I was riding to work today, Market St between 30th and 31st for those who know the streets of Philly. I was at the front of the left hand lane, waiting at a red light. (I didn't filter, I got there first.) The light turned to green, and I took off. After about 1/4 of a block, a sedan behind me zipped right past me, moving over just enough to get past me (I was in the middle of the lane) and narrowly missing me and a car in the other lane, only to slam on their brakes at the red light at the next block.

I pulled up along side of the car expecting some punk kid driving, but it was a middle aged woman wearing a uniform that said something about "Department of Corrections" on it. She rolled down her window, and my first impluse was to say, "You #%@*!" but instead I said, "You should really pull completely into the other lane when you pass bicyclists, otherwise it creates a dangerous situation for us." She said, "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize. I'll watch out next time."

she realized. i'll take a rude (shouting, honking, etc.) driver who doesn't endanger my life over a civil one that tries to kill me any day