Today riding home from work I got into an ... altercation. I was on a "share the road" street when a car started honking at me. When I stopped at a light I looked left and a guy in a HUGE silver truck with his wife and kid in the passenger seat rolled down the window and yelled:Guy: "You're not allowed to be on the road! Bikes can't be on the road."
'Um' ... I thought, just over the weekend the front of the newspaper proclaimed California a biking state and the streets all over the city have bike lanes and share the road signs.
Me: "You should read the CA driver's laws again - bikes can be on the road."
Light turned green and we both went off. Next light, I pulled up and stopped and asked the guy to roll his window down.
Me: "Sir, can I get your plate number? Seems you forgot to put it on your car."
A long pause.
Guy: "This is a new car."
Me: "Oh, OK. Still mad about bikes on the road?"
Guy: "I just couldn't get around you" (I had been weaving around the trolly coming into my lane.)
Me: "Oh, where should I have ridden?"
Guy: Silent ... light turned green and guy drove off.
Two things - first, don't ever yell at someone in front of your child. Ever. Second, if you're going to yell or start an on-the-road battle, know the laws!
1 comment:
Good job. I read a couple of bike advocacy blogs. Thought this post of one of them. Didn't realised it would your blog. Time to motivate matty to ride!
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