Originally Posted by coolness03

This is my 5th week of commuting. I've ramped it up a bit, now I'm going 4 days a week on the bike after going 3 days the past month. It's been great, the bike has held up well, when I'm engaged in traffic I'm more assertive and following the rules to a T, and most importantly spending lots of time here and learning a lot. Thanks.

But real life is starting to creep in.

I almost got the classic right-hook today by some numpty. The driver thought he could turn in but he wisely stopped midstream as I passed him with a few feet of room. Hearing the horns of other drivers, berating this guy (or were hurrying me up?), was sweet music to my ears. Whatever, I didn't get the worse of this situation.

But on Tuesday night I almost collided head on with a kid riding his BMX bike real low while listening to his tunes. That's one. Two, he was going the wrong way in the bike lane. Three, he had no lights on whatsoever. He literally jumped out of the shadows and I didn't see this kid until I saw the whites of his eyes. Thankfully we didn't evade each other in the same direction or else it would've been messy. Sweet Jesus, I didn't think my heart could beat that hard and so fast.

I'm seriously considering doing a pro wrestling-style Clothesline manuever on the next person I encounter going the wrong way. I don't care if the person is elderly, carrying a baby, or if she's frickin' Shakira. They're getting the Ric Flair treatment.

Ok I'm kidding, but I can dream can't I?