I’ve been noticing something around my neighborhood. I can’t really help it, seeing as I have to weave and dodge, even when I’m on the supposed safety of the sidewalk.
Out of nowhere, a biker yells, “Left!” as he whizzes past me, narrowly avoiding a tree bed. He, however, cannot avoid my tire ire.
The thing that really chafes more than Lance Armstrong's saddle sores and sets me off on an epic tour de rants? There’s a bike lane on my street! What’s next, you greedy Spandexed asshelment? Pumping up your tires in my flowerbed?
Cyclists want it both ways. They want to right to ride on the street—which they have, by the way. In fact, cyclists are legally supposed to ride in the road. But they also reserve the right to jump the sidewalk and draft behind a stroller when the mood hits. Sorry, but it’s called a sideWALK, not a sidePEDAL. Keep your wheels on the road. If you continue to want your cake and eat it too, you are destined to either find yourself on a 4-wheeler in the ER or be named as the defendant in a hit-and-pedal. Regardless, you will shoot to the top of my cycle list.
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19 comments:
wow...this is sooooo true! glad u finally hit this item on your list!!! I have been saying this for so long!
Yay for this! I just got a "moral headshake" from a cyclist the other day because I didn't notice her immediately while she was riding on the sidewalk and I was trying to pull out into traffic. That's because I was looking into TRAFFIC, where she should have been! Ish.
Sometimes it is difficult, as in our public park - we walkers and cyclists have to learn to get along, since there isn't a road right there for either of us to choose ! Great post!
Can I please suggest a topic for tomorrow - things I want to punch in the face - mean mother-in-laws? Please??
1) Mother-in-laws who say terribly mean things about not only their own son behind his back, but about you, his wife, too - and then act all nice to your face.
2) Mother-in-laws who don't call for months because they are supposed to be the center of the universe and the you are supposed to call them. The phone only works in one direction apparently.
3) Mother-in-laws who feel perfectly justified to take out their temper problems and anger management problems on any member of the family they like, yet if anyone were to do this to her, THEY would be a terrible and awful person.
4) Mother-in-laws who tell my niece things like "if she got a C in school she is worthless and she will work in McDonald's for the rest of her life." Yes, if you're reading this, YOU know who you are!
5) Mother-in-laws who want to know every time you go anywhere, even though they have a cell phone number for you in case of emergency. Can we say controlling?
Aargh. Sorry. Didn't mean to rant. I just don't like nor understand people who are deliberately mean and controlling.
Ha. HS: maybe I could include your list as a guest punch list post, seeing as I have no MIL?
Hi Jennifer - yes, but only if you perhaps put some other pseudonym initials on here for my name - KJ perhaps? (not hs, please!)
On second thought...........maybe don't include it as a guest post - poss. MIL will see it (and see herself in it) and none of us need that emotional drama! Thanks for letting me vent though. Appreciate it, and liked your cyclist post.
No problem. Loved your rant!
I'm pretty sure the only person who should be allowed to parade around like a pompous jackass with one pant leg rolled up is LL Cool J
The good news is that while it is legal for cyclists to travel on sidewalks in Washington State, they do not have the right of way and if they were to hit a pedestrian, they are automatically at fault and liable.
What really chaps my hide is the cyclists who blow through stopsigns and red lights, and then give you a dirty look for proceeding legally. "Share the road" my ass.
PS, I don't think HS has anything to worry about in the MIL department. Believe me, if the woman sees it she WON'T recognize herself. Those people never do.
Lets have a second entry on the same them about river side bike/walk paths, were the walk side of the path is used as the high speed passing lane and a serious danger for any small child. Because they were built for just the bikers with my tax dollars, thank you. In the next plan lets have a Jersey barrier added to the path design. For the protection of all those who would also like to enjoy the "river walk"
Yay for things that needed to be said.
I think Steve is right (changing my mind now) - Jennifer, PLEASE do a mother-in-law guest post, it's ok with me -
just call me KJ instead of HS, ok?
Thanks Jennifer! Might do her good if she did wonder if it was her even! :)
Re cyclists, in the state I used to live in, one town had a whole separate bike path for cyclists - solved the problem and made everyone happy!
Here's one for you:
In the Metroparks, which are thegovernment run parks in my area, there are extensive bicycle paths.
However, "serious" cyclists refuse to use them, opting instead to bike on the road, which is one lane each way through trees and around curves.
Traffic is ofen held up for as long as a mile by a cyclist who WILL NOT use the paths.
I understand that they don't want the inconvenience of having to go around someone with a stroller...but when you weigh it out, the inconvenience of the drivers who have to veer into ONCOMING VEHICULAR EFFING TRAFFIC to get around the cyclists wins. Every. Time.
If you're a cyclist with a bike path available to you, for the love of pete USE IT.
In Oregon, you'll be happy to know, that its ILLEGAL for bicyclists to use the sidewalk. EVER. And if they are in an accident when they were going from "vehicle" to "pedestrian" as in weaving from bike lane to side walk, the law ALWAYS SIDES WITH THE CARS.
Its stupid that a bike can whizz past you on the sidewalk, then jump into the lane of traffic, and expect you, the car driver to know WHAT THEY FUCK THEY ARE DOING!!
Insanity.
Great posts, great blog! :)
My mom told me about this guy in San Francisco that was going around the city and running cyclists over, so you're not alone.
It's rush hour, and traffic is going the opposite direction. There are no bike lanes. So, miss chappy pants, when I whiz past you yelling, "Left!" I am not trying to inspire an irked blog post...I am trying not to be hit by a car.
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