Corybantic

Ignorant cyclists really piss me off.

Today I was driving my wife’s car in the dark on a very small street near campus. As I was approaching a 4 way stop sign I was thinking to myself about how much more I don’t like to drive since beginning my experiment. Really. Every time I get in the car I’m terrified that I might hit something and hurt someone. Driving around especially city streets I’m sooo much more careful than I ever was before. I don’t drift through stop signs anymore, I drive slower, more careful on blind turns, etc.

At this stop sign I came to a complete start. Then proceeded forward. Then I caught out of the corner of my right eye a cyclist that was over taking me on the right. No big deal at first, but then he darts directly in front of my moving car to make a left! Now first he either came off the sidewalk coming in the same direction I was. Or he was riding the wrong direction on the street perpendicular to the one I was on.

Did I also add that he was wearing dark clothes and had nothing, but piddly little reflectors?

I honked when he crossed in front of me to let him know that wasn’t cool. I was then presented with the one finger solute. Really dude. You clearly don’t know how to ride. I really wanted to stop the car and give him a piece of my mind at the moment, but then I had nothing to identify me as a fellow cyclist. So I figured he would just write me off as an asshole car driver.

So I drove off. How do you deal with similar situations?

This morning I have conquered down to 8 degrees with a few to spare. The key over the last bitter cold day was wearing ski goggles and work pants with a tighter weave.

The goggles are awesome, no stinging eyes or brain freeze. They will become a regular tool in my bike commute.