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May 18, 2008
Poor bicycling etiquette
Let me start by saying that I did a bad bicycle thing today. I broke a rule; that's out of character for me (see my Ink Blot posts).
I was in traffic and stopped at a light. Not too far ahead of me something had developed that looked like it would provide a good opportunity for one of the nearby drivers to smash into me and I got a bad feeling. I'm not one to believe in bad feelings but, you know, you don't want to end up bashed into and left thinking, if only I'd followed my gut. (Which we all do anyway simply due to the way we're assembled.)
So, I cut into a driveway. Normally when I do things like this I stop and pretend to tweak something on the bike or empty something out of my shoe. I don't want to make it look like I'm trying to gain a traffic advantage of any sort.
This time I took to the driveway and as I cut by the obstacle thought "screw it" and got back into traffic. (I was on my way to interact with someone I've been interacting with too much lately and may not have had the clearest mind working. Despite my stupidity, I want some bonus for taking my bike and not my minivan.)
A moment after I got back in traffic, in the curb lane, an SUV passed me in the second lane. The passenger was hanging out and yelling at me. He was very colorful but most of what he said involved how the same traffic rules that apply to autos apply to me too.
You may recall that I'm not big on having people yell at me from passing autos and I sometimes chase them down. This guy needed chased I thought — for he was right and I wanted to apologize and let him know I knew he was right.
So I started to do the math on the distance involved and decided I'd catch him at the next light which had just turned red.
And then the driver of the SUV ran it.
Yes. As the guy is hanging out the window and yelling telling me that the same traffic laws that apply to autos apply to me the driver of the SUV he's in ran a red light. And I don't mean accidentally ran it, like it was close and he'd had a brain fart over whether he had time to stop. He was tailgating the guy ahead of him who'd had to creep through the light due to the traffic. It wasn't like yellow-then-red when the guy went through; it was red the whole time.
I might have been able to catch them at the light after that but I didn't want to break up the tongue lashing the passenger was probably giving the driver about how the same rules that apply to bicycles apply to SUVs.
[All kidding aside, I was at fault. When I took to the sidewalk I'd been stopped at a light and I cut around it.]
Technorati Tags: Cycling, Drivers
Posted by delmer at May 18, 2008 10:17 PM
Comments
I think you get a pass on this one- you saw an unsafe situation and avoided injury, accidentally bypassing the light in the process.
I must admit, I sometimes brake to a virtual standstill, and not having sufficient balance to do a track stand, creep along the edge of a deserted intersection. If there are cars, I pop out of the clipless pedal and wait. Rationalization, I know....
Posted by: Bill at May 19, 2008 1:23 AM
It's like you win some, you lose some? I think it's amazing you don't get killed by the crazy and inconsiderate drivers on the road!
Posted by: Lisa at May 19, 2008 6:56 AM
Too funny. So many drivers are hypocrites.
Posted by: Karl at May 19, 2008 11:01 AM
Here's one of my cycling horror stories.
http://rabbitramblings.blogspot.com/2006/12/war-stories-tales-from-road.html
I've got many diary entries from my cross-country trip back in 1994 you might interested in as well.
Posted by: BadRabbit at May 19, 2008 12:39 PM
Bill: I can't do a track stand either and am never in the mood to fall over for people, so I do a lot of unclipping and reclipping when cars are around. If I'm alone I coast as long as I can until the light changes.
Lisa: I think I'm lucky in that our streets are pretty wide. Of course it just takes one person not paying attention to ruin your day.
Karl: You know it brother.
BadRabbit: That's a scary one; a pop bottle could have seriously injured you. There's one kid that has yelled at me, twice in two years, from his mother's minivan. Once I caught up and spoke with him. His mother has a vanity plate that's hard to forget.
Posted by: delmer at May 19, 2008 4:42 PM
Boo!!!
What a surprise to see you here! I think I mentioned to Delmer that you had biked across country before. Good stuff.
~ZZ
Posted by: Greeneyezz at May 22, 2008 12:19 AM