Wrong to confront?

The scenario is I'm riding East on L Street in moderate traffic. This
is in rush hour, traffic moving at about 10-15 mph.

I'm centered in the leftmost clear lane (L Street is one way) and
I'm up to traffic speed.

A clog up ahead gets removed and now the traffic is faster, say 20
mph. So I gear up and accelerate, say to 25 mph, the speed limit.

Note that I am going at legal max speed and the curb lane is lousy
with delivery vans and people pulling out of parking garages at the
end of their day.

My judgement and experience tells me that I need to be in this
lane and mode to be safe.

So a driver decides that because there's a momentary clear space
in front of me that I'm going too slowly.

They lay on the horn. Major horn blowing.

What they don't know is that I have this road timed, clocked and
dialed in as far as lights and traffic are concerned.

Blow as you may, I'll be in Scotland afore ye.

In actual fact, I knew that with a mild sprint I'd be on their
bumper at the Rite-Aid and they'd be facing a good long red
light.

So it was. I stopped, got off, and pulled my trusty Kryptonite
EVO 2000 out of the pannier pocket. I hung it on my bar and walked
up to the (natch) SUV.

At this point I was not interested in a violent confrontation, all
I wanted was a valuable dialogue. But I was spitting mad.

And I did not know what subhuman scum were piloting the offending
vehicle, hence the Kryptonite.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered two middle-aged church ladies
operating this engine of intimidation, the operator frantically trying
to close the windows and her passenger asking calmly, "What are you
trying to do with the windows?"

I was, nonplussed. As the windows went up and down.

It was bizarre, but not too bizzare for me to forego the opportunity
to deliver my road use lecture. Somewhat obstructed by involuntary
convulsions.

The capper was, as soon as the HCL had mastered her windows, she
stated, "Ah'm rat, ah works for the bahsicle program and you're
wrong."

Apparently the bicycle program involves riding your horn when behind
bicycles. OK, I thought, that has to be cool.

This definitely wasn't a battle I was going to win, so I made a
great show of reading off her license plate, pulling into the ATM
that was my original objective, and pretending to write down said
license number.

Of course I didn't have a pen.


--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
in.edu__________

Sat, 04 Sep 2004 01:41:43 -0400, ,
"Eric S. Sande" wrote:

Of course I didn't have a pen.

I carry one now, but I'd hate to be caught in a gun-fight with nothing
but my Krypto lock.

Be careful out there. There's a lot of "empty boats".
--
zk

Sat, 04 Sep 2004 01:41:43 -0400, ,
"Eric S. Sande" wrote:

Of course I didn't have a pen.

I carry one now, but I'd hate to be caught in a gun-fight with nothing
but my Krypto lock.

Be careful out there. There's a lot of "empty boats".
--
zk

Eric S. Sande wrote:

Imagine my surprise when I discovered two middle-aged church ladies
operating this engine of intimidation,

Church ladies can be unbelievably vicious when in control of a motor
vehicle. Do not obstruct them from their devotions--they will mow you down
while praying that God damns your soul to Hell at the same time. They
usually don't take kindly to being spoken to by gutterpunk cyclists--even
when that same gutterpunk cyclist happens to be a coreligionist.

I have always been surprised at just how much ill-will lurks within
churchgoers. The kiss of peace is forgotten once the time to pull out of
the parking lot comes around; it's every man for himself, and the Devil
take the hindmost.

The one instance I can recall where I've had a motorist actively bent on
causing me harm was that infamous Sunday which saw me and my brother riding
to church. An old lady drove up behind us, honked, drove up along side and
then actually swerved her car to the right while looking at us and waving
frantically, and honking. Her intention was to push us right off the
road--which she did.

She turns into the same church parking lot we turn into. Since we're
cyclists, we're locking up our bikes just as she walks to the door. She is
shaking with holy wrath: What business have I endangering that boy by
taking him out onto the highway?

The whole mess reminds me of G.K. Chesterton's old saw that the trouble with
Christianity was not that it was tried once and abandoned; but that it had
never been attempted in the first place at all.

-Luigi

--
www.livejournal.com/users/ouij
Photos, Rants, Raves

Eric S. Sande wrote:

Imagine my surprise when I discovered two middle-aged church ladies
operating this engine of intimidation,

Church ladies can be unbelievably vicious when in control of a motor
vehicle. Do not obstruct them from their devotions--they will mow you down
while praying that God damns your soul to Hell at the same time. They
usually don't take kindly to being spoken to by gutterpunk cyclists--even
when that same gutterpunk cyclist happens to be a coreligionist.

I have always been surprised at just how much ill-will lurks within
churchgoers. The kiss of peace is forgotten once the time to pull out of
the parking lot comes around; it's every man for himself, and the Devil
take the hindmost.

The one instance I can recall where I've had a motorist actively bent on
causing me harm was that infamous Sunday which saw me and my brother riding
to church. An old lady drove up behind us, honked, drove up along side and
then actually swerved her car to the right while looking at us and waving
frantically, and honking. Her intention was to push us right off the
road--which she did.

She turns into the same church parking lot we turn into. Since we're
cyclists, we're locking up our bikes just as she walks to the door. She is
shaking with holy wrath: What business have I endangering that boy by
taking him out onto the highway?

The whole mess reminds me of G.K. Chesterton's old saw that the trouble with
Christianity was not that it was tried once and abandoned; but that it had
never been attempted in the first place at all.

-Luigi

--
www.livejournal.com/users/ouij
Photos, Rants, Raves

Eric S. Sande wrote:


They lay on the horn. Major horn blowing.

What they don't know is that I have this road timed, clocked and
dialed in as far as lights and traffic are concerned.

Blow as you may, I'll be in Scotland afore ye.

So it was. I stopped, got off, and pulled my trusty Kryptonite
EVO 2000 out of the pannier pocket. I hung it on my bar and walked
up to the (natch) SUV.

At this point I was not interested in a violent confrontation, all
I wanted was a valuable dialogue. But I was spitting mad.

And I did not know what subhuman scum were piloting the offending
vehicle, hence the Kryptonite.


I only get mad at drivers who ignore traffic safety and because of it
nearly gets me killed or injured. When getting honked at from behind I
try to let the driver pass even pulling over if necessary to
accommodate. So what, if this causes me to lose a couple of minutes at a
signal light. Approaching a driver after displaying a blunt metal object
is way over-the-top. Control your rage. I think this incident is one way
"the man upstairs" is trying to remind you of what is important and what
is trivial.

Kenny Lee

Eric S. Sande wrote:


They lay on the horn. Major horn blowing.

What they don't know is that I have this road timed, clocked and
dialed in as far as lights and traffic are concerned.

Blow as you may, I'll be in Scotland afore ye.

So it was. I stopped, got off, and pulled my trusty Kryptonite
EVO 2000 out of the pannier pocket. I hung it on my bar and walked
up to the (natch) SUV.

At this point I was not interested in a violent confrontation, all
I wanted was a valuable dialogue. But I was spitting mad.

And I did not know what subhuman scum were piloting the offending
vehicle, hence the Kryptonite.


I only get mad at drivers who ignore traffic safety and because of it
nearly gets me killed or injured. When getting honked at from behind I
try to let the driver pass even pulling over if necessary to
accommodate. So what, if this causes me to lose a couple of minutes at a
signal light. Approaching a driver after displaying a blunt metal object
is way over-the-top. Control your rage. I think this incident is one way
"the man upstairs" is trying to remind you of what is important and what
is trivial.

Kenny Lee

Luigi de Guzman wrote:
|| Eric S. Sande wrote:
||
||| Imagine my surprise when I discovered two middle-aged church ladies
||| operating this engine of intimidation,
||
|| Church ladies can be unbelievably vicious when in control of a motor
|| vehicle. Do not obstruct them from their devotions--they will mow
|| you down while praying that God damns your soul to Hell at the same
|| time. They usually don't take kindly to being spoken to by
|| gutterpunk cyclists--even when that same gutterpunk cyclist happens
|| to be a coreligionist.
||
|| I have always been surprised at just how much ill-will lurks within
|| churchgoers. The kiss of peace is forgotten once the time to pull
|| out of the parking lot comes around; it's every man for himself,
|| and the Devil take the hindmost.
||
|| The one instance I can recall where I've had a motorist actively
|| bent on causing me harm was that infamous Sunday which saw me and my
|| brother riding to church. An old lady drove up behind us, honked,
|| drove up along side and then actually swerved her car to the right
|| while looking at us and waving frantically, and honking. Her
|| intention was to push us right off the road--which she did.
||
|| She turns into the same church parking lot we turn into. Since we're
|| cyclists, we're locking up our bikes just as she walks to the door.
|| She is shaking with holy wrath: What business have I endangering
|| that boy by taking him out onto the highway?
||
|| The whole mess reminds me of G.K. Chesterton's old saw that the
|| trouble with Christianity was not that it was tried once and
|| abandoned; but that it had never been attempted in the first place
|| at all.

Wow....I had a very similar experience on my first trip out riding in the
roads....I could not believe it. I still tell people of it today. Amazing.

But to the OP: don't confront people. It's not good practice for someone on
a bicycle. You sound like the cyclist who supposedly pulled out a gun on a
supposedly road-raging truck driver, ramping the situation up to serious
levels. Just exactly who is displaying road rage in that case and in
yours?

Luigi de Guzman wrote:
|| Eric S. Sande wrote:
||
||| Imagine my surprise when I discovered two middle-aged church ladies
||| operating this engine of intimidation,
||
|| Church ladies can be unbelievably vicious when in control of a motor
|| vehicle. Do not obstruct them from their devotions--they will mow
|| you down while praying that God damns your soul to Hell at the same
|| time. They usually don't take kindly to being spoken to by
|| gutterpunk cyclists--even when that same gutterpunk cyclist happens
|| to be a coreligionist.
||
|| I have always been surprised at just how much ill-will lurks within
|| churchgoers. The kiss of peace is forgotten once the time to pull
|| out of the parking lot comes around; it's every man for himself,
|| and the Devil take the hindmost.
||
|| The one instance I can recall where I've had a motorist actively
|| bent on causing me harm was that infamous Sunday which saw me and my
|| brother riding to church. An old lady drove up behind us, honked,
|| drove up along side and then actually swerved her car to the right
|| while looking at us and waving frantically, and honking. Her
|| intention was to push us right off the road--which she did.
||
|| She turns into the same church parking lot we turn into. Since we're
|| cyclists, we're locking up our bikes just as she walks to the door.
|| She is shaking with holy wrath: What business have I endangering
|| that boy by taking him out onto the highway?
||
|| The whole mess reminds me of G.K. Chesterton's old saw that the
|| trouble with Christianity was not that it was tried once and
|| abandoned; but that it had never been attempted in the first place
|| at all.

Wow....I had a very similar experience on my first trip out riding in the
roads....I could not believe it. I still tell people of it today. Amazing.

But to the OP: don't confront people. It's not good practice for someone on
a bicycle. You sound like the cyclist who supposedly pulled out a gun on a
supposedly road-raging truck driver, ramping the situation up to serious
levels. Just exactly who is displaying road rage in that case and in
yours?

Eric S. Sande wrote:
|| The scenario is I'm riding East on L Street in moderate traffic. This
|| is in rush hour, traffic moving at about 10-15 mph.
||
|| I'm centered in the leftmost clear lane (L Street is one way) and
|| I'm up to traffic speed.
||
|| A clog up ahead gets removed and now the traffic is faster, say 20
|| mph. So I gear up and accelerate, say to 25 mph, the speed limit.
||
|| Note that I am going at legal max speed and the curb lane is lousy
|| with delivery vans and people pulling out of parking garages at the
|| end of their day.
||
|| My judgement and experience tells me that I need to be in this
|| lane and mode to be safe.
||
|| So a driver decides that because there's a momentary clear space
|| in front of me that I'm going too slowly.
||
|| They lay on the horn. Major horn blowing.
||
|| What they don't know is that I have this road timed, clocked and
|| dialed in as far as lights and traffic are concerned.
||
|| Blow as you may, I'll be in Scotland afore ye.
||
|| In actual fact, I knew that with a mild sprint I'd be on their
|| bumper at the Rite-Aid and they'd be facing a good long red
|| light.
||
|| So it was. I stopped, got off, and pulled my trusty Kryptonite
|| EVO 2000 out of the pannier pocket. I hung it on my bar and walked
|| up to the (natch) SUV.
||
|| At this point I was not interested in a violent confrontation, all
|| I wanted was a valuable dialogue. But I was spitting mad.
||
|| And I did not know what subhuman scum were piloting the offending
|| vehicle, hence the Kryptonite.
||
|| Imagine my surprise when I discovered two middle-aged church ladies
|| operating this engine of intimidation, the operator frantically
|| trying to close the windows and her passenger asking calmly, "What
|| are you trying to do with the windows?"
||
|| I was, nonplussed. As the windows went up and down.
||
|| It was bizarre, but not too bizzare for me to forego the opportunity
|| to deliver my road use lecture. Somewhat obstructed by involuntary
|| convulsions.
||
|| The capper was, as soon as the HCL had mastered her windows, she
|| stated, "Ah'm rat, ah works for the bahsicle program and you're
|| wrong."
||
|| Apparently the bicycle program involves riding your horn when behind
|| bicycles. OK, I thought, that has to be cool.
||
|| This definitely wasn't a battle I was going to win, so I made a
|| great show of reading off her license plate, pulling into the ATM
|| that was my original objective, and pretending to write down said
|| license number.
||
|| Of course I didn't have a pen.

I really think you might want to consider using a car instead of riding a
bicycle if you don't learn to control yourself. You might hurt someone.