![\"post](\"https:\/\/blog.longbikeback.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/blog.longbikeback.com\/2009\/10\/dirty-pc-legs.jpg\" "\\"dirty")
my legs post mud diving<\/p><\/div>\n
I\u2019ve become very conscientious, courteous and patient with the four-wheeled creatures, anticipating the occasional irresponsible behavior and ignoring it as best I can.\u00a0 That has made for some pleasant rides, but ever so often I do run into that one selfish sheep that just pushes the right button and makes the beast within me growl, howl and spit.\u00a0 So even after this incredible ride I ran into trouble when I got back to my suburban Westchester town.<\/p>\n
I stopped at a light, waited until it turned green, signaled to the drivers on my left that I was going to go straight and hugged the row of parallel-parked cars.\u00a0 I was passed twice without incident, the third vehicle a Cadillac Escalade got right next to me and blasted its unusually loud obnoxious horn, which felt like a chilly sonic punch into my ear.\u00a0 Startled and shocked I pulled off my handlebars and shouted, \u201dSeriously?\u201d<\/p>\n
Out of anger I tracked the car to its parking spot.\u00a0 As I pulled up the driver rolled down the window and before I could say anything, the woman had her iphone in my face shouting, \u201cYou\u2019re on camera now so go ahead!\u201d\u00a0 I chuckled at that and shrugged at the camera and her need to film me, then asked,\u201d Did you want to say something to me?\u00a0 Why did you sound that horn?\u201d\u00a0 She responded, \u201cYou were in the middle of the road.\u201d\u00a0 Being confident that I was nowhere near the middle of the road, I said, \u201cNo, no I wasn\u2019t.\u201d She then said, \u201dHow would you know, you don\u2019t have a mirror on your bike\u2026\u201d Realizing quickly this was a no win situation for me I decided to give in to her and say \u201cNo, no I don\u2019t have a mirror, you\u2019re right, I should have one\u2026\u201d as I was about to apologize she rolled up her window, opened her car door shoving me with it and told me to get out of her way, all the while keeping her camera phone in my face as she stormed off to the store.<\/p>\n
Feeling like a self-righteous jerk I went home, knowing full well my stand for cyclists had failed and probably made things worse for the next rider she encounters.\u00a0 If her behemoth 7 foot, wide Cadillac Escalade<\/a>, is too big for her to handle then maybe she shouldn\u2019t drive it?\u00a0 Obviously she doesn\u2019t want to share road space, or fuel but I am going to hold back my rant on that and offer up this photograph instead.<\/p>\n Surf Utility Vehicle - please click the image for a funny story<\/p><\/div>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Why is it ok for her and all (terrible) drivers not to expect cyclists or pedestrians to be using the street?\u00a0 Why did I have to apologize to her for being in her way?\u00a0 Her car takes up almost half of the two lane road. Perhaps her space station sized submarine of a grocery getter scares her, as if blowing her horn was her way of saying, \u201dI can\u2019t drive this, please, for your own safety get out of the way!\u201d\u00a0 Maybe that\u2019s how I should look at it?<\/p>\n Governor Rick Perry of Texas, vetoed a Safe Passing Bill in June, here is a link to his objections<\/a>.\u00a0 Not that a safe passing law could have saved Gregory and Alexandra Bruehler who were killed when a pickup truck veered into the shoulder where they were riding their tandem, but at least this incident wouldn\u2019t have been called an accident.\u00a0 This story is made even more heartbreaking because the couple\u2019s seven-year old daughter is now orphaned.<\/p>\n![\"Surf](\"https:\/\/blog.longbikeback.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/blog.longbikeback.com\/2009\/10\/swimming-escalade-300x228.jpg\" "\\"swimming-escalade\\"")
<\/a>
![\"Kylie\"](\"https:\/\/blog.longbikeback.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/blog.longbikeback.com\/2009\/10\/kylie-300x194.jpg\" "\\"kylie\\"")
<\/a>