bicycles & rag doll nightmares
now, wait. before you jump to conclusions and brand me as a "bicycle-hating, motorist jerk", let me remind you that i, too, have a bike. i KNOW exactly what it's like to ride a bike on a busy road in an area that, in my opinion, isn't exactly bike-friendly. (in fact, although it's such a shame, it's precisely why i've stuck to recreational riding along park trails and paths. the danger of road-biking as serious transportation makes me too skittish).
anyway, last night, i was on a merge ramp, getting ready to merge onto a road (basically a highway merge lane). (note that there IS a bike lane along the RIGHT shoulder of this road). i slowed to a halt, at the "yield" sign, checked my mirrors, craned my neck and looked to make sure no one was coming, and began accelerating onto the highway. at that very moment, a cyclist came from out of nowhere ON MY LEFT and zipped by me, nearly clipping my driver side-view mirror. IDIOT! (i wanted to yell out "Dude, the bike lane is on the RIGHT!", but the only thing i could manage to do was honk and and flash my brights at him). had i been going any faster or started merging a split second earlier, he'd totally have been hit and seriously injured, or worse. he'd have been catapulted into the air and then probably landed like a rag doll, and it just makes me shudder. of course, this near-miss played out so fast and he quickly disappeared. had i not honked, he may not even have known how heart-stopping it was for me. but the image of what *could have* happened haunts me. he probably (stupidly) thought he was clever and adroit enough that he could quickly pass me on the left before i started to merge.
i'm a competent and courteous driver, and, because i also have a bike, i think i'm maybe a little bit more sensitive to bicyclists' needs than some other motorists out on the roads are. i always leave a little bit of extra room, etc. when i see someone cycling as i'm driving. but it really, really bothers me when i (routinely) see bicyclists who A) don't wear helmets, B) fail to wear light-colored/reflective clothing at night, C) who don't have reflective headlights and tail-lights at night (which my state requires by law), and D) who don't follow the rules of the road just like everyone else. the absolute worst is when i routinely see bicyclists sail through major intersections where the traffic light is red, and also when i see people cycling in the wrong direction in a bike lane (going against traffic), and shit like that.
anyway. how are you? i miss being on here more often. i've said before i need to come back and write more. there are so many things to write and record, and never enough hours in my days. last year, i joked that PhD stands for "piled higher and deeper". unfortunately, it's true. but do look for me here again.
