Almost every training ride I do is a pleasure. Even if it's cold and rainy, or really windy, it's great to be outside and covering dozens of miles of northeast Ohio under my own power. The only sure spoiler is an asshole driver or two.
Today should have been a perfect ride. I went up through Kirtland, through the Arboretum, and up Kirtland Chardon Road hill toward Chardon. I didn't ride hard. I just enjoyed myself. But as I got closer to Chardon, some redneck screamed some crap out his window.
That really doesn't happen to me too often. The vast majority of drivers are considerate and polite these days. So it was no big deal. I don't even know what the dude said. But I was probably a little annoyed. I cranked up the tempo on the stretch of Rt 6 that heads into Chardon. It's a flat section of road, and usually there's a tailwind, so it's possible to get up to 30 mph for a half mile or so without working too hard.
The problem with that, of course, is some drivers have no clue what to do around a bike moving that fast, and they completely screw up passing. That's ok if there's not much traffic, and the guy going by isn't a semi. Some trucker practically forced me off the road. So I was a little more annoyed, but thankfully almost home.
The weirdest encounter I've had in a long time came next. I got back up to speed, and zipped down the hill into Chardon with the traffic. A very elderly man who probably got his learner's permit in a chariot passed me, then slowed down and kept blocking my path. I doubt he was intentionally doing it. Instead, he was just driving super slow and staring into the rear view mirror like some fucking nut. I just got off that road as soon as possible.
I wish I had some Zen like power to ignore this shit, but man, it's enough to make me want to hang up the bike for winter!
3 comments:
I hear ya Kevin, makes ya wanna do a bully beatdown...Don't think that your backing down in any way either, cause your not. You know and I know that if confronted mano y mano you'd do whatever you would have to do to protect yourself and possibly one up em....all they would have to do is get out of the truck, but usually they won't.
Be careful, remember they drive a car/truck and we are on a bike and can turn around in a solitary road and "leave" you by the side of the road. That's why I just try and repeat, try not to say anything or flip the bird. It is very frustrating and that's why I always carry dog spray for two legged dogs.
Be careful out there.
The Commuter
I had a beer truck (imagine that) come into my lane out by Bill's house today. A bird came out quickly because I WANT him to stop.
They're all so brave when surrounded by metal. Out of the vehicle, not so much.
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