I know the U.S. is a million miles behind certain cities in Europe regarding bicycling infrastructure and etiquette. But as I ride more and more, I keep finding certain things drivers do to be infuriating.
Most of the time I try to take the high road. I flash a peace sign, thank the gods I’m still alive, and keep on pedaling.
Sometimes I go low, flash a different finger, and wish we had better driver education about bikes.
I fell into the latter today.
I road approximately 20 miles today, and it was a lovely ride. The only slight mishap happened a couple of miles from home.
I was turning left. A car did a U-turn on the road I was turning on. I slowed as I approached to give them time to keep going, but they stopped. No turn signal, no nothing. Just stopped in the middle of the road. I rolled to a stop behind them. I waited a second, and I saw the passenger side window was cracked.
- Me: “Are you parking or turning?”
- Passenger: “Oh, we’re parking.”
- Me: “Ok, do it.”
- Passenger: “Oh, no. You go.”
- Me: “For fuck’s sake.” And I climbed back on my bike and started pedaling.
- Passenger: “How rude, you bitch.”
I flipped him off. He said something else, also calling me a bitch, I flipped him off again.
I know this isn’t the biggest of deals, but if the driver had just done what he or she would have done if any other vehicle was behind them we wouldn’t have had that discussion at all. They would have been parked, I would have been past them, done.
But some drivers think they are doing you a favor.
Similar situation: a four-way stop. It’s their turn to go. They wave you on. This might seem wonderful! But you’ve already come to a complete stop. You have to climb back on your bike at a time you weren’t ready to. If left to my devices, when it was my turn to go, I’d already be halfway on the bike ready to pedal, not both feet on the ground.
Anyway, the situation wasn’t truly unsafe. Just annoying. But I do long for the day drivers learn their responsibilities when riding with bikes. Bikes are like cars. Yes, you need to pay special attention to make sure you see them, but otherwise treat them as a car. You might think you are doing them a favor, but if you are doing something unexpected it just gunks up the works.
So to that gentleman I flipped off, my apologies. I was frustrated, and well, you did call me a bitch.
At least I didn’t do this to your car!