This is a post where I get to use our "a-holes" tag.
Yesterday morning, during the portion of my commute where I have to use a busy road, I approached an intersection (Wells & Division) with the green light and I kept a sharp eye on opposite traffic to make sure no one turned left in my path. That is a common occurrence because drivers either don't pay attention or think they are fast enough to dart through, so I'm always looking out for it.
I entered the intersection and the opposite driver, who had a clear ...
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Sometimes drivers completely baffle me. Case in point from this morning's commute...
I stopped behind three cars waiting for a red light. When the light turned green, we each went through in turn, me last. Meanwhile, a driver from the other direction was waiting to turn left. After I passed and as he turned, he called out, "Asshole," through an open window.
Really!?! Huh? I looked around either for commiseration or to see if there was someone else he could have been talking to. I was alone out ther...
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I'm going to continue with my "ups and downs" theme from Tuesday because it fits so perfectly.
On my way home from work last night, taking busy city streets, I rode by a group of people giving out free lights to cyclists. Up!
Not a half mile later, a driver passed me and then immediately swerved hard to the right to go around another car waiting to turn left. The maneuver put his speeding car dangerously close to my front wheel, causing me to scream and slam on my brakes. Soon the driver was stopped behi...
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File this under "schlocky local news strikes again."
I could not watch the entire video because I was shaking in rage from the opening line: "Bicyclists on the streets of Chicago face many dangers, but they may put themselves in that position and frequently frustrate others on the road." (Next up on Channel 7 news - Domestic violence victims: why don't they just leave the guy??)
This is how the mainstream media uses a few examples to twist reality and perpetuate false truths about bicycli...
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No one likes to be wrong. Some take this so far that they automatically refuse to accept fault, even if they make a mistake that endangers another. During my ride home on Tuesday, I experienced two opposite reactions from drivers in this situation.
1) As I took my turn riding through a four-way-stop intersection, a BMW perpendicular to me went through at the same time. The driver eventually saw me and slammed on his brakes. Immediately he threw up his hands, as if to say, "Not my fault! Not sorry! Screw you!...
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My commute to and fro today was lovely, other than having to yell "JERK" at some jerk, who honked at me for being in the road and then cut me off to turn right. I guess I should not be surprised, since some people (*cough* men *cough*) are often jerks in general. The anonymity of driving naturally magnifies this tendency. They should get their ridiculous testosterone under control and stop bringing me down.
Anyway, my ride really was (mostly) lovely. There is finally some relief from the oppressive heat a...
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I am tired. Of aggressive and ignorant jerks. Guys in Land Rovers who pass dangerously close. And then roll down the window to lecture me on how I'm not supposed to be riding in the middle of the (small one-way) road. Because they are faster. Therefore I should move over. Never mind that riding up against parked cars is the most dangerous way to ride in the city. They need to pass me and that's all that matters. Because they are so fast, even though somehow I catch up with them at the red lights.
They te...
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Riding in Chicago rush hour traffic can really raise my blood pressure, especially when it seems that every person drives a huge SUV while fiddling with a blackberry and passing within inches of me. Even after two years of daily riding, this still gets to me a bit too much sometimes. Today during my evening commute, I had to pull over for some deep breaths and springtime appreciation.
A few minutes later I returned to the road feeling calm and refreshed. I can't control how others drive ...
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I admit that I was all fired up to write this post when I got home, but after a hot shower, a cold beer and a phone call with my mom, I'm feeling pretty chill. Nevertheless, the show must go on.
My ride home today was scary. It was pouring rain, dark out and with all the city lights reflecting off the pavement, I was nervous about drivers seeing me and my lights. Then one particular driver had to go and be an a-hole. I was in the bike lane passing a line of stopped traffic when a car started moving into th...
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I recently asked about safety and security concerns while cycling through your neighborhood, and I mentioned that I feel very safe in my neighborhood. That answer stands, but after more than a year of daily riding, I had my first tense, non-traffic-related cycling safety incident.
I was riding home alone with Betty Foy at 9 p.m. on a residential one-way street that I take all the time - not deserted, but not a major thoroughfare. I didn't hear any cars, but noticed through my rear view mirror the dark outline ...
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