0 comment Tuesday, August 19, 2014 | admin
Nothing screams tough guy like a yellow Hyundai Tiburon. Maybe it was his inferiority complex (a result of driving such a horrible car) that led the driver to become a complete sociopath.
The details are these: I rode my bike on Iliff for a total of a half mile last Sunday (because it is a shortcut to work). I do not fear riding on major arterials because most sane people simply pass me with care. While riding up the hill to Dayton and feeling pretty proud of myself for cranking out 17 mph into a head wind, Mr. TG (Tough Guy) redlined his engine and passed me with inches to spare. I immediately threw him the WTF signals to which he responded with a middle finger out his sun roof. Unsure of what to do next he stopped a couple of times and thought about pulling over. Then he pulled into Dayton St. (my next turn) and turned around. Noticing this, I got off my bike and started walking it along the sidewalk toward him. I pulled out my U-lock in the case that he attacked. Still two hundred feet away, he yelled a derogatory remark toward me and then sped away.
The idiot had a completely clear left lane when he passed me (why does this seem to be nearly universally true?). I was travelling fairly fast. And the speed limit is 30 there. So it isn't like I was a major obstacle for motorists. What is it about a cyclist on a quasi busy street that makes people so angry?
He couldn't have been mad that I slowed him down because he wasted several minutes in an unsuccessful attempt to intimidate me. He clearly wasn't angry that I interrupted his travel because he held a straight line and avoided the empty left lane. He wasn't concerned about my safety because he came within inches (no exaggeration) of sideswiping me.
He must not have liked my knickers.
Nobody ever threatens the driver of a tractor when it blocks an entire lane of traffic. Nobody ever freaks out this much when a city bus blocks their travel. I mean people get upset or anxious, but not livid at little old ladies. Why do guys in yellow Tiburons get so bent out of shape toward cyclists? So mad to endanger my life and then call me a faggot.
I am not psychologist, but I am convinced that guys like these (much like the one David encountered a couple of weeks ago) have serious issues that drive them to road rage. In this case he found a cyclist on whom to take out his repressed emotions. He probably thought I was an easy target for it.
But you know what? I will continue riding on that street because 99.9% of people are not insane.
The details are these: I rode my bike on Iliff for a total of a half mile last Sunday (because it is a shortcut to work). I do not fear riding on major arterials because most sane people simply pass me with care. While riding up the hill to Dayton and feeling pretty proud of myself for cranking out 17 mph into a head wind, Mr. TG (Tough Guy) redlined his engine and passed me with inches to spare. I immediately threw him the WTF signals to which he responded with a middle finger out his sun roof. Unsure of what to do next he stopped a couple of times and thought about pulling over. Then he pulled into Dayton St. (my next turn) and turned around. Noticing this, I got off my bike and started walking it along the sidewalk toward him. I pulled out my U-lock in the case that he attacked. Still two hundred feet away, he yelled a derogatory remark toward me and then sped away.
The idiot had a completely clear left lane when he passed me (why does this seem to be nearly universally true?). I was travelling fairly fast. And the speed limit is 30 there. So it isn't like I was a major obstacle for motorists. What is it about a cyclist on a quasi busy street that makes people so angry?
He couldn't have been mad that I slowed him down because he wasted several minutes in an unsuccessful attempt to intimidate me. He clearly wasn't angry that I interrupted his travel because he held a straight line and avoided the empty left lane. He wasn't concerned about my safety because he came within inches (no exaggeration) of sideswiping me.
He must not have liked my knickers.
Nobody ever threatens the driver of a tractor when it blocks an entire lane of traffic. Nobody ever freaks out this much when a city bus blocks their travel. I mean people get upset or anxious, but not livid at little old ladies. Why do guys in yellow Tiburons get so bent out of shape toward cyclists? So mad to endanger my life and then call me a faggot.
I am not psychologist, but I am convinced that guys like these (much like the one David encountered a couple of weeks ago) have serious issues that drive them to road rage. In this case he found a cyclist on whom to take out his repressed emotions. He probably thought I was an easy target for it.
But you know what? I will continue riding on that street because 99.9% of people are not insane.
Labels: Road