I wanted to share some of my dangerous driver stories. Unfortunately, they are frequent, which is probably why I'm on a motorized bicycle and not a motorcycle! Thankfully I'm alive and in one piece to tell about them. Sadly, many others have not been as fortunate. Maybe some of you guys have created some cool ways to be more noticeable and safer out there?
My Short List:
The, I Can't Wait 3 Seconds Behind This Bike For My Turn Driver:
The driver will floor it to pass and get ahead of you then slam on their brakes making a hard right turn and you nearly plow into the side of their car.
(This has happened to me more than once)
The, I'm Texting My BFF Driver:
The other day a lady pulled out in front of me making a right turn onto the roadway, I had to swerve left into the second lane and was inches from her car. Being right at the drivers side window I animatedly stretched out my left arm loudly saying "HELLOOOO!", she slowly looked up (appeared to be texting) and was oblivious that she pulled out in front of me and put my life in jeopardy.
(If there were cars in the next lane over, my chances of coming out unscathed would have be slim)
The, I Gotta Have A Burger If It Kills You Driver:
This lady missed her turn into McDonalds and instead of pulling into the next driveway she was sitting in front of (which also gives access to the McDonalds parking lot), she backed up her full-size SUV into oncoming traffic. I had to make a sharp right turn out of the road and onto the sidewalk. A car passing on her left was blowing their horn. If a car was leaving the parking lot when I went up the sidewalk, I would have hit the side of it at full speed.
(This was the dumbest and most dangerous one I've seen yet)
The, I Own This Road And Think I Know Bike Laws Driver:
Usually when someone turning onto the roadway and has their nose stuck out too far in the street, seeing you coming, will back up. I was flagging this guy to back up well before I got to him and he would't. I had to stop because his nose was so far out in the street and there was too much traffic to go around him. He rolled down his window and I said "would you back up please?" and instead of kindly backing up, he said, "you're not allowed to ride that without a tag". As though, I'm illegal, therefore he's not going to show me any respect.
(If he did any homework since then, he'll know that motorized bicycles are legal and parking in the right of way is not)
The, Oops, I Didn't See You Coming Driver:
I was riding home from the golf course with my bag strapped to the back rack, making my bike about 4ft 2in wide. Mainly because my longest club is a Taylor Made Burner 2.0.
This was a residential street with a wide bike lane. However, a truck gassed it to pull out, then suddenly saw me and stopped 1/3 way in the lane. I quickly swerved around him and nicked the front of his truck with my golf bag. My clubs sufferened no harm!
(I can understand this happening more than the others. We can sometimes come unexpectantly and be hard to see.)
I often feel like the kid in the arcade game Paperboy where everything keeps flying out at me trying to keep me from delivering the paper and reaching that cool obstacle course at the end of the road!
My Short List:
The, I Can't Wait 3 Seconds Behind This Bike For My Turn Driver:
The driver will floor it to pass and get ahead of you then slam on their brakes making a hard right turn and you nearly plow into the side of their car.
(This has happened to me more than once)
The, I'm Texting My BFF Driver:
The other day a lady pulled out in front of me making a right turn onto the roadway, I had to swerve left into the second lane and was inches from her car. Being right at the drivers side window I animatedly stretched out my left arm loudly saying "HELLOOOO!", she slowly looked up (appeared to be texting) and was oblivious that she pulled out in front of me and put my life in jeopardy.
(If there were cars in the next lane over, my chances of coming out unscathed would have be slim)
The, I Gotta Have A Burger If It Kills You Driver:
This lady missed her turn into McDonalds and instead of pulling into the next driveway she was sitting in front of (which also gives access to the McDonalds parking lot), she backed up her full-size SUV into oncoming traffic. I had to make a sharp right turn out of the road and onto the sidewalk. A car passing on her left was blowing their horn. If a car was leaving the parking lot when I went up the sidewalk, I would have hit the side of it at full speed.
(This was the dumbest and most dangerous one I've seen yet)
The, I Own This Road And Think I Know Bike Laws Driver:
Usually when someone turning onto the roadway and has their nose stuck out too far in the street, seeing you coming, will back up. I was flagging this guy to back up well before I got to him and he would't. I had to stop because his nose was so far out in the street and there was too much traffic to go around him. He rolled down his window and I said "would you back up please?" and instead of kindly backing up, he said, "you're not allowed to ride that without a tag". As though, I'm illegal, therefore he's not going to show me any respect.
(If he did any homework since then, he'll know that motorized bicycles are legal and parking in the right of way is not)
The, Oops, I Didn't See You Coming Driver:
I was riding home from the golf course with my bag strapped to the back rack, making my bike about 4ft 2in wide. Mainly because my longest club is a Taylor Made Burner 2.0.
This was a residential street with a wide bike lane. However, a truck gassed it to pull out, then suddenly saw me and stopped 1/3 way in the lane. I quickly swerved around him and nicked the front of his truck with my golf bag. My clubs sufferened no harm!(I can understand this happening more than the others. We can sometimes come unexpectantly and be hard to see.)
I often feel like the kid in the arcade game Paperboy where everything keeps flying out at me trying to keep me from delivering the paper and reaching that cool obstacle course at the end of the road!
