractured skull. It was fractured so deeply, it went to my ear canal,” said Mimran, from an area near the crash site.

He also suffered several injuries below the waist.

“I feel lightheaded every day. I have pain in my pelvic area; I have pain in my hip. Who knows what’s gonna happen,” said Mimran.

Mimran says it’s his understanding the girl was texting.

“Distracted driving is a horrible thing. Now texting is worse than DUI, yet it’s tolerated,” added Mimran, who loves cycling but doesn’t know if he will ever ride again.

Mimran says three days before the crash that put him in the intensive care unit for two weeks, he was nearly hit by a City of Virginia Beach school bus on Shore Drive.

“I called the school department the next day and they said they would have somebody call me back. I got no calls back,” he said.

Now he’s calling on the General Assembly to toughen the penalty for those who hit vulnerable road users. Mimran says those on two wheels are also bullied by those on four.

“They would blow their horn, yell give you the finger, they would get in front of you and accelerate to blow black smoke in your face. It has to have consequences. It’s a dangerous position and we need help,” he said.

Mimran says more enforcement is needed for a new law that requires drivers to change lanes to pass a cyclist. Additionally, he says two bills before lawmakers don’t go far enough in changing the laws and the culture on the roads. He says bike lanes, unless they are blocked, will offer no protection from distracted or impaired drivers.

Since the accident, Mimran says he has reached out to 15 local and state politicians. He says, so far, not one politician has returned his calls.

Because of the injuries, Mimran says his future on the road is uncertain. Mimram says if he suffers a bump on the head, the resulting injury could be fatal.