Is it worth getting irate anymore? I asked myself this question as some jerk in a white work van pulled up behind me where I was stopped on my bike, signaling with my hand my intent to turn left into Earth Fare once the traffic in the opposite lane cleared.
In the .2 miles I had been on the road, I had obviously done something to ruin this fellow's day. I heard him, three cars behind me, screaming at me to get up on the sidewalk at the previous traffic light. The car immediately behind me had a teenager at the wheel. While we were stopped at the light I had glanced behind me, wondering why the car hadn't gone around me yet (there was plenty of room several times before we got to the stop light), to see his mother calmly talking to him, coaching him on how to pass a cyclist on a busy road. Poor kid.
As much as I would love to bike on the sidewalk sometimes when drivers make me fear for my safety, it is illegal to do so in Boone. Why? Because a bike is a vehicle, albeit a slow one (which seemed to be the reason why this guy was so mad), and while operating a vehicle you may not be on sidewalk. By law.
When the light turned green and we started moving again, I signaled my intent to turn, moved over to the left of the lane and the kid, and several cars behind him, passed me. No problems.
Waiting to turn, dude in the white van was able to have me as his captive audience for his rage. He pulled up inches away from my fender, blocking traffic in both lanes, and laid on his horn. Oncoming traffic stopped.
I made eye contact and made a face that I hope sent the message: boy, you need to learn the traffic laws and made my turn into the grocery store. He yelled some more and flicked me off.
I was proud of myself for remaining as calm as I did.
In the past two years I've been cycling I've had things thrown at me, people yelling at me, and I have been nearly hit because of people's aggressive and stupid actions several times. I stopped writing and blogging about them because I figured no one wants to hear me complaining about road-rage jerks all the time.
But the fact of the matter is that kind of aggression can get a cyclist hurt, or even killed. Over the summer I was biking in my neighborhood and some guys (also in a white van...sensing a pattern here) thought it would be funny to scream out the window at me as they were passing. It scared me and I swerved, nearly getting hit by the green minivan trying to pass behind them. That experience made me angry to the point of tears. I have just as much of a right to be on the road as everyone else, you have no right to play fast and loose with my life.
So back to the question, is it worth getting irate over these kinds of drivers anymore? In that moment today, I was proud of myself for not reacting with anger when he behaved so abominably-- and dangerously-- towards me. But should I have?
Road rage is a huge and dangerous problem on the road, but it becomes an even bigger problem when it's directed at exceptionally inferior vehicles (i.e. a big white van vs. a bike). Part of me thinks it's not worth the stress to get so angry, part of me thinks they could easily kill me and that is worth getting very, very upset about. I wish I could just carry around a copy of the traffic laws and hand them out to jerks like this guy.
I don't know, any cyclists readers out there have any answers for me? Should I be doing something else, other then obeying all bicycle related vehicle laws?
Let me know.
On happier note: this post is titled Earthfare Emergencies via Bike blah blah blah.... it's a long post name. For a long post. I'm impressed if you read it all the way down here. But there is a reward, I promise. Stick with me. Why that title?
But you've run out of butter.
One of the reasons I love where I live is that Earthfare is literally just down the road precisely for times of crisis like these. We needed butter so we could make these yummy, melt-in your mouth cookies.
Anyway, homeboy with his bad attitude and big white van didn't kill me on my bike ride to Earthfare so I got to come home and make cookies with my roommate, Erica.
Eat them (lots of them, because they're soooo good) and enjoy. You can find the recipe here.
Have a good weekend folks!
x M
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