Learning to drive

Riding my bicycle is making me a better driver. I no longer roll through stop signs because I’m too used to being on the OTHER side of that.

As I’ve mentioned I live in a resort-y area. I was on my bike today and an out-of-state driver on a “mission” to get to the beach barely slowed down at the very obvious stop sign. I try to live and let live because let’s face it one never knows when someone is packing a weapon of some variety but this time I couldn’t go quietly, well, for one thing, I almost couldn’t go at all because he came within inches of running me down. I turned around and shouted at him, “yo, JACKASS, in this state STOP means STOP not, “I’m gonna kinda roll through here so lookout’”. His lovely black Escalade was full of his very beautiful wife or girlfriend and two kids watching DVD’s in the backseat.

When I shouted at the guy two bicycle cops suddenly jumped to attention and pedaled over. Enough people had seen the incident and the two bike cops pulled the guy over and wrote a ticket for running a stop sign. The two bike cops must’ve realized it could be a banner day for them.

When I got to the next corner I looked back and they were pulling over every third car or so. The people weren’t even bright enough to pay attention to what was going on two or three cars in front of them, they just kept on running that stop sign.

About a mile up the ocean front on a 25mph piece of roadway that is nearly solely populated by bike riders, dog walkers and runners a young babe in a convertible BMW and yakking on her cell phone didn’t even bother slowing down, nor, it seems did she bother looking to see if she was at risk of hitting anyone. Okay, that one REALLY pissed me off. I punched the hood of her swanky car (because she came even closer to hitting me that the previous guy). She was rattled and actually apologetic but c’mon, a little courtesy on the road there babe.

Anyway, now I’m the one that diligently stops, FULLY STOPS, at every stop sign and checks carefully before pulling out into traffic.

Look, folks, imagine how you’d feel if you hit someone, a pedestrian, a bicyclist, someone walking their dog (and their dog). You’re entrusted with wielding a big hunk of metal (that’d be your car lunkhead), be careful and be respectful of the PRIVILEGE (driving IS privilege NOT a right) of driving; of being able to take road trips and get yourself to work.

And look out for me…on my bright green bicycle and don’t run me down, thank you for your consideration of my safety.