Yesterday as I rode to school to the rythems of J5 I was taken out of my happy morning commute on the single speed by a rather pathetic motorist. Here is how it all happened.
I was almost at my destination and was coming along at a good speed along the west side of the Rosza Center at the uni. A young woman was walking toward a cross walk ahead of me, but upon seeing me riding along slowed down so as to let me pass before walking out into the road. I don't know if anyone else does this, but personally whenever I am about to cross a street I always let cyclists pass before continuing. I like to show this courtesy and respect to fellow cyclists to acknowledge their efforts in bicycle travel and that stopping and starting for a pedestrian slows the rider's progress unnecessarily. So this woman had done what I just explained and to that I was grateful. I gave her a friendly nod and proceeded along. A car traveling just behind me stopped for the woman, as it should. As soon as the woman had passed infront of the vehicle the driver started blaring the horn, undoubtedly directing some form of aggression toward me. I turned and gave the driver a glare and a gesture showing that I didn't appreciate his horn. The driver then jammed on the gas and came up right behind me. He rolled down his window stuck his head out and started yelling that I should have stopped at the crosswalk. I thought nothing of it and kept on riding. I have been riding enough in Calgary that I have learned to ignore such statements as merely a consequence of living in red neck country. I started to turn to my destination and then the driver started yelling that I should come back so he could have a word with me. At this point I turned to see the face of the driver and I recognized him immediately. He was a guest lecturer in one of my biology classes a while back, one of the head profs in the nursing faculty here. I contained my aggression and proceeded to where I was going, much to the disappointment of this poor old man who really wanted to give my ear a twist no doubt.
Is this what a long life of driving does to people? I have never driven more than a couple of laps of a parking lot my entire life so I might be just a little bit biased, but bicycles deserve more respect than that. The same morning I witnessed a lady in a minivan run a red light while speeding at a crowded intersection and none of the drivers so much as cast a glance in the direction of the careening Voyager.
Post you crazy motorist stories as comments to this blog. I have many more as well.
2 comments:
A friend and I were heading home from a training ride. We were riding side by side in the parking lane at the edge of a 6 lane road. The only car on the road slowed next to us and showered us with verbal abuse and accelerated away. I sat up no handed and gestured enthusiastically. He screeched to a stop, so we rode around his parked car as he fumbled to climb out. He then accelerated alongside us again and then forced us toward the gutter. I pulled my plastic frame pump out and shattered it on his windscreen. He roared off up the road and disappeared. The police stopped us a couple of miles later to discuss the incident. I showed the cop the smashed plastic pump. He explained that the guys car was trashed. Several broken windows dented bonnet, roof and door. He claims I had a steel bar. Our details were taken by the police and we went on our way. The police rang the next day to advise no charges would be pressed as the jack handle of the car had paint chips embedded in it that matched the car.
Big Mike - great story. I can't believe how insane most people get when they get behind the wheel of a car. It's very sad, indeed.
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