Mark Stone

The nights in El Paso during Spring and Summer are amazing - always warm, a little breeze, just absolutely ideal for night riding. It's one of the most attractive aspects of my city. So tonight I fired up the Black Knight just for a spin around the neighborhood, and wanted to go by a local park and sit on a park bench for a while.

I rode up to a stop sign, and looked down the opposing street and saw a car coming. So, I stopped, put my foot down and waited for him/her to pass before I went through. The driver pulled up to the intersection and stopped - even thought they were on a 45mph 4-lane street - and waved me through. At first I didn't want to go, because what if this was a freak that hated cyclists and was baiting me into the intersection! So I paused - they waved me through again - and finally I went. As I passed through their headlight field I waved "thanks" and rode on.

Then, about 45 minutes later, at a different intersection along the same street (on my way back home) the same exact thing happened again! A car had the complete right-of-way, and I stopped at a stop sign waiting for them to pass, and they stopped and waved me through, when they had no stop sign themselves.

This? Twice in one night? Strange. Usually people are ambivalent towards me or irritated at me when I ride, but in my 40+ years as a cyclist this has never happened. And twice in one ride.

Doohickie

Karma works both ways. Have you been nice to someone in your past?

jlebrasseur

My night was also strange. Riding home after operating the Grand Haven Musical Fountain, and had two separate idiots on bikes about five minutes apart both swerve towards me and run me off the rail-trail trying to force me to crash into them. I have a headlight and tail light, they had nothing and it was pitch dark.

Last summer I had the same thing happen a couple times but never twice minutes apart.

Both the people that ran me off the road looked to be in their mid-20's and dirtbag-ish (in a town that is nearly crime free where you can leave your doors wide open and nobody will mess with you).

They always say something to the effect of 'oops!' Or 'I didn't see you!' While laughing.

SnarkGrad

These two posts are remarkably complimentary. I bet Karma rides a Surly.

Dirt Road

Both drivers were probably just amazed to see a bike STOP at a stop sign and wished to reward you in their own little way.

Mark Stone

Hahahahaha ↑↑↑↑ This is probably true

Saving Hawaii

Twice in the west Texas town of El Paso,
Cagers were nice to a guy on a bike.
Nighttime would find The Black Night at a stop sign,
But the cagers would wave and say "Go your way."

TransitBiker

Conversely last night i saw an 18 wheeler nearly take out a compact car and blow through a soundly red light, blowing the horns the whole way. Then moments after i made my turn i got assaulted heavily by pollen pelting my face like a sleet storm, it had rained earlier so i'm guessing it was related?

I'm lucky i didn't jump off the line when it turned green or i'd be a pancake.

Glad you had a better ride than i did!

- Andy

BobbyG

I lived in Iowa City/Cedar Rapids, Iowa in the 1980's and found many overly courteous motorists who would yield the right of way even when they clearly had it. Things may have changed by now, and I may be remembering it with extra nostalgia, and I had moved there from the aggressive streets of Chicago. But here in Colorado Springs it is more like Tractor Legs in El Paso, where these incidents are rare and raise suspicion.

Walter S

My favorite is the drivers that beg you to take their right of way, then pull in behind you and get pissed off about how slow you are.

HvPnyrs

^^^^^^

Sung to the tune of the "Classic" Marty Robbins ballad. Very Nice

TransitBiker

Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way (HQ) - YouTube



- Andy