"Didn't You Hear About the Bump This Morning?"
05-08-07, 09:11 AM
#1
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Location: Brooklyn, N.Y.
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Bikes: 1982 Lotus Legend (steel-frame touring bike); 1982 Fuji S10S (converted to a singlespeed: 46x16); Specialized Crossroads hybrid (the child taxi).
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"Didn't You Hear About the Bump This Morning?"
And the appropriate response is What?
To back up.
Run-of-the-mill encounter in traffic this morning: SUV wants to get in the left lane now — even though I am there and there's a UPS truck double-parked 30 feet ahead. SUV sort of lists over, and I give a couple of raps on his side panel to let him know I'm there. (Friendly taps, like you do on the bathroom door when your wife is in there but you're coming in anyway.)
Well, the SUV doesn't like this, and as I pass by him, he shouts something at me. But instead of shouting back (or spitting on him), I truly am baffled. I slow down. "What did you say?"
He spoke in Caribbean-accented English, which I can usually understand, but I swear this is what he said: "Didn't you hear about the bump this morning?" We were both all ready to get into it, but — "I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't hear . . . I don't understand. . . ."
"Didn't you hear about the bump — " He gave up and waved his hand. He would have sped off, I'm sure. But he was in a car in New York traffic. So I sped off instead.
Anyway, just a nice way to defuse a situation. I'll try it again sometime. (We'll see if it works with a white lady who's flipping me off and speaking in flat, Midwestern, perfectly understandable profanities.)
To back up.
Run-of-the-mill encounter in traffic this morning: SUV wants to get in the left lane now — even though I am there and there's a UPS truck double-parked 30 feet ahead. SUV sort of lists over, and I give a couple of raps on his side panel to let him know I'm there. (Friendly taps, like you do on the bathroom door when your wife is in there but you're coming in anyway.)
Well, the SUV doesn't like this, and as I pass by him, he shouts something at me. But instead of shouting back (or spitting on him), I truly am baffled. I slow down. "What did you say?"
He spoke in Caribbean-accented English, which I can usually understand, but I swear this is what he said: "Didn't you hear about the bump this morning?" We were both all ready to get into it, but — "I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't hear . . . I don't understand. . . ."
"Didn't you hear about the bump — " He gave up and waved his hand. He would have sped off, I'm sure. But he was in a car in New York traffic. So I sped off instead.
Anyway, just a nice way to defuse a situation. I'll try it again sometime. (We'll see if it works with a white lady who's flipping me off and speaking in flat, Midwestern, perfectly understandable profanities.)
05-08-07, 10:22 AM
#3
Commuter First
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Location: Boston, MA
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Phew. Glad I am working at home today. Until now, I hadn't heard about the Bump.
I'll ride in tomorrow, but do let us know if there is a Bump so we can be prepared.
I'll ride in tomorrow, but do let us know if there is a Bump so we can be prepared.
