I don't usually read the Commuting forum, let alone post in it. Today I will. Background, FWIW: My commute is about 32 miles round trip through mostly suburban areas between west and north of Boston. Over 50% is on easy roads with a shoulder wide enough for parked cars where no one ever parks, in short a fairly safe and easy run.

Now I'm sitting in my office after a commute in which fortunately was uneventful. It had the nervous potential to be eventful several times. I don't know, maybe it's the weather, a warm, humid day and on a Friday no less.

I was waiting patiently for the traffic light to cross Trapelo in Waverley Sq, with cars coming out of the Star Market parking lots on a green light. On my left one lane inbound on Trapelo held stopped traffic waiting at their red. Some guy dressed in business clothes driving a big SUV came through the inbound right lane apparently having not seen his red light nor noticed that everyone else going that way was waiting. He nearly T-boned a car coming out of the lot. Fortunately his target hit the brakes and he noticed and swerved quickly enough to miss. I yelled as he went by. He pulled over and stopped for a few seconds, realized his mistake (I hope), and then after seeing no further ramifications continued on his way. I kind of hope his pulse is still at 180.

Fast-forward maybe five miles into Lexington. This time it was another cyclo-commuter. We were westbound on Lowell St approaching the Maple St light, I was trailing. The light turned green and we continued, only he slowed and pulled up onto the sidewalk to enter the intersection from its access ramp. I stayed in the street and kept moving with the traffic. By the time he was ready to re-enter the roadway I had pulled even with him, and I called out "Passing on your left!" It made no difference. He pulled out into the road on my right as a car was passing close on my left. Fortunately the car braked for me, we didn't bump each other, and I pulled away safely. When I got the chance I called back "Did you not hear me call out?" Silence. No answer, no apology, no "Oops." At the Woburn St light I turned right and he continued straight. It's the first time I've encountered a cyclist who was both deaf and blind, but that explains why he felt justified using the wheelchair ramps on the sidewalks. (Jerk. If you're going to ride a bicycle take the earbuds out of your ears, open your eyes, turn on your brain, and become engaged in the world around you. Or maybe that's too much to ask.)

The rest of the ride was less hazardous but I saw at least half a dozen other blatant driver errors, running red lights, poor timing judgment, discourtesy, and of course the obnoxious extended horn blasting at the Market Basket.

Of all that the only personal threat to my safety was by the cyclist. However I am now safely at work.