This is war you fucking asshole drivers (and pedestrians)
Today as I was pulling up to a red light on Market Street, a grumpy old man in the crosswalk tried to cut me off.
"Watch it!" he sneered, stepping in front of my bike so that I had to brake suddenly to avoid hitting him. He continued walking with smug satisfaction.
Since I've inexplicably been the town punching-bag-on-a-bike this week, I decided that I needed the last word for once. I caught up to him from behind, and as I passed him, I swerved close enough to narrowly miss knocking him over. I think I even heard my messenger bag brush against his sleeve. Asshole.
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They're turning me into a two-wheeled brand of terrorist.
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Saturday I was pulled over by the curb on Steiner fixing my bike chain when a station wagon whizzed past me and--you guessed it--missed me by inches. I was annoyed that he seemed not to have been paying attention, but it was a relatively narrow road with no bike lane, so I didn't even bother rolling my eyes.
I got back on my bike and continued pedalling to the end of the block. For some reason the station wagon was waiting for me at the stop sign. I peered through the passenger side window as I passed and was met by a greasy-haired thug glaring at me. I was startled but turned the corner as planned. Suddenly the thug started yelling at me. I never quite caught what he said, but his tone seemed to indicate that it went something like this:
"What's your fucking problem you fucking bitch? Why don't stop blocking the fucking road, you goddamn bike?"
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Or the time I was at a four-way stop sign on Irving Street with cars waiting their turn on all four sides of the intersection. A huge truck forced his way across the intersection by tailgating the sedan in front of him, instead of waiting for the other cars (and the biker) who had the right of way. I shook my head and turned up my palms in protest. Little did I realize how inappropriate and obnoxious it was for someone on a bike to point out a truck driver's mistake.
"You're supposed to stop at the stop sign, bitch," the driver yelled above the roar of his uselessly gigantic truck.
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On a less aggro note, I learned that you shouldn't ride your bike on the sidewalk in front of a cop who is holding a cup of coffee, because she will say, "Hey, you're not supposed to be riding on the sidewalk." But everyone does it, especially on Market Street and anywhere there's a lot of traffic and no bike lane. It just kind of makes sense, and as long as you're not riding at a speed that endangers pedestrians or dogs, I think bikers have every right to be on the sidewalk.
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Anyone who harrasses cyclists should be shot on the spot.
"Watch it!" he sneered, stepping in front of my bike so that I had to brake suddenly to avoid hitting him. He continued walking with smug satisfaction.
Since I've inexplicably been the town punching-bag-on-a-bike this week, I decided that I needed the last word for once. I caught up to him from behind, and as I passed him, I swerved close enough to narrowly miss knocking him over. I think I even heard my messenger bag brush against his sleeve. Asshole.
--------------
They're turning me into a two-wheeled brand of terrorist.
==============
Saturday I was pulled over by the curb on Steiner fixing my bike chain when a station wagon whizzed past me and--you guessed it--missed me by inches. I was annoyed that he seemed not to have been paying attention, but it was a relatively narrow road with no bike lane, so I didn't even bother rolling my eyes.
I got back on my bike and continued pedalling to the end of the block. For some reason the station wagon was waiting for me at the stop sign. I peered through the passenger side window as I passed and was met by a greasy-haired thug glaring at me. I was startled but turned the corner as planned. Suddenly the thug started yelling at me. I never quite caught what he said, but his tone seemed to indicate that it went something like this:
"What's your fucking problem you fucking bitch? Why don't stop blocking the fucking road, you goddamn bike?"
---------
Or the time I was at a four-way stop sign on Irving Street with cars waiting their turn on all four sides of the intersection. A huge truck forced his way across the intersection by tailgating the sedan in front of him, instead of waiting for the other cars (and the biker) who had the right of way. I shook my head and turned up my palms in protest. Little did I realize how inappropriate and obnoxious it was for someone on a bike to point out a truck driver's mistake.
"You're supposed to stop at the stop sign, bitch," the driver yelled above the roar of his uselessly gigantic truck.
---------
On a less aggro note, I learned that you shouldn't ride your bike on the sidewalk in front of a cop who is holding a cup of coffee, because she will say, "Hey, you're not supposed to be riding on the sidewalk." But everyone does it, especially on Market Street and anywhere there's a lot of traffic and no bike lane. It just kind of makes sense, and as long as you're not riding at a speed that endangers pedestrians or dogs, I think bikers have every right to be on the sidewalk.
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Anyone who harrasses cyclists should be shot on the spot.
posted by Justina at 10:49 PM
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