Thursday, May 8, 2008

One of these days I'm going to lose

The morning commute is a great way to start any work day. With the exception of having to cross interstate 494, my commute takes me mainly through residential streets - in fact on most mornings I see only a few automobiles (in motion that is, they are littered all over city streets while in park mode.)

Running into a fellow rider and chatting is one of the common perks of bike commuting. This morning I ran into Nick, who was on his way to Surly world headquarters on his lilac travelers check. We chatted for 8 or so blocks before turning off on our separate routes - you certainly don't have the chance for this social behavior stuck inside a car.

So I'm having a nice morning ride as I cross over I-494. Coming up on W 79th Street I hear 'honking honking honking' right behind and to the left of me - no, this does not intimidate me and I'm not moving over, not to mention you've got 3 southbound lanes to get around me. I glance over and see the first three of the six letters on the front license plate before the black Ford Bronco pulls closer to me, I'm now turning onto the shoulder for self defense as this black monster jerkily swerves even closer to my person, the young black female driver rolls down the passenger window and screams (at the top of her lungs) at me in an unintelligible fashion. I did manage to hear the word "stupid" come out of her mouth somewhere in the middle of one of her outbreaks. I smile and duly note the "SBJ 093" printed on the Minnesota license plate before calling the local police to report her dangerous driving style. Nothing ever happens unless someone is hit or dies, and then only if the offending vehicle stops or there was another witness - usually not the case.

Other than that, I'm having a completely normal and calm day at work, full of positive energy from the 10-mile (16 km) ride in.

When I do get hit though, and eventually it will happen, it's going to be ugly. Someone make sure to burn my remains, and I certainly don't want to be embalmed - that's just downright disgusting.

8 comments:

Me [LFoaB] said...

Glad you're alright, Mark...

you know something, and it's a shitty thought too [I really do NOT like it at all]:

I keep thinking the same thing [your last sentence], and it really bothers me a bunch.

Not an "If", but a -certain- "When".

Yet... [and upside, no less] we still ride.

-Me

christian said...

When she eats herself out of that Bronco and into a wheelchair, and she's rambling down the Greenway to Aldi, put a stick in her spokes.

Patch O'Houli said...

Yargghh ... blame it all on KSTP. Oil will die and those fucks in their cars will die. The best part is even though some of us cyclists may die before, we'll die doing something that makes us happy. Worse than embalming, can you imagine dying in a car crash? That's just plain stoopid. Ick on a stick.

But, I'm glad you took evasive shoulder-hugging action, dude. People can't yet see the psychological damage of driving a car everyday. Add to that the rising costs of operating said machine and I'm with Jim Thill -- things will get uglier before the roses bloom.

Still, LFOAB is right, we keep riding.

Fleck

TOMMY GUN said...

With that license plate knowledge, we could have ourselves a little blanket party, ifyouknowwhatImsayin....

burnt said...

I used to be all peace and love and understanding but I got over it after putting up with years of abuse. Doubtless, someone is going to shoot my angry Irish ass someday, but I must say I've used my U locks in ways that would invalidate their warranties and I've never regretted it.

The drivers in the District o' Columbia are much more respectful and I attribute a good portion of that respect to the messenger community who put the fear of god into the local motorheads.

burnt said...

I used to be all peace and love and understanding but I got over it after putting up with years of abuse. Doubtless, someone is going to shoot my angry Irish ass someday, but I must say I've used my U locks in ways that would invalidate their warranties and I've never regretted it.

The drivers in the District o' Columbia are much more respectful and I attribute a good portion of that respect to the messenger community who put the fear of god into the local motorheads.

Sara said...

that's not funny.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if that's the same b-otch that tried to run me down. She was in Eden Prairie School Dist bus 888. She might have gotten fired due to my call to the EPSD Dir. of Transportation. Look out! These streets aint safe no more... Bad Mongo!