Finally some action...

When it rains, it pours.

First, I was biking back home through the bar district (it's a small town, so the "district" really is 3-4 bars clustered at a small crossroads). from work at a quarter to one in the morning. There were 3 or 4 people, drunk, in the middle of the street, yelling epithets and threats at one another. I just came off a downhill and wanted to preserve my momentum, so I blew by the first group, who had no time to react to me. The second group saw me coming and, all two of them, charged me. Not wanting to expose my flank, I barrelled head-on toward them. Their menacing looks gave way to some sort of surprised fear as they realized I meant to go right through them. They were small and drunk, and in no condition to stop a 200+ pound juggernaut headed straight toward them at 15+ mph. So, they stepped aside and I was on my way. "Shitheads!" I muttered within earshot of them.

I headed back to work on Saturday. I was maintaining a brisk pace on the smooth shoulder of the road when a Ford Expedition, license plate # DSG 9951 (NY), with open windows, slowed, and its occupants spat forth unsolicited advice, telling me to ride on the sidewalk. My discipline held and I was silent, even though I was within a stone's throw of the vehicle for the next mile or so. Probably stupid bored teenagers taking daddy's car out for a spin.

That's it for now. There will surely be more to come, as the busy season for Driving While Stupid (unfortunately perfectly legal) has arrived.

"Open window" season, where folks have their car windows open due to the warm weather and so decide to shout stuff at the bicyclists they pass, has been mild for me so far. Since the last post, I only have had one verbal encounter. It was rather civil. I lost the flag to the bike trailer I use. It blew off in the wind, and when I returned to find it, it was gone; perhaps someone picked it up. So Open Window Guy says quite gently: "You need a flag for your trailer." (we were stopped at a light). I told him it blew off a few days ago. He waved, the light changed, and we parted ways.

I can handle encounters like that.

Other incidences were simply friendly toots from friends and neighbors who I recognized and waved at.

Other than the consistent right hook maneuvers by inattentive motorists, it has been peaceful. I like it!

I can even prevent the right hook from happening by taking the turn lane if I have to. So, even that situation isn't so bothersome as it could be.

The last several weeks have been quiet. No hooting and hollering passengers looking for fights or acting stupid. The right hook remains an constant danger, of which I am fully aware.

The latest perp drove a red pickup license #EXS 7879.

Restraint

Was biking my kid to preschool on the sidewalk of a busy street, and a car leaving the local McDonald's blocked the sidewalk. I remember getting points taken off my driver's test for blocking a sidewalk while stopped at a stop sign. So I am pretty sure that was an illegal maneuver on the driver's part. Seconds later, I was approaching a green light at the next intersection. I looked the driver in the eye as I passed. He looked familiar.

Same vehicle - a subcompact import with the license # FMJ 8966 (NY) - does the "right hook" maneuver. I am going straight, he is turning right. Legally, he yields to me. He saw me twice. He absolutely knew I was there. Yet he did not yield, so I stopped suddenly to avoid injury.

Turns out this road psycho is a clergy at the church which sponsors the very preschool I was taking  my kid!

I didn't raise a fuss. Fighting and confronting just don't appeal to me right now. "Turn the other cheek", I did.

Small world, though. Be careful who you offend, if you live in a small town.

Fell on Bad Days...

When it rains it pours... Wife works overtime, causing extra babysitting for the kids. Letter received from the IRS detailing the extra tax plus penalty we owe. Bicycle gets stripped of everything easily removable while locked up outside where I work. The refrigerator stops running, causing me to scramble to save the week's worth of groceries I just bought.

I am digging myself out of this hole. The frig is running again, mysteriously, after I pulled it out of its nook and cleaned about a pound of concentrated dust from the fan/compressor area. I replaced the key parts of my bike which were stolen with more securely attached components.

The police were friendly enough taking the report, anyway, though I have little hope of catching the thie(ves), who apparently are recorded on my company's surveillance camera film. The stuff they stole was old and worthless, if resale was their goal.

Now - to tackle the IRS...

Weather gets ever warmer, more car windows open. God grant me the serenity to avoid a fight with those random hecklers who will inevitably pop up as I commute by bicycle every day to and from work and errands.

Last couple of weeks I've experienced several aggressive moves by unthinking (selfish) drivers, such as the person driving the silver imported subcompact sports car sporting license plate EXL-3784 (right hand turn attempted as he was passing me - I slowed down to avoid the right hook crash), and the individual behind the wheel of a Jeep SUV, bearing NY plate # F__- 9468, who slammed his foot on the gas and made a left hand turn a mere foot or two from my bow. It's spring. People are feisty. No one shouted any epithets or expletives at me over the past two weeks, though. I got that going for me.

2Apr

Sun's getting warmer, which means more open car windows, which means more stupid passengers, some canine, most human, sticking their heads out the window and shouting something at me which to them is clever, but to me is unintelligible. My usual reaction is to flip them the bird. This year, I resolve to ignore these fools. I resolve to ignore them every year. I am going to try harder this year. Two people are needed for a conflict. Subtracting myself from the situation will reduce the possibility of conflicts, which can escalate out of control.