I enjoy bike commuting, especially the days when something memorable happens. Okay, when something pleasurably memorable happens. This morning's memorable moment involved an @$$hole.
I was stopped at the red light westbound on North Foothills waiting to cross Ruby and Division. I was in the right wheel track since the lanes aren't that wide. I had the lane to myself. A car and a garbage truck were in the left lane. Looking in my mirror I saw a car approaching behind me but didn't give it much thought--until I looked again and saw it wasn't slowing down. I was preparing to bail to the curb when the car swerved and squeezed in between me and the car in the left lane. The driver and passenger looked straight ahead as if I wasn't there.
I decided I would wait for this car once the light turned green because I had no idea if he was going straight ahead or making a right. But I couldn't let it go without saying something so I rapped on the passenger-side window. They both looked at me and the driver hit the button to lower the window.
"What?"
I was more than polite and civil. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't crowd a cyclist like that. It's very dangerous."
"Well, I'd appreciate it if you'd get out of the f*#%in' road."
So much for killing him with kindness.
With the end of his sentence the light turned green and he jumped forward, cut over in front of the car in the left lane and whipped into the left turn lane to go south on Division. First in line!
As I passed by him and crossed Division I could not help but signal that he should make the next cut at 18 inches. (Hmmm...a new Internet meme?) If you're not familiar with what I'm referring to, then click here to see.
So if you see a dark-colored land yacht with Washington license #815ZDY, give him some room because he's not going to give you any.
Morel'ing
8 years ago
6 comments:
*!ucker
(I'm not referring to you John)
Um, can I say that in this family friendly blog?
Glad you're not flat Hank. I give you 1 1/4 inches.
I hope to see every Spokane blogger somehow use the phrase "signaling 8 or 18 inches" at some point in some blog post. Let the games begin.
Since you have the license plate #, do you have any recourse if you contact the police?
Classic. Not only were you obeying the law, you weren't even moving. So much for the whole "cyclists would get more respect if they obeyed the law" canard...
Lame - and dangerous.
I had something similar happen to me years ago on my motorcycle. I was braking for a red light in the right tire track of the road - four lane road, with a car to left slowing down also
As we come to a stop, some nut case blows between us and runs the red light. Missed me by inches.
I'm pissed and when the light turns green, I take off and catch him at the next light. I rap on his passenger window and he completely ignores me, both hands on the steering wheel - staring straight ahead.
Lucky on the bicycle side - most drivers in the Seattle area are pretty cool. I've had very few incidents over the last 20+ years.
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