To the asshole in the zippy silver sports car,
That one-block section of Shilshole is not actually MEANT for cars. That is why the asphalt that is part of the bike trail there has those cute little symbols with people on their bikes, and those two paths in either direction take up the whole of the street. Yes, there is some quasi-parking for small businesses around the Marina there, but I think we can safely assume that cars going there are a) not meant to use it as a through-street, and b) meant to treat it as if it were a parking lot, as in, you drive slowly and cautiously.
So, when you fly though there like a bat out of hell right behind a biker, and clearly are not going to slow down, you give the biker two fabulous choices:
1) to be hit by your car, or
2) to swerve into the exposed railroad tracks with the deep grooves in a manner that will absolutely cause the biker to fly off her bike, maybe right into your car, but maybe, if she’s lucky, in the other direction.
I chose Option No. 2: it appeared that that way, I at least had a spitting chance of not being hit, which thankfully is what happened here.
To the lesser asshole in the zippy white sports car,
It’s totally cool that unlike Mr. Silver Zippy-Man, you stopped and asked if I was okay. Thanks. However, when I answered that yes, I was, but that like Mr, Silver Zippy-Man, you too should not have been flying through there EITHER, asking if I was okay again — because surely, I must have hit my head if I had any complaint with you — and then huffing in my general direction was total bullshit.
(I’m fine: road-rashed to hell, for sure, but more pissed off and annoyed than physically harmed. The greater injury was to my fine, day-off mood. There are just as many bikers in Seattle, if not more, as in Minneapolis, but this is now the second incident in a very short time I have had with drivers who for the life of them, cannot share the effing road, or even pay attention to what IS the road. I was really liking Seattle today, because I could take a couple hours and go for a nice not-very-frosty ride in December, and I’m mad at stupid people in their stupid cars for taking me from celebration-to-curse in less than thirty seconds flat.)
December 6th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
Aw Heather, I’m sorry. Drivers can be ginormous assholes. I’ve heard great tales of folks on critical mass rides chasing down asshole drivers, pounding on their roofs and demanding that they apologize to the person they just mowed down, if that’s any consolation.
December 6th, 2006 at 5:13 pm
I’ve actually had the exact opposite problem. Twice in the last month or two, I’ve had bikes swerve into my car (and I use it maybe twice a month), and a few other times I’ve had them almost hit me while walking. With the car, the first was a girl who decided that she wanted to turn left without looking and almost rode herself into my car (luckily no one was coming the other way and I had given her so much room that she was able to swerve before implanting herself in my passenger door). The second flew through a red light and cut me off as I was proceeding through an intersection — and he did it with a smirk in my direction. The walking - well, I will be crossing the road at some intersection when the bike will barrel around the corner. When it happened the other day, the guy was so close I could’ve put my arm out and clotheslined him. ARGH
It’s sad. I would much rather have a metropolis of bikes instead of cars for most travel, but unfortunately, jerks come with any travel apparatus. Hopefully your bike excursions will be inconsiderate-free from now on.