"Did you ride to work?"
It was first thing in the morning, so I wasn't as prepared as I normally am. About three words into my reply, the person in question interrupted me, with a tale of how a cyclist gave her the stink eye, for blocking the turn lane.
"Oh I get it." I said, "You just asked me if I rode, so you could tell me why cyclists are assholes....right?"
The look of horror was immediate. How could I be so rude? Her face turned red. Then, I was the happy recipient of a three minute diatribe, on why it is okay to drive in the bike lane, if no one is in it.
"Too bad it's against the law, huh?" I wondered aloud.
I have never been part of such a hated minority before, and I have to tell you, it sucks. People honestly believe we are the problem. I am going to have to avoid such conversations in the future. I will add cycling to the list of politics, religion and other such taboos. Not because I am worried about my social stock rating, but because I am tired of being in a battle of wits, with unarmed Philistines.
W.B.Z.N.
7 comments:
Amen. I refuse to have the discussion at work. For one I work with a bunch of women and we know they are never wrong. Ms. Moon is the exception I'm sure.
I am just going to back up....becaase getting my eyes scratched out is not a personal goal but....uh ...thanks for the comment. I will visit you in ICU.
You are correct, Big Jim s. I am frequently wrong.
But Brother Wrecking Ball (so sorry but you knew it was going to happen at some point) it's so much FUN to battle with unarmed Philistines.
Nothing makes me happier.
I remember one time I was driving my youngest child to school and we got behind a car that was straddling the bike lane line so that the entire right half of her car was IN the bike lane and we were commenting on it and then my daughter said, "Whoa! That's my school's teacher of the year!" We pondered that for a moment and then she said, "DRUNK teacher of the year."
We're still laughing about that one.
Don't you know that roads are for cars? We pay good money for these facilities and you free loaders are clogging up the system. Sidewalks are for walkers and trails are for hikers. The way I see it, you ballerina clown suit wearing freaks don't belong anywhere except maybe the Sandy Eggo zoo.
Sinks you f-n rule! It's time for you to ghost blog again. Let me know if you need a venue, I know Juancho has first dibs, but you can post here any time you want.
Cyclists do have a nasty habit of being Geared Up (pun intended) at any given moment just waiting for any infraction to unload on some caged multi-tasker.
When I ride, yes, I'm amped also, hoping not to die and every idiot on the road is personally out to get me-it helps save my life.
BUT, when it comes to battling them with stink eye, words, the finger(my favorite), or more? I fight the urge and try to indicate in some kinder way that they've f-ked up which usually means I move on with nothing but frustration.
Most of these folks are us-our friends, my boss, his mom-nice folks, just without the keen understanding of bikes and the law; hell, most cyclist don't realize that the law was recently changed to provide a mandatory 36inches during passing (car around bike), so how could we expect the motorists to know?
Let's buy a billboard with all that money spent on cute cards in the spokes and promote a positive campaign for sharing the road.
I just put a big picture of my pouting daughter on the back of my milk crate with a bubble that says "don't run over my papa"; it brings 'em to tears.
It's revolutionary I tell ya, YA BASTA!
Alright Magnum, since no one reads your blog and because you baffle me with your wit, you can have a ghost spot too!
Ya Basta!
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