Originally Posted by Radiographer
Don't paint us old farts with too broad a brush. I'm 63 and bike 16 miles one way to work and back every day, rain or shine, cold or not, and we all face ungracious drivers young and old. Even pedestrians can be rude. Riding on a trail early one morning last week, I encountered a thirtyish couple, the male member of which yelled, "Why don't you shine that ****ing light somewhere else instead of in my eyes?" I replied, "Where, off the road?" By that time I was passing them, he was still shouting obscenities, and I opened my mouth to yell something equally crude, but changed my mind and called, "God bless you, Sir!" over my shoulder. He was still swearing in the distance as I went on down the trail.
I run on the trails before I bike to work in the morning and I have to say that some cyclists really do need to be more considerate with their lights in the morning. When you are running in the half light - pupils wide open - just about able to make out the trail - then a cyclist comes along and shines a megawatt light right into you face it is a tad annoying. It leaves me blinded and disorientated with no alternative but to stop and wait until my eyes start to recover and can actually see something other than the light you just etched into the back of my retina. I'm not saying this is what you did Radiographer, and to those (about 1/3) of you, who do turn off/ turn down / turn aside the light as you approach, I applaud and appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Again I'm not trying to pick on Radiographer or even to suggest that was what happened in this case but just to make a point that a few of you, thankfully, already appreciate.
Oh and my ride in was nice if chilly this morning!