Juan Foote

Being an amputee, I come across this from time to time as I am cycling...I get these motorists who want to encourage/congratulate me as I ride. Most of the time it's good. Pretty awesome to have someone give you kudos in a friendly way. Particularly if they can do so in a way that doesn't scare the crap out of you.....

I am riding along the other day along the Highway that leads back to my house. It's just about the only stressful part of the whole ride, two lane w/ 55 MPH limits (read as doing 70) and quite highly traveled. This guy comes up beside, honks the horn about ten times right as he comes alongside yelling out the window and shaking his hand at me. Couldn't hear a thing and at first thought the guy was just blowing steam. He rides alongside me for a moment while traffic is squeezing past in the oncoming lane...I guess he decides this is unsafe and he takes off down the road. I still had no idea what it was all about and figured the guy was mad about something.

I top the next hill to the turn lane to my street and here is this guy, sitting in the turn lane, window down. My first thought is "oh ****, here we go".....right as I get up to the guy he starts clapping out the window and hollering "way to go" etc. at me. I realize then that he is the helpful type in his own mind. He proceeds to follow me down the road for about a third of a mile, the straight part of the road where I make pretty good speed. Road is clear. Right as we get to the first of three hills I slow my pace, blind hill and corner...dude decided THEN was the time he needed to pass right into another oncoming car...as he lays on the horn coming around.

I just had to shake my head.

BobbyG

I have heard this same thing happens to recumbent riders and recumbent trike riders who people assume are physically challenged.

Juan Foote

Giggle, take a look at my avatar...

BobbyG

That's funny. I'm on my mobile browser and the avatars don't always show depending on which browser and settings.

Worknomore

I have had this happen several times while riding my bent. Guess they are not watching my feet spinning around.

Chris516

I am the absolute opposite of recumbent/recumbent trike riders.

Perception of challenge:

Recumbent/Recumbent Trike rider: Yes, Because of being so low to the ground.
Me: No, Because I have a (road)racing bike and go 25-35mph

Physically challenged:

Recumbent/Recumbent Trike rider: Maybe, Depending on their health. But that is the assumption on the part of the motorist.
Me: Absolutely, since birth. The assumption on the part of the motorist is that since I am on a (road)racing bike, I am not physically challenged.