There are those that say that bicycles do not belong on the road. These are the 99%. I have been yelled at, cussed at and accused of sodomy for riding my bike. I've had $400 worth of lights and reflective gear and a lit cigar in my mouth and still got hit. My friends have had things thrown at them including fast food. The 99% feel that bicycles slow down traffic and pose a health risk to their riders. Give me convenience or give me death. Diabetes uber alles!
But everyday I listen to the traffic reports and I learn that people crash their cars left and right in good weather and in bad weather. Did you know that in the year of our Lord 2010 that 89.8 people per day in the US of A were needlessly killed by automobiles? I am sure that this stat includes bicyclist murdered by cars. But almost 90 lives per day snuffed out by cars. If these people were killed by guns Obama would have sent in his jackboots to confiscate my firearms and yours, assuming you have any.
I always laugh when the road report is on a snowy day. It is as if plane loads of Floridians descend upon Des Moines and drive 20 year old Pontiacs with their original Eagle GT tires. WTF??!!!??? No one remembers how toi drive when it snows? Are people so important that need to drive fast in dangerous conditions? I recall a 19 year old woman/girl from Omaha that passed a car and fell off of I-235. That was God killing her. So damn full of pride and lacking consideration for the safety of others that the instant karma card was invoked and her earthly existence came to a violent bone smashing and bloody end at once.
So I have this sporto with a Texas U hat call me a faggot for riding a bike. My "fuck off" was an invitation for him to turn after me and take time out of his busy day to ask me why I said that. Cellphone in hand I started dialing 911. I don't understand why he called me that, he was driving a Honda Vue or some sort of squarish SUV that generally is marketed to the Bette Middler crowd. Putting a Florida State sticker does not make it less of a Queen's SUV. I was slowing down traffic he yelled. 4 lanes and I hug the curb for 2 blocks. Lick my ass.
I find that I am always waiting on cars to get out of my way. At 530 am there is generally one car that I have to slow down or stop for at two of the intersections I cross every day on my way to work. No cars until I get there. No cars after I stop and it goes by.
Then there is the bleeding heart drivers that I have to stop for BUT they stop and wave me through. I don't need a hand out, I need you to get the fuck out of my way. Please do not stop. Just roll along. These people with good intentions are annoying.
Left turns are difficult at times. Going down Park Ave to make the turn onto the trail I need to constantly look behind so I can seize the turn lane. Often I am forced to go to the intersection and hit the cross light button and wait 4 or 5 minutes for the light to change. Too many cars in the way again
So the next time you see a bike in the road remember that it is very easy to lift your foot off the gas and then steer a few degrees out of the way, correct and reapply foot pressure on the throttle. Much easier than pedalling or stopping and resuming biking when the Tahoe with 1 person has gone by.
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