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07-02-04, 07:23 AM
A beautiful Friday morning. Temps hovering just below 60°F. I'm feeling pretty relaxed, did the short commute yesterday. Woke up early and got out on the road about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Suns been up for over an hour, beaming through the partly cloudy.
About a mile into the ride, heading out of this rural little town I call home. I'm on a State Highway, the major arterial road through the county. Two lanes, well maintained, nice broad shoulders. As is typical, I'm dogging this portion of the ride, my warmup before the big hill. Cruising along about 10 mph, blinkys flashing, sun at my back.
Just cleared the last major intersection, I'm working up a slight incline, holding my line just outside the white line. I've got the old farts home, a hardware store and the entrance to the state college to clear and then its farmlands for a good 10 miles. Never a lot of traffic this time of the day. And given the fact that we are the most sparsely populated county in the east, thats an understatement.
I'm within a dozen feet of the entrance to MoonGate, as we affectionatly call the rest home. I'm moving off the bar ends to a more neutral postion when I catch a flash of white to my left, which proceeds to fill my entire field of vision as this mini-van darts in front of me and veers into the parking lot. I grab a lot of brake and dive to the left, hoping that I'll clear the arse end of the vehicle and that no one is trailing to close behind it.
As I brushed past the tail end of the vehicle, I'm sure I shouted a couple explitives. I can count the number of real incidences while commuting this year with maybe one hand. In general, the motoring population up here isn't as gene-pool deficient as it appears to be in other areas. My attitude in general is to just wave at em, maybe blow em a kiss. Sometimes indicate they are #1 in my book. I will use colorful, descriptive terminology during the periods of evasion/avoidance. I've never pursued, or inflicted physical damage. I have tapped on the occasional hood when encroached upon at a light. On the flipside, I also indicate my gratitude when somebody holds short at an intersection for me. In general I follow the rules and go the extra distance to avoid potential problems.
As I recovered my line, I watched as this vehicle orbited the lot obviously searching for that parking spot that would minimize the amount of exertion of moving from car to building. I was so amazed that somebody would be in such a rush as to cut me off like that and then spend time driving around the lot, I felt I had to follow up on this one.
Bunny hopped the curb and coasted across the short stretch of grass between road and lot, maintaining a fix on the offending van. As the finally found a parking spot which suited thier need, I set up a slow trackstanding orbit behind the vehicle.
Incredibly, they did not even notice me during this time. Emerging from the vehicle is one middle age women clad in obvious medical profession garb. Smoke in one hand, cup of coffee in the other. Giant "drag your entire life with you" purse, sweater slung over her shoulder. I expected to see a cell phone plastered up to ear but evidently she couldn't multi-task beyond the smoke and cup o'joe.
She turns and notices me back there for the first time. Those eyes just go wide. You know, the look on a little kids face when he plows his brand new bike that granddpa got him into the side of grandpa's new pickup. The "I did something wrong" look.
I say, in an oh so condescending tone "Thanks for the right hook".
Her reply, obviously not understanding the jab, "Your welcome". She then attempts to thread her way up through the parked vehicles, trying to squeeze between the noses of the cars, with little success.
I continue my slow orbit, pacing her as she attempts to make it across the lot. When the gaps are big enough, I cycle down parallel to the cars, crossing in front of and behind her but maintaining a good 10-20 feet of seperation.
All this time I'm keeping up the chatter. "How could you not see me?". "Christ lady, I'm 220 lbs of lycra clad charging Rhino, how could you not notice?". "What part of the blinking tail light confused you?".
She continues her deaf-mute slog towards the building.
I continue the one way conversation. I let her know that according to the law, I had the same rights to the road as she did. I ask her why she felt the need to cut me off? Why she couldn't have tapped the brake and waited the three or four seconds for me to clear the entrance? What if I'd been a kid on a bike? All delivered in a monotone voice, without foul language.
Not one peep from her.
She clears the protective shield of the cars and has about 40 feet of open ground to cover to get to the building. I set up a parallel track to her, still maintaining a good 15 feet of seperation. She's steaming right along, moving as fast as she can with coffee, smoke and purse in tow.
Shes made it to the stairs. In one last verbal assualt I ask her why she couldn't simply apologize, take responsibility for her action.
She turns, flicks her smoke at me and flips me the bird. I respond with a smoozie "I love you too", followed by a "You have yourself a wonderful day".
She huffs into the facility, after obviously brain-farting that the door was pull, not push.
I turn and coast down the sidewalk in front, heading back to the road, feeling pretty fulfilled with myself.
As I pass the covered patio area, an old timer, who was out for a bit of early morning fresh air, smiles at me, waves and admonishes me to "Be careful out there on the the road"
About a mile into the ride, heading out of this rural little town I call home. I'm on a State Highway, the major arterial road through the county. Two lanes, well maintained, nice broad shoulders. As is typical, I'm dogging this portion of the ride, my warmup before the big hill. Cruising along about 10 mph, blinkys flashing, sun at my back.
Just cleared the last major intersection, I'm working up a slight incline, holding my line just outside the white line. I've got the old farts home, a hardware store and the entrance to the state college to clear and then its farmlands for a good 10 miles. Never a lot of traffic this time of the day. And given the fact that we are the most sparsely populated county in the east, thats an understatement.
I'm within a dozen feet of the entrance to MoonGate, as we affectionatly call the rest home. I'm moving off the bar ends to a more neutral postion when I catch a flash of white to my left, which proceeds to fill my entire field of vision as this mini-van darts in front of me and veers into the parking lot. I grab a lot of brake and dive to the left, hoping that I'll clear the arse end of the vehicle and that no one is trailing to close behind it.
As I brushed past the tail end of the vehicle, I'm sure I shouted a couple explitives. I can count the number of real incidences while commuting this year with maybe one hand. In general, the motoring population up here isn't as gene-pool deficient as it appears to be in other areas. My attitude in general is to just wave at em, maybe blow em a kiss. Sometimes indicate they are #1 in my book. I will use colorful, descriptive terminology during the periods of evasion/avoidance. I've never pursued, or inflicted physical damage. I have tapped on the occasional hood when encroached upon at a light. On the flipside, I also indicate my gratitude when somebody holds short at an intersection for me. In general I follow the rules and go the extra distance to avoid potential problems.
As I recovered my line, I watched as this vehicle orbited the lot obviously searching for that parking spot that would minimize the amount of exertion of moving from car to building. I was so amazed that somebody would be in such a rush as to cut me off like that and then spend time driving around the lot, I felt I had to follow up on this one.
Bunny hopped the curb and coasted across the short stretch of grass between road and lot, maintaining a fix on the offending van. As the finally found a parking spot which suited thier need, I set up a slow trackstanding orbit behind the vehicle.
Incredibly, they did not even notice me during this time. Emerging from the vehicle is one middle age women clad in obvious medical profession garb. Smoke in one hand, cup of coffee in the other. Giant "drag your entire life with you" purse, sweater slung over her shoulder. I expected to see a cell phone plastered up to ear but evidently she couldn't multi-task beyond the smoke and cup o'joe.
She turns and notices me back there for the first time. Those eyes just go wide. You know, the look on a little kids face when he plows his brand new bike that granddpa got him into the side of grandpa's new pickup. The "I did something wrong" look.
I say, in an oh so condescending tone "Thanks for the right hook".
Her reply, obviously not understanding the jab, "Your welcome". She then attempts to thread her way up through the parked vehicles, trying to squeeze between the noses of the cars, with little success.
I continue my slow orbit, pacing her as she attempts to make it across the lot. When the gaps are big enough, I cycle down parallel to the cars, crossing in front of and behind her but maintaining a good 10-20 feet of seperation.
All this time I'm keeping up the chatter. "How could you not see me?". "Christ lady, I'm 220 lbs of lycra clad charging Rhino, how could you not notice?". "What part of the blinking tail light confused you?".
She continues her deaf-mute slog towards the building.
I continue the one way conversation. I let her know that according to the law, I had the same rights to the road as she did. I ask her why she felt the need to cut me off? Why she couldn't have tapped the brake and waited the three or four seconds for me to clear the entrance? What if I'd been a kid on a bike? All delivered in a monotone voice, without foul language.
Not one peep from her.
She clears the protective shield of the cars and has about 40 feet of open ground to cover to get to the building. I set up a parallel track to her, still maintaining a good 15 feet of seperation. She's steaming right along, moving as fast as she can with coffee, smoke and purse in tow.
Shes made it to the stairs. In one last verbal assualt I ask her why she couldn't simply apologize, take responsibility for her action.
She turns, flicks her smoke at me and flips me the bird. I respond with a smoozie "I love you too", followed by a "You have yourself a wonderful day".
She huffs into the facility, after obviously brain-farting that the door was pull, not push.
I turn and coast down the sidewalk in front, heading back to the road, feeling pretty fulfilled with myself.
As I pass the covered patio area, an old timer, who was out for a bit of early morning fresh air, smiles at me, waves and admonishes me to "Be careful out there on the the road"